Just hit 49,000 miles - extended warranty or roll dice?

[jlglr4]

I can’t believe you have a 2016 with only 15k miles. I put 20k in my first year of ownership, and I work 15 minutes from home. If you plan on the same low mileage driving, you probably have less need for the warranty.

I decided against a warranty. I try to do most work on my own, so that makes it an easier decision. But I also didn’t want to have to battle it out with a warranty company everytime I wanted something fixed, or to be waiting for something to break when I’m out in the mountains knowing that it should be replaced beforehand.

The other thing is that a warranty is not going to cover at least some problems we already know will happen. It’s not going to cover coolant pipes (crossover pipes) or consequential damage (engine overheating). It’s not going to cover the supercharger coupler unless it totally fails (which it won’t - just gets noisy). It might cover LCA bushings - but that’s not a huge expensive repair. It would probably cover the water and fuel pumps but, again, not worth a $3-4K warranty (especially in CA where the entire emissions system - which includes the fuel system - is covered for 7 years/70K miles). It’s not going to cover any of the stuff that starts to fail around 100K or so.

The peace of mind would be nice for some really big item like a transmission, but the cost of those warranties was just too much. And these cars don’t have too bad a history. The transmission might eventually need a service, but that’s not covered. Engine failure usually is associated with some form of neglect (low/wrong oil) - which wouldn’t be covered, or overheating (coolant crossover failure) - which also would not be covered.

If I were to buy a warranty, I’d look hard for an exclusionary policy. They only exclude the listed items and cover everything else. The premium inclusionary warranties seem to list everything you can think of, but it still generally covers far less than an exclusionary warranty with a short list of exclusions.

 

[BeemerNut]

Nicely done, BeemerNut.

Must add while Disco was in the dealership seven weeks waiting for replacement engine D1 hood became a storage space. On big cardboard box weighing 30 plus pounds dragged across the factory like new black gloss hood making two long scars in the finish.
Engine removal by forcing the hood vertically, now hood closes at the rear over 1/4" higher than the back of fenders, yup sprung hinges.
Motor mount heat shields missing not reinstalled (ended up fabricating better ones) as well the exhaust manifold bolt locking plates with tabs missing, they did back out all the time. New short block, I "borrowed" the heads and had work done on them, valve job plus porting while waiting for short block to arrive.
Three weeks and 1,300 miles after break in oil change we had a big anti freeze expolsion on the windshield. New engine with old heater hoses reinststalled on new engine, both showing cracking, one had burst on the highway. All "coolant hoses replaced" as well a "new water pump" when the old pump had 72 miles from new replaced. Asked for old pump, "it went out with scrap metal". Old 3.9 engine, crank, pistons and rods taken out piled on top of short block on a pallet oudoors. They said they would take care of disposing my 3.9 engine, nope I wanted it back for a dune buggy install.
Parked outside a week with the sunroof open in the rain, yup liner soaked and hanging down.
Within three miles entering the highway with new engine after sun roof tracks replaced and liner glued back up the rearview mirror fell off the windshield. Called dealership minutes later driving across the Richmond Bridge in late afternoon traffic. Dealership told me "it must of been a freak thing the mirror falling off". Nope it had DOUBLE BACK SCOTCH TAPE securing mirror to windshield.
Late one saturday when they still had service and repair open I was checking on the D1 at week five waiting for engine delivery. Saw a transmission jack parked up against the left rear quarter panel about centerline of the axle with a 9" long scratch down to bare aluminum. "Oh that scratch was there when you brought the D1 in for repair". Yeah right including the black paint like a lathe chip hanging off the corner of the tranny jack, photos taken on the spot proof of damage along with the hood damage.
Light tan roof liner now full of greasy dirty hand prints.

The best one was LR of San Francisco that maintained the D1 from 1-95 new purchase until end of 5 year lease by the doctor planning on keeping it after a full "turn in" end of 5/60K lease full service requirement. He planned on keeping it but had to sell, his wifey purchased a Lexius same day Disco left their house thinkingb it's gone gone. Brake and clutch fluid flush and refill service billed as well both diffs, tranny and transfer drain and refill charge. Brake caliper's and clutch ***** cylinder rubber caps still sealed in from factory by the underseal from factory new. Drain plugs never removed. They checked all fluid levels, never drained but charged the doctor. Photos and questions the first day of D1 ownership now 5 years and one week old.
Asked S.F. LR about their service done on the D1, they knew the vehicle as the doctor was a PITA with them with every squeak or non problem a mental thing PITA by the doctor complaining all the time. They basically told me to go F**K myself vehicle has been sold". Photos with remarks to LRNA I got some action results of fees for work not done. A card with name by LRNA if I had any future dealership problems to show it at the dealerships It did help with the 4.6 upgrade install.

After getting everything covered by extended warranty started on sunroof tracks plus engine replacement two weeks before it expired taking three weeks after expired to get the engine assembled and installed.

I was glad warranty had expired so I could yank the engine, tranny and rubber POS rear U joint, installed a RR with real U joint driveshaft as the 4.6 ripped the rubber joints apart. Rebuild tranny, installed Piper cam, Tornado chip plus other engine, intake and exhaust manifold rted modifications to my liking. Borla Cat back stainless exhaust w/MagnaFlow Cats free flowing exhaust matching the intake w/4.6 mass meter and ram cold air.
No worries passes Kalifornia **** smog tests, 90 seconds tweak the TPS then install factory intake snorkel passing the visual test plus sniff with ease.

