Hey Guys,

I just got my 2011 mazda3 i touring.
I'm looking to purchase the MEPP (mazda extra protection plan)

Anybody know where's a cheap place to buy it from?

thanks!

 

In my opinion, extended warranties are a waste of money. Example: extended to a seven year, 100K warranty:

1. You're already covered by the factory 3y/36K warranty, and a 5yr/60K mile drive train warranty. So, the warranty company gets your money for free with no risk for that time.
2. At the end of five years or 60K when the extended company's warranty kicks in, be prepared for hassles every time you need it (personal experience).
3. After five years, think NEW Mazda 3 with all the new tech and great engine choices.

Virg

 

[quote=ikermall;118385]Hey Guys,

I just got my 2011 mazda3 i touring.
I'm looking to purchase the MEPP (mazda extra protection plan)

Anybody know where's a cheap place to buy it from?

thanks![/quote

Well, if ANYONE says they are a waste of money - well, they are misinformed. Are they for everyone? Absolutely not.

That being said, Factory warranties DO NOT cover failures due to wear and tear (READ YOUR OWNER'S MANUAL) - MOST GOOD warranties will cover failures due to wear. Also, if you want to mod your car - forget the warranty. A failure due to a modification EXCLUDES the claim from coverage. Plus, MANY warranty companies offer "NO USE - NO LOSE" provisions where if you have NO claims, you get a refund on the money you spent on the warranty. Keep in mind, the average shop bill is DOUBLE the shop's hourly rate (labor + parts + misc shop supplies) so 8-10 hours on the rack MOST LIKELY is a repair bill with a comma ($1,000++). If you have a visa, and your MINIMUM monthly payment is 2.5% of your balance, that $1000 shop bill is $25 a month for YEARS........and you still have ZERO warranty. A warranty is a hedge against repairs, as well as INCREASED labor rates and parts costs over the warranty period. Plus, many provide towing, roadside service, loaner cars, trip interruption (hotel rooms if you are on a road trip and your car goes BOOM) and more.

Thinking of selling your car at some point privately? the warranties are transferable to the next owner (which makes YOUR car MORE VALUABLE and most likely sell faster for MORE money).

The key is - GET THE RIGHT COVERAGE!!! I ALWAYS get the MAXIMUM coverage available.......

Of course, some people prefer to self insure. Instead of making the additional monthly investment in payment for the coverage, some prefer to pay out of pocket EACH time their vehicle gets repaired.

COMPLETELY an individual's personal preference, BUT for ANYONE to say that ALL WARRANTIES are BAD - well that is just a COMPLETE lack of accurate information. When someone tells you to NEVER buy a warranty, ask if THEY will commit (in writing) to pay ALL of your mechanical breakdown bills for 7 years and/or 100,000 miles......

I've managed dealerships for 22 years and seen BOTH ends of repair bill misery AND repair bill ecstacy............

So, if you would like more info.......let me know. I DO have the RIGHT knowledge so that you can make YOUR BEST informed decision.......

Good luck my friend......

 

I'll side with Virgil on this one; extended warranties are a total rip-off. Period, full stop, the end.

True, one may make out on any one car, however, over the course of any given individual's driving lifetime, buying extended warranties will never-ever pay off. NEVER!

FWIW, I got suckered into buying one back in 1988; it didn't even come close to paying off in the 70,000 miles it was good for, in fact, wouldn't have broken even after 100,000 miles. Since then my wife and I have purchased 8 new cars and rejected the manufacturer's extended warranties on every one of them making for a total gross savings of roughly $18,000. Against that gross number we've incurred some $5,800 in unscheduled repairs, so we're a bit over $12,000 ahead. Right? Wrong! Of the $5,800 in repairs, about $3,700 came at mileage points well beyond the 100,000 mile mark (which means that not one of the factory warranties would have covered those repairs anyway).

Long story short, in the last 23 years we've saved well over $15,000 by NOT buying the warranties, and I submit that each and every person that reads this post will make out similarly well over the course of several cars if they just say, "NO!"

 

Well, if anyone wants to guarantee payment for repairs for my speed3 for 6 years and/or 100,000 miles, I will pay you the $1000 my warranty cost - BUT:

1) YOU have to give me a loaner 24/7 anywhere in the US and Canada
2) Tow my car at your expense to the nearest Mazda dealer
3) Pay for food and lodging for me and my family if we are out of town and the car breaks
4) Pay at YOUR expense for parts and labor for genuine Mazda parts
5) Transfer these benefits to whomever I sell the car to during the warranty period.
6) REFUND my money if I never make a claim

Time to put YOUR money where YOUR mouth is........I can provide HUNDREDS of people that would HAPPILY let you cover their vehicle.

