Is the AI warranty transfer worth $300?

[BrianKrueger]

We bought our 2014.5 AI in March 2015 from a dealer (not an AI dealer, just a broker/dealer) who had bought it at an auto auction in Florida buying it from a Mercedes dealer who had taken the AI back due to a lemon law being invoked. The Mercedes dealer fixed the lemon law issue (with the sound system, believe it or not) and then sold the AI at auction.

I was under the wrong impression that I would have the remainder of the warranty on the AI. In talking to Randy McNeeley at Airstream yesterday, that is apparently not the case. First of all, almost all of the component warranties (generator, AC, refrigerator, stove, batteries, etc.) are voided due to not being the original purchaser. He said I could transfer the remainder of the Airstream warranty, but it would require two things first: 1) inspection by an AI dealer (so anything currently at fault would NOT be covered); 2) payment of $300 to transfer the warranty.

Given that we currently have some minor issues (and one major issue related to the generator and batteries) that we thought would be covered by the warranty and are not, is it worth $300 to pay to transfer the remainder of the Airstream warranty? I asked Randy what it would cover, since Airstream would not cover any of the components. He said it would cover fit and finish items.

We do have some minor fit and finish items that I was going to have the dealer fix (molding coming lose, rear seat belt attachment broken), but now that I found out they will apparently not cover these items, I will likely just attempt the fix myself.

We do not have an Airstream dealer within 100 miles of us, so it takes a lot of effort to get the Airstream in to a dealer for any warranty work. And given Airstream's general unwillingness to cover warranty work (my understanding is that if the batteries at fault, Airstream would likely not cover them), it may not be worth the money and/or hassle to get the warranty transferred?

I will still try to get Lifeline to cover the faulty batteries as well as any of the OEM components, if they fail. But I just question whether fit and finish items are even worth being covered, since there is only 20 months left on the warranty and typically fit and finish items are fixed shortly after delivery.

I would appreciate input from others who have had your AIs into the 2nd and 3rd year if it's worth it to have warranty coverage. Thanks.

P.S. The Mercedes warranty is different and should still be in effect. Or at least that's the hope. I am bringing the rig to a Mercedes dealer (RBM of Alpharetta, GA) that is also an AI dealer next Tuesday and will clarify that as well.

[InterBlog]

"Fit and finish"? Do they provide contract language on what they mean by that?

The two specific things that come to my mind regarding your question are:

(1) Would abnormal corrosion be covered and if so, for how long? I am thinking here of the previous posters who reported discovering problems with the way their windows were installed by Airstream.

(2) Would water leaks due to Airstream-installed components be covered and if so, for how long? Many of those seem to manifest shortly after purchase, but some take time to show up.

If the answer to both of those questions is YES, then personally I would be inclined to cough up the three hundred.

[Protagonist]

Short answer, no, it's not worth it.

A warranty covers two things:
1 - defects in materials;
2 - defects in labor.

Since all of the warranties would be void except for the Airstream warranty, the only materials covered are the coachwork. That's the cabinets, countertop and table, the imitation mouse fur on the walls, the aluminum ceiling, the insulated floor, the upholstery, and maybe the fiberglass wet bath.

Defects in labor for the appliances and devices mean that if something was installed incorrectly by Airstream, the warranty would cover it. But proving that the fault was due to improper installation and not improper use is problematic in many cases.

Your chances of needing more than $300 of warranted repairs to the few warranted items in the remaining warranty period are slim.

[Mjgman]

When we purchased our AI, I reluctantly purchased an extended warranty..

I just used it for my back up camera and I was pleasantly surprised that they paid for it..

The name of the company is cornerstone, it was a few years ago that we bought so I don't remember the cost.. I had a good Sam extended on my last coach and they never paid for anything..

Worth a look, there is a lot that can go wrong with these rigs, some can be fixed by someone that is handy but some of the components might be better to have them repaired by an expert...

[BrianKrueger]

Originally Posted by Mjgman

When we purchased our AI, I reluctantly purchased an extended warranty..

I just used it for my back up camera and I was pleasantly surprised that they paid for it..

The name of the company is cornerstone, it was a few years ago that we bought so I don't remember the cost.. I had a good Sam extended on my last coach and they never paid for anything..

Worth a look, there is a lot that can go wrong with these rigs, some can be fixed by someone that is handy but some of the components might be better to have them repaired by an expert...

How much was your extended warranty per year? Does it cover everything in the rig? Or just Airstream parts?

[Ron_CA]

I think as others have said it requires more clarification by Airstream on exactly what they will cover.

[Lily&Me]

Do you think the lemon law issue pertained only to the stereo system? Seems a relatively minor reason to return it to the dealer, when it could be fixed under warranty.

Sorry for the pessimism....I know way more about human nature than I want to.

What a mess. You have my sympathy.


Maggie

[AWCHIEF]

Some people might have regrets after such a purchase and use any excuse to get out of the deal or they might have had high expectations that were not met. That is seen all the time here.

[froggsafield]

We have had a steep learning curve relative to AS warranties. (2012 AS Sprinter 3500) Found JC and local people willing to compromise during this steep learning phase.
I doubt if we would purchase an extended warranty mainly because of the problems we have encountered have not been ongoing. As well as the questions and answers I have found on this forum.
May I ask the following warranty question of the forum although a bit off topic?
When does the MB Sprinter warranties start ? Date when you purchase the vehicle or when AS purchases it ?
Thanks...

