Allstate offers a variety of payment options for auto and property claims, including Fast Mobile e-Payment, which requires JavaScript to run. First-time users must complete a quick one-time registration process. Customers can pay premiums in monthly installments or as a lump sum, with full payment up front potentially leading to lower rates.
For auto and property policies, Allstate accepts Visa, MasterCard®, Discover®, and American Express® credit and debit cards, as well as bank accounts. To make premium payments, customers can access their ID card without registration or logging in using the Allstate mobile app. If not, they can use My Account Quick Pay to pay their bill.
Allstate offers coverage types other insurers don’t, along with discounts and safe driving perks. However, the company scored below average for customer satisfaction. As of July 22, 2022, Allstate does accept debit and prepaid card support.
Allstate offers several claim payment methods, with the fastest options typically paid within 24-48 hours. The company also processes visa gift cards as debit and can set them as autopay payment methods for further discounts.
Allstate’s payment options include credit and debit cards, bank accounts, personal checks, and money orders. A $1,000 Visa prepaid card contest is available, with no purchase necessary. The contest rules are simple: find answers about your Allstate account, manage policies, file or track claims, and use the app anywhere that accepts VISA.
📹 Why Not to Buy an Extended Car Warranty (Scam)
Extended car warranty scam. Why not to buy a extended warranty for your car. Extended warranty scam with Scotty Kilmer. Should …
Can you pay insurance with a prepaid card?
Insurers operating within the individual-market exchange, otherwise known as the Marketplace, are required to offer a range of payment methods, including paper checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, pre-paid debit cards, and electronic funds transfers (EFT). Federal regulations require that these payment methods be made available for both initial premium payments and subsequent payments, thereby ensuring that consumers can pay securely and conveniently.
Can I pay insurance with a credit card?
It is possible to pay for car insurance using a credit card; however, this may not always be the optimal choice. It is imperative to ascertain whether your insurance provider levies a fee for utilizing a credit card as a form of payment prior to making your monthly installment.
Why is my Visa prepaid card being declined?
In the event of technical difficulties experienced by a retailer, it is recommended to either wait and attempt the transaction again or to contact the retailer directly in the event of any issues. In the event that the value of the Visa gift card is insufficient, the transaction will be declined.
Who accepts prepaid Visa?
A prepaid Mastercard or Visa card is a secure and convenient payment method that can be used worldwide at locations where Mastercard or Visa are accepted.
Why are prepaid cards not accepted?
Prepaid cards can be declined due to various reasons, including not having sufficient funds in your account, not being activated, the merchant not accepting the network’s cards, or exceeding your spending limits. To fully benefit from a prepaid debit card, you must have enough money in your account to cover any requested transaction.
To avoid overdrawing a prepaid account, you must have enough money in your account to fully cover any requested transaction. Merchants often place a hold on your account for an estimated total, which could be lower than your actual total. The hold will be subtracted from your card’s balance until it is released by the merchant.
The billing address provided to the merchant must match the one on file with the prepaid card company in order for the transaction to be approved. You will be required to provide an address when you register your prepaid card. If the merchant doesn’t accept cards from that network, your transaction will be declined.
If your card has expired, check the front and back of the card for an expiration date. Some prepaid debit cards place limits on the amount you can spend or withdraw per day, per month, or both. Once you reach this limit, you must wait the specified amount of time before using your card again.
If you have entered an incorrect PIN, the transaction will be declined. This is a security feature to prevent unauthorized use of your account. To resolve a declined prepaid card, contact the card’s issuer by calling the number on the back of your card.
Can you use a prepaid card as a payment method?
Prepaid debit cards are a convenient and accessible means of making payments and purchases, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional bank accounts and providing a valuable tool for financial management. Such cards permit users to expend solely the funds that have been loaded onto the card.
Are prepaid Visa cards accepted everywhere?
The reloadable Visa Prepaid card is a convenient and secure way to access money anytime, anywhere Visa Debit cards are accepted. Funding can be done through direct deposit or cash at participating retail locations. The card is accepted anywhere Visa Debit cards are accepted, and overdraft fees are not a concern. The card allows faster access to money through direct deposit of paychecks, tax refunds, government checks, and other recurring checks. Additionally, it allows users to pay bills online, making it faster and easier than writing a check.
What credit cards does Allstate accept?
The Allstate Easy Pay Plan allows customers to manage their accounts online, with convenient monthly automatic deductions from their checking or savings account. Payment options include online checks, credit cards or debit cards with a Visa®, MasterCard®, Discover®, or American Express® logo, and can be made at 1-800-Allstate® (1-800-255-7828). Customers can also pay their bill over the phone using the provided contact information.
Can I use my prepaid Visa card internationally?
Visa Travel Cards are replaceable and can be used at 25 million merchants and automated teller machines (ATMs) displaying the Visa symbol worldwide. Such cards provide convenience for making purchases and obtaining local currency. Cardholders are able to circumvent the exchange line and engage in commerce as though they were residents of the country in question, while simultaneously procuring local currency from over one million Visa-branded automated teller machines situated in locations across the globe.
Can a prepaid Visa be used as a credit card?
In retail locations, prepaid cards equipped with a personal identification number (PIN) can be utilized as either a credit or debit instrument, depending on the PIN that is entered. In the event that the card was not created, the term “credit” is employed. Should one elect to utilize the “credit” option, only a signature is required. It should be noted that some prepaid cards may levy fees for selecting either option. Therefore, it is advisable to consult the cardholder agreement for further details.
Where can you not use prepaid Visa?
The gift card can be utilized to procure goods and services from any U. S. merchant that accepts Visa debit cards, including those operating online. However, it cannot be employed for internet gambling, international transactions, or illicit activities.
📹 Should I Buy Additional Insurance From a Rental Car Company?
You’re renting a car but don’t want to overpay for the pseudo-insurance that rental car companies offer you. What are your other …
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I have been a tech for 22 years, I also worked as a claims adjuster for an extended warranty company here in Tampa Bay *cough PMC cough*. Let me tell you first hand, these warranties are a complete rip off. I could go into details that would literally blow your mind, especially if you’re mechanically knowledgable. I worked there for 4 months and quit because I couldn’t sleep at night seeing how badly people were getting reamed up the bunghole. They target lower income people to begin with, lie about coverage and deny claims based on fine print technicalities. You have to have no soul to work for these companies. Stay the hell away from extended warranty companies, your shop will thank you as well. No one wins except the warranty company. If anyone wants to know the details, I can probably make a article explaining everything in depth.
