I am about to settle the paper work & pick up my 2008 Toyota Rav4 (4cyl Ltd) in a couple of days. My question is this: Are extended warranties and car protection packages (rust proofing, paint protection etc.) etc. worth getting? From what I have read, most books say no, - but I wanted to ask all of you directly.

 

be careful if you are going with somehting other then toyota brand... Make sure you know who is going to cover what under warranty. Toyota and the "aftermarket" company will fight over who foots the bill while you are stuck with an aveo rental.

 

Japanese cars tend to be very reliable so an extended warranty with one of those isn't as important. A car like a MB, which can be very expensive to fix, would really benefit from an extended warranty. They're what, $1,200? Think about how easily you could run up a $1,200 bill at a MB stealer.

 

btw, this probably doesn't belong in the General MB forum. Might get moved.

 

Try double, triple or quadruple that amount!!

Vehicle Model and Coverage Suggested Retail Prices3 C-CLASS and SLK-CLASS4 +12 months/up to 100,000 total vehicle-accrued miles $2,150
+24 months/up to 100,000 total vehicle-accrued miles $2,680
+36 months/up to 100,000 total vehicle-accrued miles $3,700

E-CLASS, CLK-CLASS, CLS-CLASS, GL-CLASS, M-CLASS and R-CLASS4 +12 months/up to 100,000 total vehicle-accrued miles $2,500
+24 months/up to 100,000 total vehicle-accrued miles $3,200
+36 months/up to 100,000 total vehicle-accrued miles $4,120

S-CLASS, CL-CLASS, SL-CLASS, G-CLASS, AMG and V-12 MODELS4 +12 months/up to 100,000 total vehicle-accrued miles $3,000
+24 months/up to 100,000 total vehicle-accrued miles $3,575
+36 months/up to 100,000 total vehicle-accrued miles $4,880

Extended Limited Warranty Coverage*
Engine and Drivetrain: Engine, transmission, and rear axle, plus 4MATIC™ all-wheel drive system or 4-wheel drive system.

Traction and Stability Systems: 4-wheel Electronic Traction System (4-ETS),
4-ETS+, Automatic Slip Control (ASR), and ESP® Electronic Stability Program (ESP).

Steering: Coverage includes major steering components.

Suspension: Coverage includes all suspension components and the Adaptive Damping System or Active Body Control.

Brakes: Covers all elements (excluding normal wear of discs and pads), including the standard Antilock Braking System.

Electrical Systems: Covers various electrical systems. Includes all electric motors, gauges, connectors, switches, sensors, regulators, and relays.

Audio and Navigation Systems: Covers in-dash audio and/or navigation head unit, amplifiers, speakers, factory or dealer-installed Mercedes-Benz CD player and/or changer, navigation CD/DVD-ROM drive, satellite radio components, fiber-optic network components, and antenna systems.

Climate Control System: Coverage applies to certain items of the vehicle's climate control system, including the air conditioning and heating assemblies.

Central Locking System: Coverage includes all actuators, switches and linkages, plus remote transmitters (excluding batteries) and receivers.

Convertible Top Systems: Top operation systems and roll-bar mechanisms for the CLK-Class cabriolets and all the SLK-Class and SL-Class models are fully covered.5

Other Components: Additional components covered by the plan include front and rear windshield-wiper linkages, powerseat drive cables, seat-belt assemblies, sunroof cables, window regulators, and the pneumatic door and trunk closing-assist systems. For exact details on Extended Limited Warranty coverage, please consult your local Authorized Mercedes-Benz Dealer.


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* See pricing information and notes in the Extended Limited Warranty brochure available from your Mercedes-Benz Dealer. Coverage does not duplicate the Mercedes-Benz New Limited Warranty.

1. Option to purchase coverage after 12 months from the new vehicle delivery date available for Model Year 2005 and newer vehicles. A surcharge will be added to the Suggested Retail Price if purchased after 12 months from the new vehicle delivery date as follows. 13 - 24 months: 10 percent surcharge. 25 - 36 months: 15 percent surcharge. 37 - 48 months: 20 percent surcharge.

2. Restrictions and limitations apply. Extended-warranty products are transferable between the original owner and private purchaser as long as the new vehicle warranty or extended warranty coverage is in effect.

3. Prices exclude any applicable taxes. Actual dealer prices may vary. See your dealer for terms and conditions of Extended Limited Warranty coverage.

4. Excluding AMG and V-12 models.

5. Excludes soft-top material.

 

Car protection packages....no, always overpriced because the dealers are just the middlemen in the deal. Extended warranties in general....no, if they weren't making money selling them they wouldn't do it. That being said, I would definitely get one with a German car that I was going to put a lot of miles on. Never for a Japanese car. Why did you post here?

 

I wouldn't bother paying for an extended warranty on your Rav4. They are generally quite reliable and shouldn't need a lot of expensive repairs.

 

Car protection packages are junk and a pure waste of money. Dont buy them.

Extended warranties MIGHT be good if they are bumper to bumper ones, otherwise you get screwed on all the exclusions. Read them carefully to what is covered, is it only parts of the engine and transmission and air conditioner? What about things that go wrong in real life, like door handles and radio knobs that fall off?

Can it be fixed anywhere or to you have to go to a dealer they specify?

 

Extended warranty, other than provided by manufacturer, is not worth it. They just trying to get more money out of you. Plus, you are buying a brand new Toyota, if it has serious problems before the warranty expires, then you are very unlucky. You still can sell it by then. If it lasts until it expires, then you'll be good for the rest of your life. That's what I would do.