Is extended dealership warranty worth it?

[Phanes]

Usually I skip extended warranties on everything I buy. I have never had a need to use one and I feel if a manufacturer is willing to give a 5 year warranty it is because they feel most of their time their product will outlive the warranty.

My dealer is offering a 5 year bumper to bumper for $2500. If the TT is within 100miles of the dealer they will send someone out to fix it. If it can't be fixed they will tow it and fix it at the dealership.

It sounds like a good deal and having read so many posts of people having issues it seems like a good idea.

Do you guys have an opinion on them?

We are buying a Forest River Sierra 402qb

[spike99]

To me, warranties are a means for "reactive" fix. They often have a deductible and they don't cover the cost of pulling trailer back/forth to the dealer.

For my RV/TTs, I'd rather take a "proactive" avoidance to expensive problems fix. For this method, I install Surge Protection (like shown within - Click here - ).

And with saved dollars, I buy other RV upgrades as well. Like DIY tinted windows, roof vent covers, etc, etc,

[Passin_Thru]

Consumer Reports says they are worth the toilet paper they are written on. Use may vary.

[glazier]

old guy wrote:
I have worked at rv dealerships and sears, both sell extended warranties, the only ones who make out with them are the sellers

I have always said this, never buy an extended warranty on anything.

Your buying their warranty counting on their product to fail before the warranty period expires.

Their selling you the warranty counting on their product to last longer than the warranty period.

[old_guy]

I have worked at rv dealerships and sears, both sell extended warranties, the only ones who make out with them are the sellers

[NanciL]

We recently bought a new 2016 Forest River and it will be the last one I will every buy.
The workmanship is absolutely horrendous.
Then to get anything done under the warrantee the dealer has to submit pictures and get approval from Forest river before they can do anything.
That process will tie up your trailer for two weeks or longer every time

I strongly suggest that even though you probably fell in love with the floor plan,(like we did) you do some home work and keep away from Forest river.

jack L

[bobndot]

Phanes wrote:
I usually skip the warrantees. I just got a little nervous with a camper because I read so many lemon stories. However most of them happened in the first year or two. A few things I was planning on buying was

1. Surge Protector
2. A cover for the winters

I bet those two don't cost $2500 put together.

Anything else you guys recommend?

Forget about feeling nervous. Get over that real quick if you plan to be an RV type of person. You can't worry about this stuff. 🙂 Your warranty will cover you thru the beginning, by then you'll know to keep it or trade it. It is what it is , welcome to the RV world.

I will start to answer your equipment questions but i think your questions will get lost in this thread. To acquire the best info., i would start a new thread on the topics , that will give you more specific responses. So far, your thinking like a pro. 🙂

Using a SP is a good thing. You have options regarding this. Portable vs hardwired vs interior mounting of a portable unit (using addition plug in cords) for theft protection.
There are threads and pics of various installs. I get better results NOT using the RVnet search bar . Just do a google search , type in 'RVnet, surge protection' . RVnet posts on the subject will show.

Low voltage in some older CG's can also be an issue. Some people also use a voltage booster , a Hughes Autoformer in conjunction with my SP. Low voltage as well can also damage circuit boards and digital technology etc .

Covers: depends on the individual, some people don't like them for many reasons and others always cover it . Some have to alter the sharp edges of their RV so the cover does not rip through in the wind.
Installing one properly, that fits your RV would be a smart place to start , so its snug without waving hello and good-bye to everyone who passes . That only attracts campers who want to eat your food and drink all your beer.

[Sandia_Man]

Maybe I would consider one for a used Class A, but for a brand new towable RV they are vary rarely worth the expenditure. First thing I told our salesman before we had looked at a single unit is that we were not interested in any extended warranties or other upsells, nearly 10 years later we have never had our TT in for service.