I had both the sales and finance guys tag team me on the extended warranty once. I had to tell them at least 10 times I didn’t want it. But they just kept rolling through the different plans. When no to the platinum plan, they started talking about the gold plan. I say no to that, they started talking about the silver. I had to get angry and give them both a hard look and tell them very slowly. “I do not want an extended warranty. If you ask me again, I will walk out of this building.”
When I purchased my first new Toyota Camry back in 2002, the salesman tried to sell my an extended warranty. I told him, “you mean, you want me to pay for something that could fail on the car because it wasn’t built right in the first place?” His response was, “Oh, even our Toyota mechanics purchase extended warranties.” My response, “Well, now I’m wondering if I should purchase this car at all. Especially if your mechanics feel it’s necessary to get the extended warranty. Can’t be that good of a car if that’s the case!” The salesman never mentioned anymore about an extended warranty as he didn’t want to lose a sale. Never had any major issues with that car and traded it in on another Camry after 10 years and 245,000 miles.
Scotty’s not lying. I was ripped off by this scam and when ever I tried to get a repair the dealership (cherry hill nj dodge) just turned me away, it took me 3 yrs and 4 different dodge dealerships to finally get my fixed and it’s still not %100. Never buy 3rd party warranty and NEVER BUY DODGE! Corporate has not teeth against the dealerships. Sad the way business goes for the consumer in the US. Thanks for your articles Scotty!!! It’s always nice to find an honest person in a sea of bullshitters.
I worked for PMC (Protect My Car) down here in Clearwater FL, for about 6 months. Previously I’d been a tech for 22 years. 6 months was all I could take of ripping people off and denying claims based on complete bullshit. It was soul destroying. These companies prey on people who are lower income and have expensive cars. The worst part about it was, i worked with guys who seriously got off on denying claims and perusal people suffer. It was the worst job I’ve ever had, and it opened my eyes to a whole new side of humanity. People, these extended warranty companies are nothing but bullshit. Please take it from me, I’ve seen it first hand. Everything Scotty says is the truth.
I bought a $4.00 keyboard from a computer store last year. Four dollars! And they didn’t just offer me an extended warranty for 75c extra, they pushed it. I said, “If, God forbid, the day should come when this keyboard fails, it’ll be painful, but I’ll just scrape together $4.00 and buy another one.”
I bought an extended warranty from the dealer on a used 2016 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel with 80,000 miles on it; within a month, the engine blew, due to a known defect with the cam sensor on that particular generation. I ended up with a brand new engine for $100. The warranty more than paid for itself with that repair. Glad I had it… (Oh, and the new engine is the next generation, without the known flaw.)
Good article, I used to sell cars back in the day and this is partially true. The dealership I worked at the profit from the warranties went to the finanace managers processing the deal. The salesman only made money on the gross profit of the car, which was 30% on a used car ($2000 gross meant the salesman made $600) which was the front end profit. The Back End Profit was made by the finance manager which includes profits on things like; Gap insurance, Warranties, Service Plans etc, and of course points held over their approved buy rate from the lender they choose. My advice to anyone buying a car is if its new don’t worry about an extended warranty. If its a well taken care of import (Honda, Toyota, Lexus, even Nissan and Infinity) with good records and miles don’t worry about a warranty either. I tell people to buy a warranty on only BMWs, Mercedes, Audis, large diesal and 4X4 trucks because they are expensive as hell to more than likely to break. Before walking in the dealerships do your homework!!!!!!! Get preapproved and shop rates and go to the dealership with it, if they can beat it great, if not use your preapproved loan. You can also shop around for warranties as well. Lots of insurance companies sell these and are sometimes cheaper than a dealership sells them for.
Scotty is SO RIGHT ! i was a service manager and the dealership i worked for sold those ” OUTLAW ” warranties. I ran into SO MANY problems with these companies. I had to chase one around the country to find out they went bankrupt. Watch the wording on extended warranties. They say ” INTERNAL ENGINE AND TRANSMISSON “. If it is not inside the casings, they won’t pay. TRY TO APPEAL BEST OF LUCK. If you got to have one, buy one backed by the manufacturer of the car. Have a mechanic explain what it is you might be buying. IF IT IS A EUROPEAN CAR ( EVEN IF IT IS MADE IN AMERICA ) YEAH GET A CONTRACT, BUT HAVE IT EXPLAINED !
Very true Scotty! When I went in to buy my first car roughly 3 years ago. They got me into the finance department and the guy thought he was slick! Little did he know I’m good with numbers and not to mention already on edge cuz it being a dealership. Anyways the finance offers me this really good extended warranty, tires paint correction, interior cleaning and so on. He tells me it will only cost me $23/month, no brainier right! Or so I thought. Well upon reprinting out the new agreement it did only jump up about $23/month like he stated but of course me overlooking the contract with a fine tooth comb again I notice not only did he add the extended warranty he tacked on another year of payments to go with it! And the asshole tried to tell me that I was over thinking it! He says “look it’s simple math $23 x the length of your loan (which was only 72 at first) is even a lil less than I qouted you”, “But I’ll take the loss since you’re a valued customer” lol. I said ya but the first contract had 72 months now this one’s says 84 months!?!? Wtf so a warranty that was $1,995 would have turned out to be $6k had I not caught it! Dirty bastards!!! Lol
he speaks da TROOF! I bought a Toyota tacoma, 2010 for 7,000$ down here in Carolina. Had 78,000 miles right out of warranty. The monthly payments on a five year loan were $151.36/ mo for five years. Go to loan officer of the dealership where I purchased it, and he showed the options. the lowest price on the drive train warranty would bring the price up to $189. The highest one made it 271$/month. All I’ve had to do is change the oil filter, and the oil. tip: when purchasing a used vehicle from a dealership, if somethings not right like the tires, have em replace it! Thanks scotty, and I totally agree
One of the few times I bought an extended warranty was for a computer article card. The policy stated that if there was anything wrong with the card I can just bring it in and swap with the same or a better version, no questions asked. Even though the card was fine, I took into the store just before the warranty expired and swapped it for a newer card. Got myself a better card for a fraction of the price. Winning!
