I’d agree that a factory extended warranty by mb would be the way to go, but for someone (read me) that just bought a car with too many miles and out of factory warranty, a 3rd party is the only option. Bought a used mb SL 500 for the wife and looking at the Mercedes forums the repair costs really scare me (if you’re scared, say you’re scared).
Car has too many miles to extend factory warranty so I’m looking at third party.
Looked at easycare, who may be better, but is much higher or ones backed by mercury insurance (not the ford company). Local dealer said both were good. also can get one through my credit union - AutoCare Extended Warranties, member's choice by cuna mutual group.
hate to spend the money because these things are really expensive and i've read stories where it's easy for some companies to deny claims (wear and tear, not covered in the fine print, etc.).
Anybody want to share their knowledge or recommandations?
Here's the excel file I created to track my qoutes, shows contacts, type, length, total cost, cost per month and deductable. btw I really liked Damien Trombetta. he was recommended by mercury who does not sell to my state. he was cheaper than poliseek which is where the mercury site sent me.
TOO MUCH INFO????

Damien Trombetta Allied Solutions, LLCAMI NWVSC Precious Metals 800.826.9384 Ext. 23319
backed by mercury

gold 3 yrs, 36k miles $3,945.00 $109.58 -$100.00
gold 2 yrs, 24k miles $2,745.00 $114.38 -$100.00
gold 1 yrs, 12k miles $1,985.00 $165.42 -$100.00
gold 3 yrs, 36k miles $4,195.00 $116.53 $0.00
gold 2 yrs, 24k miles $2,995.00 $124.79 $0.00
gold 1 yrs, 12k miles $2,235.00 $186.25 $0.00

Sara Berghammer PoliSeek Insurance
866.520.7335 ext. 5844 backed by Mercury includes + $200 for elec

gold 3 yrs, 36k miles $5,495.00 $152.64 -$100.00
gold 2 yrs, 24k miles $3,840.00 $160.00 -$100.00
gold 1 yrs, 12k miles $2,800.00 $233.33 -$100.00

Jenny Kifer EasyCare 888.315.1263 Ext 1414 jkifer@us.easycare.com
warned about other companys not paying for worn out parts - Mercury requires maint.

std 2 yrs, 24k miles $3,955.00 $164.79 -$500.00
plus 2 yrs, 24k miles $5,024.00 $209.33 -$500.00

credit union AutoCare Extended Warranties

gold 3 yrs, 36k miles $4,519.00 $125.53 -$100.00
gold 2 yrs, 24k miles $3,883.00 $161.79 -$100.00
gold 1 yrs, 12k miles $3,421.00 $285.08 -$100.00
gold 3 yrs, 36k miles $3,412.00 $94.78 -$250.00
gold 2 yrs, 24k miles $2,910.00 $121.25 -$250.00
gold 1 yrs, 12k miles $2,610.00 $217.50 -$250.00

 

Appreciate the info mtbmtb.

My extended warranty on my 2005 SL 500 is coming due in a year. I just turned 20,000 miles and expect to keep it under 24,000. Only drive it on cool sunny days.

Thanks again.

 

since posting, i have been talking to Tim Sorrick tsorrick@modestoeuropean.com at Modesto European.
he has qouted me some pretty prices and carries EasyCare. his qoute:" Easycare quoted you $5024 for StatedCare $500
deductible. After my discount, you would have a price of $4872 for TotalCare
coverage, which is much better quality coverage!
My dealership has added a new provider, National
Warranty. Before 80,000 miles, the car qualifies for
their "Premium Plus" coverage, which is exclusionary - the best they offer.
For a 3 year/36,000 mile plan with only $100 deductible, after my discount,
your price is $3,788.

you can reach Tim Sorrick at:
Tim Sorrick
Finance Manager
Modesto European
3900 McHenry Ave
Modesto, CA 95356
209-522-8100
209-550-8225 Direct Line
209-575-7551 Fax
they have a toll free number if you google them.
hope this helps.

my mechanic (works at the local dealership and doing work at home) said most everything expensive has been replaced recently (new
struts at 71,000 and the car has been very well maintained) and was thinking i would not spend as much as the extended warranty would cost if something did go wrong and is advising against it right now.
not sure if i want to spend $3,788 for the piece of mind or not. i know repairs could pass the $4k mark in a heartbeat, just not sure what to do.

