Outboard Warranty Choices

[Fishn Technishn]

I bought a new boat & motor this year. I have 2 choices for an extended warranty on the 75HP Merc, 1/ with Mercury Marine for up to 4 years= $1450 and 2/ with the Boat place I get my motor serviced at 4 years =$650. I read the fine print on each & they are essentially the same, decuctible,coverage etc. Anyone have any experiences with either kind? Is an extended warrany necessary/good idea?

 

Thank you for any help,

FT

[Roy]

Maybe it's just me but I never buy an extended waranty for anything.

[Bernie]

It is an insurance policy basically. Sometimes you need it, most of the time you don't. A gamble.

[aniceguy]

Im with Roy on this, usually if something is going to have a breakdown due to manufacturing its going to happen within a short period.

 

Bought a TV last yr broke down in 3 months ( manufacture's defect) repaired and its good as gold.

[pikehunter]

$1450.00 would probably be what a fairly major repair would cost anyhow. If you have that in cash to pay for the extended warranty why not just bank it or invest it somehow and wait and see. Or take the $$$$ and buy some really neat fishing gear! Not only that but is there a deductible charge? Secondly if you are borrowing the money for an extended warranty where is the value in that? Third doesn't a 4 stroke Merc have a pretty good manufacturers warranty to begin with?

 

Most consumer groups advise against extended warranties. Dealers make as much or more on warranty sales as they do on the product. Why do you think TV's and appliances are so cheap these days? Very little warranty so the store sells them cheap and then depends on the sale of ext. warranties to make their margins. Sears (used to at least) judge their sales staff by how many ext. war. they could sell, don't sell your quota of them and out the door you go!

 

It's up to you to decide and then live with it.

 

If you have no faith in your decision to buy that motor then go for it. Everytime I'm given that offer I ask the sales guy why would he offer me this? Don't you have faith in what you're selling? Or are you selling me crap?

[aniceguy]

good point PH.

 

Sometimes the consumer really gets the shaft and sold a bill of goods they dont need. Sorta like computer printers. 60 for the ink 50 for a new one with ink.

[Zib]

Maybe it's just me but I never buy an extended waranty for anything.

 

Me neither. I used to work for Best Buy selling computers & they (management) always pushed us to sell the extended warranties because they were a high mark up. The more we sold the better bonus that the managers got.

 

If you maintain the motor properly & don't drive it into sand/rock bars you shouldn't have any problems with it.

[pikehunter]

The more we sold the better bonus that the managers got.

 

Yeah, I like that, what about the poor schlep sales person on the floor trying to make a living and pushing the warranties, he doesn't get a dime of it added on to his/her 9 buck an hour pay.