I agree. Never buy a warranty for anything. Most items come with factory / manufacturer warranties. That is all you need. The extra warranties on cars, or electronics in the store, are a waste! Think of how often you use them? Think of all the receipts you must keep track of! It’s just a mess, and like Scotty said, they don’t even cover what you think they might! Best to never buy a warranty on anything. If you need to fix something, worry about it then, and pay for the repair with all the money you saved not buying pointless warranties on everything!
I agree. However my cousin got a extended warranty from endurance on his charger and it’s a good thing he did. That car had the most problems I’ve ever seen and he easily got back in repairs what he paid for the warranty. Surprisingly they never tried to deny a claim. Endurance is probably one of the best out there.
For what I learned is that Japanese cars do not need extended warranty. Now German cars do. I own an Audi S5. I bought it with extended warranty through Fidelity… thank God. The Extended warranty cost me close to $4000. Now the car some issues that even when it was under their factory warranty, but their warranty wasn’t able to fully cover me for everything: cost of repairs were $3000. Right after the original warranty went out, the car started having very serious mechanical issues till now. Total expenses that I added so far are close to $12,000, and this car still has some problems. Audi gives me a loaner whenever the car has this issues but If i didnt have warranty I would have been left stranded asking for a ride, paying a tow truck, or paying out of pocket for this ridiculous expenses.
I bought a policy from my dealer on a used car. I had a noisy valve that was fixed, a front bearing replaced, and a drive axle. I made my money back plus a whole lot more. When I went back to the dealer to buy a new car, I bought another extended warranty from them. Does it really matter how much the sales person makes if the warranty saves your butt from costly repairs? I myself recommend them if you buy from the dealer.
I’ve only ever bought one car brand new: my 2016 Mustang GT. I had to travel 8 hours to another dealership as it took me a while to find one that was willing to order a car for me as NOBODY had a Blue, Base GT Manual without those Recaro torture chamb…. I mean…. seats. Anyway, long story short – they didn’t pressure me at all! It was actually a fun experience. So, I was just about to leave and I’m still BS-ing with my salesman and I ask him “Hey, how come you guys didn’t try to push me into Scotch-Guarding the interior, or paint protection or undercoating or an extended warranty?” He puts his arm around me, smiles and says “That’s because we’re a reputable dealership.” I knew I’d made the right choice. My local Ford Dealer tried to bend me over for 9%, even though I’d been approved for Ford Financing AND have great credit.
I bought a used Toyota Camry and they tried hard selling me a warranty, I offered polite no’s until the fifth time he asked me and then I told him to either shut up or I’m walking. His whole whole demeanor changed after that. He went from happy go lucky sales guy to sourpuss. Douche. Have never gone back to that dealer. Scott Clark’s in Charlotte.
I paid $3000 for a extended warranty on my mercedes. It paid for itself almost IMMEDIATELY. Over 3 years, I used $40,000, yes, $40k, which was the maximum I was allowed under the contract. Only a $100 deductible each service. Now, it’s been 70,000 later, my car has 130,000 miles, and I have had ZERO issues. Thank God for that warranty!!!
When I bought a new 1991 5.0 Mustang, the dealer told me I was crazy not to opt for the $800 extended warranty. The way he explained it to me had me thinking twice about buying the car in the first place as he said this and that would be breaking down. I declined the extended warranty and after putting 198k miles on it in 9 years, I only had to replace brakes, a water pump, and a throw out bearing. So, to heck with an extended warranty.
I would like to share my experience with new cars and extended warranties: In June 2007, I brought my second new car, which was an 2008 Ford Taurus SEL. In 2010 after my 3 year bumper to bumper warranty expired, my display computer went out, along with my driver seat heater. I took it to the dealership service center who sold the car, and they told me it will cost $950, $650 for the display, and $300 for the seat heater. Many times I got mail from Ford about getting an extended warranty before it’s too late. I blew off getting one, and I paid the price. If I would have gotten one like for $2000 and something else went out, it might have been a good investment and paid for itself.
Well done Scotty. I was an “analyst” for a bank that under writes these contracts. There is no such thing as an extended warranty. A warranty is a promise from a manufacturer. What you bought is a service contract between the dealer and yourself, even if the crooked salesman doesn’t present it that way. The service writers get grouchy too. They would say things like “I’m just the middle man” to the customer. No, JM&A is the middle man. JM&A is the middle man, the administrator of the contract.
You’d have to be crazy to pay for one of these joke warrantees! A friend of mine just bought a used Nissan rogue and bragged about how she got a great deal from a sales person who was supposedly her friend. She said he gave her a great deal on the extended warranty too. I couldn’t believe she spent $1,200 extra on a warrantee when the factory warrantee was still in effect. I told her to look up reviews on extended warrantees and then tell me how good a friend this guy is. He might as well have been begging her to give him $600 out of her pocket. These warrantees are rarely honored when it comes time to get any major repair work done. There’s a very long list of complaints to the Better Business Bureau from customers who are getting screwed by Car Shield. These warrantees have fine print that gets them off the hook for covering most major repairs involving the engine, transmission, brakes, climate control system, and the computer system. This company will refuse coverage and leave your car sitting at the shop for weeks before you finally realize that any further attempts to get them to pay are futile. They won’t cover the repairs and they won’t pay for any rental car. They’ve crafted a warrantee document that almost without exception immunizes them from taking financial responsibility. There’s always some part that is found to be the cause of the damage that is specifically not covered in the contract. They’ve taken good care to make sure that they get your payments on time while never authorizing repairs.
Extended warranties are a rip off. I used to sell cars and everything Scotty says about those”warranties” is true. We pushed those extended warranties because they greatly enhanced our commission. The company even does contests to sell more warranties. If we sold a certain amount of warranties, we got a bonus. Scotty is right on the money, no pun intended. Save your money.
I sold cars for 11 years and I was the Finance guy who sold the warranties .. I can tell you the commission was excellent and the companies stood by their warranties .. when I left the car industry .. I always bought a used car warranty and used it on a 1999 Jaguar that needed timing chain tensioners .. a $9000.00 job.. I paid nothing. I still own the car today..
