I need help on deciding whether I got taken from my dealer, and if I can use that as a bargaining chip. Sounds complex, but read on.

I bought a new 2000 Mustang from local dealer in 2000. I believed and still believe - benefit of the doubt - that this dealer is not a slimeball. I was really satisfied with the purchase, and this dealer would be the first I’d try to get my 2006.

However … in 2001 I bought a “7-year” extended new car warranty for my wife’s 1998 Mustang. In 2003, I bought a “5-year” extended new car warranty for my 2000 Mustang. Come to find out that these warranties start from the date of original service, not from the date purchased. So, my 5-year and 7-year warranties are effectively 2 years in length. WTF!

So, I go to the dealer and talk to the new car manager. I explained how I thought I was lead to believe I was buying a far longer warranty by the description (5-year and 7-year) but was shafted because of the “in-service start date”. The short of the story is I played up my dissatisfaction and suggested I could be appeased with a deal on a 2005 Mustang and I would not take my complaint further. He seemed to be willing to entertain my proposal. That was a few months ago, and I won’t be ready to order until Feb of 2006.

Ok - what’s my point? I have heard stories of 20-year customers getting offered $2-$5k over MSRP with NO long-term customer loyalty at all from some dealers. If this dealer is a slimeball, then my little dissatisfaction will be laughed at. But - it’s the only card I can play to see if perhaps a “past disgruntled customer” can get some kind of a deal. I know … don’t hold my breath, but it’s all I’ve got. The other choice is find another dealer and I’ll just be the latest schmuck off the street.

My SPECIFIC QUESTION, however, is it a normal practice to backdate these warranties to original date-of-service? Is the dealer obligated to point out such a detail? If that’s the normal way things are done, then I have no standing. If the dealer doesn’t deal, where would one go to file a misrepresentation complaint about these warranties?

Please - any thoughts you can offer would be appreciated.


Dave

 

Do you still have the receipt they would have given you for the warrenty? It should specifically state 3, 5, or 7 years on it.

 

I do know, for a fact, that when you buy a new car it come with the 3 year 36K mi. If you were to buy, for example, a 5 yr warr., you are really only getting 2 additional years, the first 36 from the factory and then 24 additional months from your "5 year" extension. You don't add up the the years.

 

I have all the papers, but I’ve been killed by the fine print. This really irritates me because I usually look into the details more than this.

When I complained to the issuing warranty company, they immediately said to look on the first page of the warranty papers, and it listed there that it was from the in-service date. Yep, I didn’t check the fine print. Like a fool, I trusted the salesman to be fully disclosing. So the warranty company had it’s you-know-what covered. My only ploy is with the dealership as to not being as disclosing as they should have been.

 

TBO, I think you are out of luck. I think most additional warranties are not added to the MFG. 3 year warranty. So, in most cases, a 5 year extended warranty is really only 2 more additional years. I think its one of those marketing terms that make it sound a lot better than it actually is.

 

buy the warranty a year or two out....problem solved...

 

How is your problem solved?? You're getting the same thing and in fact, probably will save money by purchasing it up front rather than 3 years later.

Thats another reason i never purchase warranties. I'll take whatever comes from the Manufacture.

 

Most warranties; at least the Ford ESP warranties; are all "total" years so a 7 year adds 4 additional years to the base 3 years. It has always been that way & I always explain it to customers that way. Sorry your dealer did not properly disclose it to you. If you do not get any satisfaction, I know a dealer about 4 1/2 - 5 hours away who would be happy to assist you in your Mustang purchase.

 

excellent post then----wayyyy too expensive in my opinion----especially considering the 7 year warranty costs what? $1500---yikes

 

Ford offers 4 warranties, Powertrain, Base, Extra Care, and Premuin Care as well as miles from 36,000 to 100,000 so the prices can vary considerably.

 

Well, the consensus here is I am a chump. I let a friendly-acting salesman lull me into the belief that that he was there to help me and all would be disclosed. Line up 100 people off the street and ask them when a 7-year extended warranty goes into effect, I bet the vast majority will say “at the time of purchase”. Why would I buy a warranty that included three years that I didn’t even own the vehicle (as on the 1998). If they called it what it was - a 2-year warranty - I never would of bit.

LESSON OF LIFE DISCLAIMER:

A salesman is not your mother, your best friend, or your priest. Some may use the tactic to act like your lifelong friend and let you think they are out for your best interest. That’s exactly what happened to me. I am usually a PITA SOB looking out for my interests and going through EVERYTHING. I felt warm-and-fuzzy and didn’t delve deep enough. No insult intended to anyone in particular, but it is better to act chummy back but think like a lawyer and watch the details. My guard was down and I got burnt.

