I was wondering if it is possible to purchase an extended car warranty after the car is delivered through a party other than the car dealership the car was purchased from. I have been quoted $2000 for the extended warranty (5 years or 200,000 kms). Car is a 2013 Mazda 3 - purchased but not delivered yet. Thank you for taking the time to read/comment and any recommendations would be very welcome.
Extended Car Warranty
Comments
How much is a 7 year old Mazda 3 worth? Surely not enough to justify a $2k warranty.
If you want the best after sales warranty on a 7 y/o car……. then spend the $$$s on a very thorough pre purchase inspection.
Getting dealers to fix major problems after you buy is near impossible.Nah.
Don't do it
No
In my experience, it has been, via a broker, through ERIC.
That's a data set of one person. Hardly conclusive, but I listened in on the call between the mechanic and the ERIC representative, who was an ex-mechanic. The outcome on two separate occasions has been positive.
no no and no
Please don't do it. Most used cars come with what is called a statutory warranty which varies from state to state. Your best bet is to, within that limited warranty period (3 months where I am), find anything that is not roadworthy and request it be fixed via email & phone within that timeline. Also look at things that are not wear & tear related that are potentially broken.
These extended warranties are mostly junk and they are so limited and there is so much hoop jumping, you'll most likely give up before you get a cent. That 2k you spend is best saved for issues that come up, especially as for instance, if your engine explodes, they might pay only $500 towards that one item, not the whole replacement.
The user a few replies up is on the ball. Do a pre-purchase inspection. Spend that few $ now rather than lots of time later.
Wise advice from everyone. I'm convinced and will do a comprehensive inspection before the statutory warranty is up as it's too late for a pre purchase inspection. Thank you all.
Just put the $2000 aside for repairs instead. Most of these extended warranties by 3rd parties are worthless and they will wiggle out of paying most repairs, as being 7 years old, a lot of repairs that pop up will be classed as 'wear/tear' and the extended warranty don't cover those.
I have never heard anything good about 3rd party extended warranties. If you think about it, it's just another type of insurance but covers manufacturer defects rather than accidental damage.
The only extended warranties that are worthwhile are from the manufacturer directly (not even the dealership ones). And if you are an ozbargainer, you will know that the best things in life are free (including extended warranties). For example some euro car brands offer silver/gold/etc corporate perks if you work for a covered company. For Mazda, they tend to offer this during their annual 'M day' promotion.
Even if you have a defect and it is covered under warranty, it does not mean that they will honor every claim you make (it is commonplace for them to attempt to decline your claim with the usual 'not a common claim for this vehicle' statement). i.e. you may need to do a bit of back/forth to push your claim through and you may be unsuccessful if they have reasonable grounds to decline your claim.
I agree with others here that putting the money aside for repairs as they are needed is your best course of action.
Mazdas in general are pretty reliable and I would say above average build quality. For Mazda's have a search for 'Mazda Technical Service Bulletins' or TSBs. These are issued regionally or globally. But they will list common faults that Mazda recognises for your vehicle (almost like a recall). Typically, you can get Mazda to perform the repair for free if there's a TSB on the issue (at least from what i've read from other owners online).
They are terrible. Don't do it.
Depends on the car and condition, Mazdas are ok but if it was American or euro Id strongly consider it.
Don't do it…. If you seriously consider 3rd party warranties from dealer, check which parts will be covered - Many 3rd party warranties cover major parts only or limited scope of labour cost.
Don't do it! A car dealer refused my warranty claim because "the alternator is an accessory, and accessories are not covered". He had to replace the complete motor in the end. Then shortly after that I wrote the car off. My teen years were fun!
None of them are worth the hassle. Servicing requirements, claim limits etc.