For the first time I must wholeheartedly disagree with Scotty. Here’s why. An extended “warranty” is an insurance plan. Just like health or life or accident insurance. If you need it and don’t have it, you’re screwed. Always always always get the factory extended warranty, but never never never pay full price. Example: I was told by the finance manager at the dealer where I worked that the regular price on the top of the line extended warranty was $3500.00 but employee price was $1800.00. Sounds like a deal. But since I know that most sales people lie, I shopped around. I work in CA but found a dealer in Ohio selling that same exact factory plan online for $1200.00. I later was able to access the dealer price list and found out the plan costs the dealership $1000.00 from the factory. Employee price according to our handbook is supposed to be cost plus $200.00. So I bought the plan from the dealer in Ohio. With that plan I got rental car coverage whenever I had to take the car in for warranty repairs and later when the basic warranty ran out, it covered some really expensive repairs, including replacing worn out suspension components, some electronic gadgets, and at 145,000 miles the transmission got replaced. This is not an exception. I have many many hundreds of customers who were saved from super expensive repairs by their extended warranty. If you buy a Toyota, get the Toyota care plan, if you buy a Dodge then get the Chrysler service contract, if you get a Ford, buy the Ford E.
My wife and I both picked up certified pre-owned cars around the same time. I bought an AWD 2010 Honda Crosstour and she bought an AWD 2010 Buick Enclave. I didn’t get an extended warranty and after putting about 110,000 miles on, the only repairs that were out-of-pocket for me amounted to about $900. With the Buick, however, we opted for the extended warranty. After putting on about 50,000 miles, it has MORE than paid for itself with steering and suspension components, leaks, and broken crap that would have cost us THOUSANDS of dollars in repairs. I can’t wait until we get rid of that thing.
Excellent advice, Scotty. I always knew any extended warrantee is a scam designed to benefit the store or car dealership. Your advice to save money on the side for repairs can come from what you would have paid for the premiums. Cars are indeed machines and machines age and break down. The only solution is replace the broken and worn out parts–not pay for an insurance policy that won’t be there for you when you need it.
Agreed. I bought the extended Warranty on my used Mercedes and passed on the offer by Toyota on the wife’s minivan. Toyota went hard trying to sell me on it claiming how expensive it would be to fix it if something went wrong and Mercedes was like are you sure(We are reliable)…lol. I was sure and it paid off. Loved that Merc though. Happy to see the back of it now as I have moved on to my next vehicle.
Extended warranties aren’t so bad. Just make sure they’re dealer direct and you’re good. If you plan on not buying a new car anytime soon, the extended warranty helps with the costly electrical repairs down the road. Powertrain generally lasts on a Honda or a Toyota, but electrical issues, warranty will cover those hundreds and thousands of dollars worth of replacements or repair work. I keep my cars for 15+ years so extended warranty is nice to have.
Brought a 2017 Ford Fusion sport fresh of the assembly-line in March with a warranty of 3 years or 35k miles; Now I’m at 9k miles and ford just keeps blowing up my phone about an “Extended Warranty”. Like damn, I can’t even get through a whole year of having the car before they start shoving down my throat another warranty. 🤦🏽♂️
I agree with you. And my relative bought one from the dealer on a 2012 Toyota RAV4. Within one year, she already used it to replace the bad struts and a leaking seal on the transmission. So far that means she’s come out ahead. Course on that generation RAV4 Toyota had so many issues with the rear suspension, like 3 recalls.
Finally someone speaks the truth… the extended warranty or any warranty after manufacturer original warranty is a big scam… they would find any reason to bail.. if they can’t, they will create one. Had a Mitsubishi engine issue and it was under warranty… the warranty people required me to remove the oil pump out so they can check it for defects. Then they said it is not covered since it is not the original oil pump. The Outlander had 70k miles and 1 owner (55 years grandma)…
My husband and I got an extended warranty on our car, after going over the fine print as closely as we could.. We’ve benefitted greatly from it, our claims have been more than the insurance cost and they’ve never fought us/our mechanic in a claim yet either 🤷 we still have a few years left on it too 😂
Vehicles aren’t made well anymore. I negotiated a lower extended warranty cost, from the dealer, when we purchased our Subaru, because I don’t trust manufacturers… even reputable ones. Being able to understand full language, or close to it, is paramount. With one door motor that went bad, the warranty almost paid for itself.
Bought a third party insurance for my wife’s car years back. Had an issue with the car, took it to a shop, they checked it out, don’t even remember what the problem was anymore. Showed em my policy, they called the company. Sorry sir not covered. Ok thx for stealing from me now cancel my policy effective immediately.
Dad purchased one, but from the credit union for our 2004 Jeep Cherokee, 3 yr-36000 mi., so far we broke even on it, it paid for it’s self already. The transmission is starting to slip a little now, so now we may come out smelling like a rose. Note, buy a used Chrysler/Fiat product, go to your credit union and purchase a warranty, but NEVER purchase it from a dealer because they cost twice as much.
Spot on Scotto! My ex g f had carshield paid all that $ for coverage and when things broke they refused to pay the parts and fixing cost… I told her not to send another dollar to them and bank her $ was on foot for a while but saved enough up to buy a vehicle no more carshield ever! I warn people all the time….
I have a 6 year extended warranty on my SUV. The SUV is now 4 years old. I got my value from it. This was from the last three SUVs since 2005. Just recently I got the transmission replaced fully. I got alternators, power steering pumps, and suspension parts. I am in Quebec. We have hard winters and a lot of pot holes in the roads. I buy from the dealer only. Independent insurance companies will rip you off.
I purchased a 2006 Monte Carlo ss with an extended warranty in 2014. In 2015 the transmission went bad, I tried going to a couple of Chevy dealers to have it repaired and once they found out I had an extended warranty they started to cry and didn’t want to have anything to do with it. I called the warranty company and they said that the dealers shouldn’t be acting that way and that I should take the car to a transmission shop. I took the car to a tranny shop and they fixed it and I saved myself $2,750. Had to pay the $250 deductible the warranty came with. I’m glad I got an extended warranty.
Yeah, bought a warranty from Chrysler when I bought my 1st new car . I had a problem with the car that was in the grey area of warranty and dealer refused to cover problem. I never went back to that dealer and my anger was later fueled when I met a big wig at Chrysler years later through my job . I told him what happened and he stated that the decision to repair under warranty was up to the dealer and that I basically got F___ked. He had a good laugh over my story. Yeah never again !
