By Tony Barthel
To RVtravel.com:
“Hi. I would like your opinion on an extended warranty for a used RV. I realize that this may not be appropriate to ask of you, and I know it is my decision to make, but as a long-term subscriber I trust your opinions. If there were any articles related to this subject, I missed them.
“I own a 2016, bought new in 2017, Winnebago View on a Mercedes diesel. It has 59,000 miles, which includes three trips from Coeur d’Alene to the East Coast. Our last trip covered 39 states with 9,400 miles, so we do a lot of highway driving. Anyway, it has been serviced where we purchased it and Mercedes for diesel maintenance. I try my best to perform preventive maintenance. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and take care.” —Tony D.
Tony’s response to Tony
This is a terrific question, Tony. As someone who sold a lot of these while I worked at a dealership, I can provide this information and hope that it works for you, and our other readers interested in this topic.
There are a lot of factors that can determine if an extended warranty makes sense for you, including factors in your own life. Furthermore, there are all sorts of companies offering warranties. Some are good, others not so much. So let’s start with you, shall we?
While it’s a sad truth, RVs are not the most reliable products known to mankind. Truthfully, they are designed for very occasional use and there are some important maintenance items on them that most people rarely perform. This combination exacerbates the issues RVs already have. So you’ll find plenty of places where lots of people are complaining about RV quality.
An RV is subjected to lots of adverse travel conditions
Even further, an RV going down the road is sort of like a house experiencing a 4.5-magnitude earthquake during a hurricane. Seriously. So lots of stuff tends to wiggle itself loose.
But don’t let all this dissuade any of our readers from buying that dream RV because, despite the potentially negative side, the positive side is so wonderful. Taking your own little home away from home with you on vacation and having all the things you’re familiar with, sometimes in remote and absolutely stunning locations, is incomparable. That night at the Holiday Inn will never compare to waking up and seeing deer out the window as you brew your morning coffee, or being parked right under a magnificent tree with nobody else around.
We absolutely feel that RVing is the best way to vacation, period. And RVers are some of the nicest people we’ve ever met, and you get to hang out with them.
Let’s look at warranties
So, back to the warranties. Here is a rough rule of thumb for warranties.
Most extended warranties are 5-10 years in length. A warranty is a gamble – you’re buying it and gambling that something expensive will break and the warranty company is selling it to you hoping nothing expensive breaks. The warranty business is a profitable one, so they win more than you do.
However, if your budget doesn’t allow for replacing a $1700 refrigerator or a $900 air conditioner or a $1200 water heater, a warranty can be a very good bit of peace of mind for you. RVs are comprised of a number of very expensive systems, as mentioned above, that also undergo the shake, rattle and roll that is travel. If one of these systems breaks and it’s not in your budget to fix it, you may be doing without.
At the dealership where I worked, we had replaced all of these mentioned systems under warranty for customers. The warranty company simply gives us a credit card number and we solve the problem. More common issues involve plumbing problems. The damage they cause when there’s a leak, unless covered by the warranty, can be expensive. So the decision to buy a warranty might depend on your own financial reserves and what an expensive repair would mean in your reality.
An extended warranty may give you peace of mind
If paying a few dollars a month is a more comfortable situation than having to come up with the money to cover a big repair bill, then an extended warranty might mean a great deal of peace of mind.
One thing to know: No warranty covers things like brakes, seals, gaskets and items that are considered normal maintenance items. We do see a lot of RVs that have water damage from leaking roof seals or window seals and, frankly, those are part of the routine maintenance that most RV owners never do.
You will go a long way toward extending the life of your RV if you simply inspect the seals on the unit every 3-6 months or so. This includes the seals around all the various holes in the roof (for vents, pipes, etc.) along with the seals around the windows and doors on your RV (don’t forget the baggage doors!), as well as the marker lights. Anywhere a hole is punched in your RV is a place where water can get in and cause damage. None of these seals is covered under any warranty, as they are all considered a maintenance item.
Choosing an extended warranty
So, how do you choose a great extended warranty company? One of the ways is with the policy they give you.
There are two major types of policies: those that specifically mention what they do cover and those that mention what they do not cover. While this may be counterintuitive, the warranties that mention what they do not cover are often better simply because you know what won’t be covered, so everything else basically is.
Those warranties that do mention what they cover often can weasel out of coverage by claiming a non-covered item is the real cause of your troubles rather than just fixing what went wrong.
You might ask around at various shops and repair places for RVs both in your area and just at random to see if one particular warranty company stands out as really good or really not. Does Brand X warranty company work hard to get out of paying while Brand Y just takes care of the customer? The people who are making the claims, the repair shops, are the ones who would have insight on this.
