Should I buy an extended warranty on my '04 GXP?

[bobgto65]

I was reading the last thread and decided to look into an extended warranty. Even though my GXP is 9 years old, with the low mileage, I can get a 5 year, 72,000 bumper to bumper warranty on it from one of the top rated auto warranty companies. (Carchex). It cost about $2200 with a $100 deductible for each repair. If I get the warranty, it will cover almost everything until the car has 106,000 miles. I did some reading on the Northstar and other than leaky gaskets, I did not see too many other issues with the later model ones like the 2004 models. And I am very familiar with the other common Bonneville issues since I own a 2002 with 196,000 miles and that had every single issue on the list. Warranty excludes exhaust, cat, wear items, rust, cosmetic issues. But there is no cap on labor rates and parts have a 12 mo 12,000 mile warranty.

The question is, will enough problems occur before 100,000 miles to spend $2200? I'm thinking maybe leaky valve cover gaskets on the engine, possible warping of UIM, some electrical issues (ABS sensors, fuel gauge) the intermediate steering shaft (although I could grease it myself), likely the motor mounts, possibly a main engine seal. The trans should be good for over 100,000 miles. Most of the stuff on my '02 SSEi (purchased new) happened after 100,0000 miles but I had an extended warranty on that car as well that went to 110,000 miles and there were probably over $4500 in repairs covered.

I can do minor work myself but prefer to have a local shop do most of the more complicated or time consumin repairs. This car will be my daily driver and I will put on 10-15,000 miles a year.

I'm just interested in hearing some opinions.

Thanks,
Bob

[CMNTMXR57]

Only if it's GMPP, which on a 2004 might not be doable.

[DaMaroon]

It's not $2200 its $2200 + $100/repair. Could ad up quickly.
What happens if the car is totaled in a wreck the day after getting the warranty?
Will the shop wait for money to come from warranty company?

Until someone explains to me how they ethically make money warrantying cars this old it falls under too good to be true.

[1oldman]

I'm with Lane on the warranty, but I believe that 2002 is probably the last year that GMPP will cover. I don't know for how long they will cover a 2002 model. - BC

[bobgto65]

I am planning to call GMPP. Most private party warranty companies will go back 10 years depending on the mileage and may make exceptions for even older cars with low mileage. With Carchex, if I shelled out the $2200 and the car is totaled, then I receive a refund for the unused part of the warranty. The biggest issues that you have to look for with private party warranties are: Reputation, do they cap the labor rate? When a part goes pad and is replaced under warranty, will they give you a new GM part, a used part, or a remanufactured part? So for example if my engine blows up, they said I would not get a new crate engine but a remanufactured engine. And they do not cover gasket leaks unless you buy one of the premium (most expensive packages), although they do pay to replace them if associated with a covered repair. Exhaust parts, cats , clutches, pilot bearings, throwout bearings, wheel alignment (even if you need covered repair like a tie rod) is excluded, and so on.

[CMNTMXR57]

Repeat after me, YOU DO NOT WANT A 3rd PARTY/PRIVATE PARTY, INDEPENDANT WARRANTY COMPANY!

I don't know how much clearer I have to be with this...

[PaulyGXP]

^^^ I have to agree with this. There are too many horror stories about this sort of insurance. If you have some mechanical know how, this will not be a bad car. I have not had my car to a shop in the 2+ years I have owned it. This includes over 30,000 miles of drive time, and my GXP just went over 100,000 this spring. Everything it has needed was done with common tools and patience in my own garage. The majority of repairs have been wear and tear parts, and by the sound of it none of these would be covered. No brainer here, pass on the insurance.

[Arrowhead]

Well, it certainly was a good thing for this GXP owner. http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... 37239.html The way I look at it is this, it's insurance, and you hope it's never needed but, you're glad you've got it if it ever is needed. With current parts/labor prices, $2200.00 + $100.00 ain't very much towards any major auto repairs nowadays. I don't think anyone worries that if they insure their house, that it won't burn down, and the insurance won't get used. Our ext. warranty was sold to us by a Chevy dealership but, it was issued by Toyota. It too was around $2000.00 w/$0.00 deductible. Worse comes to worst....we can have a Chevy tech do the work at the dealer where they sold us the warranty/agreement.

