I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. It looks like the lame
stream media is finally getting a clue.

Don’t buy the extended warranty – ever
http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/don-t-buy-extended-warranty-ever-172056749.html;_ylt=Ak3vt8O.bvj7WoqY0HXTpMKs0NUE;_ ylu=X3oDMTJsM3NzZzU2BG1pdANIQ01PTCBvbiBhcnRpY2xlIH JpZ2h0IHJhaWwEcGtnA2lkLTMxMzQzMDcEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01l ZGlhQkNhcm91c2VsTWl4ZWRIQ00EdmVyAzc-;_ylg=X3oDMTFpNzk0NjhtBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRw c3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z

On Mar 22, 8:49*am, CRNG wrote:
I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. *It looks like the lame
stream media is finally getting a clue.

Don t buy the extended warranty ever
http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/don-t-buy-extended-warr...


I agree it's almost never a good idea to buy an extended
warranty. But there are exceptions. A few years ago I
bought a Kitchenaid double over on Ebay. It was a floor
model, never used. But still, I was worried about any
warranty issues, if KA would cover it, etc. SquareTrade had
a 3 year warranty for like $75 or so and I bought it.
Fortunately it's worked perfectly. I got a $3000 oven
for $1300, so figured the $75 was worth it.

On 03/22/2013 08:49 AM, CRNG wrote:
I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. It looks like the lame
stream media is finally getting a clue.

Don’t buy the extended warranty – ever
http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/don-t-buy-extended-warranty-ever-172056749.html;_ylt=Ak3vt8O.bvj7WoqY0HXTpMKs0NUE;_ ylu=X3oDMTJsM3NzZzU2BG1pdANIQ01PTCBvbiBhcnRpY2xlIH JpZ2h0IHJhaWwEcGtnA2lkLTMxMzQzMDcEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01l ZGlhQkNhcm91c2VsTWl4ZWRIQ00EdmVyAzc-;_ylg=X3oDMTFpNzk0NjhtBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRw c3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z


Eh, I *didn't* buy an EW for my BMW 335i... but I think I would actually
understand if someone did, just in case something major fails like the
turbos.

That said, in 99.44% of the instances, you are absolutely right. An EW
on a $1000 piece of consumer electronics that's going to be obsolete in
3 years anyway is silly.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

CRNG writes:

I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. It looks like the lame
stream media is finally getting a clue.

Dont buy the extended warranty €“ ever
http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/don-t-buy-extended-warranty-ever-172056749.html;_ylt=Ak3vt8O.bvj7WoqY0HXTpMKs0NUE;_ ylu=X3oDMTJsM3NzZzU2BG1pdANIQ01PTCBvbiBhcnRpY2xlIH JpZ2h0IHJhaWwEcGtnA2lkLTMxMzQzMDcEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01l ZGlhQkNhcm91c2VsTWl4ZWRIQ00EdmVyAzc-;_ylg=X3oDMTFpNzk0NjhtBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRw c3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z

If you had been paying attention, you would know that the "lame stream
media" has been telling us that for years.

Most times, when you hear someone advocating for those warranties,
they are selling them.

--
Dan Espen

On 3/22/2013 6:18 AM, Nate Nagel wrote:

Eh, I *didn't* buy an EW for my BMW 335i... but I think I would actually
understand if someone did, just in case something major fails like the
turbos.

That said, in 99.44% of the instances, you are absolutely right. An EW
on a $1000 piece of consumer electronics that's going to be obsolete in
3 years anyway is silly.

Actually, BMWs may be one of the 0.56% of exceptions. Relatively
expensive vehicles that are below average in long term dependability are
products where it can make sense to get the manufacturer's extended
warranty (not a third party warranty).

It's the very high cost of repairs when the owner pays "retail" for the
repairs, versus the low negotiated price for repairs that the
manufacturer has with the dealers, that in some cases make the extended
warranty not a bad deal. The money you pay for the extended warranty
would not cover even one major repair.

You'd never buy an extended warranty on a new Lexus, but for a Land
Rover, BMW, Audi, or Jaguar it might make sense.

On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:49:44 -0500, CRNG
wrote:

I've noticed EWs are often discussed here.

Take advantage of free extended warranty offered by credit card
companies.... some will double the warranty if their card is used...

On 3/22/2013 6:49 AM, CRNG wrote:
I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. It looks like the lame
stream media is finally getting a clue.

