I need car advice!

[NoHall]

My warranty is about to run out on my MINI, and I want to know what y'all think about extended warranties. They have one that covers maintenance--oil, coolant, doing the checkups and stuff. It goes to 100,000 miles. (Does not cover anything to do with tires, brakes or mechanical wear and tear.) I think it is about $1,500. For about $2,500 there is some sort of mechanical warranty, and it covers bigger stuff. My dealer actually said that he doesn't recommend that one.

Obviously I don't know all the details right now--I'll talk to them about it tomorrow--but have any of you purchased an extended maintenance warranty and regretted it? Not purchased one and regretted it? Purchased one and felt like you saved a bundle? Not purchased one and felt like you saved a bundle?

Please pontificate...

 

[Smiling JOe]

Even changing your oil every 3,000 miles, $1,500 will buy you fifty $30 oil changes. Using the average mileage per year of 15,000, that makes 5 oil changes per year (which I don't know anyone who does that), and ten years worth of oil changes.

I'd be very, very cautious of any extended warranty not given specifically by the dealer. Personally, I'd place that $1,500 in a savings account, ear-marked for auto repair. www.clarkhoward.com will have some good advice on the subject.

 

[greenroomsurfer]

Even changing your oil every 3,000 miles, $1,500 will buy you fifty $30 oil changes. Using the average mileage per year of 15,000, that makes 5 oil changes per year (which I don't know anyone who does that), and ten years worth of oil changes.

I'd be very, very cautious of any extended warranty not given specifically by the dealer. Personally, I'd place that $1,500 in a savings account, ear-marked for auto repair. www.clarkhoward.com will have some good advice on the subject.

Basturd ya got to it before me! Even with the link almost. Warranties are Bullocks!!! Here's your site--- http://clarkhoward.com/liveweb/shownotes/2008/10/22/14288/

 

[Will B]

Stay away!!

 

[Matt J]

Don't do it, those warranties never cover things like moving parts. :roll:

 

[SHELLY]

My warranty is about to run out on my MINI, and I want to know what y'all think about extended warranties. They have one that covers maintenance--oil, coolant, doing the checkups and stuff. It goes to 100,000 miles. (Does not cover anything to do with tires, brakes or mechanical wear and tear.) I think it is about $1,500. For about $2,500 there is some sort of mechanical warranty, and it covers bigger stuff. My dealer actually said that he doesn't recommend that one.

Who is the "They" that is offering the "oil change" warranties? Is it the dealership's own?



.

 

[NoHall]

Even changing your oil every 3,000 miles, $1,500 will buy you fifty $30 oil changes. Using the average mileage per year of 15,000, that makes 5 oil changes per year (which I don't know anyone who does that), and ten years worth of oil changes.

I'd be very, very cautious of any extended warranty not given specifically by the dealer. Personally, I'd place that $1,500 in a savings account, ear-marked for auto repair. www.clarkhoward.com will have some good advice on the subject.

Who is the "They" that is offering the "oil change" warranties? Is it the dealership's own?

.

The dealership outsources it to someone else. (www.easycare.com) Here's the deal: The extended maintenance plan covers oil changes, inspections, brakes, and tires. If I get all of that done by the dealer, it will pay for itself--I only have to change my oil every 15,000 miles (synthetic oil,) but it's $115 at the dealership. Inspections are $250-300, front and rear brakes are $1100, and tires are $250/tire. Yikes, yikes, yikes, and yikes.

I haven't checked into getting my oil changed elsewhere (Punzy and Skunky--chime in if you know anything about this!) but I'm guessing that I can get it done for less than $115. MINIs use BMW coolant, so I'll have to go to the dealer and buy it. (Or have Chicken pick some up for me next time he's over that way. ) I just had front brakes put on it because the basic warranty didn't cover it, and I paid $90. My tire man finds me tires for $70/tire.

I'm gonna read what Clark has to say, but I've pretty much ruled this out. I think I can save more money by not doing it and taking good care of my car outside the dealership...

Thanks, guys!

 

[scooterbug44]

I don't understand how this is a warranty - it doesn't seem to cover anything going wrong with the car!

The Scooterbug BS meter is pinging!

Tires, brakes, and mechanical wear and tear - what else goes wrong with a vehicle in the course of daily events? :roll:

 

[NoHall]

I don't understand how this is a warranty - it doesn't seem to cover anything going wrong with the car!

The Scooterbug BS meter is pinging!

Tires, brakes, and mechanical wear and tear - what else goes wrong with a vehicle in the course of daily events? :roll:

Actually, this is a maintenance plan more than a warranty. Kind of like getting health insurance for the car. I can also buy an actual warranty for major mechanical if I want, but I know from (bad) experience* that they don't cover anything other than ridiculous problems, like the transmission falling out in the middle of the road. I've had the car long enough to know that it doesn't have mechanical defects--it runs like a top.

I guess I'm just getting a little antsy because grad school has put miles on it quickly (I'll be finished soon!) and I'm afraid of big stuff starting to wear out. I really thought I was going to have to buy new struts today, but they were fine. I was also losing coolant, but they fixed that for nothing, too.


* I had a 1995 Jeep Wrangler that was in the shop 33 times in 36 months for 44 different problems--windshield wipers, heater, lights, bad stitching on the doors, etc. They were all covered by warranty, but were so minor that the lemon law didn't cover it. Insanity...

 

[Smiling JOe]

The dealership outsources it to someone else. (www.easycare.com) Here's the deal: The extended maintenance plan covers oil changes, inspections, brakes, and tires. If I get all of that done by the dealer, it will pay for itself--I only have to change my oil every 15,000 miles (synthetic oil,) but it's $115 at the dealership. Inspections are $250-300, front and rear brakes are $1100, and tires are $250/tire. Yikes, yikes, yikes, and yikes.

I haven't checked into getting my oil changed elsewhere (Punzy and Skunky--chime in if you know anything about this!) but I'm guessing that I can get it done for less than $115. MINIs use BMW coolant, so I'll have to go to the dealer and buy it. (Or have Chicken pick some up for me next time he's over that way. ) I just had front brakes put on it because the basic warranty didn't cover it, and I paid $90. My tire man finds me tires for $70/tire.

I'm gonna read what Clark has to say, but I've pretty much ruled this out. I think I can save more money by not doing it and taking good care of my car outside the dealership...

Thanks, guys!

a couple of points. My experience with tire warranties is that it doesn't replace wear and tire, and doesn't warranty against sidewall punctures. They typically cover defects or will maybe patch a puncture.

Regarding oil changes, the dealer is hosing you. Take that $115 and invest in a community college course on basic auto mechanics.

Brakes -- brake pads are relatively cheap, depending on the auto. You should be able to buy a really good set (4) of brake pads for under $150, and change them yourself in less than three hours, which is faster than the wait just to get the car in the garage at most dealers.

I have no idea how BMW could produce the only coolant for Minis. I'm not telling you it isn't so, but I would almost bet money that they push that crap on you, saying that the warranty will be void if you don't use their products and have all of your service done at their dealerships in a timely manner. Sounds like a bunch of people trying to rob you blind.