Where to buy
The obvious answer to this would be to buy the warranty at the time of purchase of your RV. If you’re financing the RV, most dealerships can simply roll the warranty into the financing so it’s a small “hit” every month.
However, there are also companies that sell warranties aftermarket, many of which offer lower prices than what a dealer might charge. The disadvantage here is that you’ll be buying the whole warranty at once rather than being able to roll it into the financing of your RV. The advantage is that you have time to shop around and may save many hundreds of dollars.
There are a number of brokers of these warranties that can provide input on their experience in coverage. Also, in some states, most notably California, the places where you can buy extended warranties is limited by the state, also minimizing your choices.
Things to look for
The first thing I’d do is look at what the paperwork on the warranty covers. Are the items INcluded or EXcluded the ones that are important to you?
I would also take a look at the company providing the warranty itself. How long have they been around? Are there ratings and reviews you can find online? I personally put almost zero credibility in the Better Business Bureau nowadays – but that might be a place to start, just the same.
If you have a motorized RV, as reader Tony D. does, does the chassis manufacturer also offer a warranty option on the chassis itself? Generally, for motorized things, I feel better about the chassis manufacturer’s warranty options than those of a third party.
In summary
I was surprised at how well some of these warranty companies covered expenses that came up in RVs, but also dismayed at others that really balked at paying for anything they supposedly covered.
Having an extended warranty can mean a great deal of peace of mind. Having an RV is really a joy, in most cases, and an extended warranty can mean you have one fewer thing to worry about when it comes to your RV.
No matter what you decide is right for you, making sure that your RV is well-maintained will go a very, very long way toward making sure it’s ready and willing to be a participant in the incredible vacation adventures we have in this beautiful country. Basic maintenance means you’re much more likely to enjoy RV travel.
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##RVDT2277
I purchased a warranty from Wholesale Warranty’s for a motorhome. During the warranty period I used the service twice both times had a deductible of $100.
One year later when I sold the motorhome I applied for a refund of the existing premium. They told me because I used the warranty there would be no refund. I wasn’t prepared for that type of answer but because of that policy I would never again buy an extended warranty.
Approximately $400 in repairs for a $4000 plus warranty. Never again.
I thought that most of the warranty products at Wholesale Warranties were at least transferable. That would make your motorhome far more salable in the very least.
Think again .. Good Sam is the best warranty I found and it is transferrable.
Warranties baffle me. If the manufacturer thinks their product is going to break down that soon then they should not be producing it but instead improve the product.
Volnavy: As I suggested in an earlier post, we need the Japanese building RVs. Imagine if Honda or Suzuki built campers. Very quickly the Indiana manufacturers would get off their behinds and hike the quality of their products.
Yes and no, Colin. As has been pointed out on many occasions, RV’s are built with ‘parts’ (fridges, furnaces, water heaters, etc.) from many different mfgs. The RV builder has little control over quality control of those parts, and those are the ones that mostly go bad. Frames, axles, tires, lights, and anything else you can name all fall under this inability to control. So, what’s to do? I think a LOT more time should be spent checking each and every RV’s systems and parts before shipping it out. That’s the ONLY way the quality issue will be remedied. Costly? Yes.
That is true Tommy, but cars are built that way also. Tesla, makes most of their parts but the other auto manufacturers have their parts supplied.
As long as they don’t use any Takata airbags.Not everything the Asians build is hunky dory anymore.
Certainly, South Korean automobile manufacturers (KIA/HYUNDAI) have been a disappointment. But Japanese builders like Toyota, Honda, and Suzuki are still the best value for your buck.
If you haven’t noticed, Suzuki doesn’t sell new cars in the USA anymore.
No, they do not, and it’s a pity. The import duties on their cars are excessive. My 2010 Suzuki SX4 is the most reliable vehicle I have ever had. But, Suzuki also manufactures motorcycles, boat engines, and heavy equipment. Their quality is well known.
With all the thumbs down regarding Japanese autos, I suspect we have a few US “Make America Better” trolls.
Kia & Hyundai “a disappointment”? I think several million owners would disagree.
Both companies started out with 10 year/100,000 mile bumper to bumper warranties when Toyota, Honda etc were still stuck with the American model 3 year warranty.
They have consistently beat the competition on reliability metrics for several years.