Don’t buy the extended warranty – ever
http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/don-t-buy-extended-warranty-ever-172056749.html;_ylt=Ak3vt8O.bvj7WoqY0HXTpMKs0NUE;_ ylu=X3oDMTJsM3NzZzU2BG1pdANIQ01PTCBvbiBhcnRpY2xlIH JpZ2h0IHJhaWwEcGtnA2lkLTMxMzQzMDcEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01l ZGlhQkNhcm91c2VsTWl4ZWRIQ00EdmVyAzc-;_ylg=X3oDMTFpNzk0NjhtBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRw c3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z


Years ago, a friend of mine who had a temper and a bad habit of throwing
the family's cordless phone against the wall after every
four or five calls bought the extended warranty from Circuit City.
I don't recall the exact number of phones the retailer replaced but
it was more than 10 before they cut him off. ^_^

TDD

In the case of hot water heaters, the manufacturer will encourage the plumbing companies that sell it's heaters to offer an extended warranty.

That's because they know that it's seldom that anything goes wrong with their heaters during that first three years, and so it's not exactly a "gamble" to warranty the heater for that extra time.

On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 09:18:23 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

On 03/22/2013 08:49 AM, CRNG wrote:
I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. It looks like the lame
stream media is finally getting a clue.

Dont buy the extended warranty €“ ever

http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digi...haWQDBHBzdGNhd
ANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z


Eh, I *didn't* buy an EW for my BMW 335i... but I think I would actually
understand if someone did, just in case something major fails like the
turbos.

That said, in 99.44% of the instances, you are absolutely right. An EW
on a $1000 piece of consumer electronics that's going to be obsolete in
3 years anyway is silly.


Well...not always. Some years ago I bought a 21" KDS CRT monitor at
Best Buy. It was close to 500 bucks. They offered a 3 year EW for
$25. Replacement, not wait for it to be repaired. No-brainer to me.
I bought it, and the monitor failed a month before the EW expired.
Carried it in and it was replaced with a brand new Samsung. I did
have to show the sales manager in the contract where it showed
"immediate replacement."
For the Samsung they now wanted $125 for the same warranty.
I passed.
About 4 years ago I bought a GE washer at Sears. My wife was set on
that washer, but I didn't like the failure rate and tales of woe about
going to the laundrymat while it was being fixed that I saw on the
Sears reviews.
Paid about $250 for an EW, with REPLACEMENT. The thing has gone past
the warranty with no issues, so you can say I wasted the money.
The way I look at it is I paid 22 cents a day for peace of mind about
never going to the laundrymat.
I bought a 2-year 24k bumper-to-bumper on a used Celebrity with 31k on
the clock. Got that at "cost" due when I financed due to the salesman
having unintentionally misled me that it was still under factory
warranty. $550. I got more than that back with just a few issues.
That EW retailed at $1100 - about 20% the cost of the car - and would
have been a slight loser financially, but a winner with "peace of
mind.." Note the huge markup. They ate that because I was going to
walk.
Now, just last week, I bought a 2003 Impala with 49k miles on it.
The dealer offered a 5 year 60k powertrains warranty for $1504.
It's a solid GM endorsed warranty that will be honored.
Adds 19% to the cost of the car.
I bought it. Won't bore you with what I know about that powertrains,
but I know enough that I figure the 82 cents a day I'm paying is worth
the "peace of mind" I'm buying with my main car.
For small stuff EW's seldom work. I don't even listen to the pitch
unless I'm spending about 5 bills. For big ticket items, or items you
need replaced NOW, they can work well.
The bottom line is "some" EW's work costwise. Some are stupidly
priced. It's insurance. You shouldn't expect to collect on
insurance. You have it for "peace of mind" or because it's legally
required.
If it's not legally required, and it doesn't provide "peace of mind,"
don't buy it.

nestork wrote:
In the case of hot water heaters, the manufacturer will encourage the
plumbing companies that sell it's heaters to offer an extended
warranty.

That's because they know that it's seldom that anything goes wrong
with their heaters during that first three years, and so it's not
exactly a "gamble" to warranty the heater for that extra time.

I bought a mouse pad at Best Buy. The clerk offered me an extended warranty
for only a quarter.

I passed.

On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:15:00 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

nestork wrote:
In the case of hot water heaters, the manufacturer will encourage the
plumbing companies that sell it's heaters to offer an extended
warranty.

That's because they know that it's seldom that anything goes wrong
with their heaters during that first three years, and so it's not
exactly a "gamble" to warranty the heater for that extra time.

I bought a mouse pad at Best Buy. The clerk offered me an extended warranty
for only a quarter.

I passed.


When a clerk ask if "would like" an EW, I say "maybe". Pull it out and
let me read it first. Folks behind me roll their eyes.

The clerk never has it for me read. Shucks.

On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:26:51 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:15:00 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

nestork wrote:
In the case of hot water heaters, the manufacturer will encourage the
plumbing companies that sell it's heaters to offer an extended
warranty.

