Posts Tagged ‘warranty’

Ins And Outs Of Car Warranties

Monday, July 12th, 2010

There is an incredible variety of extended auto warranties out there, and a lot of sales spiels that can skirt the truth a bit. The main thing to remember about extended vehicle warranties is that they are like any other product, in that there are the good, the bad and the ugly. If you want to get a handle on the ins and outs of car warranties, it is helpful to take a look at some of the major myths and misunderstandings surrounding them.

When you know enough to be able to separate the good ones from the bad and ugly variety, you can be more confident shopping for your extended coverage. You will know enough to make a good decision. That is why you should start with this article, find and read a few more, go over the main points of all of them and then go see what type of deal you can make. Let us take a look, then, at these myths and misunderstandings.

- You have to buy your extended warranty from the dealer who sold you the car.

You have many choices, and dealers are but one source for an extended warranty. Remember that dealerships are under sales and commission pressures that may cloud the sales personnel’s judgment or lead them to be something less than completely truthful. No matter what sources you consider, decide what reliable and affordable coverage is in your unique situation, and shop for those features and benefits at the fairest price.

- Every extended auto warranty is like any other, so just buy the cheapest one.

This is so far from reality it is not even wrong! There are a limitless number of kinds and types of auto coverage packages, and some will always be better than others. The only way to be sure about what you are getting is the review the actual contract, as well as the company offering it. If the salesperson will not show you the written warranty, that is about the biggest red flag you could see. Go elsewhere.

- Whatever the salesperson says, that’s what is in the warranty. They cannot lie about it.

Salespersons can always choose to be deceitful, and there is no way you should rely on what you are told. Read the contract. If a salesperson is cagey about letting you read the warranty, it may be because there are other red flags in it. There are certain phrases and terms you should watch out for:

- At the sole discretion of the Administrator

- Used or recycled parts

- Autos have to be maintained according to the manufacturer’s severe-environment requirements (which doubles your maintenance tabs)

- A gradual decrease in operational performance is not covered

- You do not need an extended warranty until the manufacturer warranty ends.

You are not buying double coverage. You are extending coverage. The fact is, the newer your auto, the lower your rates, so you are essentially choosing to lock in costs now while they are lower and defending against future increases. With the imputed savings you can even enjoy additional features now, like some form of roadside assistance or travel insurance, until your extended plan takes effect.

- You have to buy the extended warranty at purchase time to get any special dealer financing.

The one has absolutely nothing to do with the other. Your ability to qualify for dealer financing and other sales terms is dependent on the price of the auto, your down payment or trade-in, your credit score and other factors. Adding more to the bottom line is hardly the way to increase your chances of impressing the finance manager if you do not have all your other ducks in a row. Your car buying decision, your financing choices and your extended warranty coverage are all separate issues, although they have something in common (you).

- Mechanical breakdown warranties offer the same coverage as the wear and tear kind.

Covering wear and tear is the sign of a good warranty, as wear and tear plans provide a greater level of protection. Some extended warranties will define mechanical breakdowns as being due to defective parts or workmanship, whereas wear and tear means you are covered for failures due to normal aging and usage. The older the vehicle, the more crucial these terms become in your decision.

- An extended auto warranty means never having to worry about your auto.

Do not mistake an extended warranty for magic! You still have to maintain your car, provide proper routine care and drive in a manner that will keep your vehicle in good shape. If you take care of your car as the owner’s manual suggests, you should be in good shape for the life of the auto.

There are some ins and outs of car warranties, certainly, but nothing that a little reading, research and shopping around won’t clear up for you. Remember, you are buying what is essentially insurance, so make sure you understand exactly what is in the policy, what is covered, what is not and how it all works when you need to make a claim. Do these things and you should have smooth sailing!

Endurance Warranty.com has been helping car owners save money and gain peace of mind for almost twenty years. You won’t find a more affordable or more comprehensive group of extended car warranty plans anywhere. Nor will you find more knowledgeable or friendly staff to help you find the warranty for you. Visit online today.

Do You Need An Extended Auto Warranty?

