A possibility for buying an extended warranty is the reason I am starting this post. The manuf of my new 5ver shut thier doors and my warranty from them is not worth starting a fire with. I am thinking that a few others are in that position lately. I don't think I am the only idiot that bought a new unit just before bad news struck. Travel Supreme, Alpenlite, National RV, and King of the Road and others come to mind. I am checking to see if an extended policy is worth the outlay and so far I am leaning to NO. Most of the items (fridge, AC, Furnace, etc.) are covered by thier own warranty. The only thing left is the structure. I am trying to decide if Travel Supreme got out because they were making faulty units or unsound financial decisions. So far it sounds like they made some stupid money management errors during an already shaky economy.
Now if anyone has info to support another conclusion then please let us know.
Sorry for the long post, I am struggling a bit with this because I just do not feel I have the data to make a sound decision. Normally I would ask the Dealer (like with my truck) but right now they have not returned my phone call about a simple thing like a piece of trim that fell off. I'm not blaming them, heck, they have inventory that they may have to eat.
Fun is that stuff that happens in between mistakes.
2006 Chevy 3500 D/A DRW Prodigy, AirBags, CoPilot, EarPlugs
34 ft River Canyon with most of the pieces still attached
Thanks for the reply but I'm not looking for emergency roadside service (ERS). I'm looking for an extended warranty to replace the one that went south with the company. Normally I am not a fan of extended warranties. I have refused them for Televisions, stereos, Microwaves, washers, dryers, autos, and trucks. I have never had a reason to regret my decision (yet, knock on wood). But in each case I knew the reputation of the manufacturer and the item.
Example: My Toyota tacoma has 260,000 miles and has never skipped a beat. Would an extended warranty have been a good investment?
In this case I don't know that much about the reputation of Travel Supreme. The unit looked pretty good when we bought it, but I have no expertise in this area. That's why I am asking all these experts on this forum. I would do the same thing at work if I got into an area that I didn't know.
Again, thanks for caring and to answer your question, I guess I would have to pay for any repairs. Like the trim that broke 8 screws and fell off. It is just trim and I may take a shot at fixing it myself rather than pay $100.00 per hour.
If you purchased a new unit with a warranty that warranty is probably still in effect. if not, get in line for a pay back through the court. I'm SURE some lawyer is already starting a class action to take MOST of the money.
glen41, I just saved my dealership owner a speeding ticket Saturday night so I should be looking better then before. I am expecting at least half off when I buy the automated awning arms ya know what I mean???
Glen41,
You are correct about all the appliances being covered by their own warranty. That should keep you semi worry free the 1st year as they can be serviced by almost anyone. The TS warranty would only come into play if there are any structure problems. Structure problems like a frame or wall are unlikely as TS was one of the high quality builders. You mentioned trim falling off and I have seen that happen on many rigs. Not enough glue or a missed finish nail on a piece of trim would not drive me to a extended warranty. EX Warranty are nothing more than a prepaid service contract that you may never use. What if the extended warranty company goes under? Some people always buy contracts on most of their purchases. I never buy any extended protection on anything and can not think of a single time in the last 15 years where I would have came out ahead. Is it good luck that you buy and use the warranty or bad luck that caused you to need the warranty? Just a luck thing which won't make your decision any easier. Most extended warranties can be purchased in the 1st year of ownership so you may have some time to decide and after you use the rig a few times the decision may be easier. Read ALL FINE PRINT as to what is and is not covered. Randy
2004 GMC Sierra 2500HD SLT CREW CAB LONG BOX (7380#)
8.1 Big block Gas/Allison 4:10 4x4
2004 Newmar Kountry Star 34 BLWB 3 Slides (15620#)
Pin Wt 2560# (16.3%) Total combination Wt=23,000#
Don't know for sure in your case but 15 years ago we bought our first 5th wheel, a new Cardinal by Cobra, and Cobra went belly up about 3 months after we bought up. We had no warranty coverage and we had not purchased any extended warranty coverage. Don't know if you can buy extended after the original purchase or not. Good news was that we didn't get burnt at all on that deal. Had the Cardinal for 10 years and no major problems at all. So hopefully you will have the same kind of luck. You spend all that time researching what unit to buy, find one you like and buy it. Don't even think to research the financial stability of the manufacturer and don't know if you could really find out that information if you tried. Good luck.
Most people consider extended warranties a form of insurance. It is NOT. They are prepaid service contracts, and as such are totally unregulated. They are in general a huge money maker for the selling dealers and the warranty companies. I can see no reason to consider one in this case any more than after the original warranty expired. As noted most components are warranted by their manufacturers, not the RV manufacturer; the little piddly things you can take care of with a little glue and tacks. If you do get one, READ and RE-READ what is covered(the things that never fail), and what is not(most anything that may). For every post you see about someone getting satisfaction on an extended warranty, you will read 10 where the fine, (and extensive) print exempted the repair.
As 'doughere' said, these warranties are really a BIG money maker to the companies that sell them. I know, I made a real good living in the computer industry that way. Regardless as to who the manufacturer is, each unit is comprised of a host of sub assemblies, i.e. refer, A/C, heater, frame, tires, etc. Most, if not all of these do come with a warranty from the original manufacturer. Most of those manufacturers offer an 'extended' warranty. What I would suggest you do is look at these sub assemblies and try to find out their replacement costs, then weigh those costs against an extended warranty. If you're handy with tools and willing to spend a little time, I think you'll find that you really don't need this warranty.
2001 F250 7.3L PSD, air lifts, 4" pipes, 6637 mod, Husky sliderhitch
2005 Crossroads Cruiser CF29CK (with all the goodies)
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