Conflicted about warranty

[MerlintheMad]

Anyone else have warranty experience with stingers (or kia in general)? For example, I just purchased a chrysler pacifica (great, btw), but due to all the electronics, sensors, etc., I decided to purchased a lifetime protection plan, which is issued through Mopar (Chrysler). There are also third party offerings from the dealer, but they were shorter term.

I'm looking for something that can cover the electronics on stingers for 10+yrs. I realize protection plans only cover up to the cost of the vehicle so that in 20yrs when the vehicle's only worth $1000, they won't spend more than $1000 to fix something that's broken.

Is shooting for ten plus years even practical? How much will Kia, et al. try to keep their older vehicles updated? We know about "built in obsolescence"; the modern phenomenon which requires that we replace old with new. Even in bicycles, if you have one that is over ten years old you will find new parts harder to come by, until they are simply not to be had in any shops: I've had to replace two bicycles in the last eighteen years because something as common as wheel bearings do not fit the older bikes. Electronics/computers age even faster as new stuff comes out.

 

[twig2121]

Is shooting for ten plus years even practical? How much will Kia, et al. try to keep their older vehicles updated? We know about "built in obsolescence"; the modern phenomenon which requires that we replace old with new. Even in bicycles, if you have one that is over ten years old you will find new parts harder to come by, until they are simply not to be had in any shops: I've had to replace two bicycles in the last eighteen years because something as common as wheel bearings do not fit the older bikes. Electronics/computers age even faster as new stuff comes out.

10yrs+ is absolutely practical. Have you not seen cars that are 30+yrs old still on the road? (I realize your point is at more contemporary vehicles, but the notion of planned obsolescence is a good 20yrs old now) We have two cars that run great and are both 15yrs old themselves. Parts are plentiful and cheap (subaru and mazda - which is mostly a ford with a mazda body). Cars will last forever if you maintain them. I suspect a bike analogy may not translate the same as cars here. Though parts availability is something I look at when evaluating cars - for example, a comparable car to the stinger is the Alfa Gulia and there are almost no parts available outside of the dealer, which would be painful and expensive, so that's no longer a viable option for me. When a brake rotor needs replacing, I'm not going to be confined to the dealer; nor pay the dealer premium.

Also - just this week Europe pushed back against planned obsolescence in general, but they did so because cellphones are causing much electronic waste with the need for different and new chargers, inability to repair phones (replacing batteries). There may be a larger effort to make things more serviceable again. However, as of now, cars are plenty serviceable - at least mainstream ones like kias, subarus, fords, etc.

The only concern I'd have is for the dealer-specific parts like some electronics, however, they keep an inventory of parts so I don't expect that would be an issue. Which is why I'd gravitate towards a manufacturer-specific protection plan that covers those items specifically (as Mopar does - for life).

I've heard of folks getting 20yrs/200k warranties on this forum for their stingers, would love to hear more about them - either the terms or which dealer/underwriter selling them. I've never been an extended warranty person before, however, the car complexity with proprietary electronics are now vital to how the car functions in many cases.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I've heard of folks getting 20yrs/200k warranties on this forum for their stingers, would love to hear more about them - either the terms or which dealer/underwriter selling them. I've never been an extended warranty person before, however, the car complexity with proprietary electronics are now vital to how the car functions in many cases.

This is an interesting topic to me. Complexity is what I was talking about with cars today and going forward. It's good to hear of a push back against "planned obsolescence." I hate it. It would be good to know that ten, twenty years down the road, cars made today, with all their computerized dependency, will still be serviceable in a future where hardware and software continue to rapidly change because of evolving technology advances. But we can't know any of that. Could any of us foresee the cell phone explosion in our lives twenty years ago? The kinds of phones? The apps? None of that was known to be coming. It was so surprising that even sci-fi movies didn't include any kind of phones being ubiquitous in the future. So we are getting blindsided by technology. What is common today might be sidelined tomorrow.

 

[Paul32]

Are these warranties transferable? 3 to 5 years is all I need, lease. I've been married for 60 years but never keep a car longer than 3 years, if that.

 

[eflyguy]

It varies, each has its own conditions..

 

[PieceOfChum]

The one I got from Kia is transferrable. I am not sure if it varies by state or country.

 

[MikeJr74]

I added the 10yr/100,000mi extended warranty with $0 deductible to my GT2 AWD. For me, it is a no brainer. The computers (ECU, Infotainment, etc.) cost far more than the extended warranty. Plus, the warranty is transferable for a small 'transfer fee' to a new owner.

 

[Joseph Spiegel]

Me too, I got the Kia extended 0 deductible warranty. It was a little over $3K. I plan on the long haul with this one. I leased but the dealer knew I was buying out soon. I hope to never use it but with all the electronics I’m sure I will. It won’t take much to equal out the cost with electronic failures.

 

[twig2121]

I just picked up a GT last night and got the 10/100k "wrap" from NESN (Nissan Extended Services North America) called QualityGuard Plus, the "supreme" type. Apparently that's all the dealer offered and I was disappointed to see that in section 5 "what is not covered" includes:
"Advanced driver assistance systems, including...dynamic speed control" (adaptive cruise control)
"Daytime running light system, headlight/tail lamps assemblies" (concerned about the LEDs not being serviceable and needing the whole assembly replaced)
Got the "wrap" coverage for $1500 so can't complain about price too much

Please let the group know if your plan definitely includes the safety sensors, adaptive cruise and even LED fixtures and which plan you have - I'd like to shop around while the plan can be cancelled...

Thanks!

 

[MikeJr74]

I just picked up a GT last night and got the 10/100k "wrap" from NESN (Nissan Extended Services North America) called QualityGuard Plus, the "supreme" type. Apparently that's all the dealer offered and I was disappointed to see that in section 5 "what is not covered" includes:
"Advanced driver assistance systems, including...dynamic speed control" (adaptive cruise control)
"Daytime running light system, headlight/tail lamps assemblies" (concerned about the LEDs not being serviceable and needing the whole assembly replaced)
Got the "wrap" coverage for $1500 so can't complain about price too much

Please let the group know if your plan definitely includes the safety sensors, adaptive cruise and even LED fixtures and which plan you have - I'd like to shop around while the plan can be cancelled...

Thanks!

My plan is based in Florida. It is the Platinum Plan from Fidelity Warranty Services. "This means it covers your vehicle's assemblies unless listed under the Exclusion section of the Vehicle Protection Plan."

Excluded are things like brake pads, clutch discs, bearings, tires, wheels, batteries, shocks, mufflers, catalytic converters. Sensors, adaptive cruise and LED fixtures are clearly not listed as exclusions.

It also clearly excluded coverage for " any alteration to the vehicle not authorized by its manufacturer".

It also includes rental car reimbursement, towing reimbursement, travel expense reimbursement.

 

[MikeJr74]

Also, "You may transfer this Service Contract to another owner, but not to another vehicle....$40 payable to FWS for the transfer..."

 

[Ruturaj]

My plan is based in Florida. It is the Platinum Plan from Fidelity Warranty Services. "This means it covers your vehicle's assemblies unless listed under the Exclusion section of the Vehicle Protection Plan."

Excluded are things like brake pads, clutch discs, bearings, tires, wheels, batteries, shocks, mufflers, catalytic converters. Sensors, adaptive cruise and LED fixtures are clearly not listed as exclusions.

It also clearly excluded coverage for " any alteration to the vehicle not authorized by its manufacturer".

It also includes rental car reimbursement, towing reimbursement, travel expense reimbursement.

How much did you end up paying?

 

[MikeJr74]

$2300, plus I had them include wheel and tire road hazard.