Extended Warranty Pros & Cons

[TheGrocer]

My luverly E320 is 3 years old on Sept 15th and its going into the main dealer for a final warranty check up. I love this car and plan keeping it for as long as I can. I also want to try and protect myself with some type of extended warranty. With 45K on the clock Im going to ask MB to provide a quote for an extended warranty (he said looking for his wallet and waiting for the 4 figure number!!)

Can anyone recommend an alternative extended warranty scheme that also includes service costs so I can spread the annual charges? Perhaps I should just dip out of the main dealer schemes all together and head for a good local MB specialist. I just know that that the law of S*D will kick in on Sept 15th and the command system will go awol taking the ESP/SBS/AC & Disctronic with it. So whats a boy to do??

 

[pammy]

Service Plus - the only way to go

 

[C43AMG]

Service Plus - the only way to go

Absolutely Do a search, well documented.

 

[splang]

Yes, I commend service plus to you...make sure you take it out just before your warranty expires so that you dont have to pay for a checkup prior to taking it out.

 

[Rory]

My car isn't 3 until October but I've already had (via MB Direct, where I bought the car at 5mths old) the extended warranty details.
For an E class it would be £871 per year inc tax.
My C Class would be £848.
These are noted as MB Direct prices, but I imagine they're the same whatever the route.

I took out ServicePlus on my car a couple of months ago, and based on 12K/yr that's going to cost just under £950 per year (I did it for 3 yrs - it can only run in whole years, and not beyond the cars 6th birthday).

I remain a tad dubious about how MB would deal with a *big* claim under ServicePlus (would they say the item had failed rather than worn out?) but I'm hopeful that even if there is such an issue I can fall back on the expectation that nothing should fail on an MB anyway!

I guess it's important when you report a fault under ServicePlus to say the item has worn out, and not to say that it's broken!

 

[crockers]

Yes I plan to take out service plus 3 months before the end of my 3 year warranty runs out - but I too am a little nervousa about the "wear out" versus "failing" arguement - has any one had any experience of MB trying to claim this to stop paying out?

 

[pammy]

When I was talking to the service manager at my dealership he was saying they seem to pay out for everything. They haven't had any problem with it.

 

[glojo]

When I was talking to the service manager at my dealership he was saying they seem to pay out for everything. They haven't had any problem with it.

I think the half empty brigade will always be worrying about something, but has anyone had a claim turned down?

John the optimist

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I have had something declined on Service Plus...

The fore/aft adjustment on the ML has a plastic handle that clips on to a metal bar. The clips sheared and it came off in my hand. Sadly they wouldn't honour it, but fortunately the part only cost £9 and they fitted it for free anyway.

 

[glojo]

I have had something declined on Service Plus...

The fore/aft adjustment on the ML has a plastic handle that clips on to a metal bar. The clips sheared and it came off in my hand. Sadly they wouldn't honour it, but fortunately the part only cost £9 and they fitted it for free anyway.

You always get one. Teach you to be heavy handed

I had an intermittant electrical problem, they had the car in for a few days; took numerous bits and bops out but couldn't find any thing wrong. £250 labour costs but all taken care of by Service Plus.

John

 

[Subyland]

Dealers make hefty commissions on the sale of extended warranties so it is worth shopping around for the best price.
IF you're going to take it it is worth applying for cover before the car has covered 60k, otherwise you would only be able to buy the 2nd tier cover, which is not as good as the 1st tier. For info I was quoted £727 foir an A Class.

 

[Rory]

When I was talking to the service manager at my dealership he was saying they seem to pay out for everything. They haven't had any problem with it.

Mine pushed it very hard too and were almost effusive about it (but their quote was exactly the same as DC UK and they insisted the car needed an inspection, which it doesn't as it's still in warranty).

It's clear when you read it that it's really designed to cover Service, and wear and tear items like brake pads. However some forum members have emails from DC UK which appear to say they'll cover pretty well everything.

One of the documents they sent me (seems to be an informal overview) talks about brake pads, wiper blades, bulbs (etc) then almost casually also mentions "major units and electrical items". I guess an engine is a major unit, so I'm hoping it'll be OK!

 

[glojo]

Dealers make hefty commissions on the sale of extended warranties so it is worth shopping around for the best price.

I must confess that I took mine out through Mercedes-Benz themselves as opposed to a main dealer and the price of the warranty is related to annual mileage estimates?

John

 

[pammy]

I must confess that I took mine out through Mercedes-Benz themselves as opposed to a main dealer and the price of the warranty is related to annual mileage estimates?

John

ditto.

 

[C43AMG]

ditto.

Since i have had Service +.Gear Box Control Unit £ 572.00 + 60,000 mile "B" Service Plugs etc. £1,824.00

Air Suspension collapse £ 890.00

"A" service which needed new Front Disc's £777.00

Fit Xenon bulb + Parking Sensor faulty and new wiper blades £320.00

So far so good.

 

[crockers]

Since i have had Service +.Gear Box Control Unit £ 572.00 + 60,000 mile "B" Service Plugs etc. £1,824.00

Air Suspension collapse £ 890.00

"A" service which needed new Front Disc's £777.00

Fit Xenon bulb + Parking Sensor faulty and new wiper blades £320.00

So far so good.

And what has been your service plus outlay todate -- bet its no where as much as that lot would have been.....I'm only hoping it's still running in Sept 08

 

[C43AMG]

And what has been your service plus outlay todate -- bet its no where as much as that lot would have been.....I'm only hoping it's still running in Sept 08

£77.23 + vat. a month or £1,083.45 + vat from May 2006.

 

[crockers]

Bargain.....you will be the one responsible for premium hikes...lol

 

[Rory]

£77.23 + vat. a month or £1,083.45 + vat from May 2006.

You seem to have had more 'back' just in servicing than ServicePlus is costing you, which indicates that on some cars it seems stupidly cheap.

The dilema for me was that in 3 yrs my car has been to the dealers *once* ! And that was for an A service at 18000 miles which cost £160 (I supplied the oil, cost me £30).

It's now done 31K and is due a B service in 4K (probably in December). Of course ServicePlus will pay for the MOT in Oct.

One thing which is a potential issue for me is that I spoke to the dealer about my lack of frequency of service (I opted out of a company car and I'm doing a lot less miles than I expected) and they said to follow ASSYST. However it's now become apparent that it should have had brake fluid changed at 2 yrs and at 3yrs the coolant should be changed. (Strange how Honda can make BF last 3yrs and coolant 10yrs, but never mind.)
So I'm expecting a 'discussion' about who will pick up the cost of the BF change when it goes in for MOT.

 

[C43AMG]

Yes it does depend a lot on how many miles you, except those things that went wrong could have happened at any time. I think Service + gives you piece of mind.