END OF DISCLAIMER

Again, no offense intended to the helpful salespersons I have seen here.

Dave

 

I have a different opinion on this topic, and I thought long and hard before forking over the $$$ for a 7-year 60kmile warranty on my F150. I'd have gone for more mileage, but I have a second vehicle and didn't think I'd rack up that kind of mileage on the F150. I just wanted the additional years' warranty coverage.

This truck cost almost 1/2 of what my first house cost. If $1500 will add 4 years of bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage to the existing 3 years' warranty on my vehicle, I think it is money well spent. I have the premium plan. It comes with an 800 number for emergency road service, and free towing to my dealer if it's within 50 miles. Heaven forbid that ever happens (and with 12k on the F150 so far, it never has), but it's peace of mind. I also get a rental car of equal value for the first 24 hours free - and if the dealer has an unexpected delay, that 24 hours can be extended. I've used that rental priviledge 3 times already for TSB's--that's almost 100 bucks I would have had to shell out just to get to work while Ford fixed their own known problems!

$1500 might seem like a lot of money, but I'd rather have the peace of mind.

Of course, if you're going to throw modifications on your stang that'll void the warranty anyway, I'd certainly not recommend getting the extended warranty.

I ordered the 'vert, and I live in Virginia. If I need a new ragtop 6 years down the road, I should be "covered!"

 

I realize this is getting slightly off-topic, but it seems like a good opportunity to talk about this without starting another thread...

I was told by a dealer that adding mods doesn't necessarily void your warranty. I specifically asked about CAI and dual exhaust on a V-6 and was told that when a car is brought in for engine service, a diagnostic is run on it and if the mod is not shown to be the cause of the problem then the fix will be covered by Ford. In other words, he made it sound as if the warranty was applied on a "per-incident" basis, as in, the warranty might not cover a blown exhaust system if the problem was due to an exhaust related mod, but it would still apply to any further issues down the road, assuming they were not mod-related. Does anyone know for a fact if this is the case or not? I'm pretty curious, because those are two things (among others) that I'm seriously considering doing to my car once I get it.

 

I was talking about more extreme mods, like a supercharger, nitros, etc.

 

In March of 2004, I bought my son a used 1999 Grand Prix from a Chevy dealer. I also bought a 2 year GMPP warranty at that time. It covered the trans that went out this spring.

 

Extenned Warrantys are there to make money for the Salesman, Retailer and the Company issueing the Contract. Have they been benifical to some people, sure they have, but you do the math.

And most of the time it costs you a deductable with each visit to a dealership.

I rarely purchase one, I'm Thousands ahead after 30 years, I could care less what goes wrong after Manufactures Warranty runs out on most anything.

What would I do with one on our GT with only 475 miles after 8, no 9 months :bang: we got to start driving this car some. Finally a rain free Sunny weekend Forecast. Winter will be here soon. Or 21,000 miles on my 98 Cobra.

My O3 Envoy, the dealership will get to most the problems within 3 years.

To eaches own, I have little use for them. Everything on my 98 Jimmy with 96,250 miles has been maintence repairs that would not be covered or have come about after 85K that may been covered by a warranty. So I spent $1,200 spread out over the last 2 years. This is the first vehicle I have owned with high mileage. So its just a game to keep the junker running excellent. While the GT sits looking better than new.

 

Sorry you feel that you got screwed but sometimes you have to learn from your mistakes. With that said if you have allstate insurance you can buy car warranties through them that is what you thought you were getting. I know a couple years ago my agent told me that as long as you have less than 40k on the car you can buy an extended 10 yr 100k mike warranty. I know that allstate does it not sure if any others do it. Its a pretty good deal I thought.

 

Every extended warranty I've ever seen (I only purchased one) is sold this way, from the initial purchase date of the vehicle.

As far as dealer/customer loyalty, you won't find it at many dealers in large cities. That is because (and this comes from a few I know in the business) that they have been sold on the concept that in a large city, you (you being the dealer) usually will not get repeat business, that the customer will go wherever he gets the best deal. I know many people who buy new cars that fit this mold. I also think this theory is true, depending on what part of the country you live in. Here in the midwest, I think that is a mistake by dealers. I try to go to my dealer who I've worked with and give them my business. If they don't want to give me a deal, then I move on.

 

This has been discussed at great length in the past. Most have strong opinions on it, one way or the other. My advice, do your homework. Spend some time reading on the internet. There are alternatives to Ford that make real sense if you do the research. Buying later often costs more and few people who have been driving a car for nearly 3 years are going to be willing to put out money for an extended warrenty. You'll likely buy it when the car is new or you never will. Buy from someone who shows you a list of parts that are not covered, not someone who shows you a list of parts that are covered. Makes a big difference. Don't sweat it, live and learn.