I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

...is this worth doing? Dodge Grand Caravan, normally 3yr, 32,000 miles warranty. With this package I would get:
1. 7yr, 70,000 miles warranty
2. Dodge maintenance plan (3 years)
3. Tire and wheel coverage
4. Lo-jack tracker
$57.90/month for 5 years

#2 includes free replacement of brake pads, oil change, wiper blades etc.

#3 includes free replacement of tires or even wheels if they become damaged. Also roadside assistance, even just to change a tire, or towing if necessary, not just for tires but flat batteries, out of gas, or locked out.

Re: I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

Personally speaking, I've not yet found an extended warranty to be worth the money. Regular maintenance and a AAA membership has always worked well for me.

However, as with all things, if it'll help you sleep better at night, go for it.

Ian

Re: I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

No.

No one is going to steel your motor.

Oil change for shit stuff is $20-50 and synthetic around $30-100 depending on where you live.

Tyres anything from $50-200 a piece, but you can usually get free life of tyre warranty cover from major chains like Walmart, Sullivan Tyre etc.

Wiper Blades are only a fiver and disc pads shouldn't get shagged within 3 years and only cost a few bucks for something like that.

Roadside assistance would be cheaper through AAA and get you most of that #3 stuff.

It might be worth it if you drive something like a pick up or SUV and took it off the road, where it'll more than likely pick a issue up, but on a road car you'd be better off not bothering.

Re: I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

Thanks, Bob. It sounds like it might have been worthwhile in the UK but not so much so in the US!

Re: I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

Bottom line is, do you really expect to have to pay $3,500 over the same period for repairs? That's what it works out to be. Put $60/month away in savings and use it when you need an oil change or new wiper blades and, under the majority of circumstances, you'll have money left over at the end of the warranty period.

Of course, there's always the chance that it won't work out, but it's really small.

Most extended warranties can be had for around $1000 for five years, so even if you were considering something like this, this one is NOT a good deal.

I strongly advise against paying for an extended warranty on anything, especially if it's with a third party company, who will look for ANY excuse not to pay up when the time comes!

Re: I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

Oh, and if you want my advice (I'll give it anyway!), DON'T buy a Dodge Caravan!

I would seriously look at the Honda Odyssey or the Toyota Sienna. They have a MUCH higher reliability rating, not to mention resale value. You may pay a few dollars more up front, but they'll be far better in the long run.

Re: I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

Just looked at the Lo-Jack prices. Had mine fitted end of 2006 at $200 with the early warning system. That is $995 now and still a lot less then you are quoting. Where did the monthly rate come from? Also you need to check the coverage for the area you will be driving in mostly. Not all police departments have the equipment to track a vehicle if Lo-jack is activated.

Re: I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

Yeah, that's basically it. Trouble was, I had no idea what repair/parts costs are like in the US when I started this thread. Now I've got a much better idea! As the thread title says, I don't normally do the extended warranties - on anything. I had a big fight with Comet over a washing machine that went wrong slightly out of 12 month warranty; they wanted nothing to do with it and lied; I pursued them through the Sale of Goods Act until I proved each of their lies were illegal and they paid the £350 repair costs, not me! :-D However, I get the feeling there isn't so much of a consumer protection in the US?

I've seen and read mixed reviews on it. Some love it, some hate it. But it's not universally slated so I'll just have to suck it and see!

Sienna looks nice but is another $4k for a similar model in terms of fittings and toys.

That's interesting - the quote detailed the Lo-jack option as $695, not $995. Ah, the $995 includes the email/SMS option if your car has an intrusion without the keyfob in the vicinity; the $695 is without that.

The monthly rate is basically the sum total of the four elements divided by the 60 months - interest free it would appear.

I've emailed to say we're not going ahead with this.

Thanks everyone.

Re: I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

My "Lo-Jack" consists of a manual transmission and dog hair everywhere. Seems to work just fine putting them off.

Re: I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

Absolutely agree there!

We bought a Dodge Grand Caravan after we moved over here (it was a year old and had very low miles, like 6000 or something) Anyway, we had it and maintained it (regular oil change, etc) for 3 years and in that 3 years we had to replace the brake pads 2 times (no I'm not that hard on the brakes) and the engine blew up in the end, of course after the warranty expired...:nod:

On the warranty side of things... We don't normally buy them, but we did buy an extended warranty for my husband's new work car. He had a Nissan Versa (again not a car I'd recommend) that he put 70k miles on in 3 years. Yes he travels a long way to and from work! Again it was regularly maintained but ended up having serious engine problems, so we got rid of it. We decided to buy an extended warranty on his new car (Ford Focus) because we anticipate him putting on a lot of miles and if something goes kabluey on that car, I want it fixed!

Re: I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

Might be worth checking the deductible too. Half the extended warranties people offer me have such a high deductible that it wouldn't be worth the hassle of making the claim to begin with.

Re: I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

Pretty much.

Some manufacturers are better than others, but it's pretty much down to them usually rather than the store, though Costco, Target, Amazon and a few others tend to be half decent, but most things between 30-90 days and anything else is blood out of a stone. No concept of fit for purpose over here.

Some states might have their own protections though, especially regarding lemon laws for cars, can be half decent to a complete joke.

Re: I don't normally do extended warranties but...
 

Got more than the price I paid back in insurance discount, and no worries about dog hairs on my suits. :D