Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Chrysler's New Lifetime Drivetrain Warranty

1234568

Comments

  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    Here's some additional information on that:

    I seriously doubt you'll find any warranty that will cover a commercial vehicle for an infinite number of miles. The majority of what you listed are commercial vehicles.

    And, as I've said in the past, don't expect Chrysler to replace your engine just because the valve covers have a little oil on them or if it is burning 1/2 qt of oil between changes. I would expect them to replace a powertrain component that caused the engine, transmission, etc., to stop operating.
  • danzandudedanzandude Member Posts: 3
    The "lifetime warranty is not really lifetime!!!! It is a scam!!!!
    I bought a dodge ram solely for the warranty.I did major research and I found nothing but the good stuff. " Warranty non transferable - inspection every 5 years"
    When I bought the truck I recieved the 3 yr 36000mi warranty paperwork with a lifetime supplement.
    After owning the truck for 4 months I recieved the actual lifetime paperwork in the mail. It states that the warranty loses value as the vehicle devalues according to
    NADA. example vehicle with 10 years 300,000 mi valued at 1500 dollars that
    needs a 3000 dollar transmission the warranty is void or at best prorated so
    someone has to make up the difference.

    now lets talk reliability. I have brought this truck in twice for service. twice I have had warranty issues.
    3000 ---- coolant leak 2 hours for oil change and repair
    6000 --- sat radio tuner bad 5 hours for oil change 2.5 weeks radio on back order

    happy happy joy joy
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Even the Chrysler 300 SRT8 Hemi is still a less-expensive car than my Cadillac DTS Performance. Maybe if I ran into some financial difficulties and had to pare down my lifestyle. The Lifetime Warranty would just be gravy.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Forbes claims the ten worst cars are:

    10: Pontiac Grand Prix:

    Geeze, this sucker is so old I was out walking my brontosaurus when it first appeared in the showrooms.

    9: Hyundai Entourage

    Didn't this vehicle just come out? What makes it bad? I thought Hyundai was the new wonder kid on the block.

    8: Nissan Quest

    My brother-in-law bought one when my sister and him had their first child. He didn't keep it long. He wanted to trade it for a new 2007 Altima, but even the Nissan dealer low-balled him. BIL ended up with a new loaded Ford Fusion.

    7: Chevrolet Aveo

    Mom loves hers.

    6: Ford Crown Victoria

    Geeze, this car is practically pre-Cambrian. Still, I would buy one if it's all I could afford. I'd rather have it's nicer Mercury Grand Marquis sister. The Crown Vic is precisely the type of car I'd have loved 10-15 years ago, but it is now pathetically outdated.

    5: Dodge Magnum

    I'm pretty sure there's a lot of people who love their Hemi Magnums, though they do remind me a bit of a mid-1950s Mopar wagon. Isn't this one getting the axe?

    4: Dodge Caliber R/T AWD

    Thought the Caliber was neat when it came out. I dig the drink cooler. Of course, a mini cross-over in place of a genuine subcompact is a bad idea.

    3: Jeep Liberty

    The Liberty just debuted when my brother bought his Jeep Cherokee Sport. Unlike too many SUV owners, my brother actually takes his vehicle off road. He prefers the beam axle of the Cherokee Sport over the IRS of the Liberty.

    2: Dodge Nitro

    This is a stupid, ugly vehicle that has no reason to exist. There are plenty of Jeep models from which to choose instead.

    1: Chrysler Sebring

    Is it really that bad other than the bizarro styling and El Cheapo interior? Michael Scott of the prestigious Dunder-Mifflin Company talks of his Sebring as if it were a Lexus.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    worst cars in what way??

    i think the magnum is GREAT, personally. OK, not the highest quality interior. But being the only mid-size RWD affordable wagon should count for SOMETHING. And I love the looks. If only I could stomach 15 mpg at the current gas prices, I'd be driving one. (but to answer your question, yes, it has been axed)

    The crown vic? Yeah, its outdated. But its cheap to buy, cheap to own, easy to work on, and really quite reliable. Oh, and not to mention HUGE. What sedan on the market can fit 10 people? (that would be 6 live ones up front and 4 dead in the trunk)

    Strange that they would pick a specific model of Caliber. So... in other words, a regular Caliber SXT placed above these 10 vehicles while the RT AWD placed in the middle? How strange. And this may very well demonstrate the merit of this list.

