Is extending the Dometic Warranty Worth it?

[Midnightsremedy]

Hi Again. Mike and Diane here.

We just bought a new Passport Elite 19RB RV!

Dometic and Atwood allow you to add an additional 3 years onto the manufacturers two year warranty for a total of five years.

Do you think any of the following appliances are worth the cost for an additional three years?

Or for the most part do folks not have problems with these appliances?

Thanks!!!!!

1. AC. + $109.90
2. Fridge $169.90
3. Water Heater $45.00
4. Furnace $25.00
5. Range $15.00

Oh, BTW, thanks to the folks on this forum we just bought an EMS-HW30C RV Electrical Management System for $228.00! Seemed like a no-brainer to me.


Thanks again.

[busterbrown]

Originally Posted by Midnightsremedy

Hi Again. Mike and Diane here.

We just bought a new Passport Elite 19RB RV!

Dometic and Atwood allow you to add an additional 3 years onto the manufacturers two year warranty for a total of five years.

Do you think any of the following appliances are worth the cost for an additional three years?

Or for the most part do folks not have problems with these appliances?

Thanks!!!!!

1. AC. + $109.90
2. Fridge $169.90
3. Water Heater $45.00
4. Furnace $25.00
5. Range $15.00

Oh, BTW, thanks to the folks on this forum we just bought an EMS-HW30C RV Electrical Management System for $228.00! Seemed like a no-brainer to me.


Thanks again.

My personal opinion, if one invested in an extended warranty for everything they purchased, they'd be broke. My philosophy is: if it's going to fail, it will so in the first year or so. Most big ticket items (RV's, RV systems, RV appliances) will show their ugly heads during this time. Otherwise, they will wait til the day the warranty runs out.

If you take all the money you'll save on extended warranties and instead, invest it in a high interest yield account for 5 years, I'm pretty sure you'll have a lot more Benjamin's to play with at that time. Again, YMMV.

BTW, Good call on your Progressive Industries Surge Protector. This protects your RV for the life of the RV.

[JRTJH]

READ THE SMALL PRINT !!!

If I remember correctly, you MUST maintain the original 2 year contract (warranty inspection by dealer) in order to qualify for the extended warranty. What that means is even if you do buy the extended warranty, it is void unless you already spent the $80 (at most dealerships) for them to inspect the refrigerator (each has a separate charge to inspect) and have that documented on the form in the back of your appliance owner's manual. For the most part, all of the appliances are fairly reliable over the long term, so it depends on how much you want to cover them vs rely on their reputation.

It's a catch 22 that you might find "takes your money" and "gives you nothing".

Now, whether or not Dometic would revert to denying a claim on that omission ??? So, my suggestion is that if you do decide to buy the extended warranty, be sure you "fill every square" along the way to be sure you're not voiding your contract......

[Midnightsremedy]

Originally Posted by busterbrown

My personal opinion, if one invested in an extended warranty for everything they purchased, they'd be broke. My philosophy is: if it's going to fail, it will so in the first year or so. Most big ticket items (RV's, RV systems, RV appliances) will show their ugly heads during this time. Otherwise, they will wait til the day the warranty runs out.

If you take all the money you'll save on extended warranties and instead, invest it in a high interest yield account for 5 years, I'm pretty sure you'll have a lot more Benjamin's to play with at that time. Again, YMMV.

BTW, Good call on your Progressive Industries Surge Protector. This protects your RV for the life of the RV.

Thank you. I needed some sense knocked into me. I don't by ext. on PC's, maybe autos and you are right about failure after the warranty. LOL. I barely used Briggs and Stratton snow blower, 2 years, 1 month... broke 2x. And now, that is 1 month after warranty. hmmmmm..

[Midnightsremedy]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

READ THE SMALL PRINT !!!

If I remember correctly, you MUST maintain the original 2 year contract (warranty inspection by dealer) in order to qualify for the extended warranty. What that means is even if you do buy the extended warranty, it is void unless you already spent the $80 (at most dealerships) for them to inspect the refrigerator (each has a separate charge to inspect) and have that documented on the form in the back of your appliance owner's manual. For the most part, all of the appliances are fairly reliable over the long term, so it depends on how much you want to cover them vs rely on their reputation.