That's because they know that it's seldom that anything goes wrong
with their heaters during that first three years, and so it's not
exactly a "gamble" to warranty the heater for that extra time.

I bought a mouse pad at Best Buy. The clerk offered me an extended warranty
for only a quarter.

I passed.


When a clerk ask if "would like" an EW, I say "maybe". Pull it out and
let me read it first. Folks behind me roll their eyes.

The clerk never has it for me read. Shucks.
Why would a water heater extended warranty have anything to do with
the first 3 years when it comes with a 6 or even 9 year warranty?

On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 20:52:29 -0400, wrote:

On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:26:51 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:15:00 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

nestork wrote:
In the case of hot water heaters, the manufacturer will encourage the
plumbing companies that sell it's heaters to offer an extended
warranty.

That's because they know that it's seldom that anything goes wrong
with their heaters during that first three years, and so it's not
exactly a "gamble" to warranty the heater for that extra time.

I bought a mouse pad at Best Buy. The clerk offered me an extended warranty
for only a quarter.

I passed.


When a clerk ask if "would like" an EW, I say "maybe". Pull it out and
let me read it first. Folks behind me roll their eyes.

The clerk never has it for me read. Shucks.
Why would a water heater extended warranty have anything to do with
the first 3 years when it comes with a 6 or even 9 year warranty?

Labor?

On Mar 22, 6:52 pm, wrote:
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:26:51 -0700, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:15:00 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

nestork wrote:
In the case of hot water heaters, the manufacturer will encourage the
plumbing companies that sell it's heaters to offer an extended
warranty.

That's because they know that it's seldom that anything goes wrong
with their heaters during that first three years, and so it's not
exactly a "gamble" to warranty the heater for that extra time.

I bought a mouse pad at Best Buy. The clerk offered me an extended warranty
for only a quarter.

I passed.

When a clerk ask if "would like" an EW, I say "maybe". Pull it out and
let me read it first. Folks behind me roll their eyes.

The clerk never has it for me read. Shucks.

Why would a water heater extended warranty have anything to do with
the first 3 years when it comes with a 6 or even 9 year warranty?

The manufacturer's warranty usually only covers the item itself. The
labor to install/replace it is not covered. Extended warranties
sometimes
cover both parts and labor. One has to read it to know what it
actually covers. The labor often costs more than the item. For
instant, the thermostat on the defrost coil of a refrigerator.......
The part is $8, the house call is $75, as an example.....

On Mar 23, 7:43*am, Robert wrote:
On Mar 22, 6:52 pm, wrote:





On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:26:51 -0700, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:15:00 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

nestork wrote:
In the case of hot water heaters, the manufacturer will encourage the
plumbing companies that sell it's heaters to offer an extended
warranty.

That's because they know that it's seldom that anything goes wrong
with their heaters during that first three years, and so it's not
exactly a "gamble" to warranty the heater for that extra time.

I bought a mouse pad at Best Buy. The clerk offered me an extended warranty
for only a quarter.

I passed.

When a clerk ask if "would like" an EW, I say "maybe". Pull it out and
let me read it first. Folks behind me roll their eyes.

The clerk never has it for me read. Shucks.

* Why would a water heater extended warranty have anything to do with
the first 3 years when it comes with a 6 or even 9 year warranty?

The manufacturer's warranty usually only covers the item itself. The
labor to install/replace it is not covered. *Extended warranties
sometimes
cover both parts and labor. *One has to read it to know what it
actually covers. *The labor often costs more than the item. For
instant, the thermostat on the defrost coil of a refrigerator.......
The part is $8, the house call is $75, as an example.....- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Another classic trick is they will try to sell you the 3 yr
extended warranty on a product. It covers you for 3 yrs,
but that's counting from today. The product typically has
a one year warranty to begin with. So, people think they
are buying 3 years, but in reality, they are buying only 2.

I just thought of another place an extended warranty
makes sense. Dehumdifiers that get a lot of use. It seems
everyone agrees that these just don't last these days.
A friend of mine bought one a couple years ago and in
trying to negotiate the price, the sales manager wanted
to bundle in an extended warranty. I don't remember the
details, but bundled in, it was a good deal. The unit failed
during the warranty and they replaced it. He wound up
having to pay another $40, because that model was no
longer made and the ones they had were slightly larger.
That's another example of what happens when you go
to make a claim. But it was still a good deal, because the
new one would have cost 2.5 times what the extended
warranty plus the $40 cost. He just walked in with the old
one and walked out with a new one.

On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:46:18 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote in
Re Extended warranty
(EW):

The way I look at it is I paid 22 cents a day for peace of mind

Ah, now when you are buying "peace of mind", the price is trivial.
Good for you.

