Previously I posted on this forum about the process DW and I have been going through for the last three months to purchase a used 2011 Georgetown 330TS. Well last night we finally took the plunge and signed all of the purchase agreements. We take delivery on Aug. 09 afer some service work is done at our request.
My question is how many motor home owners out there in forum land purchased "Extended Service Contracts or Warranty" from their dealer when they bought their rigs, used or new? The dealer (finance mgr. and sales mgr.) hit us hard on the need for it, at $3800 for 7yrs/75000, down from $4995. The GT was first put in service April 11, 2011 and has 4600 miles on it. DW and I went to the "Wall" with this purchase, moving up from looking at used 2007-2010 gas rigs. We realize it is a******shoot or roll of the dice either way.
There is a lot of discussion about this subject and and it's really a personal choice. $3800 for seven years is a good price depending on the coverage and deductible. I did not purchase mine from the dealer, I went with GS CSP and for me I'm glad I did. I've been with GS CSP ever since my regular warrenty expired. I mainly keep it for the big (Chassis Hit) if it ever comes. So far my freightliner XC chassis has been bullet proof. I have used it on a number of coach issues and have never been denied a claim. Slide and Jacks are add ons on my policy. Only you can deceide. Welcome and enjoy your new coach.
These service contracts all almost all profit for the dealer. That's why you got the "hard" sell from the dealer.
When buying a motorhome, after arriving at an agreeable price tell the dealer that you'll do the deal if they throw the service agreement in fro FREE. Since these contracts cost the dealer very little it's easy to get it for FREE if you hold out on the sale.
-Tom
Sarver, PA/Crystal River, FL/Shelocta, PA · W3TLN · FMCA 335149 · Mystic Knights of the Sea
2005 Suncruiser 38R · W24 chassis, no chassis mods needed · 2012 Honda Accord EX-L · 2008 Honda Odyssey EX-L
I'm a risk taker and never buy extended service contracts. To me the dealers make a lot of profit on those, and the repairs they'll most likely cover are minimal. Sure there are exceptions, but in general, its just a form of hyperextended insurance.
4 whopping cylinders on Toyota RV's. Talk about great getting good MPG. Also I have a very light foot on the pedal. I followed some MPG advice on Livingpress.com and I now get 22 MPG! Not bad for a home on wheels.
We bought our service contract right before the 3yr/36k mile drive train warranty expired. Ford would not write an ESP for my motor home chassis, so we went with "The Choice" plan that our original selling dealer had. We bought a 5yr/60k mile contract for about $3000, discounted to $1450. The Salesman cut his commission 90% (was an old Navy buddy), which accounted for almost half of the original cost of the contract.
Went with the deluxe plan and added a few options to cover what I thought would be the most expensive if it failed. It is important to understand what is not covered more than what is, and to ensure you are offered an option of having a non-covered part that fails causing a covered part to fail covered. Understanding the notification process that is specific to the contract provider is also important...because in some cases, if you don't notify them or have the RV repair shop notify them prior to starting the repair process, your repair might be denied.
Remember that your MH will have separate warranties/time periods/requirements on your drive train, tires, batteries, appliances, systems and roof. Figuring out what level of service contract you need for what systems for what period of time or mileage is the challenge. Rather than deal with this ****shoot as you so aptly stated, some of our fellow RVers just put aside money each month to cover the cost of repairs.
Andy & Lee, plus Ruby & Bella, the Cocker Spaniel girls
'05 Fleetwood Bounder 33R, F53 w/6.8L V10...towing a
'07 Chevy HHR LT2 w/2.4L EcoTec,
Blue Ox Aventa LX, Brake Buddy Classic
FMCA #F359977 - Colonial Virginians
FCRV #733452 - Tidewater Wheels
One thing to look at with the warrenty from dealer is, the warrenty is only good for x# of years, however you are usually paying for it for it long after it has expired. We went with the Good Sam one, as it is year by year and you pay for it during that year.
You say you "went to the wall" on this purchase, which tells me a major repair would cause you great financial pain. You have to decide if you want to risk that, as well as the potential for leaving you with your RV dead in your driveway, no money for repairs, but a monthly payment still due the bank on it.
IMO, if you are cutting things close financially, you're also unlikely to bank the equivalent of the warranty cost each month, as a rainy day fund. I would recommend that you buy the EW, BUT ONLY AFTER TAKING THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND IT AND WHAT IT COVERS FULLY. This is the most critical point of buying into an EW.
Paul & Sandra
New Bedford, MA
2003 Monaco Executive M43 DS2
I had the same Question on the Coach we just Bought but the Key question is if and only if a Big, say 10grand ,hit for a repair happened could you handle it? Maybe not routenly but make some adjustments, put it on the Visa and still pay it? If not then you need the insurance ( which is what these things are) Your saying I'm willing to Throw away 4 plus grand plus interest ( remember there's a deductible ea time and its financed) to insure I wont be hit with More. Only you can answer that. We can swallow hard and foot the bill for the repair so we are "self insured" ;-) You say you went to the wall so maybe your in another position. As already mentioned the Dealer finances this the Life of the loan!! but that's not how long the coverage is. Good luck in your decision.
My post's are my opinion The advice, comments etc are free and worth what you paid
So an update on our now owned 2011 Georgetown 330TS. As of Friday August 17th DW and I took posession of our GT. Had already planned a weekend get away for the 18th and 19th (wife's birthday!) at one of our favorite New York State Parks, Keuka Lake SP in the Finger Lakes region of NYS. Great ride out early AM on the 18th, quick set up with 3 slide buttons to push, one button for the auto leveling jacks, one button for the electric awning. Additional buttons for hot water tank and water pump (no water at site only 30amp service). We enjoyed a beer together and laughed at how sore our fingers were from button pushing. Well, next day we come to find out the hot water tank doesn't work, serveral repair items that we mandated to be done before we would sign purchase agreements were not done, the rig was not cleaned both inside and inside basement bins (replace of hydraulic lines as mandated items with hydraulic fluid all over the pass through storage area)and the final straw, when we went to break camp on Monday, the electric awning would not retract with no power what so ever at the awning motor! Three hours later un-bolting the awning roller locking bolts and having it fall on my head as I am standing on a picnic table on a 2 step stool to reach 12 feet up, we get the awning in and tied off. Head home, drop off car on dolly, head right to dealer with flawed rig. Owner assures me after some heated exchanges between him and I, owner taking offense to me telling him I was lied to by his service manager and sales manager that all of my pre-purchase service requests were taken care of. So now DW and I will be purchasing an extended warranty, 7yrs exclusion warranty from a company recommended on either this forum or another, $2100.
Post Note: Why did I not do my own PDI when picked up rig on Friday? Time as factor one. With early departure on Saturday AM we needed as much time as possible Fri. evening to load and prepare rig. Including family coming over to for dinner (they cooked!) for DW's Bday. After long purchase process going back to mid April this year, basically worn down in the process. Took with me a long PDI list printed from one of the forum resources that came out to be 15 pages in Word. I just wanted to trust someone for a change and not be guarded and pessimistic. You live and learn, guess I'll stay pessimistic next time!
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