Have You Ever Used Your Warranties?

[doxieluvr]

My 2006 car has a lifetime warranty ($120 deductable). We have used it several times for repairs that would have cost $500 or more. I plan to keep the car forever so I am sure we will get our money back several times over. The warranty was around $2500 added to the purchase price of the car, and yes we did buy it used.

[Abby Normal]

We used the one that came with our freezer. We had it for three years when it stopped working. We called the repair guy out to fix it. He was the one who realized it was still under warrenty for the particular part that quit working.

[Gardening Grandma]

Usually, by the time something needs repair, the warranty has expired. Our shower pan cracked (it's 5 years old) and we found that the warranty was only for three years.
A couple of years ago, however, we sprang for an extended warranty on our refrigerator (we usually avoid extended warranties). They are replacing the door because of a crack inside. The replacement would cost over $500 without the warranty...

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I used the warranty on our recliner when DD projectile vomited all over it. The warranty came with cleaning service and newborn vomit happened to be covered.

[dancinmama]

One of our homes came with a homeowner's warranty for 1 year. After we were in there for 11 months, one of the hot water heaters went out and was covered by the warranty.

[Sum Dum Gai]

We used the warranty on my wife's car to fix an electrical problem that it had coming from the dealership, but other than that the only thing I can think of is a laptop warranty once. Not an extended warranty or anything, the thing had some kind of power issue that started within a month of bringing it home if I remember right.

We usually skip the extended or optional warranty. If the thing has a defect right when you get it, it's covered by the standard warranty anyway. If the thing is fine when you get it, it'll usually stay that way until after the extended warranty would expire anyway.

[swamp]

I've used the warranty on my van several times. I have a 2009 VW Routan that was made on a Monday morning. So far, I've had the brakes replaced 4 times, the transmission replaced, and the DVD player replaced.

I also used the warranty on our barstools. Once of the kids tipped one over and the back broke off it when it hit the floor.

[8 Bit WWBG]

I utilized two different laptop warranties: one for a broken fan, the other for a new battery and some other service.

The tempur-pedic has a 20 year warranty. I'll report back in 2030 and let you know how many times we used that one.

DF's ring has some pretty good support via the store that sold it to us (in business over 20 years at this point). I'm sure that will get used.

[Abby Normal]

Jan 19, 2011 14:06:16 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I used the warranty on our recliner when DD projectile vomited all over it. The warranty came with cleaning service and newborn vomit happened to be covered.

I wished we had that when my water broke. That chair just wasn't the same after that.

[swamp]

Jan 19, 2011 14:21:37 GMT -5 8 Bit WWBG said:

I utilized two different laptop warranties: one for a broken fan, the other for a new battery and some other service.

The tempur-pedic has a 20 year warranty. I'll report back in 2030 and let you know how many times we used that one.

DF's ring has some pretty good support via the store that sold it to us (in business over 20 years at this point). I'm sure that will get used.

Oh, I forgot about those. I've used the warranty on my laptop, the motherboard needed to be replaced. I also used the warranty on my engagement ring. I wore it while playing softball. I was at short and caught a screaming line drive too low in the pocket and broke the band on the ring. DF/now DH was not amused.

[runewell]

Just remember: they aren't selling you these warranties to be nice, they are selling them because they make $$$.

$2,500 for a car warranty?!? How about spending $2,500 on something more reliable and avoid the garage as much as possible. Getting use out of a warranty is something you'd like to avoid right?

[upstatemom]

Our extended warranty on our truck expired this past summer. We knew we would be working the truck hard and that we were keeping it for many years. We used the warranty many times and after do the math we did get a little bit more in benefits than we paid for the warranty. This is the first time that happened for us on any warranty.
We did make the decisions that the truck was the last extended warranty we would buy since we did not make out on others we had purchased ( video camera, front load washer, car)

I have growing boys and in the past year, when we buy new sneakers or cleats at Dicks sporting goods, they try to sell a warranty on the shoes. I tell them if they fall apart before the boys outgrow it , they will be exchanging them no cost. I have had to do that a few times with national brands , they fall apart within weeks of purchasing them. What's with that???

The reason so many stores and for all the extended warrantees is that they know they sell products that are not well made.

[Sum Dum Gai]

The reason so many stores and for all the extended warrantees is that they know they sell products that are not well made.

Logically that doesn't make any sense. A company selling extended warranties on crappy products wouldn't make any money off of the warranties. The better and more reliable the product is, the more profit there is in selling warranties for it. That's why you can get a cheap 20 year warranty on a top of the line mattress, but you'll pay more for a 5 year warranty on a cheap crappy mattress.

[upstatemom]

Jan 19, 2011 14:41:34 GMT -5 Sum Dum Gai said:

The reason so many stores and for all the extended warrantees is that they know they sell products that are not well made.

Logically that doesn't make any sense. A company selling extended warranties on crappy products wouldn't make any money off of the warranties. The better and more reliable the product is, the more profit there is in selling warranties for it. That's why you can get a cheap 20 year warranty on a top of the line mattress, but you'll pay more for a 5 year warranty on a cheap crappy mattress.

How about the Nike and Under Armor sneakers that fall apart within a few weeks, what about the high end front loader washer that a friend bought and had to replace with in 3 years b/c it cost more than a new one. My parents had a second freezer that lasted 35 years, I just replaced on that quit after 9 years. Again it would have cost more to fix than it cost me to get a new one. ( I do have a trusted repair man look at it). Those are the inferior products I am talking about.