This is not always the case. I got the extended warranty on my sons car and it paid off in spades. Someone had disconnected the oil pressure sensor before putting it up for sale and within 60 days the engine froze up. Replaced with an engine with fewer miles on it than the original. Six moths later, it lost a rear seal on the rear end……and again replaced. You are correct about the dealer making money, but think about it. If they are selling you anything, somebody is making money.
We bought a new ’96 Volvo 850 wagon. As the factory warranty expired at 36K miles, the dealer pushed an extended warranty good to 100K bumper to bumper. We bought it because I’d been reading on an owner’s forum that the evaporator cores were a common problem that would fail ($1900 repair) just after the warranty expired. Sure enough, the core failed 6 month later. The warranty covered the evap core, a cylinder head issue, a new tubocharger and a few other problems. It probably saved us 3 or 4 times what it cost. Now on the other hand, a friend who bought a warranty with a 3 year old used BMW has found it to be basically worthless. It only lasted for 36K miles, and cost about the same amount. You have to know what you’re buying and from who.
I had a third party extended warranty on a Subaru WRX STI. Paid $2400 for the warranty… Blew the engine up (as all STI’s like to), 5,000 km beyond OEM power train warranty. Covered an $18,500 shop bill for a full new engine, labor, and other components the shop recommended replaced. In the end I pitched in an extra $500 for a clutch while the car was apart to save myself labour, otherwise cost me nothing outside of a $100 deductible. You need to make sure you are making informed decisions on what is and is not covered, if the third party company is reputable, even ask the service department what the third party company is like to deal with for warranty claims. It’s just like anything else you purchase… Be smart about it. Its a case by case situation. I worked in a dealer and every used STI we sold, we recommended warranty to and every one of them came back blown up and used that warranty. While commission to the salesperson/finance manager is NOT 50% but profit is close to 50% of the price (sales person gets a portion of the profits) and it is very often negotiable (depending if it is the manufacturer warranty or third party).
I got a service contract for my Ducati from the dealer for $900 for 5 years. I used it a couple of times: new fuel sensor, engine MAF sensor. It covered $100 of the towing fee for the MAF too. Now at 29K miles it’s getting a new crankshaft and connecting rods because it chewed up the rod bearings. Probably $5-7k right there. And another tow, haha.
I recently bought a Toyota. I asked my friend to give me the best deal that he could (I estimate they made $500 selling me the car, after discount), I said no to all the extras, and he hooked me up with clear bra. and the best part was perusal how hard the finance manager tried to hide the fact that she was really pissed off at the deal lol
I have to say my extended warranty experience was actually very positive. After I bought my 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP back in September 2003, I was receiving letters in the mail about getting an extended warranty and so I decided to respond to one (and this was before I became a mechanic lol). So I signed up with a company I believe they were called National Warranty at the time and had been in business for a while. I paid 1800 dollars for a 3 year 100,000 mile policy whichever came first, I would never reach 100k since I bought my car with only 33.5k in it though the previous owner had abused this car…so there ended up being a lot of repairs and boy am I glad I bought this policy hehehehe. The company ended up paying by the end of the 3 years over 3600 dollars in payouts for warranty work!!!!! On top of that when my car was in repair at the dealership they would loan me a car so I got to drive a Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder convertible for an entire week, a Chevrolet Colorado, and a Corvette C5 as well, for free since it was all covered under the warranty!!!! Over 10 years later I’m now a mechanic and have the skills necessary to keep my Grand Prix going as long as I live, and I have the extended warranty to thank for giving me peace of mind while I got into mechanics. So you can have a great extended warranty experience you just have to research the company backing your vehicle and know some history around your vehicle and you’re going to be the beneficiary believe me!!! I also want to add that if you can get an extended warranty through your bank/credit union that’s ideal since the bank is now on the hook for recommending the warranty/insurance company to you.
Good man scotty you are so correct i hope people take your advice, i had a chancer trying to sell me an extended warranty for a year on top of a 3 month 3000miles warranty,but he was just wasting his time,what you have said here is correct and i hope people will heed your explanition,people be aware, theres no point in wasteing money on extended warranties folks,buy a reliable car and you wont need this crap
I purchased an extended warranty on a Datson 280Z. The Turbo went out 1 week before the expiration date and I then discovered that the Dealer “forgot” to send in the money to the warranty company. I had the documentation on me and the Dealer immediately decided to honor and activate the warranty probably responding to my head exploding when they said; “What Warranty?”. They were trying to “double their commission” with the hope that my 280Z would last the warranty period and they would never see me again. I got a new Turbo on warranty.
Bought an aftermarket warranty after searching online. 1 year after buying my Audi SQ5…It needed a new engine. Warranty company paid for it $28k!!! So HE’LL YES they work! The key is to take it the dealer and let them handle it! They cannot argue with the company that makes the car…they lose!!!! Take it to an independent mechanic and they will take you for a ride because they won’t pay until they tear down the car!!
Our shop just had car shield deny a claim for a rear main seal leaking. Equinox with a 2.4, these are well known to have the pcv freeze up in cold weather. Then the crankcase pressure pops out the seal. They denied the repair because GM has a SERVICE BULLETIN for this concern. Bulletins are for techs, to help with diagnosis, not for insurance claims. What a bunch of thieves!
Though not needed for every car, Warranties can help when you want a “specific car” but you know it can have big problems. I’ve wanted a BMW 335i since I came back from Iraq. I ended up buying a 2011 w/ the N55 and a 3 yr warranty for $3000 ($200 deductible, bumber to bumper). After 1 year, I had them replace the Radiator, Heat Exchanger, LPFP, and something else. $2600 bill (w/o deductible). So I’n glad I bought one. Though I never had to use the factory 100,000 mile warranty on my 2011 Ford Edge. 220,000 miles and CV axles are the only parts that have ever broken.
Doesn’t Toyota own the record by a fucking longshot as far as recall figures are concerned among the big Japanese makers? Not customer satisfaction recalls either, it’s all things that will kill you if not taken care of. Spontaneously exploding airbags due to contracting the lowest bidder, stuck throttles, resulting in the inability to stop a moving vehicle. Those two earned alone them their notoriety. But as far as Scotty is concerned, they are the only manufacturer that hasn’t made their cars cheaper over the years.
