Extended Warranty - Worth It?

[boulder_bum]

I just got a Prius yesterday and I LOVE IT. I haven't driven it enough to appreciate the mileage yet, but Toyota engineered quite an outstanding driving experience from the Smart Key system down to the instrumentation.

What I'm wondering, however, is if the extended warranty is worth it? The dealer wanted $2400 extra to cover me to 76k miles instead of 36k or whatever and I declined. I didn't want to bet $2400 that the quality of the car was bad enough to need massive repairs by the time I hit that mile mark.

That said, with all the computers on the car I can see where repairs could get pricy.

What I'm wondering is what some others decided about the extended warranty, and if any Prius owners have experienced serious problems between 36k-76k miles or so.

Also, does anyone know much about the aftermarket "extended warranties" offered by, for example, the advertisers on this site? Are they legit and are there some warranty companies better than others?

[razzledazzlebee]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boulder Bum @ Mar 11 2007, 09:36 PM) [snapback]404008[/snapback]</div>

I just got a Prius yesterday and I LOVE IT. I haven't driven it enough to appreciate the mileage yet, but Toyota engineered quite an outstanding driving experience from the Smart Key system down to the instrumentation.

What I'm wondering, however, is if the extended warranty is worth it? The dealer wanted $2400 extra to cover me to 76k miles instead of 36k or whatever and I declined. I didn't want to bet $2400 that the quality of the car was bad enough to need massive repairs by the time I hit that mile mark.

That said, with all the computers on the car I can see where repairs could get pricy.

What I'm wondering is what some others decided about the extended warranty, and if any Prius owners have experienced serious problems between 36k-76k miles or so.

Also, does anyone know much about the aftermarket "extended warranties" offered by, for example, the advertisers on this site? Are they legit and are there some warranty companies better than others?
[/b]

Congrats on your purchase!
The extended warranty my dealer offered was 7 year 100k miles bumper to bumper. First he tried to say $2700 and I said no way and told him about the deal on this site ($990), and he went down to $1490, which is refundable if I don't use it. I went for it, in par because of the refundable-ness, and also because I liked the idea of going 100% DIRECTLY through Toyota It felt comforting. Too early to tell if we'll need it....

[Bill Merchant]

Hi Boulder Bum, welcome to PriusChat. You have until 36 months/36K miles to decide if you want an extended warranty. It's true that some parts, like the MFD failing, could be expensive to repair out of warranty.

The warranty you can buy here on PriusChat, or rather from the http://www.warrantyshack.com/quotes/toyota/ sub-site, is a genuine Toyota warranty, good anywhere in the US (except maybe Hawaii). The warranty comes directly from Toyota.

DO NOT TELL YOUR DEALER ABOUT THE $990 PRICE HERE! If enough dealers complain because they can't double or triple the price, you might get this golden offer shut down for the rest of us. You can see the coverage offerings and list prices on the Toyota Financial Services site.

[Bill Merchant]

The Platinum warranty cover just about everything EXCEPT:

• Accessory Drive Belts
• Batteries
• Body Panels
• Brake Linings, Pads and Shoes
• Bumpers
• Carpet
• Chrome
• Clutch Friction Disk and Pressure Plate
• Dash Cover and Pad
• Door Trim, Handles and Fabric
• Filters
• Fluids
• Glass (including Windshield)
• Headliner
• Heating Hoses, Lines and Tubes
• Hinges
• Hybrid System Main Relays (hybrid parts are covered under their own warranty)
• Hybrid Vehicle Battery
• Hybrid Vehicle Battery Module/Pack
• Hoses
• Interior and Exterior Trim Moldings, including but not limited to, Cup Holders, Ashtrays, Covers, and Vents
• Lamps
• Light Bulbs
• Nuts, Bolts, Clips, Retainers and Fasteners
• Paint
• Rotors and Drums
• Rust and Corrosion Damage
• Seat Covers
• Service Plug
• Shiny Metals
• Spark Plugs
• Structural Framework and Wells
• Tires
• Vacuum Hoses, Lines and Tubes
• Weather Stripping
• Wheels and Rims
• Windshield Wiper Blades (Rubber Component)

[itsme]

Found this on the web about ext. waranty
http://www.intuitive.com/blog/toyota_prius...d_warranty.html

[mcbrunnhilde]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(razzledazzlebee @ Mar 11 2007, 10:54 PM) [snapback]404079[/snapback]</div>

Congrats on your purchase!
The extended warranty my dealer offered was 7 year 100k miles bumper to bumper. First he tried to say $2700 and I said no way and told him about the deal on this site ($990), and he went down to $1490, which is refundable if I don't use it. I went for it, in par because of the refundable-ness, and also because I liked the idea of going 100% DIRECTLY through Toyota It felt comforting. Too early to tell if we'll need it....
[/b]

Ummmm...the warranty on this site IS directly from Toyota...Troy is from Toyota of Greenfield in Massachusetts. Once you make contact with him through PriusChat, that's the extent of PriusChat involvement--you deal directly with Troy. If you really got the genuine Toyota Platinum warranty, you simply paid an extra $500 for some kind of third-party policy that refunds the money if you don't use the warranty (a genuine Toyota warranty doesn't offer that service).

And as Bill said, DO NOT quote PriusChat or Troy when trying to negotiate with your dealer. If he/she won't come down to an acceptable price, simply tell them you're not interested in purchasing the warranty from them at this time.

[boulder_bum]

Sweet! I love the internet!

I would have probably passed if I had to pay $2400, but knowing I could get a warranty for $990 was enough to sell me!

At first I didn't believe the contacts listed were for real, but I ended up making contact with the dealer through the Toyota website and it's totally legit!

Thanks for the info, all!

[razzledazzlebee]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mcbrunnhilde @ Mar 12 2007, 04:41 PM) [snapback]404367[/snapback]</div>

Ummmm...the warranty on this site IS directly from Toyota...Troy is from Toyota of Greenfield in Massachusetts. Once you make contact with him through PriusChat, that's the extent of PriusChat involvement--you deal directly with Troy. If you really got the genuine Toyota Platinum warranty, you simply paid an extra $500 for some kind of third-party policy that refunds the money if you don't use the warranty (a genuine Toyota warranty doesn't offer that service).

And as Bill said, DO NOT quote PriusChat or Troy when trying to negotiate with your dealer. If he/she won't come down to an acceptable price, simply tell them you're not interested in purchasing the warranty from them at this time.
[/b]

I didn't say what site the warranty was on, so rest assured....
Yes, I know I paid an extra $500, but it was worth it to me for the cash back possibility and the piece of mind of buying it at MY Toyota dealership, where it was written into the purchase of the car. Also, I hadn't fully researched the offer on here, and wasn't 100% sure it was legit or the same amount of coverage as through my dealership.

[Bill Merchant]

Research is good. Reading threads from the beginning is good.

[tripp]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boulder Bum @ Mar 13 2007, 11:06 PM) [snapback]405188[/snapback]</div>

Sweet! I love the internet!

I would have probably passed if I had to pay $2400, but knowing I could get a warranty for $990 was enough to sell me!

At first I didn't believe the contacts listed were for real, but I ended up making contact with the dealer through the Toyota website and it's totally legit!

Thanks for the info, all!
[/b]

Hey Bum, which dealership did you go with? I wish that I'd done more research before I bought my car. I walked into the dealership and drove off with a prius the same day back in october of the year 5! I was just going down there to get on the waiting list. As a result, I made a lot of mistakes (I'd never bought a new car before). Glad to hear that you got squared away and are enjoying the car.

So, if you're a Boulder Bum, what are ye doin' down in the DTC?