Used Car Extended Warranties

[Kneale Brownson]

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At 04:01 AM 10/14/2002 +0000, Christopher Ritchie wrote:

>While looking for used A6s, used car dealers have offered warranty plans
>costing from $1100 to $2000.  I realize most of them are probably rip-offs
>with a big commission going to the selling dealer.  But are there any that
>listers have had good experience with?  Are there any that allow the car to
>be fixed at a dealership?  I know Audi dealers have their "Certified"
>program, but, for various reasons, I will not be buying the car at a dealer.

You have no guarantee the company underwriting these plans will be there
next month when you need it.  I once bought a warranty plan from a body
shop that had been in business locally for a couple generations of the
owner family (and still is in business with the grandson of the guy in
charge at the time of this deal).  It was for rust-out of a new car after a
"rustproofing" and it was supplied by the manufacturer of the rustproofing
product.  Well, three-four years later,  the body shop and I were surprised
to learn the manufacturer had folded and the $100 or so extra I'd spent was
a waste.  The body shop split the repair cost with me and quit doing
rustproofing other than on repairs.

The only extended warranty I'd buy today would be one from the vehicle
manufacturer, like Audi's "certified" plan, and I'd be reading the fine
print carefully.  A friend of mine applied the GM extended plan to a new
truck he bought in the early '90's, and got his money back out of it a
couple times before finally retiring that pickup last year.
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