bw53

Hi all, I'm new to this site as well as just bought a 2005 SL 500 several weeks ago. It still has close to two yrs left on the orginal warranty but was wondering if I should seek a third party warranty company. if so, any good names out there? I've been looking at WarrantyDirect, Paragon and read on this forum Millenium, but can't find the website.

SL2003driver

Check with a Mercedes dealer since you are still under factory warranty you might be able to get a Mercedes extended warranty. That would be the best option.

bw53

Thanks...I did call them and they offered a warranty program...just a bit more cost...you think the extention is well worth the money?

SL2003driver

I bought a 2003 certified pre-owned SL in August with 40K miles on it. I extended the warranty to 3 years 100K miles. So far they replaced both rear ABC shocks, electronic trunk latch, rubber header between the roof and the windshield, alarm system repair, both front brakes and rotors (should of been done on the CPO inspection) and the leak (drip) where the electrical hook-up is for the transmission. If I had to pay for this myself your talking around $6K+. I paid $3995 for the CPO extended 3 year 100K warranty. I would not own a SL if it was not under warranty. The dealer has been great they give you a loaner and fix everything no questions asked. I figure in 3 years I should have a new SL at the rate they are replacing parts . Get the Mercedes extended warranty and have peace of mind. I doubt you would have this amount of trouble with yours but the suspension problem cost $3800 to fix and that could happen to any year. My car was built in 2001 so age is a factor but base on what I paid and the cost of the extended warranty and the fact that I'm retired and have a lot of time on my hands, I am Mercedes worst nightmare

Scotsman

I'd extend. Repairs can be sooooooo expensive it's worth it just for the peace of mind.

bw53

hi all, thanks for the info...I agree with y'all assessments....makes sense in the long run...SL2003-I'm just about retired so I look forward to seeing my benz dealer often as well...

gocargo

Please define for us exactly what warranty this dealer is offering to sell you. If it's not a CPO warranty, forgetaboutit... they're going to rip you a new one. Only a "CPO warranty" is a exteded Mercedes Factory Warranty, all else.. yes ALL other warranties are aftermarket and can be bought anytime before you reach 4 years/50,000 miles. Bottom line is you gain NOTHING by spending money on aftermarket warranty now.. period, end of story, I'm right and everyone else's wrong.

lovemysl

I agree w/ scotsman, repairs on any Mercedes is expensive. My ABC light kept comming on and the L front strut dropped, hydrolic pump went out, all ABC replaced. The warranty paid for itself

bw53

yes, it would have to be an after market warranty since i'm the second owner and didnt buy it from a dealer. However, I thought by buying a after market warranty earlier would be less expensive than waiting for the end of manufacturer warranty period.

Dans_SL

LOL That's a good one... Let's see, so the best way to spend my retirement years... I'll buy a used SL and hope it keeps breaking down so I can keep taking it back to the Mercedes dealership for service. What a great pastime. Well, I guess $ 4,000 for an extended warranty isn't all that expensive for a retirement hobby, and cheaper than traveling the world. Besides, what better way to spend my sunset years than watching the sunset from a convertible (until the retractable top breaks too).

SL2003driver

Good points Here is what I see with the SL's. The drivetrain is bullet proof, it's all the electronic's and suspension system that can give you problems. They normally don't leave anyone stranded. I've already had my rear struts replaced. With the CPO 3 year 100K warranty I will be covered for the ABC pump and the front struts. From reading the forum if someone is having issues they end up with their car in the shop about 14 days a year. Not a big deal to me, for a car that I think is one of the most beautiful vehicles on the road that I bought for less then 1/2 the original cost and it looks like a new one. I would of bought a later model year but that does not mean you still would not have some problems. I've owned Porsches, Lexus, NSX, Z's, Vettes and they all have issues. It's a car and they break, the SL's just cost more to fix. Have a warranty and then you have peace of mind. I retired 10 years ago in my 40's. I don't buy new I buy smart and fun. The SL does not interfer with travel, golf, or everyday life. When you don't have to work 10 hours a day anymore it gives you more time to enjoy all aspects of life.

