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Extended Warranties

Yahoo Message Number: 19327
Does anyone have any advice or observations on Extended Warranties? I have talked with a few companies offering them and Good Sam seems to have the best price so far.

About to pick up our new to us 1999 Magna

Re: Extended Warranties

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 19328
Cbowman,

You will probably get several pros and cons about various extended warranties. Just like any other insurance policy you will only find out how really good it is when it comes time to use it.

The best insurance policy is the one you never have to use!
I purchased one four years ago and have never used it but had some peace of mind knowing it was there should the occasion arise. A friend has used his and has received more back in savings on repairs then the original policy cost.
Although our experiences are completely opposite I believe we are both happy campers.

David

David and Karen

Coachless in Sisters!
2002 Honda Odyssey TOAD

Re: Extended Warranties

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 19333
Ours expires in a few months after four years. I have used the warrenty. They did pay the claims I submitted but not always 100% based on their rules interpretation. I did receive a little more than the premium paid so was free insurance. U.S. Warrenty Corp 800-233-9878.

Dean

95 CC Magna #5280

Quote from: ccdriver100

Re: Extended Warranties

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 19336
From: "ccdriver100" cbowman100@...>
Quote
Does anyone have any advice or observations on Extended Warranties? I > have talked with a few companies offering them and Good Sam seems to > have the best price so far.
Miscellaneous rambling based on observation (not experience): They're not actually an "extended warranty." They're a "service contract." Small print can negate all the advantages you think you're gonna get, as can bankruptcy of the company. If you're not mechanically minded, ask a mechanic to help you understand what's specifically or not included.
Read all the letters of complaint in various RV mags reference these contracts. If the contracts benefited the consumer in general, they wouldn't be sold. You'll hear loudly from the winners ... but not the "losers" who are in the majority. Sort've like winners in the casinos yelling loudly while the losers look on and wonder ... "Why couldn't I be that lucky?"

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
'98 36' Intrigue #10571
Mfd: 11/97
(still unsold)

Re: Extended Warranties

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 19352
We have had Good Sam ESP on all 3 of our coaches (going on 4 years) and have probably done better than break-even. We may not renew when it comes up because we haven't had that many problems with the current coach although it will cover major problems should they occur.

My recommendation would be to talk to your mechanic and see which one he favors. Our liked the ESP and has worked with them for several years. He has a good relationship with them and knows how to the most from them. We had to use it out of town once and didn't have as good of luck with it.

Tell me about your "new" coach. We love ours. We bought it a year ago in August. We have put almost 28,000 miles on it since we got it. We are on our way home from Missouri now.

Tammy

'99 Magna 5605

Quote from: ccdriver100

Re: Extended Warranties

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 19440
Price is not the most important point. The reliability of the company providing the warranty is key. There have been companies which have:

1) written a bunch of contracts then gone out of business
2) sold contracts based on a flyer, with the actual contract being much less valuable than was advertised
3) been so hard to deal with that most shops won't accept them
4) used wiggle words in the contract to avoid paying claims.

5) sell you a contract based on the original in-service date of the
unit, not the date you buy the contract, or the motorhome. Good Sam offered me a '4 year' warranty, of which 2 1/2 years was already used up...

Horror stories from 4 include

- a guy who went into the shop and was told by the warranty company, well, to deal with this shop, you needed to contact us first, but since you are already there, just have the work done and send us the bill. When the bill was sent in, it was rejected, because the contract stated 'no work would be reimbursed unless approved beforehand'.

- a guy whose claim on a refridgerator was denied because he had had his oil changed 1000 miles later than the factory schedule and the contract required 'all factory suggested maintenance be done per schedule'.

- a engine which they refused to cover until the owner paid for all the analysis to find out the cause of the problem, to see if that cause was covered.

Make sure you get an 'exclusionary' contract, and make sure you know what is excluded. Many of the worst of these are 'inclusionary' contracts, which include the listed items and absolutely nothing else. Also, before you sign, read the actual contract (not a brochure, not a salesman's promises) to ensure it really says what you think it should.

One last note, the Good Sam plan I was offered by the dealer appeared to be much better than the one I was offered from Good Sam (many things which were excluded in the paperwork from Good Sam were not excluded in the paperwork from the dealer. Price was much higher though.

John 2004 Inspire

Quote from: ccdriver100

> Does anyone have any advice or observations on Extended Warranties?

I

Re: Extended Warranties

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 19442
There could be a Yahoo group dedicated to extended contract horror stories! As an insurance company they will try to weasel out what ever they can.

One specific ext. contract company said each incident you had to pay your $100.00 deductible. Ok, first visit, the $100.00, diag. problems, get it ok'd, order parts. The owner had to move the rig to a park to wait for parts. They were charged another $100 when they came back to have the work completed....the mileage was different! I think they fought that and won, but the nerve! Gimme a break! This has been an interesting discussion for we were asked if we wanted to purchase one when we signed the papers for our new Allure a couple of weeks ago. Decided to wait and do some more investigating.

Sue

'05, 42' Allure 31254
 

Re: Extended Warranties

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 19443
It is my understand that critical to all Extended Warranties is the need to pre-authorize service work. Failure to get pre-auth will, in almost all cases, allow the extended warranty company to weasel out of paying.
Next - careful attention to the exclusions portion is vital. I've heard (and believe) it is best to try and find a policy that has an exclusions portion only and does not specifically "list" items that are covered. With this type of policy I think there is a better chance of being treated fairly.

Last, and probably most important, is the quality of the dealership that sold you the policy. I recently purchased a policy from a top rated RV Dealership (yes, one that sells Country Coach) that I could have purchased "online" for a significantly better price. But I chose to pay a higher price at the dealership because I have a relationship with this company, persons who work there, and I really feel they will go to bat for me should the need arise.

Tom

05 Magna #6479