Newer Car Repairs

[Steeveedee]

OK, I've been thinking of getting rid of my econobox because it's now 8 years old. I bought the 10 year/100k mile warranty because I know that inside the 10 years something is going to go sideways and that warranty will take care of it.
That warranty doesn't cover having the antenna cover (just the plastic "shark fin" cover, mind you) getting busted off in the car wash. I looked online for the cover, and watched a couple of videos. The guys replacing the cover from the outside just glue them on. I bought the cover for less than $20, but I can easily tell after fiddling with it that there is no way that I can put that on and have it look decent while being watertight. I broke down and went to the dealership and ordered the whole antenna, because that's the only way one can get the cover from them. Parts and labor is almost $600. They have to drop the headliner, because the screws attaching the cover come from inside the roof. I'm expecting that there will be a cascade of repairs from dropping the headliner, downstream in time. Yeah, I'm done with this thing. There isn't anything that costs less to repair, as far as I can tell. I have had good luck with it, and have only had services like oil changes and tire rotation (and a set of aged-out tires) in those 8 years. Then again, all I have ever done to my truck is clean up and paint the roof, and replace the camper shell. Well, a new seat cover and foam, and a new headliner, after 50 years. But I won't be buying them again in my lifetime.

[Getter-Done]

I worked at a Vehicle manufacturing plant for 18 years.

I grew up in an age where everyone was able to fix things without the Internet.


I started at this assembly plant in 1990 something.

This place brought a lot of light to the Krazy Stuff that they do.

I learned a lot of the Frustration of / Why would you Do it this way.

[Rich84]

My policy is that I never buy extended warranties on anything. I think in the long run I am ahead. The insurance companies that write those warranties are not in the business to lose $$. I can't ever recall saying " I wish I had bought the warranty". My Dad always says that you can insure yourself right into the poorhouse.

[TimUK]

My 2012 ScionXB has been great.......except for the white paint. It started peeling off after 10 years and one month. That's one month after the paint extended warranty ran out. So it is turning primer grey. Not sure its worth fixing as the whole car probably needs stripping.........106000 miles.

[CG]

Originally Posted by TimUK

My 2012 ScionXB has been great.......except for the white paint. It started peeling off after 10 years and one month. That's one month after the paint extended warranty ran out. So it is turning primer grey. Not sure its worth fixing as the whole car probably needs stripping.........106000 miles.

I had two Scion XB's a first style and a second style. Never had issues with paint, second style was white. But that could be because we don't have California weather up here. I will tell you that both cars went well over 300K miles with only a very small issue or two. So hopefully you will have that kind of luck with yours. I really liked these cars.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Rich84

My policy is that I never buy extended warranties on anything. I think in the long run I am ahead. The insurance companies that write those warranties are not in the business to lose $$. I can't ever recall saying " I wish I had bought the warranty". My Dad always says that you can insure yourself right into the poorhouse.

I felt a bit silly when I bought my '05 Corolla and got the extended warranty. It got a water pump, right rear hub and bearings, and a transmission. The trans was one day before the extended warranty expired; cost was ~2.5X the warranty cost. In general they are a loss for the buyer. I'll probably not buy another new car. I can diagnose and fix my truck myself.

[Tom]

The lesson here isn't that new cars are bad, its that auto car washes are bad. And have been known to be for decades.

[LS short box]

You have to do your home work on extended warranties. Some repair shops won't take them. Too much hassle for the shop to get paid.

[Steeveedee]

True, I think only Kia will work on my car. But I've driven it 28k miles in 8 years, so 2 oil and filter changes a year, a battery and a set of tires that aged out. That and a couple of air filters and a cabin filter. If my son hadn't been driving the Corolla, I wouldn't have "had" to buy this one.