Extended warranty are a good thing for those that want to keep their LR a long time past normal warranty and for those that can not turn a wrench and not able to machine plus modify engines, making improvement parts as a hobby.

Whatever comes to mind and desire making improving in driveability is number one plus the increased fun factor by increasing performance. Disco has been a 21 year fun challenge with great rewards for my efforts.

I go back to the 1960's with the 215 Buick/ Olds engine with family hot rod friends which became Rover's lump.

D1 makes me smile more now than the day I bought it with improvements with a 4.9 stroker crank the next big smile.....~~=o&o>.....

 

[manoftaste]

Just found out that the coverage mileage numbers I was given are actually in addition to the existing miles on my truck. So their offering of 60 months/60k miles would cover the vehicle for up to 75.6k miles (15.6k existing miles on the truck + 60k = 75.6k miles total).

I have updated the number of miles in my post above accordingly.

Also, the dealership says that I could pay monthly (with no interest at all) instead of one full payment which is great.

 

[ryanjl]

I had the Land Rover certified pre-owned warranty on mine. I forget who the underwriter was--it wasn't Land Rover. Maybe Assurion? Can't remember.

I figured I paid around $3,000 more for my LR4 when I bought it from my dealer than I could have bought a like-mileage and condition one from elsewhere, so that's about what the warranty cost me. It was about exactly 3 years long and 60k miles from the date I bought my LR4.

Up until around 2 years and 10 months, I would say the warranty wasn't worth it. Up until then, the biggest ticket items I had covered by the warranty were a new suspension air compressor and a new crossover pipe. Probably around $1,700 worth of work, and that's at dealer prices. I had to pay for the from LCAs myself, as the bushings are considered a wear item. Had those done at an indy.

But I took it in a month before the warranty expired, and that's when they replaced my timing chain and guides, water pump, radiator, and a few other odds and ends. All told, that would have been around $6,000 to $8,000 if I paid out of pocket for it.

So the warranty was worth it for me.

 

[Fuji4]

My buddy got geico coverage for his wife’s lr4. https://www.geico.com/auto-insurance/mechanical-breakdown-insurance/
He has been happy with that. Cheap and geico is a better company than some of those fly by night 3rd party insurers.
I got no insurance. I bought my 14 new. But I did everything preemptively that could cause a massive engine failure.
Probably $2k in preemptive stuff at my Indy here in Los Angeles.

 

[manoftaste]

My buddy got geico coverage for his wife’s lr4. https://www.geico.com/auto-insurance/mechanical-breakdown-insurance/
He has been happy with that. Cheap and geico is a better company than some of those fly by night 3rd party insurers.
I got no insurance. I bought my 14 new. But I did everything preemptively that could cause a massive engine failure.
Probably $2k in preemptive stuff at my Indy here in Los Angeles.

Called Geico, they only offer this warranty if the vehicle is less than two years old/15k miles. Also, surprised to find out that some makers do not offer bumper to bumper factory warranty with their new cars in the year 2020!. Is that really true?

 

[Fuji4]

Called Geico, they only offer this warranty if the vehicle is less than two years old/15k miles. Also, surprised to find out that some makers do not offer bumper to bumper factory warranty with their new cars in the year 2020!. Is that really true?

Yikes.
They bought their 16 new so that makes sense. But their premiums on that extended warranty thing were quite cheap. And they've now begun using it. Interesting product

 

[manoftaste]

I can’t believe you have a 2016 with only 15k miles. I put 20k in my first year of ownership, and I work 15 minutes from home. If you plan on the same low mileage driving, you probably have less need for the warranty.

Decided to Un-daily my LR4 post the gift of D5 from Land Rover, a product which redefines the acronym SUV to "Soccer mom Utility Van", while also changing the meaning of the LR slogan "Above & Beyond" to "Average & Bland".

So now aside for business use, I use the truck for going on long drives and road trips, hiking/camping trips, exploring back country/desert roads, etc. only, whenever I get the opportunity. Big nature, geology, and weather fan here. But all the daily driving miles are now being put on my daily beater, hence the low mileage on LR4.

Had some hopes from the new Defender redesign as an LR4 replacement thinking that LR may have learned a lesson or two from the D5 experiment but after having a real good, up and close look at it a few times, unfortunately for me at least, it does not qualify as an LR4 replacement.

The absence of IBF was already quite more than enough of a deal breaker for me, but the lack of the command view driver/front row seating position, lack of stadium seating afforded by the stepped roof, the higher belt line (restricting the outward visibility all around) just **** the overall experience of being inside a vehicle designed to accommodate and inspire an outdoors lifestyle.

Some here may disagree, but I felt that sitting in the driver seat in the new Defender feels quite like sitting inside a Jeep or an FJ as far as the outward visibility and the seating position in relation to the dashboard' height, head room, and the window belt line. And maybe thats what LR was trying to achieve to attract the higher end jeep/toyota crowd. Either way its no LR3/4 feel I can tell you that much.