To warranty or not to warranty, that is the question

[Ari]

I'll try and keep this short as poss. Bought a 2005 35,000 mile SLK last year that had hardly been used for two years (hence the low mileage). It was a mint car but the lack of use meant that things hadn't been kept running properly and I ended up with a load of expense sorting out things like the air conditioning, heater fan, and a few other bits (frustrating because the car drover perfectly, it was just the ancillaries that needed a bit of sorting out).

In the end I put a proper Mercedes Teir One warranty on it (proper Mercedes backed warranty, pretty much what you'd get on a new car). It cost me about £1,000 but shortly after the heated seat packed up which would have been an £800 fix and then the self leveling for the xenon headlights, both put right by the main dealer under warranty.

About two months ago I swapped the car for an immaculate 2009 SLK, 30,000 miles, think its had more regular use and it feels like a new car. It came from a specialist dealer with three months warranty, which will expire in a few weeks.

My dilemma is, do I spend £1,000 on a proper Merc warranty?

On the one hand, this car has a massive massive spec, xenons, power heated memory seats and steering column, air scarf, COMAND, auto wipers, auto lights, cruise, power fold mirrors, auto dimming mirrors, etc etc etc, which was why I bought it, so lots to potentially go wrong. I've only got to have one £1,000 bill like that seat heater that packed up and the warranty would have paid for itself.

On the other hand I plan to keep the car for five years, and so if I keep the warranty up it'll cost me £5,000 over that time just for the warranty. So would I be better off just keeping my money and paying the odd bill as and when needed?

I prefer to keep the car within the main dealer network rather than use an independent. Nothing against independents, and I used one for a lot of the work on my last car, but out of choice I'd go main dealer.

Piece of string question I know, but really can't decide which to do for the best.

Any thoughts?

[Crusoe]

Add it for the first year and see if it is a good one

[beck1234567]

I would say get the warranty or if it is too much get the top level cover with someone like warranty direct, they will even let you go to a merc dealer if you pay extra for it. Mercs with toys can get very expensive to fix as you have found out.

[Ari]

doogz said:

The problem with that is, if nothing goes wrong in the first year, that's £1000 you're never going to see back. Which is fine. But the car's not going to get more reliable with age. So you either need to keep it going, or not bother at all, IMO.

Yup, that's my thinking. If I'm going to do it I need to keep doing it, otherwise I could end up in the ridiculous situation of having paid £2,000 in warranty over two years and then hit with a big bill after it lapsed.

[Ari]

beck1234567 said:

Mercs with toys can get very expensive to fix as you have found out.

That's my concern. Part of me feels that if I bang £1,000 at it up front than it's like a firewall, a fixed "things breaking" annual expense rather than taking a chance.

On the other hand, is five grands worth of stuff really going to go wrong over five years..?

[Ari]

Less gadgets, are you mad!?

I had a car with less gadgets and it still went wrong, this one is much better!

I absolutely love the car, its exactly what I'd have bought new if I could have afforded it, which is why I'm anxious to look after it properly and keep hold of it.

[beck1234567]

The Crack Fox said:

A bit late now, but a car with less gadgets in the first place might have been a better bet...

Where's the fun in that :-) I'd say if the OP is concerned about the cost of the warranty then go for a top level 3rd party warranty. Should be significantly cheaper and still gives you the piece of mind required.

[Mattt]

My old Z4 did around £3-4000 in warranty claims in my first year of warranty, in the 2nd year it needed nothing.

You pays your money & takes your choice.

[deltashad]

I decided not to take the warranty. If you have a mechanic/garage you trust and access to parts (the internet), I feel that its less hassle having a warranty but more expensive. Unless you are very unlucky..

[philmots]

I'd pay for the warranty and still feel quite smug that it costs substantially less than it cost the first owner/owners in depreciation.!

[Ari]

The Crack Fox said:

Ari said:

Less gadgets, are you mad!?

You've paid extra for a powered steering column, and you're calling me mad ?!

Listen buddy, if I'd wanted sensible I'd have bought a Golf diesel!

Hang on, I did buy a Golf diesel and it was a bloody brilliant car, still is, my girlfriend has it now. And it didn't have a stupid blimmin powered steering column, what was I thinking!

Nah, bks, plenty of time to be sensible when I'm dead. Or something. I really love this car, it makes me fizz contentedly every time I get into it (even more so if she's been driving it and I just touch button one on the seat base and the seat and the external mirrors and the steering wheel all motor silently into my chosen setting).

Just need to try and work out the best way to try and protect myself from financial ruination now...

Edited by Ari on Monday 25th June 17:22

Edited by Ari on Monday 25th June 17:22

[Ari]

philmots said:

I'd pay for the warranty and still feel quite smug that it costs substantially less than it cost the first owner/owners in depreciation.!

I am leaning that way a bit, having paid less for the car in its entirety than the first owner paid in depreciation for the three years they had it.

Just struggling with whether I'm likely to be better off financially just winging it.

[Jaroon]

I don't pay for warranties on anything. The money I've saved over the years is definately more than I've had to spend on fixes, makes sense as warrenties are for profit businesses.

I think you are paying for peace of mind as opposed to what, hoping something goes wrong to cover your warrenty payments. Is peace of mind worth £1000 a year to you? It certainly is for many.

[Ari]

That's normally my policy completely Jaroon, exactly what I do.

However in this case there's plenty to go wrong and much of it expensive to fix if it does. On the flip side its not an old car and it seems to be in good shape.

I had a bit of a bad experience with the last car but most of it went wrong early on, I think it was the shock of everything suddenly being used regularly. This one has been mainly fine for two months bar a couple of minor niggles that the dealer warranty should take care of anyway.