bw53

okay okay...warranty it is for peace of mind...makes sense...and like you said i'm just turning 55...retiring this yr...golf ..the whole bit...and since I bought the car...enjoy every minute...especially here in austin tx weather....i too had the porsches....but something about this SL is totally different....the Porsche was fast and thrilling....this SL is well...just as fast but the looks I believe far exceed the Porsche's I had.....wife loves it 2....

bw53

hi all, okay after reading some of your responses, went to my MB dealer and got a warranty thru them...and not bad, 5yrs/75K for $2500 which will carry me to 12/2012, no deductible with American Financial Auto Services, MasterTechVPP. They cover the command center as well as the top which I was told some after market companies dont cover. The dealer has done business with them for yrs and pay out...which is always good....the company has been in business for over 25 yrs...which is a good sign. Also, I have a 06 CLK350 and will go with Mercury Financial. 6 yrs, 100K for $3200, thru to 2013 and with no deductible...doing this as the CLK doesnt have nav and convertible. Thanks all for your responses....

Murtaza

I have an 06.

So far I've had the transmission fail (at 11k miles) and the alternator go out (at 24k miles).

Get a warranty, it is well worth it.

gqa

im in the market for a extended warranty as well for my 05 sl500. i am a second owner and probably will not qualify for a MB extended warranty. i got a quote for a diamlerchrysler warranty from the advice from letjets on a previous post on this forum. here is the info i got:

for a 7year/70k warranty (which starts from the cars original in-service date) i was quoted $2080 no deductible.
they have higher mileage contracts but i think im gonna stick with 70k since i only drove 14k miles in 20 months and i have currently 18k miles
7year is the longest time period. my in-service date is 12/04 so i will be covered until 12/2011

it sounds good for these reasons. it was referred by another sl owner and forum member. benz and chrysler are still merged together even tho at a lesser degree.

but I NEED SOME FEEDBACK from other benz owners who have actually used this warranty and what are their results

ps. bw53, just make sure your contract specifies in writing when the warranty coverage begins, whether from the original in-service date or from the time of purchase. that can make a big difference. you don't want to find out that after your original warranty runs out you only have 1 year left on the extended one

bw53

hey gqa, very good point on the warranty, both agreements are from the time of purchase...u might want to look at Mercury...i was going with another company but talked with Mercury on both the SL and CLK. for the SL, he was giving me 7yrs/75K for $2300...at time of purchase...not that I was planning to keep the car that long...others in this forum have used them and got good results....hopefully i wont need them for a new transmission
there are two things I need to check out though, my dealer said that Mercury doesnt cover Nav but when I called, they sent me the contract and it states it...but doesnt state anything for the command center...as I was told, two different things...but speaking with the rep, he pointed out in the contract that it does cover it...but it doesnt actually state the command center...also, it doesnt cover the convertible top....this is also confusing, as he pointed out in the contract that it covers the mechanism/motor for the top to go up/down but not the actually top. well, the top is in three pieces and I'm assuming hinges or whatever might play some part in a breakdown...u might want to check Chrysler on both items...

spilok

I just bought a 2003 SL500 with 7800 miles on it. It's absolutely cherry in all respects. My Benz dealer sold me a 36,000 or 5 year warranty for $1650. No deductible, and transferable. The SL500 is my 3rd car and I expect to drive it no more than 5000 miles per year. I think this is a great warranty for the price. What do you think?

Stan

bw53

thats pretty good....what did you pay for the 03sl?

gqa

ok guys i spent most of the day doing some more research on this ext. warranty stuff. im not going with diamlerchrysler anymore because of these reasons.
the ext. warranty starts from the in-service date. not enough time compared to the contracts which start at the date of purchase like yours bw53. after reading the contract it appears only to be a mechanical breakdown coverage policy and covered parts are rather vague

i read the mercury contract and it does not cover navigation systems and convertible tops and their mechanisms- SEE SECTION 3 #2. this policy only seems to cover mechanical breakdowns as well not wear and tear like the other ext warranties i found.