I agree with you. For many years Hyundai/Kia beat Honda on reliability. My wife’s 2012 Sportage has only been in the shop three times. Two for minor recalls and once for a drive train problem that was covered by the 10yr/100,000 mile warranty. We were also contacted by KIA about a problem with some 2.4 engines. Kia extended the warranty on the engine to 15yrs/150,000 miles
My 2015 Silverado has had at least 10 recalls.
Have you missed the recall news in the past ten years?: KIA and Hyundai are notorious for engine fires and engine failure.
I feel that the RV industry is much like our domestic auto industry of the late 1970s and is ripe for a quality producer to come in with modern manufacturing processes and an eye toward quality. It won’t take long before that company absolutely decimates our current RV industry.
Save your money. Warranties are a waste of time and the ability to get anything done is scarce at best. Like Tony says, they always try to avoid claims. That’s also my experience. There’s a reason why California has limitations, because of false claims and inability of companies to back up their warranty. Check your State and Local laws.
I agree with you Ran. We have had a hassle servicing, via warranty, the furnace of our late model Jayco. To those who are on the fence about this: Forget the warranty. These companies will try every angle to avoid helping the customer with costly repairs.
They provide a false sense of security,
I think Tony’s first answer was the best one. “The warranty business is a profitable one, so they win more than you do.”
I have always just put X $$ into a savings account specifically for unexpected breakdowns.
Warranties are expensive, but mine more than paid for itself when the Cummins diesel engine in my generator started burning oil when it was 3 years old. The repair bill would have been $8k+ if not for my warranty.
We have owned 3 class A Newmar coaches and opted for the Cornerstone extended coverage on the last 2. We had major HVAC and awning failures on one. Cornerstone was fabulous and immediately paid over $18,000 for repairs (a lot more than the policy cost). While some folks like throwing the dice we find that, on our current 2022 Class A, that Cornerstone just made sense.
Keep in mind, the person giving advice in this article once sold these warranties and made a pretty penny doing so.
Yes I did but that also gave me the ability to see from the inside and share those insights.
I think this is a mostly balanced response of the pros & cons.
I don’t purchase warranties, but if I did, I would NEVER purchase it on a new RV at the dealer! That RV has at least a year of warranty already and if motorized it has three to five years on chassis, engine, and transmission! Financially speaking it’s absurd to buy “double coverage,” and pay interest on it by financing it in! Tony must still be in RV Salesman mode to suggest that one.
Also, if you can’t afford fixes, how do you afford the warranty? A warranty is paying for repairs in advance.
Last, sellers try to scare buyers by suggesting expensive items are always replaced vs, most times, a simple repair.
This article fails to mention the number one issue with warranties: getting an appointment to get your rig fixed and how long it will take to fix whatever is wrong (ok that’s 2 things). While your rig is sitting and waiting to be fixed you can’t use it. If you’re ok with that then spend the money on the warranty. Buy a used rig with all the bugs worked out, put your money in the bank and find a good mobile RV mechanic or independent repair shop.
Most service plans allow for use of either a shop or a mobile tech. Typically you don’t have to take your RV to a dealership so there are more options and it’s always a wise, wise decision to establish a relationship with a locally-owned RV tech or shop.
On the finance side, I can’t tell you how many buyers are juuuuuuuust barely making the RV payments so the service plan might be a wise choice for those individuals. But everybody has their own circumstances.
If a person cannot do simple maintenance and small repairs ,that can turn into bigger ones, then perhaps a person better stick to their bungalow.
Understanding these systems is potentially one of the most necessary things in the RV space. It’s incredible how many big issues I’ve circumvented with a simple twist of a wrench or something along those lines.
Loctite is an RVer’s best friend. I wish the RV industry would use it to start with.
If you have self discipline you can take the money that you would be spending per month on the loan for the warranty and put it in a separate account every month. Remember that most things are covered the first year of your trailer purchase by the manufacturer by that time you should have enough money built up in the account to handle most unexpected expenses
True indeed! But some people are one major issue away from no longer being able to afford this lifestyle. Your idea is the best as long as it’s something someone can afford, of course.
Thank you, Tony! With Coach-Net temporarily (permanently?) out of the market, is Wholesale Warranties the only remaining company in the game of extended service contracts?
We were told if we could get one for less than $1,000 per year, to get it as most repairs are over $1k. We purchased a 5 year old Class A. Year two one of the ACs went out, we called, took it to the dealer we purchased the rig from and it was covered. We did buy the warranty the dealer sold and get a reduced deductible for taking it there to be serviced. They do good work and charge fairly. The AC was covered and justified the cost of the warranty, with 3 more years to go. Hoping it won’t be needed again, but it’s there.