If you are handy with tools most issues are simple to diagnose and repair. Why drag your rig to the dealer and wait weeks to have it repaired, only to find it was done haphazardly. Additionally, doing your own repairs after the warranty will allow you to gain intimate knowledge of how your rig is laid out as it pertains to plumbing and electrical.

That being said, there is nothing wrong with spending your money as you see fit and if the extended warranty appeals to you then go for it. Although both are quite handy, our next door neighbors are hemorrhaging $$$ and readily paid for extended warranties on their rigs, totally unconcerned about their return on their investment. Different strokes for different folks.

[midnightsadie]

IF you should need some thing fixed,call a mobil tech MOST TIMES there faster,come to you, and smarter than the dealers tech, and cheaper.and you get to help,

[myredracer]

Answer is a big NO. Do NOT get sucked in. It's just more money in the dealer's pocket, kinda like the old days of undercoating on a new car.

Read the fine print - you'll be surprised at what is and what isn't covered. Dealers are often inept at fixing things anyway and you're better off doing repairs yourself (if you are able to). Some work done by the factory can be poorly done and if it breaks you really don't want the dealer returning it to the way the factory did it. Often you can take an RV in for warranty work and it can take weeks and weeks to get fixed - not good in the height of the camping season. Learn how to repair things yourself and buy a few tools if needed.

On some things you'll find that the dealer flips you over to a 3rd party supplier to the TT manufacturer to fight it out with and they or the factory won't go to bat for you. The majority of issues arise within the first year of ownership. We had a standard 2 year factory warranty and didn't need it in the 2nd year.

Note that if you buy an RV this time of year it sits at your home and won't get used until the spring and you will effectively only have 6 months to find and fix things under the (1 year) warranty after you start using it. If something doesn't seem right, don't ignore it and let the warranty lapse on you. We have an insurance policy that would have covered some things like appliances in the 2nd year of ownership. Not sure if this is available in the US.

Met a TT owner once who had a major roof leak from new. Dealer could not fix after 3 attempts. Got sent to the factory who only made it worse. Ended up fixing it themselves. This is a more extreme example of what can happen but shows how having a warranty doesn't always help.

[DownTheAvenue]

Phanes wrote:


My dealer is offering a 5 year bumper to bumper for $2500. If the TT is within 100miles of the dealer they will send someone out to fix it. If it can't be fixed they will tow it and fix it at the dealership.

This sounds like the dealer is the one providing the "warranty" not a 3rd party warranty company. You are entering into an agreement with that dealer. If they go out of business, you loose. If they just refuse to honor their committment, you loose.

IF I thought the need for an extended "warranty" I would buy form a nationwide company.

If you are financing the warranty with the RV purchase, remember to include the financed cost not the purchase price.

I would not even think about considering it!

[guidry]

As stated, with a manufacturer's warranty, the extended would only be a 3 or 4 year warranty. And, the fine print will probably state that you must do regular maintenace, such as roof inspections by the dealer; who will charge about $200 to put lap sealant on it. Again, take a good look at the fine print. Some even say that any claims must be pre-authorized; so if you break down and get a quick fix to get off the freeway they wont care that you didn't want to wait online for 2 hours to call them first.

I'd put that $2500 in a savings account and use it when needed.

[DanJoan]

We got our 5 year warranty for $900. with $100 deductible per incident. We also trust or dealer....

[Phanes]

I usually skip the warrantees. I just got a little nervous with a camper because I read so many lemon stories. However most of them happened in the first year or two. A few things I was planning on buying was

1. Surge Protector
2. A cover for the winters

I bet those two don't cost $2500 put together.

Anything else you guys recommend?

[dodge_guy]

It's not 5 years, because, depending on the the Manuf, they offer 1-2 years. And the aftermarket warranties will do their best to deny whatever problem comes up.it can take up to 2 weeks to get authorization! If your going to buy a warranty buy one directly from the manuf. ForestRiver, Keystone etc.

And yes, $2500 can fix quite a few things or pay for a couple really nice trips!