 

did you end up going with any of these?

thanks for the info-

 

I have memeber care and paid 2100 in 08 and have used 4500 of it best investment I made lol and I have my own shop

 

<<Could have used extended warranty. Car has needed over $13,000 in repairs in about 6 months out of factory warranty. 07' SL550. New heads are not cheap!! I have a thread in the forum about it. FINALLY picking the car up today after about 4 months of being at the shop.

 

I bought a 2007 SL550 a year ago. It was nearing the time limit of the factory warranty. I got a six year/100,000 mile extended warranty through CarChex. You can find them online at CarChex.com. I choose the OEM warranty which basically covers the same items as the factory warranty. There are a few differences. The cost was around $3,800.00. I choose CarChex because it had a good BBB rating. I have not had to use it yet, so I can't say anything about how well they handle their business. Hope this helps.

 

I just went to the Carchex web site and I would have concerns about if the convertible top and ABC suspensions components are covered by any of the policies. It also looks like they are really a consolidator and are not responsible for the contract themselves. You can read all of the contracts they carry.

 

CarChex is a consolidator. the plan i choose is by Royal Admin. Services. It is call the OEM PLAN. Here is what it said about the suspension components. I think the ABC components are covered if i read it right.

Front and Rear Suspension: Upper and Lower Control Arms, Control Arm Shafts and Bearings, Bushings, Torsion Bars, Mounts and Bushings, Upper and Lower Ball Joints, Strut Bearing Plates, Radius Arms and Bushings, Stabilizer Bar, Links and Bushings, Spindle and Spindle Support, Wheel Bearings, Variable Dampening Suspension, Compressor, Control Module, Dampening Actuator, Solenoid, Strut Height Sensor, Mode Selector Switch, Seals and Gaskets, Rear Wheel Steering, Rear Steering Shaft and Couplings, Power Cylinder and Pump, Electronic Control Unit/Solenoid, Phase Control Unit, Stepper Motor, Steering Box, Control Valve and Rack and Tie Rod Ends.

All the top components are covered, except the head liner.

 

I would be upset if I paid 3800 and the part was not covered. My thought is to roll the dice on warranty. When they evaluate your car they use a big pool of like cars. For example if they consider 200 cars like yours and the average repairs in 3 years is $2500, they then add there profit and charge you say $3800. If the average car like yours had repairs of $10,000 they could not charge $3800. So by knowing the premium you know the average owner has a repair that costs much less. Remember to add your deductible to the cost of the policy as you will pay that the first time out. And don't forget the routine maintenance like brakes are not covered. If a shock/strut needs replacing ($2200. a pair) at say 75,000 miles are they going to pay or say the shock/strut was worn out and that is its life expectancy and they then will not pay? It is truly a roll of the dice. I also believe if most people had many problems, Mercedes would be in big trouble and have a hard time selling cars.

 

That's not really accurate for the most part. Although the part that is dead accurate is about being upset about spending $3800 and having a repair not be covered.

First, the pool is much much larger (at least at the better companies) than 200 like cars. That's why often an SL55 AMG benz can skate by at the same risk rating overall as an E350. The good companies, like any good insurer, spread their risk over a large pool. After a while, they can re-evaluate a specific car category and surcharge it, or drop it entirely, as AUL did with the Allroad, Fidelity did with a lot of their semi-exotics, etc.

Second, it is very innacurate to say that if you know the average owner has $10K in repairs, they can't charge $3800. They look at their business overall, and do not get as granular as we do here on the forums. Every single AMG or 600-series Benz I cover will exceed their preomium in claims paid if they keep the car until the end of the term. At some point, the warranty company may say "screw this, no more AMG or 600-series cars." But until then, they see it as making 11% margin on MB, where they might have made 13% otherwise. Don't forget how small a sample the AMG and 600-series cars represent overall compared to E-class, C-class, etc.

Also, you pay a deductible for each repair visit, not just once, so you have to add it each time. But a $100 deductible on a $2000 repair is inconsequential.

Finally, there is no 'rolling the dice' on repairs with a good company. It's either covered, or it's not. Where you roll the dice is trying to figure out which companies are good, and which are bad. A bad company can ruin your experience, and a good one can make you feel great, just like in any other insurance business. That's why I am here, to help people get the good companies and avoid the bad. But I have one of my clients in with an S600, a member here on MBWorld, right now. He paid around $4500 for a four year exclusionary warranty. He just was approved for $7K+ in claims, and he has three years remaining on his warranty. THAT'S why people with these cars need a warranty.

But it's all about getting a good plan, at a reasonable price, for a long term, from a good company. Without all those things, you could wind up in trouble.

