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I’m thinking about buying Maxicare extended warranty 8 yrs/ 85,000 miles for $1570 on my 2020 abarth MT
Anybody here buy any extended warranty?
Anybody here buy any extended warranty?
Anybody buy extended warranty?
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Yes. It only takes one major repair to break even or come out ahead. Qualified Fiat repair techs are a vanishing breed at the dealerships, so chances are that a repair will take extra billable hours as they try to figure it out. If your dealership is as far away as mine is, that coverage for a loaner-car may come in handy. If you are trying to rationalize the purchase, figure the cost as about a buck a day.
2018 Abarth 124 Spider, Mare Blue / Nero Abarth Leather, Brembo's, Record Monza, Automatic
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Yes, even as a tech for many years, I too bought an extended warranty, as the price of parts alone these days are incredibly outrageous. I haven't used it yet, and hope I never need to. I won't regret buying it. s
Buy from Zeiglers. Price above is the reason why...
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I think it’s different in the US than the UK/EU, simply because Fiat is such bigger presence here, parts are more readily available as are specialist mechanics. I’ve looked at it but decided on the balance of risk, not to bother.
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In the UK Abarth will not do extended warranties on the 124 (but you can get one for the Fiat). I called Abarth tried to get one for my car. Have to go with a 3rd party for extended warranty.
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That’s now $1320 on their site, more than my connection. I guess prices have gone up
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This is how my contact responses:
”Yes, Mopar warranties must use FCA repair facilities. Third party authorizations are possible after first going to an FCA repair facility.”
Quoted 8/85K $1315 vs $1570 at Ziegler
Okay, thanks.
Unfortunately, I am extremely limited of good FCA dealers in a 100-mile radius.
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What guarantee is there that a good FCA dealer will have technicians who know their way around Fiat Spiders?
2018 Abarth 124 Spider, Mare Blue / Nero Abarth Leather, Brembo's, Record Monza, Automatic
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None. And furthermore, even if the dealer is honestly committed to providing top shelf service, and the management is serious about having a top shelf reputation in the community, there is no guarantee that the individual they employ is ethical, honest, and committed to providing quality work. Techs come and go, and some are more concerned with how many flat rate hours they turn than how many cars they fix right the first time. Sorry to have to say that, but that's the way it is. (When a repair shop hires a tech, they may be able to determine he is very knowledgeable, but it's more difficult to determine his ethics/morals. Ex employers are reluctant to bad mouth ex employees due to liability concerns. And flat rate needs to go away.). s
So, these comments bring up an excellent question: what’s the point in paying for an extended warranty to have FCA dealers, with limited training and expertise in Fiats, service and repair a Mazda-engineered car built in Japan ...?
My CDJR-F dealer already admitted that they only have one tech trained on Fiats, and their store never even sold one Spider. Mine is one of only two Spiders they see come in for service.
My independent garage has a mechanic that races his own Miata. I think I much rather try my luck with him.
My CDJR-F dealer already admitted that they only have one tech trained on Fiats, and their store never even sold one Spider. Mine is one of only two Spiders they see come in for service.
My independent garage has a mechanic that races his own Miata. I think I much rather try my luck with him.
This. Having a warranty is about risk mitigation, right? At least for us in the USA, there's a greater risk to finding a competent, trained Fiat tech than me ever actually having to use the warranty.
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…
…and who is to say that the mechanic who does the work under this warranty is capable? Find a mechanic you trust, stash some money in a ‘rainy day’ account and save yourself the bother and expense.
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$1300 won‘t cover much parts and labor at an indi over the span of 4 yrs past manufacture warranty. Also I don‘t see FCA going out of business anytime soon…..
As a matter of fact FCA covered $4000 out of a $5000 cost for a repair on my Jeep SRT even tho it was 8 months past the conventional warranty and I had not purchased the extended warranty.
As a matter of fact FCA covered $4000 out of a $5000 cost for a repair on my Jeep SRT even tho it was 8 months past the conventional warranty and I had not purchased the extended warranty.
I also don’t see CDJR dealers supporting Fiat much longer, especially not in North America.
Once that Fiat-trained tech leaves, retires, gets injured, most dealers are not going to bother replacing him with another. Let alone train anyone else of their staff to work on Fiats. The bulk of their revenue and profits comes from servicing Jeeps, Rams and Dodges.
At that point, that warranty won’t be worth the paper it’s printed on.
Stellantis would be smart to work out some kind of arrangement with Mazda dealers to allow them to repair our cars.
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Time will tell…..
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