MarkL

I just got the reminder letter from my dealer about getting the extended warranty before my car is 1 year old. I called the finance person and she said 1 year was $1580! I thought this was around $850. She also said there is no flexibility in price.

I had thought some of you guys/gals had bought the warranty for less. Do you have any information/advice? Thanks. BTW, she said the price went up 5/7 from $1020 to the $1580.

Pweb

Just called my dealer --

If the car is 2002:

1 extra year: $1400.
7 years: $2500 (no, it's not a typo).

Weird huh?

MarkL

I think they meant 3 extra years totalling 7, not 7 additional years after the standard 4! Still, a good discount from the 1 year to 3.

What dealer was that, because it's $180 less than the quote I got.

jswedberg

Do a search on "extended warranty". A few months ago MB raised their prices dramatically on extended warranties.

for instance:
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...ranty+AND+Lisa

You don't have to buy it from the dealer where you bought the car. Several people (including myself) have used Lisa Lehrbaum at a Coutesy Motors (an MB dealership in California)

Pweb

www.feldmanns.com

dmichael

MarkL
Buyer beware on the MB Extended warranty. This warranty is NOT an extension of the original factory warranty, if it was I would not hesitate to get it.

Before you buy they will give you a list of things covered - If its not on the list, its not covered, of course the list is short and does not include the factory radio, and thousands of other parts that go into building your car.

Additionally, the new warranty will kick in as soon as you expire the original warranty with Mileage. Most poeple think (like I did) if you buy a 2 year extention, you add it to the 4/50 and that will give you 6/100. Thats not how it works - This is how it works; let say you hit 50k at 2 yrs 6 months, then your 2 year ext starts ticking, - so in this case you have 4.5 total years not 6 as long as you don't hit 100k.

dmichael

P.S.: If you still want the warranty after my last post - Lisa at Courtesy will give you the best price. My local dealer matched her price, so it's negotiable, and to the tune of 25-30% off MSRP.
P.P.S; I never did get it for myself.

MarkL

Thanks for the info. My dealer is sending me the warranty info, but I probably won't go for it. I only bought an extended warranty once and never needed it. I'm planning on selling my C240 at the 3.5-4 year point, so I was thinking the warranty would help snag a buyer. But, at that price I don't think it's worth it. BTW, of course my dealer said there was no negotiation...

revstriker

I would think that the warranty would help "snag" another buyer, but I don't think you would get your money's worth out of it. So you would be paying for something that you would not use (unless you go over in milage, or past the 4 yr mark), and I doubt you would get that much more than if the car did not have the extended warranty.

peet

Don't be so sure. I am just selling my M3 this weekend... My extended warranty was around $1500. Two days ago my starter died - $750 and shock mounts were worn out $350.. covered.

Yep it's a crapshoot, but I wouldn't blanket say you don't get your money's worth.

Beyond the fact that I am now $400 short of breaking even, I am throwing in a tangible value for the next owner - warranty expires 2005.

Peet

revstriker

Yes, but you are using the warranty. When I said that he would not get his money's worth out of it, I meant if he sold the car before the regular warranty was up. I doubt someone would pay $1800 more (or whatever it costs) because of the extended warranty.

If you plan on keeping your car past the regular warranty period, then there could be some value in purchasing the extended warranty.

Steve H.

What do you folks think about another option, self insuring. MB is asking for a $1500-2000 layout now for an warranty extension in 3-4 years on average. Why do they want it now? I assume they are investing it for future gains and they are in this for profit. They are making the assumption that the costs on average are going to be less than the premium. Although we have just weathered the worst 2 quarters in recent history, it will improve as it has in the past (i.ve seen 3 of these). I am thinking about investing the $2000 now in a value fund. Making an optimistic projection on yields (10%), it should accue to around $3000 by the time my warranty is up and it will continue to accue (unless of course I need 3K in repairs in the first year the car is out of warranty. By the time the extended warranty period is up I could have around $4000 assuming no repairs. Of course if yields are higher could be better and there is the risk that the present funk could continue or the car needs megabuck repairs. I am a semi conservative driver so I am not stressing the engine or drivetrain. nearly all of my cars have not needed major repairs in the first 150000 miles. Much of the electronic aren't covered anyway so I would be shelling out for that regardless. This option looks attractive to me.