    Nissan Quest? Why should ANY minivan be on the list? And if one is to be on the list, how they heck could it be japanese?? I mean, good grief, the H3 didn't even make it on here!! A vehicle that is slower than a minivan, sucks 50% more gas than a minivan, and has 50% less utility than a minivan ... yet it is somehow better than a minivan .... yeah, right.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    The "lifetime warranty is not really lifetime!!!! It is a scam!!!!

    The lifetime warranty is LIFETIME to the original owner, not to every Tom, Dick and Harry who may purchase it preowned decades down the road. There is a FREE powertrain inspection required every 5 years, within 60 days of the warranty anniversary. It says that right in the warranty details. Was there something misleading about that?

    And I don't know what type of prorated warranty paperwork you're referring to but I bought a new Sebring in September that has the lifetime powertrain warranty. There is absolutely no prorating to the repairs it covers. There is not even a deductible.

    I even posted the link yesterday of the official warranty. Please copy and paste this prorated warranty section that you refer to.

    There is no scam. This is absolutely the best warranty in the industry. Period.
  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    Forbes claims the ten worst cars are:

    LOL - I don't know how much credibility I'd put on a ten worst cars list that didn't include the Pontiac Aztec. That thing was just so butt ugly I wouldn't have cared how it drove or looked inside.

    I even wrote to GM and said that the next time they unveil a prototype vehicle around the executive conference room table I'd hope someone would have the guts to stand up and say what they really think of it before it hits the streets.

    I received a reply that my email would be forwarded to the proper people. That's the last I heard about it. :D
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    I think the list was Ten Worst New Cars. The Aztek has mercifully long since been discontinued.
  • danzandudedanzandude Member Posts: 3
    Hi Tedebear,

    I have downloaded the paperwork refered to on my computer but I do not know how to load it on this page. send an email to danzandude@yahoo.com and I will reply with an attachment. the paperwork is for the lifetime added plus service contract,
    also I just got off the phone with chrysler corp. and spoke with a representative
    who told me that " this applies to the lifetime powertrain warranty as well!!!!

    "IMPORTANT! The maximum reimbursable amount should a covered component
    fail will be THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIRS PER VISIT LESS THE DEDUCTIBLE OR THE CASH VALUE OF THE VEHICLE WHICHEVER IS LESS!
    T">HE CASH VALUE OF THE VEHICLE WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE AVERAGE RETAIL VALUE AS LISTER BY THE CURRENT NADA USED CAR PRICING GUIDE. In situations where the repairs costs exceed the cash vakue of the vehicle, the remainder of the plan coverage will be cancelled."
    If anyone wishes to find out for themeslves please call
    1-800-521-9922
    again I have done this and asked about this and if it also applies to the lifetime powertrain warranty and I was told by the representative yes it is the same for
    the lifetime powertrain warranty
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    So in other words if you bring in a ten year old rusted, clapped out Chrysler and ask for a new engine, they'll just give you fair market value for your car instead?
  • danzandudedanzandude Member Posts: 3
    or if you like
    you bring in a nicely maintained ten year old chrysler product needing a transmission and they say too bad so sad no warranty ,no value!!!!

    see as the warranty states "lifetime means lifetime"

    HAHAHAHAHA

    keep grasping at your feel good view

    to all that bought the vehicle for the " LIFETIME WARRANTY " not the joy of owning
    a chrysler product. I truely suggest filing a complaint with the FEDERAL TRADE
    COMMISSION as to the false advertising and shady dealings and see if there is any way to force chrysler to see what term lifetime really means!!!!
    I have already done so .
    let's not be suckered
  • colloquorcolloquor Member Posts: 482
    Shifty wrote: "Honesty, how many 100K miles ++ original owner cars did you ever have? I never had one.

    Anyone here bought a car brand new that has exceeded a 10/100K warranty?"

