Dealer Included Lifetime Powertrain Warranties

[GunsAreFun]

Some dealers will include lifetime powertrain warranties on new and nearly new used vehicles.

Have any of you actually tried to use one of these warranties, and if so, how was your experience?

 

[*zap*]

read the fine print.
My friends wife's caregiver got one on a used vehicle. Engine blew and they told her she did not maintain the vehicle.....she is in her 70's. My buddy who is an ex cabinet member in kansas sent it straight. Without his intervention I am not sure what would have happened...
Big businesses have $ for legal do you?

 

[manitou1]

Yeah, I had one on a brand new 2020 truck I paid cash for. At 68,000 miles it had $9000 in engine problems and the claim was denied and credited to "normal wear and tear".
Seriously.

 

[GunsAreFun]

Yeah, I had one on a brand new 2020 truck I paid cash for. At 68,000 miles it had $9000 in engine problems and the claim was denied and credited to "normal wear and tear".
Seriously.

That’s lovely. What truck and what was the problem?

 

[jmav58]

My FIL has it on his ranch work pickup and has had every major component replaced at one time or another and the dealer as always stood by the warranty. FIL treats that pickup like a rented mule and so it's lived an incredibly hard life, severely dented, scratched among other things. Dealership hates to see that pickup come in but they always replace/repair it under the warranty. 2016 Ram 2500 Gas.

 

[Forestryguy]

My GF has one on a Subaru, that she had to pay for (bumper to bumper lifetime). The dealership or a certified Subaru dealership has to do all the maintenance for warranty to be honored. She gets a discount at the dealer she purchased from for most regular maintenance. It has definitely paid for itself already. Just getting a windshield replaced is something ridiculous since sensors have to be calibrated now.

 

[wyosteve]

If it's not the manufacturer's warranty, my opinion is it's not worth much as outlined in previous posts. I get the extended warranty from the manufacturer and it's been worth it for me and no dealer hassles.

 

[OKHunter84]

I have purchased a couple extended warranties and recently they saved my bacon twice on my F150. Had to have the oil pan replaced and the steering module controller replaced.

My wife and I had vehicles that had lifetime powertrain warranties from a local dealer and the catch was that you had to have them service it every time and at specific intervals. We didn't keep them long enough to know if they would stand behind them.

 

[Weldor]

Had one on my old 06 f250 powerstroke, lost a injector just outside Demming NM, had to be towed to Las Cruces for ford to do the work. Denied claim on engine damage, injectors were not part of the drivetrain according to them (ford). That Hydrolocked engine cost me some bucks. Made sure on my Ram diesel that they are covered before I purchased the extended warranty. I do all my own maintanence, just keep all reciepts.

 

[Theringworm]

As mentioned above…….read the FINE PRINT. If it’s not an actual manufacturer warranty, which most of these Lifetime Powertrain Warranties ARE NOT, but rather 3rd party warranties, zero chance I would even consider it.

Everything is spelled out to the nth degree on how it has to be handled, who has to do the inspections/service, how often it has to be serviced. It’s almost impossible to meet all of the requirements to even maintain the lifetime warranty. It’s purely a money grab like dealer installed leather protective coating, paint protection etc.

 

[TaperPin]

I’ve had a friend have her claim denied on a newish used car, (engined died 6 months after it was purchased) and it was a friend of her’s dealership that sold the extended plan, so even the dealership couldn’t get the insurance to work.

I thought of them as a joke before that happened, and now I’m convinced they are just a fraud stealing money from the innocent.

 

[Weldor]

There used to be a oufit called "warranty by net" was pretty good in the early 2000's. don't know if they are still around. I used them on two truck and had no issues. That said they had different plans available and different coverage. You chose what you wanted. I had a engine replaced long block gasser $250 deductible, they paid the full boat no issue. The only thing was you might have to wait a day or 2 for the inspector to go look at it. So I have been on both sides of warranties. Good and bad.

 

[GunsAreFun]

I have purchased a couple extended warranties and recently they saved my bacon twice on my F150. Had to have the oil pan replaced and the steering module controller replaced.

My wife and I had vehicles that had lifetime powertrain warranties from a local dealer and the catch was that you had to have them service it every time and at specific intervals. We didn't keep them long enough to know if they would stand behind them.

Is that the oil pan that requires something like removing the engine to replace?

 

[OKHunter84]

Is that the oil pan that requires something like removing the engine to replace?

You don't have to drop the engine, but it's definitely more complicated then it should be. They're plastic and considered single use as well. Supposedly after they've properly been torqued on, if you take them off then they'll leak if you put them back on.

 

[manitou1]

That’s lovely. What truck and what was the problem?

Chevy RST.
Six injectors went bad, all at once?
Not a fan of DFM/AFM.
Inexcusable for a truck with 68,000 miles...for ANY $9000 repair. And it was "pristinely" maintained.