FYI - a crate motor for a Mazda 3 (non turbo) is $6,000.00++

Ask your auto insurance agent to refund your money at the end of the year if you have no claims - see what THEY say........THAT is the rip off - every year our cars depreciate, however our premiums don't decrease at the same rate our cars depreciate............

 

Speed3eatsv8s that is the smartest post i have read all day.


No i did not personally buy a warenty on my car because it had 85000 on it already and they wanted way to much to cover it for not very long but if im buying a new car then i deff would buy one here is why

I sell them no not for cars or anything like that. I work at sears and i sell lawn and garden equpiment (riding mower, push mowers weed eaters stuff like that) andi have personaly seem many many many people very unhappy when they don't but them for example. On a 1400 dollar riding mower the PA (protection agreement is what we call them) is 309.99 now campared to a car this is this is pretty high (from what I've seen i.e. my friends bought on on his 07 3 hatch for 1000 dollars less than a tenth of the cost of the car where our PA is almost a fith this may be different for a new car idk)

But for what they cover compared to the stock warrenty its well worth is cause it all in home service for free. With the stock warrenty there is a trip fee to come to your house of 187.99 and un like a car you can't bring service us (us as in yhe actul store) they have to go out or they wont service


So from what if seen just with this small stuff (which is alot cause we get alot of returns on certain products mostly the cheaps stuff but still ) i would get a extended plan anmaybe it'll pay off maybe it wont but i will have the peice of mind that if i don't have a grand or so laying around that i wont have to worry about me car it'll be taken car of

 

I'll say it again, extended warranties are a complete rip-off; if they weren't, companies wouldn't be in the business of selling them as there'd be no money in it. One may well make ont on any one car, but over one's driving lifetime you'll never-ever make out if you were to buy an extended warranty on every car.

Long story short, self insuring is the only way to make out in the long run. Period, full stop, the end.

 

shipo:

Seems your issue is PROFIT.

Do you buy ANYTHING?

Of course there is profit..........again, blanket "NEVER" statements on warranty purchases are FLAT irresponsible......

You have car insurance? Homeowners/Renters insurance? Medical insurance? Life insurance?

Obama is NOT going to pay for car repairs.............

Objectivity must NOT be a useful and/or familiar word for you......

Get a grip.........

 

Get a grip? You've got to be kidding!

To compare home owners insurance and car insurance to extended warranties is either naive, myopic, or just plain self-serving. Your house can be burned down or flattened by a tornado, a repair that the average home owner cannot cover, your car can be involved in an accident that can often require complete replacement if said car, another situation that many car owners cannot afford. In both examples the cost of the insurance is relatively trivial compared to the cost of the repair, extended warranties are expensive and in the huge majority of cases, will cost significantly more than what is being repaired.

Maintenance of a car, regardless of whether it is scheduled or otherwise is a fact of life and car owners will ALWAYS come out far-far ahead of they “self insure” as opposed to buying an extended warranty on the off chance one or more “covered” repairs will occur outside of the warranty period. To say otherwise suggests you have a vested interest in selling these rip-off insurance policies.

Once again, looked at from a long-term perspective; if one declines the optional extended warranty and instead puts the same dollar amount into a safe low-yield investment, and then draws against said investment when an unscheduled repair happens, they'll still be tens of thousands of dollars ahead at the end of their driving life-time. What's not to like?

 

Ok here's my experience with the only extended warranty I ever bought for a car; a 1986 Buick LaSabre. And what a beautiful car that was...except for the following:

1. Warranty was for 5 years with no milage limit.
2. Air conditioner hose assembly would blow off the compressor each spring, three instances. Factory and extended warranty covered.
3. Digital instrument panel failed after one year. Factory warranty covered it.
4. Electric seat back failed after one year. Factory covered.
5. White splotches all over the beautiful midnight metallic blue paint after two years. No coverage.
6. Mass air flow sensor would fail intermittently. Factory extended warranty up to 100k.
7. Transmission failed every 12000 miles. Buick covered one and the extended warrenty covered two more. Then the extended warranty company cancelled my coverage.

The dealer tried to talk Buick into replacing the transmission with a remanufactured 1988 transmission that did not suffer the same problems as the 1986 transmissions which had changed a steel sleeve bearing with a delron bearing that would not take the torque. The zone rep would not approve. I later found out that the 1986 Oldsmobiles suffered the same problems.

Even though I had great service from two previous Buick's (a 1972 GS and a 1980 Century) this was the last GM product I ever bought. I switched to Ford products which have given me great service.

Virg