    If by your first sentence you mean - how many originally purchased cars did you keep beyond 100K++ miles . . . see below:

    I know this is a post from a week ago, but I have to respond. Yes, I have three vehicles that fit that description: 1). 1985 SAAB 900 8-valve - Still a daily driver with over 250K on the clock. No engine corrective maintenance work, including no head gasket (proper coolant formulation and change intervals are critical here) and no timing chain replacements. Only powertrain work - a new clutch at 120K, 2). 1994 Dodge Grand Caravan ES 3.3L - 168K miles - replaced both head gaskets and water pump myself at 162K - otherwise, excellent condition, and still on the original 4-speed ECT, and 3). 2002 Hyundai Elantra sedan - just crossed the 110K mile mark - replaced timing belt and water pump once in accordance with service manual at 60K - only powertrain work to this point. The SAAB has used Valvoline 10W-30 since delivery in 4/85 and the other two use Mobil 1 5W-30 - OCI is every 3K or 3 months on all three.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You mean you bought all of these brand new?

    Anyway, I doubt Chrysler would replace a head gasket on an engine with 162,000 miles on it. In fact, I'm willing to bet they won't. That's normal wear and tear, not a defect. And for a Saab, that's about 3X normal wear and tear. The Saab head gasket failure rate was 8%, according to Saab.net, and they wouldn't lie ;)
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Only eight percent??????? :surprise:

    Sure it wasn't eighty?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well let's say that all car enthusiasts of a particular make of car can be counted on to lie about their cars to the tune of halving the calamities, so that means 16% of all Saab turbos blew their head gaskets prematurely. By "defect standards", that is really really bad. Most factory recalls only have a 1-3% failure rate to trigger them.

    But to the topic at hand -- high mileage failure of a head gasket just isn't a defect--it's pretty normal. Head gaskets undergo enormous stress, and all the more so with a turbo or high compression engines.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    the "normal" life for something like a head gasket? My opinion on something like a head gasket failure is that it is never a wear-and-tear item. It's either a design flaw, or a result of neglect.

    The only car I've ever had that blew a head gasket was a 1988 LeBaron turbo coupe...and fortunately it was the ex-wife's by the time I had it. Those old Chrysler 2.2/2.5's used an aluminum head with an iron block. Over the years, the different rates of expansion and contraction of the two materials would wreak havoc on the gasket, causing it to fail. I've heard this was a common problem. So I'd consider it a design flaw...they needed to design a better gasket.

    Otherwise, if you let your coolant run too low, or go too long without changing it and the car overheats, or do something that somehow puts undue stress on it and the gasket fails, I'd count that as a maintenance/neglect/issue.

    But how would you determine a normal "wear and tear" life on a head gasket? It's just something that, under normal circumstances, and if designed properly, just doesn't fail.

    Oh, and to my ex-wife's LeBaron's credit, it did have about 115,000 miles on it when it failed. And the head was warped, too. So I have a feeling that something else may have been going on here. That car had been stolen a few times while we had it, and I'm sure the joyriders didn't go gentle on it. She could have also let it run low on antifreeze or do something else to it that she never fessed up about. So in this case, the true answer to why it failed is like askng how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Roll Pop! The world may never know!

    In this case, I'd say it was probably a little of both. Design flaw (or at least an example of "they don't build 'em like they used to) coupled with neglect. So while my old Dart probably wouldn't have behaved like that, Chrysler still most likely would not have picked up the tab.

    I guess I just find it hard to put a shelf life on certain items. For example, things like brakes, spark plugs, tires, timing belts, etc, wear out over time and need to be replaced. Something like a water pump WILL wear out, given enough time, but I never really considered it a wear-and-tear item. But as long as you're not over-tightening the belts that are attached to its pulley, and as long as you run the proper coolant mixture in it and change it regularly so you don't mess up its bearings, then it should last a long, long time. So why then, might the water pump in my 1980 Malibu go bad around 95,000 miles and 9 years of age while the water pump in my grandma's 1985 LeSabre would still be fine at 157,000 miles and 18 years of age, which was when we got rid of it?

    Or take transmissions, for example. When GM came out with those lightweight THM200C trannies, they pretty much acted like they should. I mean, take something designed for a Chevette and put it in a full-sized car with a 5.0 V-8 and it's SUPPOSED to shred, right? :P But then a car with a THM350 or THM400 could very well last forever without needing a rebuild, simply because its beefier.

    So in this case, a THM200 might only last 100,000 miles whereas a THM350 could've lasted 200,000 miles in the same car, because that's what they were designed to do. But try telling that to someone who, say, went from, say, a 1975 Malibu that was running strong when they traded it at 100K to a 1981 Malibu that was ready to puke its tranny at 90K.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I think engine builders would strongly disagree with you on that one. A head gasket is a "gasket". Would you expect every gasket on your car to last forever?

