Warranty Advice??

richardson42 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-19-09, 10:41 PM

I purchased a 06 dts performance from a GM dealer on July 26 with 38000mi. Along with it I supposedly got an aftermarket bumper to bumper warranty for 7 yrs (from in service) or 75000 miles for $2139. Two weeks ago I got a letter from the warranty company saying that the warranty I purchased was invalid because the car was not eligible. The dealership gave us the option of getting a 3/36 gm warranty or getting our money back. My wife and I are leaning toward taking the money...what do you guys think? or is there any other options?

thanks for the help

Superjim · #2 (**permalink**) 08-19-09, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richardson42

I purchased a 06 dts performance from a GM dealer on July 26 with 38000mi. Along with it I supposedly got an aftermarket bumper to bumper warranty for 7 yrs (from in service) or 75000 miles for $2139. Two weeks ago I got a letter from the warranty company saying that the warranty I purchased was invalid because the car was not eligible. The dealership gave us the option of getting a 3/36 gm warranty or getting our money back. My wife and I are leaning toward taking the money...what do you guys think? or is there any other options?

thanks for the help

I would take the money...unless the warranty they are offering you is a genuine GMPP warranty.

The factory warranty is good for 4 years from original in service date or 50,000 miles...whichever comes first, so you should be still under factory warranty for a little while.

If you don't take the deal the dealer is offering...
As it gets close to the 50,000 mile mark, get the GMPP warranty.

My local dealer matched the best price I could find online...so I bought it from them.

Texas Jim

inurok · #3 (**permalink**) 08-20-09, 09:40 AM

If the GM plan the dealer is offering is Bumper to Bumper i would take it. Cadillac is a nice car but when major parts break its good to be covered. Case and point the oil pump failed in my car within 2 weeks of owning it taking the whole engine with it.

c5 rv · #4 (**permalink**) 08-20-09, 11:07 AM

Something smells fishy. Why is the car not eligible for the warranty?

z06bigbird · #5 (**permalink**) 08-20-09, 05:09 PM

Many warranties are available only if the vehicle is within 36 months of original service date. They are considered 'new car warranties, and they cover most items on vehicle (other than the usual cosmetic and normal wear and tear items).

If a vehicle is at 37 months since original in-service date, the vendor sells you a used car warranty. Coverage is somewhat less than a new car warranty.

Certainly, the car could have had a branded title, and that would nullify the extended warranty.

richardson42 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-20-09, 10:31 PM

The car has a clean title (the dealership actually sent it to me by mistake!!) It was just too old for the new car warranty. Im looking into the GMPP one now.

z06bigbird · #7 (**permalink**) 08-21-09, 02:05 AM

If GMPP is not avail, try MasterTech. It is well respected in the industry. JM&A is also highly rated. Preferred vendors here highly discount these warranties (including GMPP). Fitchner Chevy in Montana; gmoutlet.com in Ebensburg, Pa (Chevy, Buick, Cadillac dealer) also have great pricing. Your local dealer might match prices from these dealers.

I have used gmoutlet.com; no problems, and I talk regularly with them. Nice honest small town people. Friends of mine (with Corvettes) really like Fitchner.

ewill3rd · #8 (**permalink**) 08-21-09, 07:56 AM

GMPP usually provides the best coverage you can get.
Many aftermarket warranties have so many exclusions it is a wonder they can call themselves warranties at all.
Be sure to see what the coverage is for the GMPP contract, there are many levels, if it is Major Guard with a low deductible then it would certainly be worth considering.
These things can be expensive if something actually does go wrong.

z06bigbird · #9 (**permalink**) 08-21-09, 01:28 PM

Ewill is absolutely right about GMPP being the best. As he said, the zero deduct is the preferred deduct because the additional $$ are not that expensive.

