Extended warranty experiences

[kenkorona]

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone else has had the same experience as I have with regard to extended warranty and roadside assistance.   Here's my story...

I purchased my TC at a well known, very large dealer in mid May 2021. After the camper was all checked out and loaded on my truck we went inside the dealership to settle up.  Unfortunately what I didn't see coming was the hustle on an extended warranty and roadside assistance plan.

I had just purchased my new truck,an f350 Lariat and when I did, I also got an extended warranty (8yrs 150k miles) and even a prepaid maintenance plan.  The theory is that I basically have 8yrs and 150k miles where the only vehicle expense is gas and tires.

At the time I was getting the camper I did not regret spending a lot on the truck warranty/maint pkg. I still do not regret it either.   But having just paid all that $ on the truck package, I was easily coaxed into buying the same for the camper, which I did.  Especially because we were told we had 30 days to change our mind and get our $ back 100%.  So we spent  $5600 on those packages, extended warranty and roadside assistance. 

Within a couple weeks we developed buyers remorse and contacted the dealership to cancel that purchase.  Well within the 30 day period.  We were emailed some forms to fill out which we did, and emailed them back to the dealer.  The dealer told us it would take 4 to 6 weeks to get our refund.

At about 5 1/2 weeks I called the dealer and now they said it would be 6 to 8 weeks.  I waited 8 weeks and called again.  Now I'm having trouble even talking with anyone because the "right person" is never in when I call and does not call back.  Finally after 10 weeks I speak with a manager.  He doesn't understand why anyone in their dealership would have even given an estimate of how long it will take.  But he says it is not unusual for it to take 16 weeks.  But it's not under their control.  It's under the control of the warranty company, having nothing to do with them.

Well, here we are at 16 weeks and still nothing.  I'm feeling like a fool for having been fast talked into that purchase, and for actually believing a refund would be forthcoming.

So after all this, I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience?   I'm not looking for (what I know will be coming) the lectures about why extended warranties are not worthwhile, etc, etc.  But rather, whether anyone has had an experience in buying and canceling such a contract.

So, I have refrained from naming the specific dealership and warranty company in this post.  I'm not sure it's appropriate in this venue, however if anyone wants to contact me outside of this venue, I'm certainly willing to share those details.


Ken

[RetiredRealtorR]

Buzzcut1 wrote:
In all the purchases I have made since my first vehicle in 1975 I have never purchased an extended warranty. I have never regretted not doing so. Its a scam IMHO. I will not be buying one in the future either

First off, just for the record, most of these are not extended "warranties", as a warranty is issued by the manufacturer. They are "service contracts", which usually have nothing to do with the original manufacturer.

That being said, service contracts are purchased and serve the purchaser much like auto insurance or health insurance -- you hope you never have to use it, but if you do, you're glad it's there.

Being in the automobile business for 30 years, then in the Real Estate business for another 12 years, I have seen many, many of these service contracts pay out hundreds of thousand dollars to purchasers over the years, and I have had scores of auto buyers and home buyers share stories with me of how happy they were that they made such a purchase.

So is it a scam? No more than your auto insurance or health insurance is a scam.

[valhalla360]

toedtoes wrote:
I don't rhink it's a scam - I just think they don't care enough to return your money promptly.

I'm betting they were hoping you eventually forgot about it and went away.

These plans are like 30-40% profit for the dealer. If they cancel it, they have to give back that 30-40% profit.

I expect the next response will be since it didn't get processed within 30 days, there is nothing they can do. (total BS but I give it about 80% chance as their next response)

[Kayteg1]

Buzzcut1 wrote:
In all the purchases I have made since my first vehicle in 1975 I have never purchased an extended warranty. I have never regretted not doing so. Its a scam IMHO. I will not be buying one in the future either

I am in the same boat, but I always research the vehicle before purchase.
That said, BIL of my close friend bought new Ford Taurus from 1990's.
He bought extended warranty and in 3 or 4 years he generated about $20,000 warranty repairs on $16,000 vehicle.
I think the $900 he spend on extended warranty got him his money worth.
Numbers from my memory, so I might be slightly off, but you get the idea?
Bad part - extended car warranty is not paying for wear out shoes and he had few of those.

[toedtoes]

kenkorona wrote:
OK, but I'll wait till Wednesdays Mail before I post anything. That is, unless a moderator jumps in and warns me it is not permitted.

Also, the reason I can't just drive over to the dealer is that I live 3000 miles from the dealer.

Maybe I'm too trusting, but I still feel this was not a scam, and I still feel it's most likely that I'll get the refund. This dealer is a very big business with multiple locations. I find it hard to believe they would risk their business committing an out-and-out scam.

A few more days will tell.

I figured it was likely you weren't nearby.

I don't rhink it's a scam - I just think they don't care enough to return your money promptly.

[Buzzcut1]

In all the purchases I have made since my first vehicle in 1975 I have never purchased an extended warranty. I have never regretted not doing so. Its a scam IMHO. I will not be buying one in the future either

[kenkorona]

OK, but I'll wait till Wednesdays Mail before I post anything. That is, unless a moderator jumps in and warns me it is not permitted.