    My own opinion is that a head gasket is more like a clutch disk or brake pad than it is like your dashboard. It is an active, not a passive, component. It is subjected to tremendous stress.

    I'm amazed they last as long as they do.

    And besides all that, they are subject to owner negligence and there are ten ways to Sunday for a manufacturer to weasel out of a head gasket repair (as you've no doubt witnessed in these various forums).
  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    keep grasping at your feel good view

    LOL - you really shouldn't spread such misleading information about Chrysler's lifetime powertrain warranty on the forums when it is so easily refuted. You even provided a phone number to do so.

    Okay, I called Chrysler today and asked them several things about the warranty. One of the things I asked is if someone with the lifetime powertrain warranty keeps their vehicle for 10 years and then a major powertrain component fails would they repair/replace the component if the repair exceeded the value of the vehicle.

    She said that if the repair cost was more than the vehicle's value Chrysler would pay the person the value of the car and they could do whatever they wanted to with the cash. Basically, Chrysler is buying the car off the owner but the person not only gets the cash but they can keep the car as well. :D

    Now, can anyone name ANY extended warranty, regardless of the cost, that will pay you for your car and still let you keep it? I didn't think so.

    One of the best parts of this warranty is that is totally FREE for anyone who purchased most new Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicles on or after July 26. There is no deductible for parts or labor, unlike most extended warranties people buy for thousands of dollars.

    Still the best warranty in the industry. Period.

    Now tell us some more cynical stories. I'm ready to fire back with both barrels loaded. BTW, the phone number you posted is wrong. The correct number is 1-800-992-1997.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Well that still leaves questions.

    How is the value of the car determined?
    Does Chrysler put a value on it or does the dealer?
    Is the value the put on the car the value it would have if it was working or is the value just as-is condition.

    For example if the car needs an engine and the engine repair would cost 2,500 dollars so if the car is worth less then 2,500 dollars Chrysler pays the owner 2,500 dollars to do with as he or she wishes. There aren't many 10 year old vehicles that are going to be worth more then 2,500 dollars with a busted engine. How exactly is this fair market value determined?

    Lastly you never mentioned what happens to the lifetime warranty after the owner gets his or her money for the broken car.

    I would assume that Chrysler considers the lifetime of the car over and makes the warranty null and void.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    And it still doesn't resolve the question of wear and tear, which comes right from Chrysler's own words.

    Who is to say that they won't declare your powertrain failure normal wear and tear and not a product of defect in materials and workmanship?

    I guess my point is why did Chrysler put that in the warranty, about defects in workmanship and materials?

    Obviously to prevent scams, but it's also their way out of just about any situation should they have any doubts about your claim.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    From a desperate company.

    It'll be interesting to see how long it continues.
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    From a desperate company.

    It'll be interesting to see how long it continues.


    My bet is until it is sold by the hedge fund or or until the IPO.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.
  • waterdrwaterdr Member Posts: 307
    There is always fine print. I do think think Chrysler has been miss leading then with this warranty claim, but I bet they will blame the IRS. Say what? There might be some silly accounting rule that prevents them from dumping more money into a car then what it is worth. And yes, an old, high-milage car won't be worth crap, pretty much no matter what it is.

    As far as the head gasket issue is concerned, I think that it is both a wear and tear item, and an engine failure issue depending on how many miles it has. Certainly if one goes at 20k miles, that is a design problem. But if it fails at 200k, I would not look at it the same way. Either way, it is an engine component and should be covered by a "lifetime" powertrain warranty. Otherwise you could say anything is wear and tear.
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    If it only covers valve stems and radio knobs its still more then any one else in the industry is doing.
  • waterdrwaterdr Member Posts: 307
    Sure, I guess you have to look at it like an insurance policy.
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    Looks like Chrysler is still hurting. Sicne htei went private, they don't have to publish their financials, but it looks like Chrysler is trying to unload some of the equity to off-set the debts.

    It would have been a lot better to start from scratch and start building reliable quality vehicles, rather than using gimmiks to lure buyers in.

    Oh, if they think Nardely is going to fix Chrysler.... Nardelly is product of Jack Welch, and if GE were a country, human rights activists would have been calling Jack a tyrant, like Stalin or Hussein.

