"bert" wrote in message
...
In article , Tricky
Dicky writes
I never buy extended warranties but accept them if offered "free". When we
bought our last washing machine the model we wanted came with such a
"free" 5 year warranty. On arrival we found the programmer control damaged
and requested a replacement. The company were unable to replace it as it
was the last of an end of line product, they offered a number of
alternatives of a similar price and spec. However, none of the
alternatives came with an extended warranty and to get them insured would
have cost £90 if I remember correctly. I argued with them that to me the
so called "free" warranty had monetary value and was an influence in my
purchase choice to end up paying a similar price for a machine with an
extended warranty meant accepting a much lower spec machine or forking out
more for one of a similar spec.

In the end they offered us a "free" warranty or an upgrade to a higher
spec machine to the value of purchasing a warranty. We chose the upgrade
and bought a Siemens which, and here comes the rub, came with a free
manufacturers extended warranty. So win win!

It did occur to me at the time that the extended free warranty was
obviously a sweetener to shift a number of end of line products but at
best it would only offer repairs as any machine could not be replaced
except by offering equivalents.

Incidently the machine never needed a repair over the period covered by
the warranty and it was only last year that I had to replace the motor
brushes.

Richard
If car manufacturers can offer 5 or 7 year warranties surely we can make
toaster to last the same time?

The problem is that hardly anyone is prepared to pay that much more for
that reliable a toaster, so they arent economically viable to make.