[BrianKrueger]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

Do you think the lemon law issue pertained only to the stereo system? Seems a relatively minor reason to return it to the dealer, when it could be fixed under warranty.

Sorry for the pessimism....I know way more about human nature than I want to.

What a mess. You have my sympathy.

Maggie

I have the Lemon Law documentation. There were two things:

1. Audio component concern.
2. Steering rack concern.

I also have a signed statement from Mercedes-Benz USA that these two issues have been resolved: "All necessary repairs and adjustments have been made and the vehicle meets acceptable operating standards."

I haven't had any issues with either the audio components or the steering rack.

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Some people might have regrets after such a purchase and use any excuse to get out of the deal or they might have had high expectations that were not met. That is seen all the time here.

Good point and that's probably a good guess. While I realize that it can be frustrating to take something back to the dealer that was not properly fixed, I'm also aware that you do not need to invoke the Lemon Law. So either they were frustrated with the number of times requires to get the fix or they simply had buyer's remorse (don't we all have that a time or two?) and used it as a way to get out of the purchase.

[Lily&Me]

Well, that's good, Brian.

It may still be a lemon, now just yours.


Maggie

[BrianKrueger]

I just got an e-mail from Randy McNeeley at Airstream that says there is NO Airstream Warranty available on our RV (even though it's only a year old). He referred to page A-1 of the Airstream Owner's Manual:

6. Motorhomes not purchased through an authorized dealer of Airstream mo*torhomes, and motorhomes purchased directly or indirectly through auction, salvage, repossession, or other non-customary sale means.

So I guess the point of this original thread is mute, since I cannot transfer the warranty. However, I will start a new thread just to make others aware of this (I was not).

[jcanavera]

What about the Mercedes side of the vehicle? It would seem to be any warranty regarding the basic vehicle (not altered by Airstream) should be covered by the vehicle's manufacturer. You might check with Mercedes and verify what if any warranty applies. Airstream's warranty covers anything Airstream installed or modified. In many cases components also carry their own warranties outside of Airstream's. For example the refrigerator, air conditioner, water heater, and furnace all carry manufacturer warranties. I remember for example that the Micro Pulse monitoring system on my Classic carried a 5 year warranty. I called them and got a replacement monitor panel when my trailer was 4 years old. So go back to the documentation if you have it, that is supplied for all the accessories and components and read those documents. If there is a warranty it will be stated there, and in some cases you will find that the warranty may exceed Airstream's.

From that information you can figure out what truly is Airstream warranting. In some cases those individual warranties can be extended. For example I remember on my SOB finding that Dometic offered an extended warranty on the refrigerator and the air conditioner that went beyond the original warranty for the trailer. As long as those appliances are not out of their initial warranty period (assuming they match the 2 year Airstream warranty), you might be able to extend the warranty for that specific appliance directly with the manufacturer.

Jack

[BrianKrueger]

Originally Posted by jcanavera

What about the Mercedes side of the vehicle? It would seem to be any warranty regarding the basic vehicle (not altered by Airstream) should be covered by the vehicle's manufacturer. You might check with Mercedes and verify what if any warranty applies. Airstream's warranty covers anything Airstream installed or modified. In many cases components also carry their own warranties outside of Airstream's. For example the refrigerator, air conditioner, water heater, and furnace all carry manufacturer warranties. I remember for example that the Micro Pulse monitoring system on my Classic carried a 5 year warranty. I called them and got a replacement monitor panel when my trailer was 4 years old. So go back to the documentation if you have it, that is supplied for all the accessories and components and read those documents. If there is a warranty it will be stated there, and in some cases you will find that the warranty may exceed Airstream's.

From that information you can figure out what truly is Airstream warranting. In some cases those individual warranties can be extended. For example I remember on my SOB finding that Dometic offered an extended warranty on the refrigerator and the air conditioner that went beyond the original warranty for the trailer. As long as those appliances are not out of their initial warranty period (assuming they match the 2 year Airstream warranty), you might be able to extend the warranty for that specific appliance directly with the manufacturer.

Jack

Hi Jack,

I am currently checking with Mercedes to make sure that the Mercedes Sprinter Van drivetrain is covered under the Mercedes warranty. I am taking the AI in to RBM of Alpharetta next week. They are a Mercedes dealer that also sells and services AIs, so they should be able to give me the lowdown.

Regarding the individual warranties, you are correct that most of the components have their own individual warranties. That is where we will need to go if any of these components break down.

Brian

[Mjgman]

Brian,

My apologies, we just moved and most of our things are still packed and the warranty info is in one of those boxes.. Here is the link for cornerstone..

https://www.cornerstoneunited.com/english/products.html

Did the dealer tell you in writing that it was an as is sale? Did they represent that there was a factory warranty left? If they made any of these claims in writing then you should have no problem returning the coach for a full refund.. Unless there are no more problems with it, then I would keep it and enjoy especially if you got a good deal.. If you did then you would need to weigh the benefits of buying a brand new coach with a warranty VS getting a really good deal on a coach without one.. Good luck I hope all works out for you.. These coaches are a blast to have..

[LB_3]

You can always buy a Good Sam Extended Service Plan.