    The lifetime warranty may not even be worth the paper it is written on, with all the disclaimers....
  • waterdrwaterdr Member Posts: 307
    Huh?
  • wtd44wtd44 Member Posts: 1,208
    Now that FEB08 is here, there are some smoking good deals from Chrysler via price reductions and rebates. Perhaps if one were to buy a Grand Cherokee or Commander, the savings would offset any bad feelings concerning the inflated warranty. I am considering such a move versus keeping what I've got until the 2009 models appear. What do you think?
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...when I was at the Philadelphia Auto Show is that many of the Chrysler vehicles on display still had a decal under the hood declaring "Manufactured by Daimler-Chrysler."
  • wtd44wtd44 Member Posts: 1,208
    I have noted that the rebate on Jeep Commanders appears to have dropped by $1000 since January expired into February. This is a seeming price increase that has prevented my further interest in buying... :confuse:
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 22,559
    ...cars that don't sell.

    As a lifetime Chrysler fan (learned to drive on a 1966 Dodge station wagon) I've been hoping they would turn it around. The trouble is, they just don't have anything out right now that I would want to own.

    The 300 is now an old design, they ruined the Charger and the Viper is just too extreme. Most of their line-up is heavier, and slower than the competition. Their high-performance cars use big gas-hog engines to get them up to speed.

    The last car from Chrysler that I was truly attracted too was the Crossfire but that was just an underpowered SLK.

    Maybe they don't have the cash to develop better cars but if they don't do something soon, all the warranty in the world won't save them. :cry:

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Oldfarmer, you are absolutely right. It is about the product. Anything else is just a sales gimmick. GM has finally seen the light with the new Malibu. Ford is there with the Fusion/Milan.

    I posted last year that I thought Chrysler was finished after our local auto show. They had released a bunch of new vehicles and the majority were....not very good. Couple that with dumping Chrysler on Cerebus with little in the pipeline. My personal opinion is Cerebus will begin selling some of the individual brands later this fall. There is no way they can raise enough cash to fund new engine and product development with the current models on the car lots. You can only outsource so much.
  • wtd44wtd44 Member Posts: 1,208
    So who will be the next owner of Jeep?
  • xhe518xhe518 Member Posts: 107
    I'm another one who buys cars and keeps them for the long haul, and the 'lifetime' warranty sparked my interest.

    I had a 1990 Acura Integra that went 167K miles in 10 years. I still have a 1992 Acura Integra with 138K miles, a 2000 Toyota Sienna with 123K, and a 2002 Acura TL with 69K - original owner of all them.

    Still, I don't think this warranty would be enough to get me to buy a T&C instead of a Sienna when the time comes. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me that a "defective" engine part will fail well before 10 years, 100K miles anyway. Anything past that it's pretty nebulous whether it was a "defect" or just wear and tear.

    Also, will Chrysler even be around in it's present form 8,10, 12 years from now to honor the "lifetime" warranty? If they are sold (likely) in the next 10 years, will the new owner have to honor the warranty?
  • wtd44wtd44 Member Posts: 1,208
    Excellent points you make, questioning the future of Chrysler. By the very nature of the holding company, Cerberus must surely intend to divest itself of Chrysler at some not totally distant point. We have two Jeep GCs in our family, an 04 and an 07. I consider Jeep to be almost peripheral to the overall situation, and assume it would be eligible for separation and sale to even some presently unknown buyer. While I have owned quite a few Plymouths, Dodges, and Chryslers, I currently own none. As It turned out, I just missed getting the lifetime warranty when I bought the 07 Jeep. Somehow, I don't really miss it!
  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    Anything past that it's pretty nebulous whether it was a "defect" or just wear and tear.

    You've misread the warranty. It doesn't matter if a powertrain component fails at 1,000 miles or 1,000,000 miles - if it fails for the LIFETIME of the original owner Chrysler will replace it free, no deductible.
  • xhe518xhe518 Member Posts: 107
    It seems to me from the posts above that "normal wear and tear" isn't covered.

    It seems to me that if I took a 2008 T&C with 185K miles to a Chrysler dealer in the year 2020 and asked for a new engine, it would be hard to "prove" a defect versus "wear and tear" .....that's what I mean by nebulous. I'm sure the dealer is going to say "wear and tear"....

