Extended Warranty 2.0
 

So now that the standard warranty coverage has changed with the lifetime powertrain coverage, what's the prudent investment to cover our bacon? The dealers I've talked to still want everyone to spend the same ole $1800. Seems like a different pricing structure would be in order to complement the new coverage. Thoughts? TIA...

I say put the money in the bank or spend it on trips or accessories.

Personally, I never buy an extended warranty on any new product and have never regretted it. If I would have purchased all the extended warranties that have been offered to me I would have spent $10k by now.

The fact is that these “warranties” are nothing more than insurance policies. The companies that back these policies up are in the business of minimizing their losses and they do their best not to pay out. Read the fine print before buying any type of extended warranty or service contract.

Some service contracts/warranties have a deductible, which really reduces your chance of ever collecting anything if your average repair under the contract is less than the deductable amount.

Uh, the pricing structure changed when the lifetime warranty went into play. If your vehicle is covered by the lifetime powertrain, the extended warranty is much cheaper than previous models due to the "lack of coverage" needed for the extended warranty.

I am not 100% on the numbers but my dealer showed me the MSRP for each of the warranties before and after it took effect. It went from $1500 to $800 for the 5/60 I bought (max care). It almost dropped by half. I know to take dealerships at face value so I verified this through a few other people I know. I would suggest to check another dealer to verify what you have been told.

SP

2k2wranglerx, do you recall what you paid and was it after the new lifetime powertrain warranty was in place?

$1800 does sound expensive, but it depends on how long the corverage is for, whether there is a deductable, etc.

I am with driley on this one. I never buy the extended warranty. Your just spending extra money in the long run, even if you eventually own one car where the warranty does pay for itself. I also have a habit of trading for new vehicles a little too often to really make them worthwhile.

That said, it is an insurance policy and I understand why some people prefer to have it. They can pay now, and be covered down the road instead of incurring unextpected repair costs.

It's really a personal choice. Whether you want the safety net of having it or are willing to take the risk without it.

I did own my TJ for 5 years, and 50K miles. Things I had to replace included the rear wipe switch, $15, the HVAC solenoid, $15, the two front sway bar end links, $80, and the seal between the windshield and tub, $115. Total cost to me $225 (I did all my own labor). Cheaper than the warranty. However, if you had the dealer doing the work you could probably double the cost, which would have brought it closer to what a warranty would have run.

Beware - every extended warranty I've ever seen has a clause in it stating that any aftermarket modifications negate coverage for the affected area(s) of the vehicle. The Magnuson-Moss act does not apply, because you're accepting these terms at contract inception.

I got the 6 yr/75,000 mile extended warranty...$595 (Supplier discount helps)