Here are some notes that I have accumulated over the past year or two:

Third party extended warranty notes to self:

1. Read the contract. Three or four times.
2. Check BBB; google "problems with....(warr co).
3. Ask any friendly service mgr to read it for/with you. Buy him lunch.
4. What specifically does warranty cover?
5. What does it exclude? Get an exclusionary warr.
6. Does it require actual breakage, or will it pay for worn rings, noisy rear end, etc?
Many warrs cover ONLY BREAKAGE.
7. If the repair costs exceed the value of the vehicle, how much will warr pay?
Many pay only up to the wholesale value of vehicle.
8. If the problematic item has a TSB, will the warr pay for it? Some will not pay
anything if there was ever a TSB on item. Cars typically have thousands of TSBs
on each model.
9. Does the warr provide new parts or used parts? If the used item fails, will warr
pay for labor on the next go around? The warrs will likely refer you back to junk
yard or shop that installed the item, hoping they have a warranty.
10. Repeat item. Have you asked your service mgr to read the contract with you?
Best advice you can ask for. He/she is the guy/gal who knows what is and what
is not a great contract.
11. What have you found on an internet search?
12. What is the best book rating on this company?
13. Are you aware that third party warrs go bankrupt at the rate of about 12 per
year? More now than ever.
14. If you ask for a refund, where does the company send the refund? To you or to
the dealer? What if the dealer goes out of business or goes bankrupt? How do you
get your $$ back?
15. What other questions do you have about or for the warr co?
16. Does warr pay entire labor cost, or just a portion?

richardson42 · #10 (**permalink**) 09-05-09, 11:50 PM

thanks for the advice guys. I was able to talk the dealer down to $1800 for 3/36 master guard after I got quoted from Black Cadillac. This was surprising to me since they were going to "eat the difference" even though I paid $2139 for the warranty I wasn't eligible for.

ac69 · #11 (**permalink**) 09-18-09, 02:12 AM

my warranty is almost up, i have 5 months left. My question is that im worried i am going to start having problems, is it possible to extend the warranty via gmpp?
thanks in advance

Superjim · #12 (**permalink**) 09-18-09, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac69

my warranty is almost up, i have 5 months left. My question is that im worried i am going to start having problems, is it possible to extend the warranty via gmpp?
thanks in advance

If you mean the FACTORY warranty is almost up...then the answer is "YES"..you can extend it via GMPP.

The factory warranty on my 2006 DTS was about to run out in Dec 2008.
I had almost 50,000 miles on it.
I extended it in Dec 2008 for another three years...to Dec 2011 or to 104,000 miles...whichever comes first.

I got several quotes from different places online, and then took the LOWEST quote to my local dealer. They matched the lowest online price.

Texas Jim

ac69 · #13 (**permalink**) 09-21-09, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superjim

If you mean the FACTORY warranty is almost up...then the answer is "YES"..you can extend it via GMPP.

The factory warranty on my 2006 DTS was about to run out in Dec 2008.
I had almost 50,000 miles on it.
I extended it in Dec 2008 for another three years...to Dec 2011 or to 104,000 miles...whichever comes first.

I got several quotes from different places online, and then took the LOWEST quote to my local dealer. They matched the lowest online price.

Texas Jim

yes, i mean factory gmpp warranty....is this warranty going to be the same at every dealership since its gm itsself that offers it?

Superjim · #14 (**permalink**) 09-21-09, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac69

yes, i mean factory gmpp warranty....is this warranty going to be the same at every dealership since its gm itsself that offers it?

Short answer..."YES".
It will be the same coverage at any GM dealer.
There are three different levels of the warranty.
I got the MAJOR GUARD for my car.
Major guard covers all the electronics, including the NAV system.
The lower level ones don't.

Actually it is not GM per se, that stands behind the warranty.
It is GMAC, the finance arm of GM..but that is just a technicality.

Be SURE to shop around for the lowest price.
Prices vary a LOT.

Texas Jim

ac69 · #15 (**permalink**) 09-21-09, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superjim

Short answer..."YES".
It will be the same coverage at any GM dealer.
There are three different levels of the warranty.
I got the MAJOR GUARD for my car.
Major guard covers all the electronics, including the NAV system.
The lower level ones don't.

Actually it is not GM per se, that stands behind the warranty.
It is GMAC, the finance arm of GM..but that is just a technicality.

Be SURE to shop around for the lowest price.
Prices vary a LOT.

Texas Jim

by shopping around you mean goto individual dealerships? cause isnt gmac like a corporate thing, whereas the price will be the same at every dealership? like doesnt head office make the prices?