THIS IS IMPORTANT. there is a big difference in a mechanical breakdown warranty and one that includes mechanical breakdown and wear and tear warranty. most companies will not pay for a component that is not ''BROKEN' but wears out after normal use over time!

i found 2 companies that seem to have a solid written contracts that cover mechanical breakdowns and wear and tear IN WRITING! both companies are well funded and have true A ratings, they cover the convertible tops and navigation systems. Warranty direct and Nation warranty corp. if anyone has any experience with these companies please inform me

follow this link on extended warranties a lot of good info here. http://www.carbuyingtips.com/warranty.htm

i learned a ton of info today and read all of the ACTUAL contracts, not just what they say on their websites. please give me your feedback guys on what you think of this info as your opinion will really help me make a solid decision.

gqa

What To Look For In An Extended Warranty

Buy Auto Warranties From The Source
Buy your auto warranty direct, avoid middle man car dealer markups. Most online car extended warranty quotes are 60% cheaper.

Auto Warranty Coverage For Breakdown AND Wear & Tear
Many warranties only cover mechanical breakdown, not wear and tear. My friend's warranty refused to cover a new switch module, claiming "wear and tear".

Well funded and insured car warranty administrator
You want an administrator who deposits part of your purchase price into an insured "Claims Reserve Account" to assure sufficient funds pay a covered claim.

Auto Warranty Contract that takes effect the day you buy it
Most auto extended warranties start the clock when you buy the car. But what if you wait 12 months to buy a warranty?

Reinsurance should have "A" Rating on A.M. Best
Re-insurers backup the insurance that protects the warranty. Should the insurer fail from excessive claims, the re-incurrence kicks in.

$0 Deductible/One Deductible Per Visit
Some auto warranty contracts charge deductibles for every part repaired. Avoid the issue altogether and pay a bit more for $0 deductible.

100% Money Back Guarantee on your Auto Warranty
If you are unhappy with your auto warranty, have not made any claims, they should refund 100% before 30 or 60 days.

Transferable extended auto warranty when you sell the car
Some auto warranties end when you sell your car. Choose an auto warranty that allows you to transfer it to the next owner.

Don't Have To Buy The Auto Warranty Immediately After Buying The Car
Most auto warranties allow you to buy later. But don't wait too long, buy car warranties at today's lower cost to protect against increases.

Car Warranty Coverage For ABS Brakes and Overheating
If you have ABS brakes, verify your auto warranty covers them. Avoid clauses like "This contract does not cover overheating regardless of the cause." WarrantyDirect.com and Nation Warranty Corporation cover overheating.

Benefits: Car Rental, Towing, Travel Reimbursement
If your car is in the shop overnight, you want car rental reimbursement, and towing. Make sure it's covered during Standard Warranty Period as well. GM weaseled out on me, that's how I lost $650 in car rentals the first year I owned my Pontiac, so don't listen to car salesman lies.

Repairs Can Be Done At Any ASE Certified Repair Shop
Some warranties force you get serviced at the dealer where you bought them. Use a warranty that allows repairs to at any ASE certified shop.

Auto Warranty that pays the repair shop directly
Some warranties make you pay, then send in the receipt and wait months, allowing them to weasel out of paying. Choose a warranty that pays the repair shop directly.

bw53

gqa, funny but i read that same website on warrantydirect and nation warranty. i was leaning toward those two but then decided against warrantydirect as i found several consumer complaints on them. nation warranty was okay... and did get some pricing on them which was very close to others...did find that these two did have wear and tear....wow...i guess a toss up...

spilok

I got lucky....found out about the '03 SL from a friend who knew of the car and it really wasn't for sale. It was owned by a well-known real estate millionaire and kept in a thermostatically-controlled garage. It was a present for his wife, who preferred driving an all wheel drive Audi (PA has lots of snow). He said he'd take $55K for it, and I offered $53K. Got it for that. Mercedes Dealer knew the car well, and it only had 2 oil change services since new. They offered me the warranty after a final inspection of the car.
I've always bought NEW cars...but I couldn't pass up someone else taking the initial depreciation "hit" of over $50,000 dollars. I'm still pinching myself on this one....I think I got one h_ _ _ of a deal!

Stan

lovemysl

Hey, spilok, got any picts of the great deal?

bw53

Stan,
Nice deal...

spilok

Well, I'll try to attach photos here. I've not done it with this site yet. Let me know what you think. These pics were taken just before the snow fell this year



Stan