Bruce

 

First my example of a 200 sample was just to illustrate a point. I understand actuaries and it may be larger or smaller depending on the model of car. I am also aware of the 100 dollar deductible each time you use it. I was only pointing out if you only use it once your cost is the premium plus 100. The insurance companies are smarter than you describe. They do not pull repair costs out of the sky. They look at years of data and the reality of many people paying for a 4 year multi mile policy and selling the car before they use what they have paid for. That goes into the equation as well. I think most people will fall into that category. Again it is like any insurance you are playing the odds. Even with life insurance, you play the odds.

 

So Bruce, who are the good companies for extended warranties?

 

I work with Fidelity and NAC, both Tier I companies that pay claims at dealer labor/part prices and do not play games. There are some others too, but those are the only ones I rep.

And 99% of my customers are BMW, Audi, MB, etc and many of those are M-series, AMG, and S/RS, so I see a lot of heavy-duty claims at the dealer and everyone is happy (so far!).

Bruce

 

Contact me if you need one, those prices are absolutely ridiculous, last few warranties I sold ranged from around 1500 to 3k, 100 deductible, good at any ase certified shop, company has been in business for about 50 years, the above prices are making someone a ton of profit

 

You can't sell commercially on MBWorld unless you are a paying sponsor.

Besides that, what prices are so ridiculous? The OP said he got a warranty for $3800, and you're saying the ones you sell went up to $3K. That does not seem so far apart to me, no?

And what company is it that you sell that are cheap? How long is the term? What level of coverage is it? They've been around 50 years? And what is the price if the miles on the car are high? Can you go to a Benz dealer and they'll allow for dealer retail part and labor prices? There's a lot more to a warranty than meets the eye. I can sell lots of different warranty company's products, but I only selected two because of the types of cars my customers have and the claims experience they expect during repairs. And those are not the two chepeast ones out there, that's for sure. But that type of claims experience does not come cheap...they are also not self-insured, do not have an RRG, etc. Those companies are cheaper too, at the risk of going chapter 11 if they get too many claims.

Do you have references from people that have gotten claims paid? Is there a BBB report on the company once you let forum members know who the company is?

You say the prices are outrageous, but your post lacks some basic information. That's what people are looking for in a forum thread, not 'PM me privately and I'll let you know'.

But if it is such a great deal, sign up for sponsorship like the rest of us and sell them! It might be a great service for MBWorld members.

Bruce

 

who do I contact to become a sponsor? depending on what it all takes, I may be interested, but for the most part I don't get much to sell warranties, they are just a portion of what our dealership offers and I started to do it to help others that were paying too much for warranties. The last warranty I quoted was a 4 year 50k for 2700 w/ 100 deductibe, but this was on an SL with 36k, more miles means more dollars and less years available. The warranties we offer are from Resource automotive, also known as the warranty group depending on your region, and our particular warranty is called the mechanic.

If I have offended anyone by posting this I apologize, I am just like everyone and like to get a fair price on a good product and I didn't want to see people way overpay for a warranty.

 

And I will happily be my own referral, you can contact Mercedes of Omaha (also offer same warranties) that performed around 6k in repairs in the fall (shock/a/c compressor/tie rod end) and I was out 100

 

Then it may not be worth it to you...you go through IB rep, work out long term deal, pay, etc etc. It's a pain to be honest!

No offense taken, and totally understand not wanting to see people get ripped off. I am the same way, I mark up 11% to cover time and processing. But depending on level of coverage, miles on car, term, etc the price can vary dramatically. An S55 with 58K for 4 years is not going to price out the same at a C300 with 22K for 3 years!

So just seeing a price without knowing any other details made me wonder if we were comparing apples to apples.

Bruce

 

very true, coverage can vary quite a bit, I really haven't dabbled much outside of r230s warranties, but the miles can make a huge difference in cost. is the paying to be a sponsor a set price or is it based on what you offer?

 

I just spent about $9,000 on my mine for EasyCare "Total Care" with $250 deductible (3 years/36K) My car is a 2004 SL500 with over 70,000 miles. I hope it covers CATS.

 

9000 would cover a ton of repairs, I think I probably would have taken the gamble with repair costs for that price

 

I can say Bruce has been great at answering question s ive had abt warranties for the E55s

 

$9000.00! Plus another $250.00 per visit! Man, I normally preach not to own these cars out of warranty, but I think I'd have to pass on that deal.

I have to wonder what a 70,000 mile 2004 SL500 is even worth. What? 25K maybe?

 

Yeah. I think so too. $9000 is pretty much on the high side. I would also take my chances at that price.