Re: extended warranty

[Lee Levitt <wheelman@shore.net>]

Regarding the GE extended warranty. I just bought one for my '95 Range
Rover, which I bought about 60 days ago. The GE warranty is only available
through the selling dealer (you can't buy your car from one dealer and the
warranty from another), so you're somewhat limited in price shopping. Some
dealers, tho, will tell you their cost and work from there. IMCO, $2500 for
the warranty on your Audi is too high...I paid $1500 for a 3/36 complete
mechanical/electrical on the Rover, and this particular vehicle is probably
more expensive to maintain than the Audi.

I'd bet the *cost* on a 4 year bumper to bumper warranty for the Audi is
around $1200 or so. I'd offer the dealer *that* and see how bad he
flinches. He'll prolly say something like "that's below cost" or "that's
right at my cost"...then you can demand to see cost and offer to pay him
$200 to write the contract...

You can also add a warranty to a car that isn't new, but it does get more
expensive, and less inclusive after a certain period of time (on the Rover,
it was 36K miles, which was 6K *below* the end of the factory warranty...)

There are issues involved other than cost...how difficult is it to get a
claim covered...do you pay and get reimbursed, or is the *dealer* out of
pocket...what does the warranty cover...what *doesn't* it cover...I *think*
the only major component on my Rangie that isn't covered is the air
suspension...all the 4wd stuff *is*...but you have to check this to make
sure that it *does* cover diffs, transfer case, electrical components for
these that are prolly pretty unique to Audi...

My GE warranty also covers a $25/day rental for covered repairs, btw.
Doesn't get much of a rental, but helps...

HTH,

Lee
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Lee Levitt, Director, Business Development
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