Why only a 2year 24,000 warranty?

[4-2NV]

Originally Posted by jwight

GM extended warranties on all their cars but did not raise prices on any of them as a result. Same with Chrysler when they went to the lifetime drive train warranties. More warranty, no price increase. Don't know what more I can say.

John

Its a way to increase current sales ( maybe ) without incurring the extra cost until a future date when they have to honor those extended warranties.

[4-2NV]

Originally Posted by smartisme

same with a Toyota Yaris
Yaris Liftback
$11,350 MSRP
it comes with a 3 yr 36,000 and a 5yr 60,000 power train.

Stripped Yaris 11,350, stripped smart 11.590. Fine add $300 to get the smart up to 3 year warranty. Actually, some dealers let the Yaris strippers go for $10K give or take because they don't move.

You don't really believe you'd drive a stripped Yaris for 5 years, let alone 3. The warranty doesn't cover boredom, regret and loss of self-respect.

[msjohnson1974]

Lower US warranty for smart is most likely a product of a weak dollar created by the fact that we can't stop spending money we don't have (darn, there goes that soap box again).

[Carnut]

Originally Posted by brian r

There is one other car that has a 2 year/24000 mile warranty- the $1.4 million Bugatti Veyron.

BTW, Volkswagen of America just announced that with their '09 models, the VW warranty goes from 4 year/50k mi to 3/36...

Yes, but they include MAINTENANCE for the three years, AND still offer 5/60 powertrain.

[brian r]

Originally Posted by Carnut

Yes, but they include MAINTENANCE for the three years, AND still offer 5/60 powertrain.

VW currently covers "wear and tear" items for 12/12 but they don't offer any maintenance plan.

http://www.vw.com/jetta/warranty/en/us/

Audi discontinued it for '07 leaving BMW as the only European automaker covering maintenance. (Maybe some Asian manufacturers do, but I don't have any interest in them.)

[Smartdavis]

Here's a crazy thought. What if you don't need the warranty protection. What if the car is so well built it just goes and goes for years. The only reason anyone needs a warranty is if something breaks. I've had many cars in the past where nothing broke. I hope my Smart will be one of them.

[smartSparky]

Most of the carmakers offering super-long warranties are doing it as smoke and mirrors to cover up the crap they've built in the past. Witness Kia and Hyundai. They're building pretty good cars now but the only way the buying public will have any faith is to offer near absurd warranties. It's NOT a sign of product confidence but a "carry-forward" on the books to try and lure hesitant buyers.

I believe that most cars today are like electronics. If they're gonna break, they'll due it in the first 90-365 days. With PROPER care, they're good for 200k. I'd rather take decent care of my vehicles than pay an inflated price for a warranty that extends far longer than most consumers keep their cars.

[Big Panda]

oddly enough, one of the members on another forum i'm occasionally on said, when i told him i was getting a Smart, that "the car is crap because they only offer a 2/24 warranty."

my answer to that was "using that logic, then Chrysler LLC must make the most well built vehicles in the world, since they offer a 'Lifetime Powertrain Warranty' and that all the motorcycles that have a 12/12 warranty (Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, etc) must be WORSE than the Smart."

I DON'T THINK SO!

[Amethyste]

Originally Posted by 4-2NV

You don't really believe you'd drive a stripped Yaris for 5 years, let alone 3. The warranty doesn't cover boredom, regret and loss of self-respect.

... OMG! One on the funniest thing I have read in a long time!!!

[min4cin]

One reason other than initial cost, may be the the fact they will limit their losses if the US drivers use the city car as a highway cruiser at normal freeway speeds and they are (hopefully not) not as reliable at the limits as we all hope. If reliability doesn't prove to be a problem and when sales level off I think we may get a more reasonable warranty.