extended warranty pricing

Mike Arman Armanmik at earthlink.net
Tue Apr 5 05:11:01 PDT 2011


I see where some caring dealer is offering Fay an extended warranty on the allegedly flawless A4 
Cabriolet they are talking about.


The only thing the dealer cares for here is his own bottom line.


Most of these extended warranties are sold on FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) and are far more 
profitable than anything they will ever make on the car. If the car is any good, it won't need the 
warranty, if it isn't, chances are the warranty is so riddled with exclusions, exceptions and so 
forth that it isn't going to pay for anything anyway. Note that the only constant is that the 
warranty seller keeps Fay's money, and that is whether the car runs or not.


1) Buy from a private seller, preferably person to person, or someone you find through this list or 
a *trusted, reputable* third party. Ignore eBay and any Craigslist ads from out of town - if you 
can't go SEE the car and SEE the seller, move on. (Old Arab saying, when buying a camel, look at the 
seller as well as the camel.)

1a) There are ALWAYS 40,000 other people "very interested in" or "coming today to look at" the exact 
car you are looking at. This is a standard sales tactic - click ignore.


2) Make sure there are written service records, especially as regards the timing belt. If it isn't 
in writing it doesn't exist. You want a paper trail - proof, not talk. If the car was perfect, 
chances are it wouldn't be for sale and certainly wouldn't be for sale cheap.


3) *Be patient* - the car you want is out there, these are NOT rarities.


4) Run a Car-Fax.


5) Have a pretty good idea of the models and years you DO want, and of the models and years you want 
to avoid. (Research! Do your homework! Did you marry the first person you kissed?)





(All verbal assurances and representations about repairs or maintenance done are worth exactly the 
paper they are written on . . . )


Best Regards,

Mike Arman
90V8Q, other stuff



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