Monday, July 12th, 2010

After a house, the biggest purchase you typically will make in your life will be your cars or trucks. This purchase decision has many facets to it, too. You have to choose make and model, of course, but that is only the beginning. Color, year and options like fancy rims, sun- and moon-roofs, navigation system and so forth all come into consideration when you are choosing the vehicle you want. Then there is that famous last question from the salesperson or finance manager as you take pen in hand to sign on the dotted line - something like, Do you want an extended auto warranty?

Yes? No? Maybe? Do you really know? The time to figure this out is not when you are in the dealership with pen in hand, but ahead of time when you can give it thoughtful consideration, so take a moment now and find out how to make that decision.

Typical warranties

Auto manufacturers offer extended warranties themselves, although not every car maker underwrites and manages its own policies. If you are buying a new car in most dealerships, the seller will be ready, willing and able to extend the normal warranty for an additional period of time (and/or number of miles). The price will range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, from entry-level packages that cover the standard power train of engine and transmission to premium plans that add the air conditioning, suspension, audio components and nearly everything else.

You can also buy a third-party policy, one that is not affiliated with the maker or seller of the car, at both the time of purchase and any time after that. These are generally the same as manufacturer plans, except you may find more flexibility in assembling a customized package that truly meets your needs and fits your budget. If you travel on business at times and cannot do without rental car reimbursement and towing if you have a breakdown, you can make sure to get that particular coverage when choosing your plan.

Similarities among plans

Whether you buy an extended warranty at the time of purchase or later, and from a carmaker’s dealership or a separate third-party firm, there are certain things you will always find. One is a deductible. In addition to buying the extended coverage, you will typically have a deductible to pay, although there are some new cars that come with no-deductible extended warranties. The point is, you will pay for the coverage one way or another, either as part of the car’s (higher) price or as an add-on.

Of course, you can choose plans with lower or higher deductibles, which affect the plan price as they do with accident coverage policies. You can pay top dollar for the plan and have no deductible at all, pay a bit more for a $50 deductible, or pay less and get a $100 deductible (about average) or even higher. You are also able to buy extended warranties on both new and used cars, trucks and vans, although the age of the vehicle may be restricted to a certain number of years and/or miles. Some warranty firms may exclude particularly rare or exotic autos.

Now, about that need

You have a basic understanding of the warranty, but the question remains - how do you know you need that extended warranty? The research you did on the car you bought (you did do research, right?) should have given you an idea of how it fares on repairs, weathers your Minnesota winters or Arizona summers, survives impacts and stands up to your own unique kind of use. This must factor in heavily, of course. However, do you need an extended warranty on your car if it has a 10-year/100,000-mile plan from a maker like Hyundai? Isn’t that coverage enough?

Actually, the Hyundai plan, like the new GM warranties (5-year/100,000-mile), only covers the major powertrain parts. That leaves a lot uncovered, and does not begin to take care of towing, rental cars, travel reimbursement and many other things that even the basic third-party extended warranties offer. In addition, manufacturer packages typically control the process in the important ways, namely, telling you what repair shop you will use (the dealership about 90% of the time), the parts you will get, the timetable for the work and so forth. Get in an accident when covered by one of these plans and you are out of the driver’s seat in more ways than one. It is the third-party specialty firms that are in the business of putting you back behind the wheel and in control of your car.

Your own personal formula

You need to look at the whole picture. If you have a manufacturer warranty now, or are buying a car that will have one, then you need to know what it covers so you can plan more precisely what you need to add in the way of additional (extended) coverage. If you are buying new, you might consider the prepaid scheduled maintenance plans now being offered by many carmakers.

So, do you need an extended warranty on your car? Many, many people do, and they cannot buy one if they wait until they need it. Neither can you. You should be rigorously honest with yourself about your own vehicular history, driving style and proneness to accidents or mishaps. You also need to understand what you are paying for and why.

Taken together, all these factors will result in your own personal formula for making this decision. Never answer a car salesperson with an automatic “yes” to this question. Rather, learn enough to say, “This is what I need…” - and then set about making your best deal for your true needs, as long as you get the right answers to your good questions.

Whether you have a car, truck, SUV, or van we can find the best possible extended car warranty for your money. Do not let your limited warranty expire without shopping for continued coverage first. Visit 5starwarranty.com online today for more information.

