What would You Do????

[welister]

We found a used class A MH we realy want but sales tax and a bumper to bumper extended warranty could add another 10-12K$ to the price. That is a deal breaker!

We would like to custom build the warranty coverage to keep cost under control.

What are the minimum items / systems to include in such a warranty agreement?????

[94-Newmar]

What brand, type, model are you looking at?

[welister]

2008 Damon Challenger 371 with tripple slides and only 12K miles

[RV Trax]

Beware of most extended warranty service plans. Have a professional read the exclusions on the contract. The main problem I have found with the Damon units are that they are usually equipped with roof top Carrier air conditioner units. Failures are high, parts arer limited and they are out of business. This can be a headache. Most Carriers have the wireless remote, and do not have hardwiring for a standard thermostat. Most service plans do not cover previous failures, normal wear, corrosion, seals and gaskets.

[melvonnar]

Keep looking:
If your not comfortable with (any) deal it's time to walk.

[wildtoad]

So how much of the $10-$12k is the warranty vs. sales tax? There isn't much you can do about the latter except negotiate a further reduction in the sales price to offset it or look for a less expensive unit. I've never had an extended warranty because either the rv/car I bought was too old or too new and didn't think it was worth the outlay. Some folks swear by them some swear at them.

[Snowman 1]

I've said this before and I'll say it again...don't buy a used DP motorhome without a bumper to bumper extended warranty. Next week when we bring our coach in for the list of things we have compiled, it will have paid for itself. You don't say whether this is a gasser or diesel but either way I'd get a warranty. Only thing I'd do differently is we should have negotiated harder on the warranty price.

[The Beaver]

Extended warranties are big money makers for the various companies. I am no expert in the area but I am inclined to avoid them. I would have a qualified mechanic check the unit out to better understand its condition. If found to be mechanically sound I would forgo the extended warranty and instead place as much of the premium as you can afford into the bank and later, if necessary, use it for any repair costs.

However, if you feel you must use an extended warranty, make sure you read it very carefully - fine print and all as there are many items excluded. I agree with RV Trax to have a professional read the contract and explain it.

Good luck and enjoy the vehicle you finally obtain.

[RickO]

Extended warranties are a very personal choice and opinions are all over the map. Some will point out that a lot of people make a lot of money by selling them... but the same can be said about ANY type of insurance policy. We purchased one on our new coach 3 years ago and we're glad we did. Not because I've submitted enough claims to "break even" but because as new RV owners it provided us with peace of mind.

BUT... we paid too much for our wty and should have negotiated harder.

Good luck...

Rick

[LindaH]

I second everything Beaver said!

[kalynzoo]

I have been saved more than a few times by my extended warranties. But you must follow the rules. Most do not pay for self repairs, they are very specific on what is covered and what is not, and you absolutely must get prior authorization before beginning any work. The warranty may delay repair until the broken part can be inspected, so very often for small repairs it becomes prudent to just fix things without reporting them; water pump, CO2 detector, etc.
They are indeed a money maker for the dealer, and to complete a sale, the dealer may be willing to reduce the sales price on the warranty.
As for the rooftop air, my rig has basement air, which is currently being repaired through my warranty...and Coleman-Mach no longer supports the unit. This could really be expensive. If your roof top air really did fail, you could rather easily have a new unit installed...no idea what the price might be, but that is an option.
Best to you with your decision.
Happy Trails.

[TQ60]

The high dollar items such as engine, transmission, ac units and ice box to name a few are the ones that will have you dead in the water on the side of the road someplace.

Make a list of items such as these and present it to the dealer.

Ask them specific questions about how each item on the list would be covered, have them circle each section in the contract that spells out how the item is covered.

Also ask the dealer to provide the warranty documentation for everything in the coach that you are concerned with.

The running gear may have a manufacturer's warranty in place for some time, this may be better than the "extra" warranty.

For the running gear, does the contract cover 100%?, does it require maintenance records? is there a deductable? are the servicers limited? towing to a in-network servicer from anywhere?

There are no such thing as a "stupid question" in this case, clearly the sales folks are going to tell you things that make you want the deal, they will not tell you things that will make you not want the deal unless you ask them to.

Things like emergencies and response times make a difference, how long will you be waiting on the side of the road while the provider looks for the cheapest tow truck would be something to get in the contract.

If the sales folks state things that are not in the contract then ask for it in writing, then before you buy run it past the underwriter to be certian.

After this then think about the deal and if you want to proceed tell the dealer you need a few more days to convince "the boss".

During this time take your offer to other providers and shop around, there is a huge profit at the point of sale, and someone would rather make a little than none, so get the best deal you can, and before you sign anything, repeat the steps above.

After you have chosen the provider hit the net yellow pages.

Look in cities near where you plan on going for RV and truck servicers, call them up and ask them if they work with the provider and how it is working out.

You may find that the provider gives them trouble regarding sourcing of parts or labor rates that could delay action, you only need to find one "bad report" to create the question.

Others have stated that it is better to bank the money, it is your call.

If the high cost or high risk items are in warranty, the running gear example, then your standard liability insurance, tripple A or other insurance may be all that is needed to get you to a servicer for the running gear, the rest put into the bank.

Given the current economy one should be able to twist the arm of the dealer to toss in a minimum of 2 years of the contract to back their representation of the product, it is their responsibility to inspect every inch of the coach and repair or indicate any issues, if they are selling as great condition then they can provide the warranty to back it up.

You may be able to take their offer and add to it for a longer contract at a better price, first 2 or 3 on them, next 2 on you, pay one time.

Is it transferable in case you sell before the contract is up? If you get a 5 year plan and trade up in 3, being able to offer a 2 year contract adds to resale value.

When all is said and done, before signing on the dotted line, have a disinterested party review the contract, do all of your homework and insure you are clearly understanding of every detail of the deal, this way there will be fewer surprises.

[GaryKD]

Hi cnitall,
Welcome to iRV2. Before I make a suggestion, what state do you live in?

[doc]

Wonder how it would work if one took the 10 to 12 grand and put it in the bank, using it ONLY to pay for repairs on the MH. These extended warranties have more loops than a frustrated fisherman on opening day of trout season.