Extended Warranties

maxx4me

yep, I was just offered the Universal Warranty at my GM dealer as well. He told me that it is the big kid on the block now; sort of like Ryan was a few years ago. I told my finance manager that I really wanted to buy a GM warranty, but would not do so at the price he quoted. He also told me that I have 12 months or 12,000 miles before the price would change. That was nice of him to confess that. Now I'm thinking that I will go to a bunch of GM dealers over the next year and see if there are any hungry finance officers at the ends of each month. Think that's a good idea? I refuse to pay $2,300 for a 7/84,000 GMPP warranty. I would like to see if I can shave about $1k off of that price. Wish me luck. Oh, by the way, the Universal Warranty goes up to 7/100,000 and is $300 less than GMPP.

driftracer

GMPP - I sold bunches of them. Universal Underwriters is the best private extended warranty there is, after selling them, then dealing with them in the service department - I'd still never recommend ANY private extended warranty company because they don't offer "warranties", they offer "insurance policies".

Look up the real definition of what a warranty is as described by the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act, and you may decide that you don't want to risk buying an "insurance policy" either.

I sold plenty ot GMPP and DCC (and Ford ESP) contracts to folks "after the fact" - I welcomed the business, it added to my bottom line in F&I, and didn't hurt my percentage if I sold them cheap. Negotiate!

un-limited

I've got a 2001 Jeep GC 37,300 mi. I've been shopping for an extended warranty but Chrysler MaxCare only goes 7/75K (I believe) which means I'd get about 4 yrs and 38,000 additional miles. Not a lot, imho. Cost around $ 1,555 with $100 ded.

I like to keep my cars longer, I was hoping to get 7 additional years from warranty purchase and at least 65 - 75K additional miles.

comments, opinions.. Is there a better solution ?

Thanks

driftracer

you'd buy a 10 or 11 year warranty? Not happening.

The 10 year powertrain warranties that people see advertised are a real joke in the sense of coverage (internal powertrain items only, but the sensors and control modules are usually what fails and are not covered), and rarely does anyone keep a vehicle past 4-5 years these days.

I don't really recommend Max Care - only a few minor things are additionally covered, and the cost difference is substantial over the same termed Added Care plan.

un-limited

I see these plans that add 5 or 7 yrs from purchase date vs. Factory Plan which goes from in-service date (3/01) and to total odomoter reading v. additional miles. Do you think getting only 4 years additional and 37,500 for a factory is worth the $ ? Do you know the price differential for Added Care ?

From what I've read here it seems after-market warranties are a crap-shoot and not worth the brain damage.
Tnx

driftracer

Added Care is usually $300-400 cheaper than Max Care, on a 7/100 or 5/75.

Yes, it's worth the money IF you pay the right price - one or two module failures will pay for the warranty.

maxx4me

I am aware you can get the 100k, but for only 6 years. I want 10 years....GMPP doesn't do it...I want 100k....GMPP only does it for the 6 year.
So, since 7 year 84k is the most years and miles I can get combined, tell me what I should pay for it.

driftracer

not in F&I anymore - I'm a private consultant, and have been for a little over three years. I don't have access to warranty price charts (at least not for GM).

wlbrown9

You could save $300 and go with non-manufacturer warranty. I did that back in the 1980's with Griffin Systems. First couple of claims not bad. Then the last I had to pay and try to get money back from them since they quit paying with their Visa. Plus, they started paying on used or depreciated parts. I'm sure they are no longer in business.

The prices I see from a dealer that discounts the GMPP are $2535, $2040 & $1665 for $0, $100 & $200 deductible in that order.

My view is that things are so expensive and difficult for the shade tree guys to fix, that I'll pay $1000-$1500 for 5 year peace of mind in case the $2000 ABS or $3000 transmission goes out. I can deal with an occasional $100 repair or deductible out of pocket, so I not pinching it down to the last penny... I just don't want to lose all my vacation stash on that repair. The older, more simple cars are few and far between now.

Bill

BTW gmoutlet dot com is where I got my pricing above. Cadillac/Pontiac dealer in Pa. NO sales tax unless you live in PA. Don't know if you will cut the GMPP list prices by 45%, but these would be a good place to start.

driftracer

as an F&I guy, I sold lots of contracts, and enjoyed the affect the numbers had on my bottom line at the end of the month.

Check with 3-4 dealers and you'll get 3-4 different prices.

un-limited

I did shopping for a GM ext warranty for my 2001 Jeep GC. I got 7yr/75K mi MaxCare for $1,555 , $100 ded. That's about 4 yrs and 37,500 miles worth of coverage. That's .04 cts/mile. While I tend to hold cars a while, my last Jeep GC to 87K, that got very expensive over time. It cost me thousands in repairs. Let's face it Jeep Chrysler products are at best average when it comes to durability. Repairs are part of the equation and with a factory warranty it should be pretty smooth. I asked the service manager how he felt about after mkt and he said aside from the crap shoot part of it in the long term, the problem was trying to get someone on the phone for authorization and the hoops you might need to jump thru depending on the nature of the repair. A factory warranty is basically pre-authorized except in the most extreme cases. Think of how many times you would have paid someone a few hundred dollars to make an automotive nightmare go away.. so the MaxCare was hands down the right thing for me. BTW, I checked with a dealer in Iowa with an internet site chryslerwarranties dot com and they were only $100 more than I got and that was from a "friend." So if anyone needs an extended GM warranty I suggest getting a quote from them.

