RV Extended Warranty

Have any of you purchased an extended warranty for your RV? I have had so many issues with my new 5th wheel. My 1 year manufacture warranty runs out in a month and I assure you, its been in the shop for 7 months of that. Its been ridiculous. Which plan did you go with? has it been worth it?

Much has been written here about these repair insurance plans. Like any insurance, it's wonderful if you have a covered loss and a waste if you don't. You indicate your RV is troublesome, but are the problems those that might be covered?  Generally speaking, problems with the trailer frame, body & roof, furnishings, upholstery and flooring are NOT covered, leaving a fairly narrow class of problems to be covered in a trailer.

As stated By Gary...It's what not covered by a extended warranty.

I'm not a fan of extended warranty's as a rule. But I'm fairly handy around plumbing and electrical.

That said...If my refrigerator was to quit working...It could cost up to $1500 to replace plus installation

So you will have to determine the cost of a warranty against your ability and willingness to tackle problems as they come up'

Also keep in mind "its been in the shop for 7 months " is a very common statement regarding RV shops. If I was going to consider a warranty I would try and find a local shop (with a good reputation) and feel them out for recommendations

We had several problems with our fifth wheel during the first year and even had some large ticket items replaced (like an air conditioner and the water tank). It was in for repair so much that they even extended our factory warranty a few months. So we decided to get an extended warranty where normally we probably wouldn?t unless we had a MH.

We shopped around quite a bit and decided on Wholesale Warranties. The price was pretty reasonable and it is an inclusive warranty. In other words, it covers everything unless it specifies it is not covered. It even covers seals and gaskets where many plans do not. We have had a couple claims and they were very good to work with. Haven?t got our money back yet (and actually hope we don?t have to) but at least we are covered against some big losses. HTH

Vicki

Vicki, what you described is actually called an exclusive plan.

Found a local service center who is chipping away at the issues, but they take so long to get authorization from the manufacturer. Most have been minor issues but some are concerning. Rear A/C was mounted in the wrong location causing a leak in the ceiling. To repair it correctly, it needs new roof panels. Hatches to basement area have warped , causing seals to collapse, causing leaks into basement. Tankless hot water heater repeatedly having electrical issues.
  I have only had the chance to take it out 6 or 7 times for extended weekends and have yet to have a trip where we did not have to add something to a punch list. Very frustrating!

Of the issues you cited, only the water heater may have been covered. The rest are body construction problems.  Even the heater isn't sure because electrical wiring is considered a body part.  In general, a component has to mechanically fail and be replaced to be covered under an extended warranty. There are gray areas, of course, and sometimes the way the shop describes the problem to the warranty company determine  whether it gets covered or not.

Note that having an extended warranty doesn't get your RV fixed any quicker. You still have to wait for the shop to get around to it, diagnose the problem, aget authorization to repair from the insurer, get the parts and do the actual repair.  The authorization is  just a phone call in many cases, but for major items an inspection by a claims adjuster may be required.


This article may help understand:https://www.escapees.com/rv-insurance-vs-rv-extended-warranty-do-you-need-both/

Aw yes, the extended warranty.  About "seals" being covered.  My coverage has that, however, the insurer has a strange definition of "seal".  To them all seals are "weather seals" which are not covered with our exclusionary policy.  As to being in the shop for 7 months, it means nothing.  If you did not buy from  that dealer, you go to bottom of the list and they get to you when they have time.  The warranty companies only pay so much for a covered item, which is similar to how the gov reimburses doctors for their time, way below market rate.  So shops have little profit incentive to put your problem to the top of their list of things to do.  We did purchase an extended plan, but we have very complex computer systems and a Cummins engine and Allison tranny to think about.  We paid $6k for a zero deductible unlimited mileage 3 year plan on our motorhome.  Little things add up.  Labor is expensive, more than parts usually.  We are over half way in getting our money back.  We will be taking this outfit to arbitration at some point just because of all the nonsense they come up with to not cover something.  And I will say, since using the word "arbitration" we have gotten better service from them.  One of our computer systems is currently being fixed at which point we will be just about even with the money we paid.  A major rebuild on a Cummins 500 is $30k to $40k, and it does happen.  The tranny?  No idea what that would cost for an Allison mh4000.  If you're handy, save the money and fix things yourself.  Maybe a cheaper policy for major component items?  If you buy a policy, be prepared for the fun and games with the insurer.  An example, had to have a switch replaced.  A covered item but the insurer would only pay for half, I had to pay  the other half.  Does that make sense?  Wasn't a lot of money, but it's one of the reasons we will be going to arbitration.  To me a covered part is a covered part.  Another example; a seal on a slide out.  I say it's a covered seal, the insurer said no, it's a weather seal.  That being the case, seals being covered is a joke.  Good luck and read what they don't cover very closely.

Another point to consider is, are you a DIY'er, if you are it may well not be worth it when faced between spending an afternoon fixing something yourself vs waiting a month for a shop to do it, but have it covered under your extended warranty.

We have one from United States Warranty and they have covered the following (so far):
rooftop air conditioner
water heater
hydraulic jack
pump on Vacu Flush toilet
electronic control board for slide
electronic control board in washer/dryer
As others have said, if you?re good at DIY, may or may not be worthwhile. Very much of the cost of the items listed above was labor. I used to be real handy with tools, but am now to old and out of shape.
As Gary noted, having covered work done will in no way get anything done faster. (DIY will help here, too)
I rarely even consider extended warranties but, for us, having this one has paid off.
There?s also been plenty of repairs that weren?t covered... This mistress we?re having an affair with; she?s very high maintenance. ?

As to being in the shop for 7 months, it means nothing.  If you did not buy from  that dealer, you go to bottom of the list and they get to you when they have time.  The warranty companies only pay so much for a covered item, which is similar to how the gov reimburses doctors for their time, way below market rate.  So shops have little profit incentive to put your problem to the top of their list of things to do. 

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That has not been our experience. We have been in shops all across the country and never had an unreasonable wait time. In fact several times we were bumped to the front of the line because of our traveling schedule (thank you Lazy Days in Fort Collins CO, Quents in Oshkosh, WI and RV World Nokomis, FL). The only times we had to wait was for a $2,600 repair that the warranty company sent an inspector out to approve the repair. That was two days. On another slide repair the wait was a week, because the facility was overloaded with work. They told us we would have to leave the rig so they could get on it when a bay became available. I explained we were full timers and he told us to take the rig and he would call us the day before a bay would be available. And it was a week.

Many RV shops will give priority to travelers, especially those with water leaks and other "emergency" type repairs.  In fact, that's one of the reasons that others often get delayed.    Don't expect any sympathy priority from a dealer shop if they learn you are local but bought elsewhere.

I've also found that the largest dealers are more even handed. Their service area is a big, year-around operation and completely independent of sales, managed to earn a profit on repairs.  Smaller dealers with only a few service bays and a seasonal business are more focused on RV sales and their own customer base than on service operation.

It's my opinion that the 2 best days in the life of an RV, are the day you buy it, and the day the warranty runs out.