[1oldman]

Well, it certainly was a good thing for this GXP owner. http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... 37239.html The way I look at it is this, it's insurance, and you hope it's never needed but, you're glad you've got it if it ever is needed. With current parts/labor prices, $2200.00 + $100.00 ain't very much towards any major auto repairs nowadays. I don't think anyone worries that if they insure their house, that it won't burn down, and the insurance won't get used. Our ext. warranty was sold to us by a Chevy dealership but, it was issued by Toyota. It too was around $2000.00 w/$0.00 deductible. Worse comes to worst....we can have a Chevy tech do the work at the dealer where they sold us the warranty/agreement.

We purchased a GMPP on our '92 Bonneville when it was 2 years old. Just before it rolled over 100,000 miles, we had the lower intake manifold gasket, oil pan gasket replaced and a couple other things done - paid for itself twice over. - BC

[00Beast]

I agree with the extended warranty being a want on a Northstar car, but I totally agree with only getting the GMPP warranty. Every other warranty is crap...

[CMNTMXR57]

Well, it certainly was a good thing for this GXP owner. http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... 37239.html The way I look at it is this, it's insurance, and you hope it's never needed but, you're glad you've got it if it ever is needed. With current parts/labor prices, $2200.00 + $100.00 ain't very much towards any major auto repairs nowadays. I don't think anyone worries that if they insure their house, that it won't burn down, and the insurance won't get used. Our ext. warranty was sold to us by a Chevy dealership but, it was issued by Toyota. It too was around $2000.00 w/$0.00 deductible. Worse comes to worst....we can have a Chevy tech do the work at the dealer where they sold us the warranty/agreement.

For every one good story, there are 10 that aren't. I did this for a living. I even had to threaten legal action on one of our own cars (my mother, without asking, bought a 3rd party warranty when she purchased a car, and sure as poop, the 4T65E went out at 80k).

Please don't argue this point with me.

If you want an extended warranty, buy ONLY a manufacturer backed warranty. If it's GM, get GMPP. If it's ford, only get a ford warranty. If it's toyota, only get a toyota extended. It saves a lot of headaches for both the owner of the vehicle, as well as the service department that gets the joy of servicing your vehicle under that extended.

[7tcatvert]

I have a vechicle one warranty. I bought it from the dealer when I bought the car. Before I bought it went over to the service dept and talk to the service writers and asked about it. They like liked it and told me they have had very few problems. Plus the dealer has multiple loctions in the area so I figured they would not be selling something if they were going to have alot of complaints on it...

I spent 2200 3/36000 miles I have used 1 year and 12000 miles....total repairs 5800 my cost 2200 plus 400. So I am up. I never would have bought the car without the warranty.

[bobgto65]

My local Chevy dealer is just 3 miles away. And I know the owner. So I will go over and price a GMPP tomorrow or Friday.

[CMNTMXR57]

You can do it online at their website.

[bobgto65]

I read that the mark up the is 100% over cost on the GMPP. How much discount should I try and haggle them down to?

[CMNTMXR57]

Aren't they all? All you're buying in essence is an insurance policy. That's the gamble. If you never make a claim on it, they made 100% profit on your particular policy.

I don't know that there are any discounts to be had. It's based on age (or new or used), number of years you want covered, number of average miles per year you put on, and what you want as a deductible. From there pick out one of their three plans. Basic Guard, Value Guard, or Major Guard. The last one of course would be the most. But I don't think you can redeem a coupon or wheel and deal on it. The prices are what the prices are.

http://www.gmprotectionplan.com/index.html

And you do have to buy it at a dealer. I bet they'll want to do an inspection on the car.

[repinS]

Yeah, I don't think there's much in the way of discounts unless you're a GM or dealer employee.

[RoyD]

You can get better extended warranty with S & S Company services with refurbished and rebuild engines which gives you a warranty period of 7 years or 1,00,000 miles.
You can check their warranty offer with their hiperformer.com page