Extended Warranties - Worth The Money Or Ripp-Offs?

An extended warranty can apply to an automobile or any other large purchase. But the truth is, they are rarely worth it. Truth be told, what they call an extended warranty is not really a warranty at all. It actually should be called a service contract. These agreements are usually tacked onto your automobile purchase or other large purchase at the time of sale. Car dealers attempt to get an extra one to 3000 dollars out of you by having you sign the service contracts and pay money up front for any repairs not covered by the product warranty.

A car dealer will try and pressure you into paying for a service contract by suggesting that repairs will come up after the warranty expires and you’ll save money by buying this contract. A service contracts are usually a huge source of income for the car dealer. Typically 50 percent of the money goes straight into their pockets. The reason for this is that the coverage is usually not at all what you expect.

Most of these these contracts have exclusions like these:

Are you lacking, vehicle maintenance records? If you fail to produce records proving that the regular maintenance schedule was followed your in trouble. Not just maintaining the vehicle, but proving that the vehicle was maintained. Without proof you’re not covered.

Consider wear and tear parts. Things like brake pads, shoes, hoses, even shock absorbers are considered items that normally wear out and are usually not covered. Anything they can be considered normal wear and tear is generally not part of the contract.

Damage caused by a noncovered part. Your contract may cover the entire powertrain but if a non-covered parts such as a hose should break and this causes major engine damage, the contract will not cover the engine damage, because the hose was not covered part.

Tear Down Diagnosis? Under many service contracts, prior to servicing the car, the repair shop will require the consumer to agree to be responsible for the tear down charges if the failure is not due to a covered part. Some repair facilities will even require the consumer to pay a deposit before they will begin to diagnose the problem.

Repair option restrictions. You may have a very difficult time getting your vehicle repaired due to restrictions in the contract as to where you can get the work done. Sometimes the contracts are very specific about who can do the work. On the other hand, some service contracts have gained a reputation of not paying so the service center won’t even honor the contract itself. In that case, they’ll ask you for the money upfront and leave you to try and get reimbursed from the contract company.

Considering all these problems, chances of you actually receiving any peace of mind by using a service contract are slim. Unless of course you never actually need the contract, which is the most likely scenario. Considering the way cars are being made these days chances of you needing major repairs are pretty slim. In most situations the profits are just going into the company’s pocket and you’ll just be throwing a money away by purchasing an extended warranty.