My 1st mistake was buying a pre-owned Jaguar 2012 Supercharged V8 Portfolio Edition. I actually was smart enough to not purchase the warranty at the dealership when I bought the car. I then looked for a warranty company on line and found an affordable policy I didn’t have to pay upfront on They financed out the payment at $48 per month. The 1st problem was a water pump at $1,400 the warranty covered about 1/2 due to many of the items required we’re not covered. Hose’s, o’rings an additional pipe etc. The shop accepted the warranty and I paid out of pocket for the rest. Then the computer went out. It was $2,000 at Rusnick Jaguar for that alone. While at Rusnick they went through the car bumper to bumper and nit picked the car until they found $12,000 in required repairs including the motor mounts and transmission mount. After keeping my car for 3 1/2 weeks. The warranty company denied ALL claims. I don’t blame them for that and agree Rusnick Jaguar of Pasadena tried to defraud them on many items that didn’t need replacing. I then to the car to my regular shop and we went through the list that Rusnick submitted and with the exception of the motor and transmission mounts nothing was wrong. I contacted the warranty company in regards to them and was told by a woman that NONE of the items on the list from Rusnick would be covered. Then the fuel pump went out. I it was towed to my regular shop. They refused to accept the car unless I would guarantee payment as the warranty company Delta Auto Protect had never paid the 1/2 of the bill for the water pump.
If you have an extended warranty you can cancel it and get a prorated amount refunded to you. Contact dealership that sold it to you and tell them you want to cancel it. A lot of times there’s an extended warranty included in the contract and most people don’t know it. Check your contract and look for any additional items aside from the vehicle, taxes, and interest charges. Dealerships can’t tell you no if you want to cancel. I know this because I work at a Chevrolet dealership and scotty is spot on with this.
Thanks Scotty, this article really helped me. I bought a 2020 Rav 4 XLE at 36,000 miles. I’ve been getting so many warranty mailers nearly threatening me that my warranty is almost up and I better contact them or else the price goes up. Instead I’m going to save that money, put the repairs on a credit card if I have to but no way I’m giving that money to an insurance company rather than giving it to a competent mechanic instead!
Great Advice Scotty! I just bought a 2013 Prius 3 with all the Carfax reports and service history, 67K miles. That guy was giving me the hard sell that I needed to buy an additional warranty for up to 100K miles for just $1100 because this amazing “Certified” Toyota might break in half when I leave and if it does, it’s on me. I laughed at him and said, “You Sir are an A hole. I don’t want the extended warranty.” It already comes with a 12 month/12,000 miles warranty from the dealer and 7 years/100K from the factory. The extended warranty doesn’t cover routine maintenance items. It’s a Toyota and I have faith the one I bought won’t need any warranty work. Plenty of Prius cars out there with 200K + miles and still running fine.
A warranty is basically an insurance policy INCASE something unexpected goes wrong. It’s not an investment where you are expecting a return. That’s up to you to decide if you want extra mileage on the car to be covered assuming it’s a good warranty. The last time I bought an extended car warranty for $1,000 it ended up saving me around $6,000 in unexpected repairs that happened after the standard warranty ended. O, by the way, it was a Toyota Highlander and it was a dealership extended warranty.
I just bought a Honda. They tried to sell me an extended warranty to cover just the engine and transmission. For four years it cost $4000.00. That’s right – FOUR thousand dollars for FOUR years – one thousand dollars a year. As Scotty said, put that money in the bank. The place I used to work owned a small fleet. They got the extended warranty on one of the trucks we drove. It was bumper-to-bumper coverage. After the factory warranty expired, the driver’s side door wouldn’t close right, so we took it in to get it fixed. When we went to get the truck they gave us a bill. They said the warranty only covered repairs. They didn’t repair the door, they only adjusted it. That was the last truck my boss bought from that place.
Bought a brand new 2015 Sonata basically, At 58thou km’s. Took care of it for 2 years, oil, etc myself. Just had the engine seize on me 2 days ago. Fully covered under my premium extended warranty which only costs $600 on too of what you pay for the car. So yeah brand new engine for free, and a rental covered fully until my car is done. Hyundai is pretty good with their extended warrantys I won’t lie. (My car came from Quebec, the first driver clearly drove like a maniac) Lol
You’re so right. My mom purchased a Ford extended warranty for her new fusion titanium. She had the car less than a year when it broke down completely. She gets it towed to the dealership & they say it’s not covered. This warranty cost over $3000 & it covers nothing. Same thing happened to me with Chevrolet. The extended warranty paid for nothing. So I’ll never buy another one again.
I begged the dealership to sell me and my wife a extended warranty on a 2002 Ford Thunderbird for $5k it was the cost reduced on the car to sell it which had been sitting on the lot for 2 months. I was happy even though I knew they were keeping the money. Less then nine months later the head gaskets blue and the world’s oil down into the engine coating the spark plugs. the dealership was forced to repair the vehicle under warranty and also give us routine maintenance for the next 2 years. Needless to say they were not very happy but we were ecstatic because the insurance paid off and I’m so glad that we decided to take it.
I just bought a used 2014 SS Camaro and purchased the extended warranty.. A month and a half after owning it the oil pump went bad and the lifter were running dry for over 10 minutes while it was warming up and I did not know that. When I went out to the car there was a message on the dash that said low oil pressure turn off vehicle immediately. So I did. Took it to the dealership and there’s metal in the oil pan, motor has to be replaced. Extended warranty is covering every bit of it and I haven’t made one payment yet.. Warranty cost $2000, new engine cost over $5000. I’d say I came out on top
Home warranties are the same. Got one when I bought my house and they wouldn’t cover my water heater. It was heating, but only luke warm, but they said since it was heating there was nothing they would do. On top of it they charged me a $60 service charge that I never paid. My friends A/C went out and they still had to pay for a new one, it only covered repairs, not a replacement.
