Alternative sources for extended warranty?

[evoluzione]

something i haven't seen addressed is that the original price quoted for the smarts were under $12k for the pure & under $14k for the passion (i don't remember the cabrio). anyway, i was guessing $13,999 for the passion and it came in at $13,590. so even if you figure the extended warranty back in, you are back to the original pricing ($13,965).


regards,

ken

[jwight]

Originally Posted by spdickey

$395 is one minor repair at a Mercedes Benz dealer. I would think the parts costs is pretty low, but labor here in Los Angeles is a killer. The Prius extended for five years was less than $500 (negotiable). I'm getting it for the smart, figuring if it covers just one repair, its paid for itself.

No way would I buy a third party plan. I'm glad we have to choice to have an extended warranty or not. I don't appreciate others wishing it was included (and thus increasing the cost of the cars for all). I like choice!

I agree. Every part on these cars initially comes from Europe, priced in Euros then converted to dollars. A 100 Euro part will cost us at least $145. Add in dealer labor and your $395 has paid for itself. At that price it's worth it to me to even get a 2 year extension.

John

[smartNM]

$395 for one year of extended warranty coverage on a car is very cost effective. You can't get that type of coverage from the manufacturer on any type of that car for that price. Warranties are a lot less on Japanese cars than American or European because they have a lot more problems historically.

Honestly, how much margin can be built into a $395 warranty? $100? $150 at the most? It is crazy to think there is going to be a better option out there for less money. When JMA Group comes out with an extended warranty, that will show how great the value is on the Mercedes extension. JMA is the largest and best provider in the US and there is no way they are going to come in less than $395 for bumper to bumper coverage.

Also, to the person saying the 2/24 is the worst warranty in the industry, I offer this: The average American barely keeps a car two years. Why charge customers for a warranty they aren't going to use? If you think you don't pay for a longer warranty on a regular car, you are crazy. There is no such thing as free and I think it is great the Penske kept the price down on the car instead of having a huge warranty that has to have reserve built into the sticker price for claims. smart is all about customization...if you want an extra 1,2 or three years on teh warranty, great. You can buy it for $395 per year. For those people that don't want it, why charge for it in the sticker? Again, no car company will give you this kind of coverage for $395, not even Honda or Subaru that are two of the most reliable cars out there. Do your homework...