Mercedes extended Warranty?

Does anybody know that at the point of buying a new Unity that we have the option of purchasing an extended warranty on the Mercedes part of the rv?

Thanks, Bob

You have the option to purchase an OEM extended warranty from any Mercedes dealer up until the point when the three-year basic warranty expires. There is little reason to purchase it before then.

avanti said:

You have the option to purchase an OEM extended warranty from any Mercedes dealer up until the point when the three-year basic warranty expires. There is little reason to purchase it before then.

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Thank you! I'll have that chat with the dealer when I get my first oil change or front end alignment! ;-)

woodywesty said:

Thank you! I'll have that chat with the dealer when I get my first oil change or front end alignment! ;-)

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The price for warranty is going up every year. Unless you have a good investment for 2000 dollars or so, you might rethink waiting until the end of your warranty period. I pd. About 500 more waiting two years. Difficult to find a interest rate that would match the increase in premium. Also, shop around, the price differs thru different dealers.

Pete

Very seldom in the world of risk is extended warranty worth the money. As a auto shop owner for over 42 years, that is my opinion. It is also the opinion of Consumer Report.
It has more to do with your risk tolerance. Not for me, I don't recommend it but sometimes it pays off.

Eugene Rider said:

Very seldom in the world of risk is extended warranty worth the money. As a auto shop owner for over 42 years, that is my opinion. It is also the opinion of Consumer Report.
It has more to do with your risk tolerance. Not for me, I don't recommend it but sometimes it pays off.

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In the general case, I couldn't agree more. However, OEM extended warranties are kind of a special case. Unlike 3rd party warranties, they are not a zero-sum game. Mercedes can fix your van for much less money than anybody else, and they have a vested interest in keeping you coming into their shop and staying in the family. These reasons make OEM warranties worth considering, although still not a no-brainer.

avanti said:

In the general case, I couldn't agree more. However, OEM extended warranties are kind of a special case. Unlike 3rd party warranties, they are not a zero-sum game. Mercedes can fix your van for much less money than anybody else, and they have a vested interest in keeping you coming into their shop and staying in the family. These reasons make OEM warranties worth considering, although still not a no-brainer.

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Well, I will disagree that Mercedes can fix your van cheaper, just is not so. It's a way to keep them coming back to their shop, kind of like a monopoly. If someone has a low risk tolerance, there are many after market warranty companies that do a great job.
I was an elite member of the Bosch Service council for a few years, funny how we had to tell Bosch of Germany about anti-monopolistic laws in the US because in Germany, they don't have those rules.

Eugene Rider said:

Well, I will disagree that Mercedes can fix your van cheaper, just is not so.

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Just to be clear: I am not saying that it will be cheaper for YOU, merely that it is cheaper for THEM (which is what matters).

This statement is true for (at least) two reasons: (1) They get their parts at cost, whereas everybody else pays retail or at least a "trade" price; and (2) They have "most favored" relationships with their dealers, and thus pay them less per unit of labor than anybody else.

If you believe that US monopoly laws forbids either of these practices, please elaborate.

avanti said:

Just to be clear: I am not saying that it will be cheaper for YOU, merely that it is cheaper for THEM (which is what matters).

This statement is true for (at least) two reasons: (1) They get their parts at cost, whereas everybody else pays retail or at least a "trade" price; and (2) They have "most favored" relationships with their dealers, and thus pay them less per unit of labor than anybody else.

If you believe that US monopoly laws forbids either of these practices, please elaborate.

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No, in America, German companies are careful.

My experience with Mercedes Warranties has been terrible. Mercedes would not honor their warranty on a failed turbo-charger on the LTV van, and they would not honor the warranty on the Lithium Ion battery in the Smart Car for Two. I will never buy another Mercedes product again.

If you are denied a legitimate warranty claim from ANY manufacturer, go immediately to a spec lawyer. The US laws governing consumer warranties are very lawyer-friendly. This is by design, since it is the only real way to make it practical for consumers to pursue their rights. Most denied warranty claims represent cynical saber-rattling, intended to scare you away. This sucks, but given the potential for warranty abuse by consumers, it is kind of understandable. Getting a lawyer in the loop often brings them around pretty quickly, since the OEM knows that if they lose a case, your lawyer fees are on them. And, if you don't have a case, the lawyer will tell you that PDQ and for free.