But then, to many people, a $1000 purchase is trivial and paying $250
for an EW is not needed.
Good for them.

CRNG wrote:
I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. . . .

Don't buy the extended warranty - ever

I usually do not buy the extra warranty coverage. My usual thinking is that
the manufacturer already offers a one-year (or more) warranty. So, in most
cases, if the product fails in the first year, I can get it replaced under
the manufacturer's warranty. After the first year, I think in terms of what
the actual depreciated value of the product is at that point. Sometimes,
the product is worth a lot less after a year or two -- especially items like
computers. And, after subtracting what I paid for the extended warranty, it
doesn't seem like there is too much value left that I would be actually
insuring.

I did buy extended warranty coverage on a new washer/dryer combo and a new
refrigerator that I put into a remodeled apartment that I rent out. I think
it was a 3-year deal, and it included parts and labor. My thinking was that
since it was in an apartment, if I had a problem or the tenants are careless
and it breaks, I won't have to worry about the replacement cost, labor, etc.
It's been about 3 years now, and I have had zero problems, so no need for
the warranty -- oh well.

Thirteen months ago, I bought an LG Olympus Q Straight Talk cell phone at
Wal-Mart for $179. I had a cheapo phone before that, so that seemed like a
lot of money to me. I decided to get the 18-month extended warranty which
cost me $39. The phone comes with a 1 year manufacturer's warranty for
defects etc.. The extended warranty only added 6 months to the
manufacturer's warranty. But the extended warranty also covers the
replacement of the phone for the whole 18 months if it gets damaged due to
accidental misuse -- gets wet, dropped and breaks, etc. I decided to get
the coverage. Nothing happened to the phone so far, so I now have 5 months
left on the $39 extended warranty coverage. Yesterday, I checked online at
straighttalk.com and I can buy the same model LG phone, reconditioned with a
1-year warranty, for $19.95 with free shipping -- oh well (again).

"harry" wrote in message
...
On Mar 22, 12:49 pm, CRNG wrote:
I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. It looks like the lame
stream media is finally getting a clue.

Don t buy the extended warranty ever
http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/don-t-buy-extended-warr...

I never buy warranties/insurance except for things I couldn't afford
to replace (house) or which I legally must (car).

I never buy the EW or insurance on things either, except as you said, very
expensive items such as a house and a car that is not too old.

I did have life insurance while I was young, but let it go now that the kids
are gone and everything is payed for. I have enough in the 401k /IRA that
if anything hapens to me, my wife can get along.

If the EWs were paying off, they would not be offered.

I bought a house that was about 20 years old a while back. They tried to
sell me a home warrenty.. I looked at it and it did not seem to really
cover much of anything.
I think there was a deductiable on that also, but not sure now.
I know that some things were old enough to wear out, so I offered the price
of the house based on that. After about 2 years the heat pump did quit.
Probably out of the warenty period anyway, so I put in a newer one that has
a higher efficency rating.

Consumer reports (if you believe them) said the EW is a waste of money
except laptop computers and one other thing I forgot what.

On Sat, 23 Mar 2013 04:43:38 -0700 (PDT), Robert
wrote:

On Mar 22, 6:52 pm, wrote:
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:26:51 -0700, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:15:00 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

nestork wrote:
In the case of hot water heaters, the manufacturer will encourage the
plumbing companies that sell it's heaters to offer an extended
warranty.

That's because they know that it's seldom that anything goes wrong
with their heaters during that first three years, and so it's not
exactly a "gamble" to warranty the heater for that extra time.

I bought a mouse pad at Best Buy. The clerk offered me an extended warranty
for only a quarter.

I passed.

When a clerk ask if "would like" an EW, I say "maybe". Pull it out and
let me read it first. Folks behind me roll their eyes.

The clerk never has it for me read. Shucks.

Why would a water heater extended warranty have anything to do with
the first 3 years when it comes with a 6 or even 9 year warranty?

The manufacturer's warranty usually only covers the item itself. The
labor to install/replace it is not covered. Extended warranties
sometimes
cover both parts and labor. One has to read it to know what it
actually covers. The labor often costs more than the item. For
instant, the thermostat on the defrost coil of a refrigerator.......
The part is $8, the house call is $75, as an example.....
And the refrigerator is upwards of $2000.

Many "extended warranties" only cover the parts too.

On 3/22/2013 8:49 AM, CRNG wrote:
I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. It looks like the lame
stream media is finally getting a clue.