Tnx

driftracer

are you mixing up GMPP and DCC contracts?

No biggie, of course.

"I asked the service manager how he felt about after mkt and he said aside from the crap shoot part of it in the long term, the problem was trying to get someone on the phone for authorization and the hoops you might need to jump thru depending on the nature of the repair"

As a former service manager, I concur 100%. Additionally, most contracts require one of their adjusters to come out (major items), take photos, inspect, etc, before authorizing even a rental car. I've seen these guys take over a week just to come look at it - there you sit, with a torn down car in the shop, ready for inspection...THEN, the guys can order your parts. It turns a regular transmission replacement from a 2 day job into a 3 week job.

I left out the part about using USED (as in salvage yard) components - many aftermarket warranties have this clause in their contract - read it and weep.

maxx4me

un-limited, please clarify. The MaxCare is for Chrysler. I am interested in a GMPP. The site you provided is for Chrysler. Can you direct me to the outfit in Iowa which sells the GMPP? Thanks.

un-limited

I found a place in Penn. that sells what you are looking for. They are called Black Cadillac or something like that. They sell over Internet. You can look them up. Good Luck.

maxx4me

found it...thanks very much un-limited

un-limited

Great. Let me know if that's a good solution. Good Luck.

Un-Limited

yak54

It has a $250 deductable 7/100. Has anyone tried it?

ateixeira

That's a pretty big deductible.

I'd call that car disaster insurance, maybe, not a warranty.

-juice

maxx4me

makes me want to switch back to Geico. I wish USAA had some kind of policy, especially 7/100. What does the Geico one cost?

yak54

For a 300c $7.40 per month with no interest charge over 7 yrs total $630. The best deal on 7/100 with $100 deductable from chrysler was $1750 up front. I figure I could put $1100 difference away for 7 yrs at even a low interest rate and still be ahead with the higher deductable. Perhaps I will never have to use it.

maxx4me

Today, I was offered the 6yr/90,000 warranty at the GM employee cost: $1,515. Think I should take it??

maxx4me

oops: on a Class 2 Malibu Maxx

smittynyc

Yak,

I'm positive Geico's coverage is ONLY for mechanical breakdown, not wear and tear. The Chrysler warranty probably covers everything from soup to nuts, hence the higher price.

There's a subjective aspect to a mechanical breakdown policy that would make me a little nervous. The savings are impressive, though. Geico quoted me a rate on an 04 Forester that would work out to about $250 over 7 years, rate revisions notwithstanding.

ateixeira

Seems a little high for a 6 year term. I paid less for a 7/100 with no deductible for our AWD Legacy wagon.

-juice

andrelaplume

6/90K for $1500---and thats Employee Cost!!! The Mailbu has tried to copy the Camry for the past 2 generations. They have done a great job too. The car is even on the 'reccomended' list. GM should copy Toyota in there extended warranty cost thought....I paid $650 for a $0 deductible 7/70K bumper to bumper warranty thu Toyota.

driftracer

not $1500 - someone's feeding you a fish story.

ateixeira

And he outta know...given his past job.

-juice

gramj

We are buying a Chev Equinox, and while discussing the financing the guy wants to put on a 6yr. 150,000(?)mile extended warranty at the cost of $1,989.00. Actually it would be a 3 yr. warranty, it doesn't take effect until the manafactures warranty expires. This sounds a little high to me and not sure if we should get it or not. What do you think?

driftracer

definitely an aftermarket (not GMPP) "warranty", which isn't a "warranty" by ant stretch of the imagination. GMPP is your only way to go, in my opinion, and you could do a 5-6 year, 100k GMPP for about half that amount....

I guarantee the dealer makes a larger percentage on the wanna be warranty!

ateixeira

That is a lot of money. I'd put that kind of money into a trade-in 3 years from now. It's way too much for me to consider a warranty.

-juice

maxx4me

OK Juice, thanks: I'll ask it here, although I'm also back dooring this message to my buddies to see if they will tell me: What is the GM employee cost of a 6yr/90,000 mile warranty???? If not $1,515, then what???

gramj

Thank you for the great information!!! Now where can I get an extended warranty and when should I get it.

ateixeira

Try a strategy suggested above - visit a few dealers and ask the F&I guys to show you their wholesale costs.

FWIW I'd expect them to be under a grand. Then offer them $100 over. Surely they have some incentives to meet some sort of quotas.

