Solara certified vechicle - anyone know how it works?

[ericatdallas]

Okay, I bought the extra coverage and now I wish i hadn't. It doesn't look like it covers crap and it makes you wait until the part fails.

I almost always fix a part before it fails. It's just a better idea.


Anyway, the dealer provided me a maintenance sheet and has an area for the signature of the service manager. However, I dont' see anywhere in the policy that requires me to go to a Certified service department to do my repairs. Is this just their way of making me think I should go to them or do I really have to?

[NaptownSolara]

From what I understand, your car can be repaired at any Toyota dealership, whether it is a certified dealership or not. I do believe you must go to a dealer though, so they can "verify the part is defective" (rip you off by saying the part failed due to owner neglegence).

Okay, I bought the extra coverage and now I wish i hadn't. It doesn't look like it covers crap and it makes you wait until the part fails.

I almost always fix a part before it fails. It's just a better idea.


Anyway, the dealer provided me a maintenance sheet and has an area for the signature of the service manager. However, I dont' see anywhere in the policy that requires me to go to a Certified service department to do my repairs. Is this just their way of making me think I should go to them or do I really have to?

[ericatdallas]

No, what I meant was what about the regular maintenance stuff? i.e. oil change, tune-ups, etc. Do I have to get those done at a certified dealer, any mechanic, or can I do them myself? I probably should have asked the dealer I know... I wish I hadn't gotten it actually.

Well let me also add to that.. for those of you under warranty or with extended warranties, are there any conditions to that like those mentioned above?

[Guest]

I would HIGHLY recommend on extended warranties: Look at my scenarios (real life exp's)

1. It costed us close to 900 dollars for our lexi's extended warranty. When the check engine light came on, we took it in for service...and we paid our 50 deductible, and the rest was covered by warranty...they said they found 6 o2 sensors bad...and the cost to replace them would have come to 1500! (I didn't know 3s300 has SIX o2 sensors)...hence the extended warranty saved us
2. There was some sort of oil burning smell in the lexi, and I took it to toyota for service (hehe..lexi service is expensive)...they found all the things bad with it...(list of things) and thats what i told the extended warranty people, we again paid close to 50 for deductible, but they paid for the rest, cost to them close to $2000!
3. Check engine light on my camry: costed me my deductible of $35, and they fixed it up!
4. My solara when i bought it...i took the max extended warranty...its costed me close to $1300, and it covers everything, power windows, to and calipers (yes...maintenance of general stuff), but not brake pads! (does not include resurfacing). all that for some 90K miles! thats not bad....

I would suggest it, you pay up front more to continue enjoying your car for a long time...however on the flipside...if you expect to sell your car quickly, then its a bad thing! as you won't avail the service for which you prepaid...(not to metnion if you sell it...its transferable...so you sell it with warranty...)

[Jai_Jai_Binks]

oops, forgot to log on...the top dude was ME!

[ericatdallas]

But would all of that have been covered in the regular powertrain warranty for you? Did you go beyond your extended warranty? The F&I guy even told me that the most repairs happen in the 50-80k range.

My certified warranty covered the powertrain upto 10yr/100k miles. So if the o2 sensors went out, that would all be covered.

It's the "extra" warranty I purchased I guess I have the most problem with. Oh well, I guess it's done, I'll know better next time.

I'm taking an Introduction to Automotive Technology course at a local college and the instructor said, "I'm not going to tell you whether or not to buy it, because I don't want you to get mad at me. But I wouldn't."

After reading the details of the warranty I see why. There are a LOT of "Will not replace if..." clauses.

So if my waterpump is dying they will NOT replace it until it dies. So you're left with taking a 300 repair job on the spot or paying $100 (deductible plus towing) +inconvenience later on.

Oh well...

[SteveB]

I originally purchased the extended warranty on a 2002 Solara with 9K on it. Recently I received the actual paper work and under the heading EXAMPLES OF COMPONENTS NOT COVERED INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO the agreement states that “Engine Components, Transmission Components, Axel Assembly Components” are not covered.

This is extremely limited, moreover, check what IS covered. It's not in the fine print - under the heading COMPONENTS COVERED BY THIS AGREEMENT, there is absolutely no mention of any engine or powertrain parts/assemblies. This, and the fact that the agreement explicitly states “COVERAGE APPLIES ONLY TO THE ABOVE LISTING OF COMPONENTS FOR THE VEHICLE SPECIFIED” left me wondering what, if anything, IS covered?

The cost was almost another $1900 and was added to the loan. The salesman told me it covered everythign that wasn't glass, plastic, or rubber but they wouldn't put THAT in writing - I canceled the contract and expect the refund any day now. You have 30 days in which to cancel the agreement, if you haven't done so, may I suggest you do so immedaitely. They do charge a $25 fee...

I couldn't justify the price given it's a 2002 with almost 25,000 miles left on the origianl mfgr warranty, it's financed AND when you file a "claim" there is a $50 deductible.

I am sure there are people who have purchased better contracts than the one that was sold to me, but I can't see that sort of additional money being spend on a Toyota... I mean, that's a large part of the reason why I bought a Toyota in hte first place.

I'm relying on Toyota's reputation - I have almost $2,000 "back in my pocket" and even if I have some repairs done, are they going really going ot add up to $2K in the few years I own the vehicle? I'm betting they don't.

Also, there is enormous profit/commission paid on these things. Due in part to the fact that when a vehicle is sold as used, rarely does a dealership transfer the existing warrantee. They sell another one!

I'm a little biased,

SteveB

[ericatdallas]

Oh, Toyota has a separate powertrain warranty. You shuold be covered for 50k miles and I'm covered for 100k miles. I know, that's odd, that a new car gets worse coverage, but the dealer explained that to me that Toyota knows it's engine/transmission rarely fails.

But that's good info, I didn't know I could cancel it. It doesn't look like it covers much at all.