Don’t buy the extended warranty – ever
http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/don-t-buy-extended-warranty-ever-172056749.html;_ylt=Ak3vt8O.bvj7WoqY0HXTpMKs0NUE;_ ylu=X3oDMTJsM3NzZzU2BG1pdANIQ01PTCBvbiBhcnRpY2xlIH JpZ2h0IHJhaWwEcGtnA2lkLTMxMzQzMDcEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01l ZGlhQkNhcm91c2VsTWl4ZWRIQ00EdmVyAzc-;_ylg=X3oDMTFpNzk0NjhtBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRw c3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z



As many have said, appliance, TV, phone warranties etc. are a waste of
money. An extended warranty on a costly item, a new car for example may
be a good choice if you are the type that keeps it for a very long time.
I typically keep a vehicle until it can no longer be repaired
economically, typically 10 years or more, and trade or dispose of it
when repairs exceed blue book. So an extended 100,000 mile, 10 year
bumper to bumper warranty is worth the initial expenditure to me but
only if its a manufacturer's warranty. Third party warranties on
vehicles (or anything for that matter) are risky at best.

John

On Mar 23, 12:42 pm, wrote:
On Sat, 23 Mar 2013 04:43:38 -0700 (PDT), Robert



wrote:
On Mar 22, 6:52 pm, wrote:
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:26:51 -0700, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:15:00 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

nestork wrote:
In the case of hot water heaters, the manufacturer will encourage the
plumbing companies that sell it's heaters to offer an extended
warranty.

That's because they know that it's seldom that anything goes wrong
with their heaters during that first three years, and so it's not
exactly a "gamble" to warranty the heater for that extra time.

I bought a mouse pad at Best Buy. The clerk offered me an extended warranty
for only a quarter.

I passed.

When a clerk ask if "would like" an EW, I say "maybe". Pull it out and
let me read it first. Folks behind me roll their eyes.

The clerk never has it for me read. Shucks.

Why would a water heater extended warranty have anything to do with
the first 3 years when it comes with a 6 or even 9 year warranty?

The manufacturer's warranty usually only covers the item itself. The
labor to install/replace it is not covered. Extended warranties
sometimes
cover both parts and labor. One has to read it to know what it
actually covers. The labor often costs more than the item. For
instant, the thermostat on the defrost coil of a refrigerator.......
The part is $8, the house call is $75, as an example.....

And the refrigerator is upwards of $2000.

Many "extended warranties" only cover the parts too.

Actually, the cost of a part like a defrost thermostat, a VERY likely
failure, is about the same for a $300 or a $2000 fridge. Of course,
if one doesn't know how to remove a screw, slip off the old therm,
slip in the new one, and replace the screw, the $75 is a good deal.

My point was that the "labor" and "house call" may not be covered
under the warranty. It's a good idea to check for "parts AND labor"
and "carry-in" versus "house calls", if one is considering a
warranty coverage.

For those of us that can use the internet to order parts, and have
the knowledge to do the repair, a warranty may not be worth it.

On the other hand, things like laptop computers and HDTV sets
which are fairly complex to replace the parts into, even if one knows
exactly what's wrong, may give cause for buying a warranty.

It just depends ..... on who you are... and what you want to buy...

OHH !! And pay by credit card. Often that extends the warranty
automatically by a year ..

On Sun, 24 Mar 2013 10:44:35 -0700 (PDT), Robert
wrote:

On Mar 23, 12:42 pm, wrote:
On Sat, 23 Mar 2013 04:43:38 -0700 (PDT), Robert



wrote:
On Mar 22, 6:52 pm, wrote:
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:26:51 -0700, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:15:00 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

nestork wrote:
In the case of hot water heaters, the manufacturer will encourage the
plumbing companies that sell it's heaters to offer an extended
warranty.

That's because they know that it's seldom that anything goes wrong
with their heaters during that first three years, and so it's not
exactly a "gamble" to warranty the heater for that extra time.

I bought a mouse pad at Best Buy. The clerk offered me an extended warranty
for only a quarter.

I passed.

When a clerk ask if "would like" an EW, I say "maybe". Pull it out and
let me read it first. Folks behind me roll their eyes.

The clerk never has it for me read. Shucks.

Why would a water heater extended warranty have anything to do with
the first 3 years when it comes with a 6 or even 9 year warranty?

The manufacturer's warranty usually only covers the item itself. The
labor to install/replace it is not covered. Extended warranties
sometimes
cover both parts and labor. One has to read it to know what it
actually covers. The labor often costs more than the item. For
instant, the thermostat on the defrost coil of a refrigerator.......
The part is $8, the house call is $75, as an example.....

And the refrigerator is upwards of $2000.

Many "extended warranties" only cover the parts too.

Actually, the cost of a part like a defrost thermostat, a VERY likely
failure, is about the same for a $300 or a $2000 fridge. Of course,
if one doesn't know how to remove a screw, slip off the old therm,
slip in the new one, and replace the screw, the $75 is a good deal.