Also, the reason I can't just drive over to the dealer is that I live 3000 miles from the dealer.

Maybe I'm too trusting, but I still feel this was not a scam, and I still feel it's most likely that I'll get the refund. This dealer is a very big business with multiple locations. I find it hard to believe they would risk their business committing an out-and-out scam.

A few more days will tell.

[MarkTwain]

kenkorona wrote:
Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone else has had the same experience as I have with regard to extended warranty and roadside assistance.   Here's my story...

I purchased my TC at a well known, very large dealer in mid May 2021. After the camper was all checked out and loaded on my truck we went inside the dealership to settle up.  Unfortunately what I didn't see coming was the hustle on an extended warranty and roadside assistance plan.

I had just purchased my new truck,an f350 Lariat and when I did, I also got an extended warranty (8yrs 150k miles) and even a prepaid maintenance plan.  The theory is that I basically have 8yrs and 150k miles where the only vehicle expense is gas and tires.

At the time I was getting the camper I did not regret spending a lot on the truck warranty/maint pkg. I still do not regret it either.   But having just paid all that $ on the truck package, I was easily coaxed into buying the same for the camper, which I did.  Especially because we were told we had 30 days to change our mind and get our $ back 100%.  So we spent  $5600 on those packages, extended warranty and roadside assistance. 

Within a couple weeks we developed buyers remorse and contacted the dealership to cancel that purchase.  Well within the 30 day period.  We were emailed some forms to fill out which we did, and emailed them back to the dealer.  The dealer told us it would take 4 to 6 weeks to get our refund.

At about 5 1/2 weeks I called the dealer and now they said it would be 6 to 8 weeks.  I waited 8 weeks and called again.  Now I'm having trouble even talking with anyone because the "right person" is never in when I call and does not call back.  Finally after 10 weeks I speak with a manager.  He doesn't understand why anyone in their dealership would have even given an estimate of how long it will take.  But he says it is not unusual for it to take 16 weeks.  But it's not under their control.  It's under the control of the warranty company, having nothing to do with them.

Well, here we are at 16 weeks and still nothing.  I'm feeling like a fool for having been fast talked into that purchase, and for actually believing a refund would be forthcoming.

So after all this, I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience?   I'm not looking for (what I know will be coming) the lectures about why extended warranties are not worthwhile, etc, etc.  But rather, whether anyone has had an experience in buying and canceling such a contract.

So, I have refrained from naming the specific dealership and warranty company in this post.  I'm not sure it's appropriate in this venue, however if anyone wants to contact me outside of this venue, I'm certainly willing to share those details.


Ken

Extended Warranties---
IMHO, It is totally appropriate to share the details ,name if dealership and warranty company if we as RVers are going to support and protect each other in similar situations. Who else is going to protect RVers if we don't protect and support each other.

[toedtoes]

I would have offered to,drive over and pick the check up. Just to make sure it wasn't another delay tactic putting things back another 2 weeks.

[theoldwizard1]

Write a letter to your State's Attorney General.

[Grit_dog]

Best of luck bud! Hope they come through with it!

[kenkorona]

So I just made another call to them. Spoke with a manager. He was "shocked" that it's been 16 weeks. He put me on hold while he spoke with the "controller" who was in the office today. Then he got back on the phone and said tht the check has not been processed yet, so they will be cutting a check today and I will receive it by next Wednesday.

Either way, I'll post here again. So is posting the name of the dealership here considered not an acceptable thing? If I get the refund, I'll be satisfied with their standing behind their commitments (albeit slowly) and I would view posting their name as an endorsement. If I don't receive it I would view posting their info as a condemnation and warning for others to avoid them.

Ken

[greenno]

Sorry for your troubles.
My suggestion is to drive back to the camper dealer and speak to somebody in person.
Any written info on your purchase contract?
If it's not spelled out in writing then their just BS'ing you.
Face to face usually gets to the bottom line.
Good luck.

[mbloof]

Sorry to hear of your troubles.

I too got the "hard sell" from my camper dealer - I finally told them that I was terminal and had no need for an extended warranty. 🙂

While that shut them up, the service manager still did the hard sell with a well rehearsed fake story about a shore power dongle/protector. 🙂

BTW: I also bought a 8yr extended warranty on my new 2017 Ford truck as here +4yrs later I have less than 10K miles on it (only use it for hauling the camper and camping). 🙂


cheers,


- Mark0.

[fpoole]

Boy, good luck on that one if they haven't responded by now... sounds like the ole runaround senario

Next step would be the BBB and file a complaint or whatever consumer tool is out there.

I also got one on the camper and now will be starting to use it as exp 2022.. and the camper base is falling off... when lifted...
So, while I"m not canx it, I'm interested to see what the outcome would be..

As noted, you've spent way too much time try to get an answer, time to get the big boys involved...
Good luck and post the outcome.. thanks, but sorry for your issue..