[doxieluvr]

Jan 19, 2011 14:28:35 GMT -5 runewell said:

Just remember: they aren't selling you these warranties to be nice, they are selling them because they make $$$.

$2,500 for a car warranty?!? How about spending $2,500 on something more reliable and avoid the garage as much as possible. Getting use out of a warranty is something you'd like to avoid right?

So far we have used the warranty twice in less than a year. The way I see it we are about $1000 into having the warranty pay for itself. I would like to keep this cover for 20 years plus, so we should get well over our moneys worth. One transmission and we are ahead.

[Sum Dum Gai]

Ok, so let's expand your example. Let's say every single pair of Nike or Under Armor sneakers fell apart after 2-3 weeks. Now I, as a business minded person, decided to make some money by selling warranties on Nike and Under Armor sneakers. I charge you $2 for a one year warranty on your $50 sneakers. Every single pair falls apart after a few weeks, and I have to replace $50 sneakers for every one of my customers even though I only made $2 from them. I'd go out of business in weeks right?

Same deal applies to the companies selling these warranties. If the warranty was actually worth it, there'd be no profit in it, and nobody would sell the warranties. Sure, you might get the occasional defective product where a warranty would have been worth it, but you know it's a fluke. If it happened to everyone the company would lose too much selling the warranty in the first place.

[olderburgher]

We have used the warranty on two cars, the external hard drive, a refrigerator, a bookshelf stereo and a lawn mower. I won't buy extended warranties but will certainly use those that come free.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Lemme see.....
I had the motherboard replaced on my first desktop computer under warranty. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the LCD screen replaced under warranty because my cat stepped on it and broke it (yeah, he does weigh that much).

I did use the double the manufacturer's warranty from AmEx on a digital camera when it died one year and one week after I bought it. AmEx refunded my money for it.

I had the carpet replaced in my Forester under warranty, it got a hole in it. That's the only warranty work that I had done on my current vehicle. My last vehicle, I managed to get it repainted under warranty because the clearcoat started to flake off.

None of these were warranties that I paid separately for, they were included with the products that I bought.

[sesfw]

Had a Vista computer for 11 months when it started blue screening. Had to send it back twice before it was fixed correctly. I didn't trust it any more so donated it and now have Windows 7.

[kdamron]

My Envoy's transmission went out approx 2K miles after the warranty expired. Since I had the extended warranty and did all maintenance at the dealership GMC comped a new transmission.

[Deleted]

We tend not to buy warranties on appliances because DH is a handy repairman. We've used the warranty to fix my VW many times. It's paid for itself something like three times over in a grand total of 3 years, lol! Those VW's, I tell you.

[runewell]

Jan 19, 2011 14:36:08 GMT -5 upstatemom said:

The reason so many stores and for all the extended warrantees is that they know they sell products that are not well made.

No, the reason so many stores sell warranties is because they make commissions off the sales.

[readsalot]

We used on on a computer, and of course it only covered a very little bit because certain things weren't covered. Never again.

[Deleted]

Big(ger) things, computer, car... I use my computer ones ALL the time... lol... I actually bought one on daughters Fuze... it broke, i couldn't find the warrenty papers, i eventually threw it out, and THEN found the papers... grrrrr....

[cronewitch]

My brother says when they try to sell a warranty he asks them if the product isn't any good. When they assure him it is a good product he asks why he needs a warranty.

[8 Bit WWBG]

...:::"How about the Nike and Under Armor sneakers that fall apart within a few weeks, what about the high end front loader washer that a friend bought and had to replace with in 3 years b/c it cost more than a new one. ":::...

There is a big difference between "expensive" products (ie: hyped up brand names) and "quality" products. Clothing is a prime example of this. A shirt isn't necessarily worth a 200% premium because it says "prada" on it.

...:::"My brother says when they try to sell a warranty he asks them if the product isn't any good. When they assure him it is a good product he asks why he needs a warranty.":::...

Hahahahah this one must be fun to watch reactions. I'll do this next time.

[Deleted]

I have a warranty on my computer because I manage to crash computers often, and yes I use it. My fiance on the other hand, normally has computers last so he does not get a warranty. He does have a warranty on his cell because he normally breaks them within the two year period whereas I do not and therefore do not have a warranty on my cell.

[TheOtherMe]

Warranty used on PC for a repair on-site. Well worth the money, as he also confirmed the hard drive had died on my laptop.

Also got a new scanner when one died in about two weeks after purchase.

[tundrated]

I used the warranty on my computer. I purchased the 3 year Apple-Care and my hard-drive went out at 2.5 years. Dropped it off at the Apple Store and picked it up the next day with a new hard-drive.

[Deleted]

I've used warranties dozens of times.

• Several of my kids' stereo systems with cd players when they first came out.
  
• Two computers and a laptop. My favorite of these was the laptop screen cracked. Dell said I must have abused it. I said, "Nope. There must be another reason it cracks." They fixed it.
  
• Dishwasher. We had had horrible luck. They came six or seven times and finally replaced it.
  
• Home warranty that came with the house (furnace) plus I guess you could count the dishwasher although that was under the seller's home warranty
  
• Watch batteries. Macy's not only warranteed the watch with its extended warranty but replaced the batteries for life.
  

I don't buy them much, but they are useful for things that are prone to breaking.