Buying an early build in the fall, but some issues with these cars are worrying me...

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

As someone who has now used my extended warranty twice on a vehicle that has been maintained to the letter of the maintenance schedule and has mostly highway miles with no track days or beatings at all, I'd have to disagree.

I think I paid $1000 for the warranty when I bought the car. The oil pump gear exploded at 65K miles, resulting in a $6800 engine replacement that I didn't have to pay for. The warranty more than paid for itself then.

Now at 97K miles the timing cover was leaking about half a quart of oil onto the exhaust manifold between oil changes, stinking when I drove it and getting worse as time went on. I'm going to pick it up today, so I'm not sure what the cost for that would have been.

Granted, I figure this is atypical for this car, as most seem to be pretty reliable. However, a warranty is insurance. I would have been fine paying for it for the peace of mind even if I hadn't had to use it. Twice.



That's exactly the problem that has mine in the shop right now at about 32K on the new motor.



Well first, these cars don't have a lot of issues. Or put a different way, ALL cars have issues, and these cars don't have a disproportionate share of them. It only seems like they have a lot of issues because you're reading an enthusiast site where people talk about their cars. Nobody runs to the internet to talk about the day that their car didn't break. You'll see similar trouble discussion on a Camry board if you can stay awake long enough to read it.

Second, this is not really a Toyota. It's not really a Subaru. It's something in between. So you really can't use one brand or the other as a benchmark for your expectations for this vehicle.



That sounds about right if you have the dealership do it. First you have the markup on the parts, then you have the labor. You can't really compare that to "what if I buy the part online somewhere and install it myself." Because if you take it to the dealership, you're not buying the part online and installing it yourself.

Yep these cars can not be benchmarked against either make so must be compared to each other. If the reports here are to be believed yours is one of the handful of post 13s to have significant issues. Just the luck of the draw I guess.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

If the reports here are to be believed yours is one of the handful of post 13s to have significant issues. Just the luck of the draw I guess.

That's the way I see it. I'm still an enthusiast. I'd still buy it again expecting no issues.

I'd also still buy the warranty, even though I wouldn't expect to have to use it.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

That's the way I see it. I'm still an enthusiast. I'd still buy it again expecting no issues.

I'd also still buy the warranty, even though I wouldn't expect to have to use it.

I will confess that we bought the extended warranty on the wife's car. Only because it is an early build of the first of the new model though. So far the several fiddly issues have all been covered under recalls and dealer notifications.

[dodj]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I have just gone over 120,000 miles and other than the TOB have not had a single thing go wrong much less something that would be covered by a warranty. Hell I didn't even need to change my wiper blades until almost 100K. If the car was well maintained and not beat to hell I just do not see any advantage to getting an extended warranty since they simply do not cover enough to have value. If it as obviously beat on then buy another.

I Agree.
They sell extended warranties, push them quite aggressively actually, because they make a TON of money off of them.


My 2013 has had zero issues so far. 78000 on the clock. Bringing it in for the valve spring issue..no charge to me. They even said they will change the plugs for me free of charge. Wasn't looking forward to that job. Hard to see the plugs let alone change them. lol

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by dodj

I Agree.
They sell extended warranties, push them quite aggressively actually, because they make a TON of money off of them.

This is what my wife does for a living (only for RVs not cars). Can testify the profits are VERY good. Like most cars the RVs only have a mark up of 2% to 5% which barely covers operating costs. So, for the dealer to actually show a profit they NEED these add on sales. It is where they actually make money.

[AD55]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

This is what my wife does for a living (only for RVs not cars). Can testify the profits are VERY good. Like most cars the RVs only have a mark up of 2% to 5% which barely covers operating costs. So, for the dealer to actually show a profit they NEED these add on sales. It is where they actually make money.

You are right on the mark. No matter what the product, extended warranties are cash cows for the seller. If they weren't they wouldn't offer them.

Simple fact is, extended warranties are backed by insurance companies, and they operate on the same principle as a casino, the odds are always in favor of the house.

Just like any gambling, you are betting you'll have tons of problems and recover the cost of the warranty and possibly more, and they are betting you will have no problems and walk away with all the marbles. Well actually, all the marbles and then some because they most assuredly invested the money you gave them up front in something that paid some kind of dividend. There's nothing inherently dishonest, it's just the way all insurance works. They couldn't stay in business if they had more winners than losers.

On the bright side there might be some benefit to buying an extended warranty besides just peace of mind. If you decide to sell the car before the warranty runs out, I believe many insurers will let you transfer the remainder of coverage to the new owner. This might enable you to sell the car a little easier and possibly for more money, depending of course on how much warranty is left and whether that buyer is willing to pay a little more for that extra "peace of mind".

[BFunk43]

My wife has had her 2013 BRZ Limited MT since summer of 2012 and just hit 40K miles on it. No major issues and have it scheduled to go in for the recall fix. The recall was very limited in scope and year. The only annoyance that she found is her clutch-safety-switch - she thinks the sensor might be on the way out or that there might be a slight gap either with the clutch travel and point of engagement with the sensor. She still has it under warranty, but if they don't diagnose it properly, she'll probably just fix it herself. She loathes push-button start cars now.

I have an 2013 FRS MT - got it a couple weeks before her and have about 46K miles. No problems other than people not knowing how to open up their car door properly without dinging the car next to them. My car is currently in the shop for the recall.

We both put catback exhausts on them and tints - i have bigger wheels/rims and dropped it - she pretty much kept it stock.