are extended warranty and service plans on new bikes worth it?

[sbrguy]

have a couple of questions are extended warranties on new motorcycles worth it in the long run? 2-5 years on top of original manuf warranty?

obviously for the new ducati with the tank problems it is definitely worth it.

but what about service plans, what is everyones take on that?

thanks.

[Popeye the Sailor]

If the manufacturer/dealer were losing money on them, do you think they would sell them?

[ducpainter]

If the manufacturer/dealer were losing money on them, do you think they would sell them?

'zactly.

Insurance companies always end up richer.

Do you want to help with that process?

[sbrguy]

yeah i know insurance always wins out over time. but wondering if anyone has ever used those service plans so that they actually get more than what they paid for.

for example if you had the ducati tank issue then you should get free tanks wihtout question, sure they are doing that anyway but there was always the possiblity that they wouldn't be doing it.

sort of like gambling in vegas, you may come out ahead on 1 occassion, but if you ever go again the house always wins in the end.  that is unless you just take all the money you won and never go back.

[duccarlos]

Get the tank coated and that money you would have paid for the warranty, set it aside in a separate account. You'll end up with like 3 times the amount of money you would need to pay for the repairs.

[ducpainter]

yeah i know insurance always wins out over time. but wondering if anyone has ever used those service plans so that they actually get more than what they paid for.

for example if you had the ducati tank issue then you should get free tanks wihtout question, sure they are doing that anyway but there was always the possiblity that they wouldn't be doing it.

sort of like gambling in vegas, you may come out ahead on 1 occassion, but if you ever go again the house always wins in the end.  that is unless you just take all the money you won and never go back.

It's exactly like gambling...

except the rules are set up so the company makes money...just like Vegas.

Do you really think that with a class action being initiated against Ducati for gas tanks that an insurance company will actually pay a claim??

Really?

[Popeye the Sailor]

They'd probably have a clause against it, or call it cosmetic as it's not leaking.


They have tons of ways of make the beast with two backsing you.



If you really don't want your money, just send it to me, and I'll fix your bike if it breaks*.
















*Except for cosmetic issues, routine maintenance, wear items, and manufacturer defects. Requires buyer to pay for parts, labor, and part of business overhead. Bike must be delivered between 4:12 and 4:14 AM on a Tuesday that also happens to be February 29th. Payment is due in full prior to work ever happening. Not transferable. Not refundable. Lube not provided. Track days void warranty. Customer caused issues (like adding gas to a tank) not covered.

[rideserotta]

I was in the auto industry for several years. Extended warranties rarely make economic sense to the buyer. Major problems will typically happen within the standard manufacturer warranty (if at all). The price of the warranties are outrageous and you would need a MAJOR problem (or 3) outside the standard warranty period to come even close to breaking even. The extended warranties also usually come with a deductible, $50-$100 per incident. On the auto side, if you take the money you would pay for a warranty and put it in the bank and pay for items as they break (not maintenance, that's not covered) you would be money ahead over a 4 year period. I think the moto side is similar.

And as they others have said, warranties are BIG profit centers for the dealership. Employees are usually heavily incentivized to sell them.

[sbrguy]

Ok it is starting to make sense now.  thanks for the input on this guys.  good to hear about it from the other side.

i like the clause the person put up about it only being fixed on feb 29th between the hours of 4:12 and 4:14 only.

[Popeye the Sailor]

Ok it is starting to make sense now.  thanks for the input on this guys.  good to hear about it from the other side.

i like the clause the person put up about it only being fixed on feb 29th between the hours of 4:12 and 4:14 only.

Read the actual clauses and you'll find I probably wasn't far off on how they screw you.

[Drunken Monkey]

I got an extended warranty on a first-gen, tube-type HDTV way back when (I just knew it'd have problems) and the end result was a got a free plasma TV (back when they were really expensive) and I 'made' about $8K on the deal.

I got an extended warranty on the used minivan we bought a while back as I knew it was prone to electrical issues with the doors. Well, sure enough the doors stopped working and were fixed for free. I broke even on this deal.

These are the only two extended warranties I've purchased in the last decade.

So you can come out ahead if (and it's a big if) you know what you're buying will be prone to certain types of expensive problems.

[J5]

it all depneds on so many factors

how much you actually do ride , if you ride 2K a year then an ext warranty prob isnt going to be much good to you

read all the fine print , there are plenty that only cover a certain value which is often up the value that you paid for the policy

google the company for other experiences

some are good but most are not so good

from what i have heard down here BMW own extended warranty on their cars is brilliant , my guess is the cars are generally reliable but mainly because they dont want a bad name put to their vehicles, its all about peace of mind over the ownership and repeat business when time for replacement of the vehicle

[Popeye the Sailor]

from what i have heard down here BMW own extended warranty on their cars is brilliant , my guess is the cars are generally reliable but mainly because they dont want a bad name put to their vehicles, its all about peace of mind over the ownership and repeat business when time for replacement of the vehicle

My wife had one on her 328i when I met her-that was actually nice. They covered everything except tires. Brakes, wipers, wear items, interior-*everything* no questions asked. That's how it should be.

[J5]

My wife had one on her 328i when I met her-that was actually nice. They covered everything except tires. Brakes, wipers, wear items, interior-*everything* no questions asked. That's how it should be.

thats prety much what i heard

and lets face it

they make the parts themselves so low cost

labour , well they screw you over when they service it anyway so they are already in front

[Popeye the Sailor]

thats prety much what i heard

and lets face it

they make the parts themselves so low cost

labour , well they screw you over when they service it anyway so they are already in front

I'm not sure what the hell you just said. You don't pay zilch for the first four years. Nada-for anything, and it transfers. Better'n most.

Only worth it because this car sucked ass.