-juice

virs

New to the forum. I plan to buy a 2000 Focus SE Wagon with 56K miles. Since its outside the factory warranty, I would like to get an extended warranty to cover any future major repairs. I assume I can't do that with Ford anymore since its outside the factory warranty period. Any suggestions or recommendation of where I can get a reliable one that the local ford dealership would honor

driftracer

go into a couple of dealerships, ask to see their book. No, not their "retail" book, their "cost" book. It's the one under his desk that he looked at BEFORE the consumer gets in the office...Then offer $100 over - you'll be surprised how much less you can pay - it was my personal policy to at least double, if not triple my warranty cost as a retail price standard.

mitzij

Yeah, what juice said. And be sure it is a GMPP. Aftermarket service contracts usually aren't worth the paper they're printed on, so don't bother. If you REEAALLY feel the need for a service contract, buy a GMPP. But I rarely see anyone see a return of their money on these things. I thought I had one the other day, but he didn't quite make it.

You can buy one from just about any GM dealer, and even online. Just do a basic search. As for when, I'd say never, but that's just me. The prevailing wisdom says to wait till a few months before the basic warranty runs out, then shop around. By then you'll know if little Noxie is a rose or a thorn and whether or not you might make use of the contract. The cheapest prices are when the vehicle is newer (within the first year) and jump up towards the end of basic warranty, so that's a factor as well.

maxx4me

thanks guys. I know all those things. I simply need to find out what the "wholesale"/"GM employee"/"cost book" price is. Since juice thinks the price I was offered was not it, I plan on going back to the dealer who told me it was and give him one more try (and that's if I happen to be near his dealership). I'm sure there is someone out there who knows "the price" for a 6/90 on a Class 2. Once I find it, then I'll go to a GM dealer and offer $100 over.

evers86

I recently bought a 2001 Tahoe with 18k on it and have been shopping ext. warranties. This seems like a pretty reputable company and cost effective as well. Does anyone have any past experience with United American Warranty?

CarMan@Edmunds

Hi evers86. I personally do not have any experience with this particular extended warranty provider, but I can tell you that I always personally recommend official manufacturer-backed policies to consumers who want the peace of mind that warranties provide. Manufacturers are much more likely to step up to the plate and provide coverage, standing behind their products in an effort to retain you as a loyal customer than some random third party that you will probably never purchase anything from again. Furthermore, a number of independent warranty providers have gone bankrupt over the years, leaving their policyholders with worthless warranties that they have paid hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for. Remember that in most states the prices of extended warranties are negotiable. You can purchase an official GM warranty from any dealership in the U.S. that sells GM vehicles. If I was in the market for an extended warranty on a Tahoe, I would call or e-mail a number of dealers to get price quotes on the exact level of coverage that I was interested in. Then I would take the lowest quote and give the dealer that I was planning on having my truck serviced at an opportunity to match the price. All things being equal, it never hurts to generate a little good will by actually buying your ESP locally.

Car_man
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paleale

Are extended warrenties worth the money?

sgf4

How do I go about finding which Lexus dealer (and in which state)has the best extended warranty price? We purchased our Hondacare warranty through a dealer in NJ (found name through these boards) and it was much cheaper. Would like to do the same with Lexus but not sure how to go about it. Any suggestions or has anyone recently purchased a warranty from a Lexus dealer that they felt was a good deal?

buffaloviolets

What's a GMPP?

driftracer

GM's factory extended warranty.

buffaloviolets

What's a GMPP?

driftracer

maxx4me

good question sgf4. I sent out over 30 e-mails last night throughout the state of VA looking for a deal. I mostly got quoted the list price in the GM book. I too would like to expand my horizons to other states to find the best deal possible. I hope your answer leads me to a new plan of attack for my GMPP.

dmckenzie

I live in Northern California. I own a Lexus LS 430 which I've had for 3 years. I phoned the finance departments of about ten Lexus dealerships and requested a quote for the Lexus Platinum 7 year / 100,000 mile extended service plan. I got quotes ranging from $2,400 (Concord Lexus) for $2,900 (Roseville Lexus) in Northern California. In Southern California, Westminster Lexus quoted $2,100, and I could do it over the phone with a credit card. Most of the Northern California dealers wanted to inspect the car.
    Call around, call other states; I received quotes from everyone I spoke to. I understand Texas has some good deals. If you can do it over the phone, it doesn't matter where you buy it.
-Don in Sacramento

driftracer

and was always done when we'd sell a factory-backed extended warranty. The customer would pay a small fee for the inspection, and we'd do business - if there were current problems that we found, that the owner was trying to sneak in and pull one over on us, they were asked to leave.

maxx4me

that is great advice. I only wish I knew of a way to reach an entire network of dealers across the country to get a GM warranty. I sent out over 20 e-mails to dealers in my state; it is appauling how unwilling these dealers are to make you a fair offer. Two of the dealers came back with the GM book value found in every finance officer's desk (gee, how sporting); one came back above book value, and one told me to simply drop in to the dealership (as if I'm going to drive 100 miles to have some guy quote me book value).
I'm sure there is someone hungry enough out there to want my business. For the rest of them, I don't know what keeps them in business; certainly sales volume has no meaning to them.

chrisgivens

http://www.gmoutlet.com/gmpppriceindex.html