Choosing Your Car Warranty

Saturday, July 10th, 2010

There are a lot of commercials, radio spots and print ads touting the bumper-to-bumper and 100,000-mile warranties of this car, that car and the other one, too. So many of them talk about this that some people might think that’s what all car warranties are like, and that they will get some kind of eternal coverage with no exclusions, no deductibles and no fine print. Perhaps some unscrupulous businesspeople want to deceive people with those kinds of falsehoods, and sell them effectively worthless policies, but they are a distinct and dishonorable minority in an industry that provides an important service to millions of vehicle owners.

When you get to the point where you will be buying a new or used vehicle, one of your considerations will be the manufacturer warranty. There may be warranty miles left on a used car, and a new one might be covered for 100,000 miles, but you still have to do enough research to know if you need to add some additional, extended coverage. This means knowing the repair record of the make and model you want, finding out specific facts about specific cars (with Carfax, for example) and then factoring in your own driving habits, the size and scope of various dealer networks, the weather where you live and other things. There really is quite a bit to think about.

Talking the talk

You will definitely need to familiarize yourself with the terminology and concepts used in car warranties generally, so that you are properly prepared before you sit down with salespersons and finance managers at car lots. In fact, even if you are just buying an extended warranty for your present car from a third-party company, you still need to bone up on the details. Before you can choose a warranty you will have to read a few of them, too, and you should not be reading your very first one under the impatient eye of a salesperson. Take the contracts home if you must, but you will speed the process if you start learning about warranties before shopping around.

There are two main considerations for you, before anything else. You need to know what is covered, and what is not. There is no standard bumper-to-bumper plan without any exclusions or conditions, and some of the more problematic ones (and least popular) have tons of red tape in their claim procedures. You need to know the difference between the various warranty types, just as you need to know the special regulations governing warranties in your home state. There are federal laws about these, too, but you need to know how your state handles matters so that you can be in the driver’s seat, so to speak.

Special attention required

Your goal, of course, is choosing your car warranty in such as way as to fit your budget, your car and your needs, in all the ways that this suggests. Education is the key, and you will need to invest some time and effort to ensure that you make the best choice. Naturally, you have state consumer agencies, the insurance commissioners and the basic fraud laws of your state on your side, so you need to get familiar with those things, too. Another thing you will want to do is to use your growing knowledge base to thin down the list of potential warranty providers (and/or cars whose manufacturer warranties you like) before you start driving around to shop for the car and/or the policy, or both at once. Remember, there is no law that requires you to buy your extended warranty from a dealer, and if the dealership employees realize that you are an informed consumer (especially one with other places to go if they do not do right by you), your bargaining stance is definitely strengthened.

Bottom line

What you do before, during and after you buy an extended warranty, or a car with a new or used warranty, is also very important. If you keep your vehicle properly maintained you will avoid many costly repairs. In fact, some very simple things (oil changes, correct tire pressure, clean filters, the right octane rating on the gas) loom large in the health of your vehicle. Make sure you know what the warranty requires of you, as there are typically expectations written into the coverage that deal with scheduled maintenance, wear and tear (which you may or not be covered for) and other vehicle usage.

Take this cautious, even studious, approach to car warranties, and you have a much better chance of choosing your car warranty in such a way as to provide your car the coverage it needs, and give you the peace of mind a dependable vehicle provides. That’s a win-win purchase that most people would love to make!

Endurance Warranty.com has been helping car owners save money and gain peace of mind for almost twenty years. You won’t find a more affordable or more comprehensive group of extended car warranty plans anywhere. Nor will you find more knowledgeable or friendly staff to help you find the warranty for you. Visit online today.

What You Need To Know Concerning Asda Car Insurance

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

ASDA Car Insurance is only sold in the UK. Like the car insurance that is sold in other places around the world ASDA insurance protects the financial assets of their clients when there is an accident. There are two types of protection that are involved. First the insurance pays to repair your car when it is damaged in the accident. Secondly, the insurance pays for damages to persons or property that you may cause during the accident. This can include repair of expensive vehicles and medical bills.

The cost of car insurance is generally different for each driver. Some drivers will pay far more for insurance than others will pay. One of the largest factors influencing what you pay for insurance is your driving record. If you avoid accidents and traffic violations, you pay less for insurance.