My point was that the "labor" and "house call" may not be covered
under the warranty. It's a good idea to check for "parts AND labor"
and "carry-in" versus "house calls", if one is considering a
warranty coverage.

For those of us that can use the internet to order parts, and have
the knowledge to do the repair, a warranty may not be worth it.

On the other hand, things like laptop computers and HDTV sets
which are fairly complex to replace the parts into, even if one knows
exactly what's wrong, may give cause for buying a warranty.

It just depends ..... on who you are... and what you want to buy...

OHH !! And pay by credit card. Often that extends the warranty
automatically by a year ..
400 cell phones and $2000 laptops are worth putting extended FACTORY
warranty on, $199 cell phones and $200 laptops are not.

Some stores will sell you a 2 or 5 year REPLACEMENT warranty which
will give you a new equivalent device in replacement if your device
fails. That can be a decent deal, depending on the device and the cost
of the coverage. Again, not worth it on a $100 device that is likely
to outlast the warranty - mabee worth while on a $500 or more device
that is prone to failure - particularly if DAMAGE is also covered.

On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:49:44 -0500, CRNG
wrote:

I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. It looks like the lame
stream media is finally getting a clue.

Don’t buy the extended warranty – ever
http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/don-t-buy-extended-warranty-ever-172056749.html;_ylt=Ak3vt8O.bvj7WoqY0HXTpMKs0NUE;_ ylu=X3oDMTJsM3NzZzU2BG1pdANIQ01PTCBvbiBhcnRpY2xlIH JpZ2h0IHJhaWwEcGtnA2lkLTMxMzQzMDcEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01l ZGlhQkNhcm91c2VsTWl4ZWRIQ00EdmVyAzc-;_ylg=X3oDMTFpNzk0NjhtBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRw c3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z


Like most generalizations it's usually true but not always. For big
ticket items where the repair cost would be a killer sometimes the
warranty is worth the protection. The fallacy many people make is
that they think if they pay $1500 for the warranty and only need it to
cover $400 in repairs they were on the losing end. That's not true,
the expectation with ANY insurance (that's what these warranties
really are) is that for the vast majority of purchasers the insurance
will cost more then the financial benefit you get. You don't really
buy them expecting to break even or come out ahead, you buy them for
piece of mind... Just like you buy homeowners insurance. Just because
you'll almost assuredly NEVER have your house burn down very very few
people are willing to risk that cost should it happen. Is it worth it
on every $100 printer you buy, almost definitely not. However, if you
are buying that printer as a give for your grandmother who is living 3
states away on social security perhaps it might make sense so she
doesn't fret about the printer breaking and not having the money to
fix it.

On Mar 24, 4:34*pm, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:49:44 -0500, CRNG
wrote:

I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. *It looks like the lame
stream media is finally getting a clue.

Don t buy the extended warranty ever
http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/don-t-buy-extended-warr....

Like most generalizations it's usually true but not always. *For big
ticket items where the repair cost would be a killer sometimes the
warranty is worth the protection. *The fallacy many people make is
that they think if they pay $1500 for the warranty and only need it to
cover $400 in repairs they were on the losing end. *That's not true,
the expectation with ANY insurance (that's what these warranties
really are) is that for the vast majority of purchasers the insurance
will cost more then the financial benefit you get. *You don't really
buy them expecting to break even or come out ahead, you buy them for
piece of mind...

The problem is that in probably 95% of the cases,
the extended warranty is way overpriced and that peace
of mind comes at a very high price.




Just like you buy homeowners insurance. *Just because
you'll almost assuredly NEVER have your house burn down very very few
people are willing to risk that cost should it happen. *Is it worth it
on every $100 printer you buy, almost definitely not. *However, if you
are buying that printer as a give for your grandmother who is living 3
states away on *social security perhaps it might make sense so she
doesn't fret about the printer breaking and *not having the money to
fix it.

An extended warranty on a $100 printer for grandma
still sounds like a very bad idea to me. If it breaks,
you just buy grandma a new one. The comparison to
homeowner's insurance isn't a very good one either.
Homeowner's covers you for huge losses that most
people could not self-insure. Most of the extended
warranties in question are in the range that self-insurance
is possible and a better choice for most people.
If you can't cover the cost of a $400 tv, you probably
shouldnt be buying one.

On Sun, 24 Mar 2013 13:56:15 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Mar 24, 4:34*pm, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:49:44 -0500, CRNG
wrote:

I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. *It looks like the lame
stream media is finally getting a clue.

Don t buy the extended warranty ever
http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/don-t-buy-extended-warr...

