re: Bought my wife a new Honda Pilot Friday...extended warranty sales pitch.

quote:

---

Recently had multiple issues with bmw that easily wouldve paid for a warranty.

---

If buying a car or brand known to have unusually high maintenance costs (BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Merc, etc.) and I planned on keeping it past the factory warranty, then sure, one of these warranty plans might make financial sense. But for the most part, especially with higher build quality cars, they generally don’t. Car warranty companies and the dealerships are in the business of maximizing profits, like every other business. And if a significant portion of the plans paid out, they’d either go up on the premium/price or they’d stop selling them. I usually buy my grocery-getter cars used and do lots of research (along with having my trusted mechanic thoroughly check it over). If there’s an existing extended warranty that’ll transfer, then that’s fine. But I’ve never bought one, and never regretted that decision (well, not yet ). But I’m sure there will always be anecdotal stories where a person here or there got back more than they put in - same as with all calculated risk situations. But like I said, it’s a VERY profitable business because most people don’t come out ahead.

I’ve never bought one on a new car, primarily because the new cars that I’ve bought tended to be high performance cars that I had modified soon after purchase. So for me, even the factory warranty sometimes gets called into question. I’ve had to fight over system failures that had NOTHING to do with the mods. So I just consider myself “self insured” as I pull out of the tuner parking lot.

As for these high pressure finance guys, I don’t understand why more people don’t just get up and head for the exit sign. I’ve only dealt with one like that. And I asked him how he and the salesman were going to get along when he found out that a smart-mouthed pencil pusher cost him a sale. He didn’t have anything cute to say after that. I’ve been in enough auto production plants to know that whatever mass production car I’m looking at, at least several hundred of them are produced every DAY. There’s nothing special about the one that they have.

quote:

---

I love when Honda and Toyota dealers use the extended warranty tactic, like I am buying this car because it is built like a tank.

---

Yea it’s just ingrained in them but it cracks me up

A few years ago I bought a used Hyundai Accent, absolutely no special features, not even car mats or cruise control. For my purposes I just needed a standard car, not flashy, not expensive just something that you looked at and said “yep that’s a basic car”.

I researched, knew exactly how much it would cost, found one that was the price I wanted to pay, went to the dealer essentially just to sign the paperwork and pick it up. The guy starts in on all this extended warranty shite and upgrades, paint insurance blah blah.

Cmon man I’m buying the most basic standard car that exists with no bells and whistles, you really think I’m going to pay for an extended warranty?

quote:

---

, absolutely no special features, not even car mats or cruise control.

---

I knew someone who worked in Baton Rouge in the 80s who bought a stripped down Ford Escort with no damned AC to commute from St. Francisville each day for an office job.

Don’t those come with 100k powertrain warranty?

quote:

---

Don’t those come with 100k powertrain warranty?

---

We had two Hyundai Santa Fe’s all the problems were the electronics. Replaced a nav/ audio unit, and two backup cameras.

We just bought a 2019 with 30k miles. Seriously considering the Hondacare warranty due to all the gizmos on this car and what I’m reading in the forums. I can get another 5 years and 70,000 miles for around $1,200 from Hyannis Honda.

If you want the extended warranty find a dealership that is selling them at a reasonable price. Bring that price into your dealer and get them to beat it, if they don't just buy it from the other dealer. The Honda forums should know the dealer selling them the cheapest.

I have traditionally been against extended warranties, but with all the electronics that are expensive to replace I have started looking into them with car purchases.

quote:

---

So I guess my approach is buy a new Japanese car, change fluids regularly and ignore everything else until the car dies on you.

---

If you don’t want to go to a mechanic, you can get codes checked for free at many/most auto parts stores. Ignoring them is just a good way to be parked on the side of the road with a potentially fatal mechanical or electrical issue - then you end up selling the vehicle for its scrap value.

In other words, why would you NOT want to know why a warning light is on?

quote:

---

Curious to hear your thoughts on the carnival. We will need a new car in the next year or so and it will almost certainly be a van.

---

Absolutely love it. Minivan life in style. I have a 6 year old, 4 year old, and 3 week old and it’s a game changer for my wife coming from a 2013 Murano.

The car drives itself on the interstate with the smart controls and the cabin features are great like the passenger view

Basically looks. Wanted a minivan that didn’t look like a minivan. Odyssey is ugly and Sienna is higher price because of the hybrid. Other choice was Pacifica but was scared of owning a Chrysler vehicle.

It just worked out then when I reached out to the dealer back in February he had the color we wanted with the package we wanted so I threw down the deposit. More I researched the more I knew I wanted it (mainly based on what Kia had done with the Telluride)