You will find many other factors that may influence what is paid for insurance. While you may be in control of some of the factors, there are other factors over which you have no control.

Persons that have a poor credit rating will often pay more for insurance than those who have a good rating. Insurance companies have done studies that indicate credit score can determine the likelihood of their having to pay for an accident. To offset the potential loss, persons in this category pay more for insurance.

Your insurance cost can also depend on the neighborhood in which you live. Vehicles in some neighborhoods are subject to more vandalism than are those in another neighborhood. In addition, there may be more accidents in your neighborhood so that you are more likely to spend more for insurance.

Here is good news for persons that were good students in school. Your hard work can pay off when it is time to purchase insurance. Since good students are less likely to have an accident, they also pay less for insurance.

When purchasing a new vehicle, you may want to consider its effect on what you will pay for insurance. If you choose a vehicle that costs a lot to repair, or is more likely to cause more damage in an accident the result is that your insurance bill will increase. If you choose a sports car or a vehicle with a very large engine, then you will probably pay more for your insurance than if you had made a difference choice. With some insurance companies, even the color you choose for the vehicle you purchase may make a difference in your insurance.

You will find many factors that are used to determine the rate of the insurance you must pay. The company will enter each factor into their computer before giving you a price quote and to determine your final insurance rate. Good drivers who drive a family sedan are likely to pay less for insurance than poor drivers in sports cars. Some people even ask for a quote on the price of insurance before purchasing a new vehicle to help them to determine which vehicle is the best to keep their costs down.

ASDA Car Insurance companies offer insurance quotes online that can help you to get the best rates available to you for car insurance.

Consequently, if you have a poor credit report you may find yourself paying more for car insurance. cheap car insurance You are not using your car very much so why are you paying high premiums. The procedure for claims after a car accident is supposed to be straightforward.

Why you need the Chevy Cobalt Extended Warranty

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

A few year ago, in 2004, an interesting move had been made by the Chevy Cobalt which showed their friendliness towards consumers. They started offering the buyer the extended warranty plan. It came in more than one version, yet one was wanted the most. The 5 years or 60,000 miles of usage warranty became the most requested. The Powertrain Promise, as the Chevy Cobalt extended warranty is called, had a great impact on a lot of potential consumers of the car to make the step and buy the vehicle.

There is a reason why the Chevy Cobalt extended warranty is as good as it sounds. A lot of dealers don’t offer a proper warranty on vehicles. The most common warranty expires after a year the car has been used by the consumer. Any damage the vehicle gets can be born by the dealer or manufacturer, as long as it’s consistent to the warranty they have been offered.

If the car develops a snag that needs a repair even a day after the warranty has expired, the consumer will have to bear the costs in full. An extended warranty keeps the owner of a car protected for a longer period of time.

Let’s explain the reason why the extended warranty is so important in the case of the Chevy Cobalt. It’s quite simple. The manufacturers just won’t admit that the Chevy Cobalt isn’t a top class car. It has to compensate with it’s size and price, because the car doesn’t have a impressive lifespan. You will be visiting the dealer earlier than you’d expect. These cons were discovered by the manufacturer and before it would seriously affect confidence of the consumer, they offered the extended warranty.

There are some areas of the Chevy Cobalt that can need repairs sooner than a buyer would appreciate. The biggest problem is that of body integrity, something that the makers of the vehicle are trying to solve since the vehicles have been launched.

People have experienced that the car could be needing a full body repair in less than three years since their purchase. As you can imagine, this can be very expensive. The worst thing is that these come to play after the warranty has expired. This is the reason why an extended warranty is a great purchase.

The hardware features of the Chevy Cobalt make the extended warranty a must have. Difficulties with the standard components as belts, locks, mirrors and such, are in need of repair in a short amount of years. The glass is one of the main aspects the consumer needs to be careful with, because of it’s quality. The small repairs and replacements that occur within a few years are the things the owners tell us about.

The Chevy Cobalt is actually a good car, even though the extended warranty is advisable. The looks and feel of the car are factors that easily outdo the peripheral problems. Besides that, the heart of the car, the engine, is a sturdy piece of hardware that won’t give a lot of trouble. With the extended warranty available, the consumer can highly compensate with it for its flaws.

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