Should I buy an appliance extended warranty?

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I HATE extended warranties. Hate them. Don't buy them. I will work on stuff myself, I dont care. Extended warranties are high profit items.

But....After my 2 year old MAYTAG dish washer debacle. I have considered buying and extended warranty on the next unit we buy.

Lowes has a 5 year extended warranty on a Bosch unit we are considering for 140 bucks. Its a fools bet in the warranty companies favor, but on this JUNK Maytag I bought the extended warranty would have made sense since its a junk garbage unit IF it did not have an unfix-able design defect.

Now even if I fixed it or a service company fixed it, it would still have an unfix-able design defect so unless I want it spewing steam between my dishwasher and the cabinet, We would have to replace it anyway, so would the extended warranty really have helped? No. Its just a junk design.

So do I or dont I?

Extended warranties tick me off. Id rather pay that much more for the unit if it used better parts and wasn't a junk design.

Am I being stupid by not buying an extended warranty? The manufacturers warranty is 1 year...
 
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Originally Posted By: PimTac
I’ve never bought an extended warranty. Period.


Me agree.
 
Originally Posted By: Gebo
Originally Posted By: PimTac
I’ve never bought an extended warranty. Period.


Me agree.


Me three agree
 
"Extended warranties", really service contracts that may be difficult to collect on are no more nor less than cash grabs by retailers. That's why they're always pushed at checkout time.
If you want to avoid buying junk appliances, CR is your friend as is a quick googling of whatever you propose to buy.
 
You can get a lemon even if most of a particular model are good. You just never know.

For me, it depends on how much the extended warranty costs, the duration, and the type of item. We bought a dishwasher and fridge from Best Buy this past summer/fall, and got the warranties on both because the cost was reasonable and these type of appliances can be expensive to fix. Best Buy is also actually pretty good to deal with if you have their extended warranty - much better than most manufacturers under their normal warranty. We will get a new range and microwave this coming summer, and probably not get the warranties because there isn't as much to break.

We have a LG washing machine we bought a year and a half ago at Costco. If you buy electronics or appliances there, they double the manufacturers warranty. If you buy with your Costco Visa card, that doubles. So on our washing machine and dryer we have a 2 year manufacturers warranty and two more years through Square Trade (for free). Well, we need service on our washing machine and I've been dealing with LG for two weeks, and many hours on the phone. They are incredibly incompetent. So there is value in protecting yourself in terms of actually getting the problem fixed if you have one.
 
Originally Posted By: 5AcresAndAFool
I HATE extended warranties. Hate them. Don't buy them. I will work on stuff myself, I dont care. Extended warranties are high profit items.

But....After my 2 year old MAYTAG dish washer debacle. I have considered buying and extended warranty on the next unit we buy.

Lowes has a 5 year extended warranty on a Bosch unit we are considering for 140 bucks. Its a fools bet in the warranty companies favor, but on this JUNK Maytag I bought the extended warranty would have made sense since its a junk garbage unit IF it did not have an unfix-able design defect.

Now even if I fixed it or a service company fixed it, it would still have an unfix-able design defect so unless I want it spewing steam between my dishwasher and the cabinet, We would have to replace it anyway, so would the extended warranty really have helped? No. Its just a junk design.

So do I or dont I?

Extended warranties tick me off. Id rather pay that much more for the unit if it used better parts and wasn't a junk design.

Am I being stupid by not buying an extended warranty? The manufacturers warranty is 1 year...


How well did Consumer Reports rate your failing dishwasher?
 
Depends on how well you can self-insure. If you use it a lot, like daily, buy the plan. Modern appliances have an expected life of about 5yrs.

If you use it once and awhile and have some money in the bank don't.
 
Your Maytag is a sunk cost. That money is gone. Buying a warranty on a new unit that is quality can't help you recoup that.
 
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Originally Posted By: Gebo
Originally Posted By: PimTac
I’ve never bought an extended warranty. Period.


Me agree.


Me three agree


Me four agree.

What if the repairman for the warranty never shows up or answers the phone? If the machine keeps breaking would you still want it? I'd rather have the cash in hand.
 
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Most major credit cards will extend the warrantee to 2 years. Visa signature is one for sure but in think mastercard does too. You need to check.
 
I bought the extended warranty when I bought all new appliances for my house. It paid for itself on a washing machine repair. The company that handled the repair was great. They showed up a few days after we called and fixed it for free without any drama.

$140 seems like a lot for a dishwasher. What's the cost of the unit? Dishwashers are pretty easy to replace and they're not real heavy so you could order online and have it delivered and install yourself.
 
Not on appliances, I don't think I've ever had one break. I bought it for some trees, a pressure washer and a robot vacuum. I figure if something is going to break, it'll be one of those two and the trees I can't fix!
 
Take the money you would spend on extended warranties and put it in the bank. Then you'll have the money to repair or replace.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Not on appliances, I don't think I've ever had one break. I bought it for some trees, a pressure washer and a robot vacuum. I figure if something is going to break, it'll be one of those two and the trees I can't fix!


Trees?
 
Originally Posted By: Leo99
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Not on appliances, I don't think I've ever had one break. I bought it for some trees, a pressure washer and a robot vacuum. I figure if something is going to break, it'll be one of those two and the trees I can't fix!


Trees?


Yes, the green leafy things. They're not common around here.
 
Originally Posted By: Leo99
I bought the extended warranty when I bought all new appliances for my house. It paid for itself on a washing machine repair. The company that handled the repair was great. They showed up a few days after we called and fixed it for free without any drama.

$140 seems like a lot for a dishwasher. What's the cost of the unit? Dishwashers are pretty easy to replace and they're not real heavy so you could order online and have it delivered and install yourself.


The one we are looking at is 850.00, now the series below that is 150 less but we want the more expensive one because it has nicer racks which may help fit more in therefore doing less loads overall.

The extended warranty offered on the maytag when we bought it was crazy, it was over 200 bucks on a 550.00 unit. No thanks, Ill either fix it myself or junk it if it breaks that bad.

Again I would fix the maytag IF it didn't release steam into the enclosed cabinet space. Design defect, it has done it since day one, as do all units with that design.

It actually needs to be a recall because there are probably a million Maytag/Kitchenaid/Whirlpool units with the identical design doing the same thing. The problem is you dont see it and you would t know it was an issue. If I didn't pull the unit to remove the grinder blade I would have never known it.

Right now the Maytag 4949 is back in action, sans grinder blade and it is working like new. I fixed the washer arm piping on the top rack that broke with some stainless screws and replaced the bushing on the was arm with something I scrounged up.

The old maytag isnt going anywhere, I will keep it in my garage to wash hubcaps or put it in the basement as a parts washer for my RC cars. It is working great again, but still putting moisture out in the cabinet space. I am going to post pics and do a full right up of the issue. Maytag is also going to hear about it. The moisture issue is a major defect, that is known but not many people have discovered it yet.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: Leo99
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Not on appliances, I don't think I've ever had one break. I bought it for some trees, a pressure washer and a robot vacuum. I figure if something is going to break, it'll be one of those two and the trees I can't fix!


Trees?


Yes, the green leafy things. They're not common around here.


A lady brought her dried up live Christmas tree back to Costco for a refund and got it. A week after Christmas.... True story.
 
I have done incredibly well in life simply stashing money every month($250) into my self warranty fund. I don't fret over a $1500 car repair, failed washer or replacing my boiler or a $500 car deductible. Withdraw money and move on.
 
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