Like most generalizations it's usually true but not always. *For big
ticket items where the repair cost would be a killer sometimes the
warranty is worth the protection. *The fallacy many people make is
that they think if they pay $1500 for the warranty and only need it to
cover $400 in repairs they were on the losing end. *That's not true,
the expectation with ANY insurance (that's what these warranties
really are) is that for the vast majority of purchasers the insurance
will cost more then the financial benefit you get. *You don't really
buy them expecting to break even or come out ahead, you buy them for
piece of mind...

The problem is that in probably 95% of the cases,
the extended warranty is way overpriced and that peace
of mind comes at a very high price.




Just like you buy homeowners insurance. *Just because
you'll almost assuredly NEVER have your house burn down very very few
people are willing to risk that cost should it happen. *Is it worth it
on every $100 printer you buy, almost definitely not. *However, if you
are buying that printer as a give for your grandmother who is living 3
states away on *social security perhaps it might make sense so she
doesn't fret about the printer breaking and *not having the money to
fix it.

An extended warranty on a $100 printer for grandma
still sounds like a very bad idea to me. If it breaks,
you just buy grandma a new one. The comparison to
homeowner's insurance isn't a very good one either.
Homeowner's covers you for huge losses that most
people could not self-insure. Most of the extended
warranties in question are in the range that self-insurance
is possible and a better choice for most people.
If you can't cover the cost of a $400 tv, you probably
shouldnt be buying one.

I don't have any specific disagreement. But what's acceptable risk to
you or me may not be to the guy next door. I see no logic to the idea
that if you can't buy a SECOND $400 TV you shouldn't be buying the
first one for $400 +a $50 extended warranty. An extended warranty
that the buyer can afford may make sense to the person you say should
not even buy the TV.

On Sun, 24 Mar 2013 13:56:15 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:



Most of the extended
warranties in question are in the range that self-insurance
is possible and a better choice for most people.
If you can't cover the cost of a $400 tv, you probably
shouldnt be buying one.

Exactly. I bought a 32" CRT HD TV for about $1200. It was a good deal
at the time, but with technology improving and flat screens getting
cheaper they became very attractive. Problem is, I could not justify
tossing a perfectly working TV.

A power surge from a nearby lightning strike helped. Took out the TV
and I was happy to replace it with a 47" flat screen for $400 less
than the old one.

On Mar 24, 9:31*pm, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Sun, 24 Mar 2013 13:56:15 -0700 (PDT), "





wrote:
On Mar 24, 4:34*pm, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:49:44 -0500, CRNG
wrote:

I've noticed EWs are often discussed here. *It looks like the lame
stream media is finally getting a clue.

Don t buy the extended warranty ever
http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/don-t-buy-extended-warr...

Like most generalizations it's usually true but not always. *For big
ticket items where the repair cost would be a killer sometimes the
warranty is worth the protection. *The fallacy many people make is
that they think if they pay $1500 for the warranty and only need it to
cover $400 in repairs they were on the losing end. *That's not true,
the expectation with ANY insurance (that's what these warranties
really are) is that for the vast majority of purchasers the insurance
will cost more then the financial benefit you get. *You don't really
buy them expecting to break even or come out ahead, you buy them for
piece of mind...

The problem is that in probably 95% of the cases,
the extended warranty is way overpriced and that peace
of mind comes at a very high price.

Just like you buy homeowners insurance. *Just because
you'll almost assuredly NEVER have your house burn down very very few
people are willing to risk that cost should it happen. *Is it worth it
on every $100 printer you buy, almost definitely not. *However, if you
are buying that printer as a give for your grandmother who is living 3
states away on *social security perhaps it might make sense so she
doesn't fret about the printer breaking and *not having the money to
fix it.

An extended warranty on a $100 printer for grandma
still sounds like a very bad idea to me. *If it breaks,
you just buy grandma a new one. *The comparison to
homeowner's insurance isn't a very good one either.
Homeowner's covers you for huge losses that most
people could not self-insure. *Most of the extended
warranties in question are in the range that self-insurance
is possible and a better choice for most people.
If you can't cover the cost of a $400 tv, you probably
shouldnt be buying one.

I don't have any specific disagreement. *But what's acceptable risk to
you or me may not be to the guy next door. *I see no logic to the idea
that if you can't buy a SECOND $400 TV you shouldn't be buying the
first one for $400 +a $50 extended warranty. *An extended warranty
that the buyer can afford may make sense to the person you say should
not even buy the TV.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It's paying for dumb stuff, like an extended warranty on
a $400 TV that leads to the person not being able to
afford to replace the $400 TV themselves. You already
have at least a one year warranty. By that time, everyone
knows that a $400 TV will cost $300. If you just put that
$50 into a jar for each appliance, you could self insure it
and come out way ahead. In short, I just don't buy the fact
that someone buying a $400 TV, has to insure it because
a year later they can't afford to replace it if it blows up.
Even folks on welfare have cable, AC, TVs and playstations.
What's next? Rent to own is a good idea?

On Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:46:18 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:


Now, just last week, I bought a 2003 Impala with 49k miles on it.
The dealer offered a 5 year 60k powertrains warranty for $1504.
It's a solid GM endorsed warranty that will be honored.
Adds 19% to the cost of the car.
I bought it. Won't bore you with what I know about that powertrains,
but I know enough that I figure the 82 cents a day I'm paying is worth
the "peace of mind" I'm buying with my main car.

Retraction. Though the dealership has a good rep, and I'm pretty sure
the would squeeze the warrantee company hard, it's not "GM endorsed."
It's a Fidelity Carefree Car Care Warrantee.
Not a GM backed extended warrantee like the one I had put to good use
on my Celebrity 22 years ago.
Anyway, I actually read the warrantee contract after I posted the
above.
First off, it cost $1804, not $1504.. Thing is, I remember seeing
$1504 specifically when I pushed the finance guy to just give me the
total warrantee cost when he was giving me different finance monthly
payments with different terms and different warrantee plans.
I didn't care about the financing. I already knew it was 5% simple
interest with Chase, no prepay penalty, and that it would be paid off
early.
I wanted to know the powertrain warranty cost. He wrote it on a piece
of scrap paper he never let go of. Of course he kept that, but I
remember $1504 because I did a daily cost calc in my head.
You can figure that out. I can't prove it.
Anyway, I signed that with all the other paperwork without reading
anything. My bad.
The extra 3 bills ****ed me off, and my "peace of mind" suffered.
Suffered enough that I went on the internet and looked for complaints.
There were plenty, and I read my contract thoroughly and found way too
many loopholes.
My "peace of mind" disappeared.
I canceled the warrantee today. State law says max charge for
cancellation within 30 days is $50. So I wasted $50.
But I feel better, and once again have "peace of mind."

On Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:10:17 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:



The extra 3 bills ****ed me off, and my "peace of mind" suffered.
Suffered enough that I went on the internet and looked for complaints.
There were plenty, and I read my contract thoroughly and found way too
many loopholes.
My "peace of mind" disappeared.
I canceled the warrantee today. State law says max charge for
cancellation within 30 days is $50. So I wasted $50.
But I feel better, and once again have "peace of mind."




Good for you. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I can only recall one car in
the past 20 years that had more than $1500 in repairs. If I put aside
that warranty money, I'd have a good chunk of the car paid when I buy
the next one.

On Mar 26, 10:49*pm, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:10:17 -0500, Vic Smith

wrote:
The extra 3 bills ****ed me off, and my "peace of mind" suffered.
Suffered enough that I went on the internet and looked for complaints.
There were plenty, and I read my contract thoroughly and found way too
many loopholes.
My "peace of mind" disappeared.
I canceled the warrantee today. *State law says max charge for
cancellation within 30 days is $50. *So I wasted $50.
But I feel better, and once again have "peace of mind."

Good for you. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I can only recall one car in
the past 20 years that had more than $1500 in repairs. *If I put aside
that warranty money, I'd have a good chunk of the car paid when I buy
the next one.

I haven't spent that amount on any one repair either. But I
know people who have. But the thing most people who buy
these warranties fail to compute, is that the warranty only
covers certain items and explicitly excludes a lot of other
things. So, you could still have an expensive repair bill and
it may not be covered. Which is why I think if you take a
self insurance approach to it, you're better off. If you keep
the $1500 you have it and you can use it for any major
repair.

On Wed, 27 Mar 2013 05:08:23 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:




I haven't spent that amount on any one repair either. But I
know people who have. But the thing most people who buy
these warranties fail to compute, is that the warranty only
covers certain items and explicitly excludes a lot of other
things. So, you could still have an expensive repair bill and
it may not be covered. Which is why I think if you take a
self insurance approach to it, you're better off. If you keep
the $1500 you have it and you can use it for any major
repair.

In the lean years, we had little savings, but still did not waste
money on warranties. Fact is, I've spent little on appliance repair
over 47 years of home ownership. While I don't have a special
account for repairs, there is enough in savings to cover repair or
replacement of any home appliance and major repairs to the car. The
last two though, I traded before the warranty ran out.

As pointed out already, electronics have come down in price so it is
easier to replace in a few years, but you are paying for a service
contract that is based on price today.

Insurance companies, nice folks that they are, when done caring about
you, they still want to make a profit. Add up the cost of extended
warranties on every appliance you have and see if you still want to
buy them. Quite a sum that you save.