Imagine that the light for the check engine comes on. Your heart skips a beat, and you think about how much money you have in the bank. That’s when a lot of us start to wonder if an extended car warranty is worth it. Let’s cut through the hoopla and get to what real drivers are saying about their experiences with extended auto warranties. There are no brochures full of jargon here. Just people who are living their lives with different types of insurance. This website.
Let’s get the elephant in the garage out of the way first. People either love or hate their extended warranties; you don’t often hear someone say, “Eh, it’s okay.” Some drivers swear by theirs, saying it saved them hundreds, while others complain about refused claims, complicated terminology, and music that never stops playing.
A driver told a story regarding a small problem with the transmission. The warranty company paid without any problems. Not even a raised eyebrow. She thought she had caught the goose that laid the golden egg. But some people have told stories that seem like something out of a circus. Mechanics and warranty reps don’t always agree on what “wear and tear” means. One motorist said it was like arguing about whether ketchup is a vegetable, which is a topic that leaves everyone a little confused.
After that, there is the paperwork. It might sound like reading old scrolls. Some rules are like a maze, with secret ways to get around them. One person remarked that it took him less time to put his carburetor back together than to figure out what the fine print meant. And if you ever get turned down for a significant repair, your feelings toward warranty providers might change faster than a radiator leak in Alaska.
Before you pay, drivers say you should confirm which repairs are covered. You should call the provider yourself. Have a round of “20 Questions.” Some people even evaluate customer service by asking “what if” questions before they need help. If the answers sound like they were read by a robot, that’s a bad sign.
Reviews talk about cost a lot. Some plans seem affordable, but be on the lookout for “gotcha” situations. They can be hard to find, such deductibles, capped payments, and non-transferable insurance. One driver said, “Paying a little now saved me from playing financial roulette later.”
But it’s hardly a clear win for everyone. If your automobile is newer than your favorite band shirt, extending coverage might not be worth it. Older rides with electronics that might not work? A lot of people say they’re saved after one expensive repair.
Some people claim that working with a company that offers extended warranties is like playing poker with a lot of different cards. Sometimes you win big by fixing things that would have cost a lot of money. Sometimes, you get a losing hand and are stuck in red tape.
In the end, true drivers hope that their plan will be the net that catches them instead of the thread that trips them up. A lot of people agree: you should ask more questions than you think you should. Read the fine print twice, or maybe three times, just to be safe. And retain all of your emails and papers. You want all the cards face up on the table if things go wrong.
In the end, experiences with extended car warranties seem to range from anger to complete relief. No matter whose side you’re on, it’s a good idea to go in with your eyes wide open and your phone ready, just in case you end up sharing your own story.