Bought a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan in 2015, with an extended warranty (7 years or 160,000 km). Yes I live in Canada. Paid $2700 CAD for the warranty. Have needed it twice. Once in the spring of 2019, to replace a rear A/C condenser and a power seat (total for the two items was $2900 CAD). Warranty covered all but $50. The second time was just last month. Had a fatal failure in the transaxle that required a complete rebuild. Total for that was $3950. Once again all but $50 was covered. Still have 2 years or 20,000 km left on the warranty. We also had a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan where we had an extended warranty that paid for itself, nothing “major”, but had various claims that added up to more than what was paid for the policy. (water pump, generator, power steering components). I can understand if you are using a less than reputable company, but, knock on wood, we’ve had good luck with them.
I bought a 2012 Toyota highlander with 90k miles. I bought the extended warranty through the dealer. $35 extra a month for 3 years or 36,000 mile coverage. 4 months after buying the Highlander my transmissionade a funny noise, I brought it in and for nd out my trans was going bad. It was covered under the warranty. It was a $7k transmission and then me nths after that my wheel bearing went bad and it also paid for both wheel bearings to be replaced as well. Well worth it and super easy to use!
The Toyota Platinum warranty that I added to my 2014 4Runner was $900 and paid for itself after all 4 door lock motors had to be replaced @ $350 each plus labor and it covered the Entune radio replacement. Not all warranties are created equal though, I wouldn’t buy a warranty from any 3rd party companies.
If you do buy the extended warranty, buy one thats backed by the manufacturer. Don’t buy a third party warranty. We’ve bought them with every car, even our 2014 Toyota Camry. We ended up using it to fix a suspension issue that would have cost close to $1700 otherwise. Very straightforward. Took it to the dealer, they took a look at it, and within a couple hours, the warranty covered everything, including a free loaner car.
Extended Warranty’s only kick in when something BREAKS DOWN. If you have a trustworthy mechanic who looks after things BEFORE Break Down occurs your “Warranty” won’t pay off anything. Say, for example, you notice a Clunking at the front drivers tire area; your mechanic tells you that the tie rod end needs to be replaced. “Not Covered”; it didn’t BREAK. So, for the warranty to pay you have to let it break, tow it to an area mechanic you don’t know from Adam and wait a week or more for your “Warranty” company to decide whether to cover a portion of the cost. So, you’re going down the highway at 65mph and the tie rod breaks, your front tire goes horizontal. Are you alive to make a claim? Timing Belts are another Warranty Trap. Routine Maintenance is not covered and these belts should be replaced every 100-120k miles. If it Breaks and you’re going 65mph on the highway, consider your engine toast. Most warranty companies won’t cover the cost of a new engine because “you didn’t maintain the old one”; and Maintenance is not covered. (BTW, Timing Belt replacement can cost $1200 and up)
Scotty – these are really good points, but every extended warranty I purchased were the all-inclusive bumper-to-bumper warranties costing no more than $10-13/month, backed by the dealership. Basically if I took the vehicle to the dealership where I purchased it, they will fix whatever is wrong without a deductible. If I take it to a SAE mechanic, I pay a $100-200 deductible. For every vehicle I owned (never owned a Mercedes, Porche, or any other luxury vehicle), the warranty has paid itself back and beyond. I had a Mercury Mountaineer that had a couple of issues – a fuse kept blowing when trying to start it (this took 1.5 days to diagnose where the issue was at, so the hourly rate for labor alone at the dealership paid for the warranty), and the 2 front wheel bearings went bad (the front wheel bearing/hub assembly, for a Motorcraft branded one, is almost $400 each plus sales tax, and charged 2 hours of labor for each side). For the warranties I got, it covered pretty much everything except for worn tires, worn brakes, oil changes, radiator flush/fills, a/c flush/fill, battery replacement, and anything that was damaged due to misuse or neglect. The only caveat is that I had to make sure that the vehicle was on a maintenance schedule for owner accountability. Anyways, I just recently subscribed to your website and really enjoy your articles. Keep up the awesome work!!
I bought an extended warranty when i purchased my certified used Honda Odyssey thru the dealer. It worked out for me as i was able to replace my transmission, fuel pump, alternator, AC compressor, fixed oil leaks, timing belt tensioner, throttle body and more. Saved about $10K with repairs for a warranty that cost me $2K. I guess i just got lucky with my purchase.
I’ve bought extended warranties for 2 vehicles I had. I definitely got my monies worth when I had my 16 Chrysler 200. Once it got 65k miles things started going bad. Fuel injectors- covered. Motor mounts- covered. Front wheel hub- covered. Satellite antenna- covered. Rear shocks- covered. Total cost for all the repairs done at the dealer was almost $7k. Out of pocket was $100 for my disappearing deductible. If you get max care coverage it covers everything but consumables (tires, brakes, oil, filters). So yes they are worth it if you end up with a problem car.
I bought a honda 2012 civic sedan si. I bought the extended warranty to 65K miles. I took it because I got a great price. Soooooooooo, it looks like there was something seriously wrong with my car and many others. So, it didn’t really show up until after the initial warranty, and because I got the warranty extension. I saved 5000$ on an entire clutch assembly replacement. Very happy I had it, but that’s a unique situation.
Well the problem with you logic is…1. The warranty relies on the employee to sell their product which in turns puts food on the salespersons table. Would you like it if I told you going to a mechanic isn’t worth it? Secondly, the Retail price of the warranty is what your cancellations are based on when you trade it in, not the commission rate. 3 With the cost of transmissions and engines these days the warranty pays for itself. 4. Lastly the customer is in our best interest as a dealership. We want return customers. Some might scam people but the good ones don’t!
My wife has always said this. Never buy the extended warranty. When I bought my motorcycle (Yamaha), I inquired about the extended warranty. The dealer straight up looked at me and said, you won’t need it. 28k later, not a single issue with the bike. I know it’s not a car, but you get what I’m saying
I bought an extended warranty on my Motor Home. I paid $1,800. Later that year I had a engine problem took it to a mechanic who called 1-800- your screwed. To find out it wasn’t covered. Mechanic asked to see the contact. Told me I would have to completely blow the engine. It only covers internal engine parts.
Back in 1990 an owner of several Midas auto mechanic shops told me candidly …”…if vast majority of the population drove Japanese vehicles like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, then we have to close up shop because other than their regular maintenance these vehicles are built to last as long as the owners keep up with their maintenance…” Imagine that, the owner of Midas told me that back in 1990! FYI, on the other hand a 40K vehicle costs between $2700 to $3200 for the raw materials, and after all said and done the finished product including labour costs the manufacturer roughly 8 to 10K! Ask yourself…why many manufacturers give anywhere from $500 to 12K in rebate? They are still making a KILLING.