    (also add in the uncertainty about Chrysler's future 12 years from now....)
  • wtd44wtd44 Member Posts: 1,208
    And as the old philosopher said, nothing is forever. I wonder how much warranty can be transferred by owner #1 to owner #2.
  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    It seems to me from the posts above that "normal wear and tear" isn't covered

    If you take it to the dealer and it is still operational and ask for a new engine, of course they are not going to replace it. If a powertrain component FAILS it will be replaced for free for the LIFETIME of the vehicle to the original owner.

    We are not talking about brake pads and spark plugs here - normal wear and tear items.

    Read the following link for more information: http://www.chrysler.com/en/lifetime_powertrain_warranty/faq.html
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    I wonder how much warranty can be transferred by owner #1 to owner #2.

    The Lifetime warranty is NOT TRANSFERABLE and is only applicable to the ORIGINAL OWNER.
  • wtd44wtd44 Member Posts: 1,208
    If you sell the car during the first three years, I'll bet there is some warranty transfer mechanism by which the 2nd owner gets X amount of warranty for Y amount of time.
  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    Here is what it says about the transfer of the lifetime warranty on the FAQ link I posted yesterday:

    Q8: What about second owners of the vehicle?

    A8: Subsequent owners or lessees, even if they are within the same family or business, are not covered. Successor business entities or persons to whom the vehicle is transferred by operation of law are also not covered. Chrysler offers extended service contracts for purchase for second owners of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles.

    Q9: Why did you choose to make this program non-transferable?

    A9: Our internal research data confirmed that the transferability take rate (available on the 7-year/70,000-mile warranty program) was low. We are providing peace-of-mind to the original owner who made the investment in our Chrysler product. Our competitors, Hyundai/KIA/Mitsubishi that offer what was considered the benchmark in long-term powertrain warranty (10 years/100,000 miles), only extend it to the original owner. With the announcement of the Chrysler Lifetime Powertrain Warranty, Chrysler will be the new benchmark in long-term powertrain warranty.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Sure you get the remainder of the 3 yr/36k basic warranty. There is no reason for Chrysler to extend the Lifetime Warranty to the 2nd owner. The person who bought the car new is the one who benefits. Sure it would be nice to transfer the warranty to the next owner but they are trying to sell new cars. This Lifetime Warranty is not about showcasing their improved quality but selling vehicles.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    I think Hyundai still has the 5 yr/60k mile powertrain available to the second owner. Either way Chrysler is committed only to the original owner; second owners beware. It makes perfect financial sense to me.
  • waterdrwaterdr Member Posts: 307
    And in reality, the vast majority of original owners won't keep a car beyond 100k miles anyway. Chrysler really has very little liability by oferring a program like this in my opinion.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I don't see how an owner who has a oil burning engine with 150,000 miles on it is going to prove that this isn't due to "normal wear and tear" or than worn piston rings in an engine that's gone 3/4 the way to the moon is a "defect in workmanship".

    some Chrysler owners are definitely going to get snagged on this "lifetime" warranty because cars wear out "normally" and that's not a defect.

    That's why Chrysler put the phrase in there. They wouldn't put it in there if they weren't going to use it.

    They have no intention of warrantying worn out cars.
  • xhe518xhe518 Member Posts: 107
    I don't see how an owner who has a oil burning engine with 150,000 miles on it is going to prove that this isn't due to "normal wear and tear" or than worn piston rings in an engine that's gone 3/4 the way to the moon is a "defect in workmanship".

    some Chrysler owners are definitely going to get snagged on this "lifetime" warranty because cars wear out "normally" and that's not a defect.

    That's why Chrysler put the phrase in there. They wouldn't put it in there if they weren't going to use it.

    They have no intention of warrantying worn out cars.


    Exactly - I really find it extremely hard to believe that if I buy a 2008 Chrysler and take it back to the dealer in 2020 with 150K miles and it's burning oil, they are going to give me a new engine. The dealer's service manager is going to say "wear and tear"... (and it probably is legitimately wear and tear at that point)

    Also, I still say, a truly "defective" part is going to break well before 100K miles anyway, otherwise it's probably not 'defective'.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Oh absolutely it's "wear and tear". An engine with 150K on it owes you nothing at that point.
  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    You guys can keep talking this wear and tear thing all you want. If the engine is still operational don't expect a free replacement. If it has stopped working then you have grounds for a lifetime warranty claim, provided you're the original owner.

    Lifetime Warranty FAQ
This discussion has been closed.