The expression “Extended Warranty” is a complete error. Warranties come with limited time and mileage coverage by the vehicle manufacturer to cover unexpected breakdowns under normal customer vehicle usage, A service contract is extended insurance coverage BEYOND the manufacturer’s warranty coverage. Most car companies offer such breakdown coverage but the product is still not a warranty. In the business, the product is usually called an “Extended Service Plan” or a “Service Contract”.
First off I’m a staunch Toyota fan. But…. I bought a brand new Tundra and two weeks later dome lights blew fuses. Long story short it was a bad roof wiring harness. Problem was….. I took truck to dealership and service manager immediately called me into office and alleged that I had somehow tapped a non factory product into system and warranty wasn’t gonna cover it. I told him I did not and he accused me again. I asked him to show me what he was alleging and we walked to my truck in the service bay. He pointed to my garmin GPS that was plugged into factory outlet. I told him it was factory and he then pointed to a red iPhone charger wire that came with the truck and was plugged into a factory outlet in the console. ( neither was even on the same circuit as dome light anyway ) I told him he was literally grasping for a warranty denial and he had the audacity to say ” You don’t have to be ugly “. That bastard was gonna try and bogusly deny me the FACTORY warranty if I was stupid enough to let him. That proved to me that they get some kind of kickback for every warranty denial. So I can only imagine how hard it would be to get some jack leg third party warranty to pay for what they were supposed to.
I bought my car on Sat night with EasyCare and went home. After going on the internet and reading the fine print I got sick to my stomach. On Sunday morning when the dealership opened I had them redo the loan paperwork and eliminate EasyCare from the equation. One of the papers EasyCare has you sign is a contract that you are required to do ALL required maintenance (the dealer said it just meant “change the oil, etc…”). This is where they get you. If you have AAA you do not need any roadside assistance, either. If I did not redo my financing I would have been paying the same amount for a used 2016 car as I would for a 2019 car with a 3 year manufacturer warranty. I was left with a 12 month/12k mile warranty that is about to expire but that is ok. Never, ever buy a car warranty. What they don’t cover exceeds what they cover to the point of ridiculousness.
I almost bought Car Shield, as my car was nearing 80,000 miles and would need a new timing belt as part of regular maintenance. However, when I checked into it, I discovered that they would not cover PREEMPTIVE REPAIRS. So, what if I kept going and the timing belt failed, causing serious engine damage? NOT COVERED, because my failure to not have replaced the timing belt WOULD BE MAINTENANCE NEGLIGENCE. So, they get you both ways. Screw that!
Bought a 3rd party extended warranty in 2009, it said if the warranty was not used during its term they would provide a 100% refund of the purchase price. So when the window regulator went, I paid for it out of pocket. Anything small I paid out of pocket, saved the warranty for the engine or transmission. The term expired, I wrote them the letter asking for the refund and they sent the check the next month!
I agree Scotty. Bought an extended warranty for my Comversion van directly from Ford. Several years later the right side view mirrors became inoperative. Tried to make a claim and was told by a human drone that it wasn’t covered beause it was attached to a part that wasn’t covered!!!!!! Yeah, the car!!!!! Then demanded directly from Ford that they replace it under the warranty. ( It clearly stated it was covered) Dealer finally replaced both mirrors. Seems they SELL !!!! these warranties to a third party so you are not dealing with the Ford when you call. Scam. Never again. Most of these third part warranties go out of business.
If you save what would be CarShield monthly payments, let’s say $130 a month… in only 10 months you would already have $1300 toward a repair, and in 20 months (less than 2 years) you’d have $2600 for a repair. And while you’re saving the monthly cost yourself, you can use the money as backup emergency money if anything comes up in life otherwise… but if you pay it to warranty companies like CarShield, they take the money – and it’s gone.
This is general research. There is a lot in the details. For example I have negotiated 35% of the price of one. Also, if you consider one make sure it’s the manufacturer offered one and not a third party. If you buy from the dealership tell them you service your car there and they may negotiate more.
I did buy an extended warranty from a dealer because today’s cars are too expensive on repairs not to. But some dealers can rip-off people with another type of warranty, vehicle maintenance warranty. I’m not one to pay $2000 dollars just for tire rotation and scheduled oil change and other miscellaneous check-ups!
The one and only time i ever purchased an extended warranty was when i purchased my 2012 RAM 2500. It was through Chrysler and not a third party. It did pay for itself as RAM (Dodge) are not exactly known for their years of fault free service. That RAM was bookend by an 2007 Toyota Tundra (no warranty needed, 130k miles and only a water pump failed) and now a 2017 Nissan Titan XD, didn’t purchase any extended warranty. I’m betting that the Titan XD is more reliable than the RAM but not as reliable as the Tundra, i bet it slots right in the middle of the two.
I agree that most car extended warranties are worthless. But here is my story- Bought a brand new 2012 Honda Civic Si. I paid $1500 for their “Honda Care” extended warranty (which is a 7 year plan). After about 25,000 miles my clutch started making an awful squealing noise letting off in 1st gear from a stop. (After researching I found out that every single 2012 Civic Si came with a defective clutch and they all squealed.) The dealer started playing games with me and blamed me for the clutch issue. I opened a corporate case with Honda and the Honda Case Manager also wouldn’t cover a new clutch replacement($2000). When the case manager for Honda learned that I had the “Honda Care” extended warranty and that I was essentially double covered (factory warranty plus extended warranty), and that I wasn’t backing down with my demands for a new clutch free of charge. They finally approved a free clutch replacement. I also used the “Honda Care” warranty several times for a free battery jump over the years. Now in 2019 my civic is paid off and I still have a few months left of my “Honda Care” warranty. Although I 100% agree that extended warranties are a scam, I am ultimately glad that I bought the Honda Care extended warranty. Now my 2012 Civic is paid off and I am happy with my car. Of course the 2012 Civic Si is perhaps the worst civic ever made and you will not see barely any of them left on the road. But I am an exception and driving mine with zero problems now. Love the articles! Cheers!