It's a catch 22 that you might find "takes your money" and "gives you nothing".

Now, whether or not Dometic would revert to denying a claim on that omission ??? So, my suggestion is that if you do decide to buy the extended warranty, be sure you "fill every square" along the way to be sure you're not voiding your contract......

Well, now that you have mentioned this, that is two hits against, with solid reasons for NOT buying. Thank you. It is not worth the aggravation to bring the RV into the dealer, in a northern town filled with snow for inspections. Unless someone says, ya ya, the AC, get that one for sure, or something like that, (with good reasoning), I'm going to skip the warranty. I agree also with the first reply that if it's going to break, probably will in the first two years. Years 3 - 5, odds are it will survive.

[JRTJH]

Read your refrigerator 3 year warranty... Specifically paragraph #5. It states:

"This warranty requires the Original Purchaser to provide preventative maintenance on a yearly basis, starting at the anniversary of his date of purchase. The Original Purchaser must keep a record of the preventative maintenance to keep the warranty in effect. Failure of the Original Purchaser in providing this annual maintenance may void the warranty. The preventative maintenance must be performed at a Dometic Authorized Service Center/Dealer."

You can't do the work yourself (unless you're a Dometic service center) so Dometic essentially has an "out to deny warranty" on virtually all refrigerators after the first year. Something to think about......

[Midnightsremedy]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Read your refrigerator 3 year warranty... Specifically paragraph #5. It states:

"This warranty requires the Original Purchaser to provide preventative maintenance on a yearly basis, starting at the anniversary of his date of purchase. The Original Purchaser must keep a record of the preventative maintenance to keep the warranty in effect. Failure of the Original Purchaser in providing this annual maintenance may void the warranty. The preventative maintenance must be performed at a Dometic Authorized Service Center/Dealer."

You can't do the work yourself (unless you're a Dometic service center) so Dometic essentially has an "out to deny warranty" on virtually all refrigerators after the first year. Something to think about......

That would cost a fortune, be extremely inconvenient and in the end probably aggravating. I'm not saying I can do all preventative maintenance, but to have it all done for me is not in the cards. The way this warranty is spelled out by you would make it appear as a cash cow for Dometic. Thanks.

[ftrupe]

I did purchase the extended 3 year warranty on the fridge. On my new, never used unit, a 2015 23RB, the cooling unit needed to be replaced. So not being sure that was just an anomaly or foreshadowing of repairs to come, I chose the warranty.

[chuckster57]

all 4 of my fifth wheels were purchased new. Last one prior to current, had for 13 1/2 yrs with NO appliance issues. I did buy the extended warranty this time, and now looking back wish I didn't. Now that I am a tech and have had years of exposure to these marvels, I would take on any repair myself.

When I bought my first trailer, the WWW wasn't up and running and the dealer said here's your keys, enjoy. Now that we have forums like this and You Tube, I think anybody that can handle a screwdriver and wrenches can fix their stuff.

[Midnightsremedy]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

all 4 of my fifth wheels were purchased new. Last one prior to current, had for 13 1/2 yrs with NO appliance issues. I did buy the extended warranty this time, and now looking back wish I didn't. Now that I am a tech and have had years of exposure to these marvels, I would take on any repair myself.

When I bought my first trailer, the WWW wasn't up and running and the dealer said here's your keys, enjoy. Now that we have forums like this and You Tube, I think anybody that can handle a screwdriver and wrenches can fix their stuff.

I kind of agree. U-Tube is an incredible, useful, amazing resource. Without it I would never have been able to tear down my Shimano surf fishing reels. Or work on a carb, with some success. It has already come in handy on this new TT, and did on the 2011 Flagstaff we traded. Good point.

[Midnightsremedy]

Originally Posted by ftrupe

I did purchase the extended 3 year warranty on the fridge. On my new, never used unit, a 2015 23RB, the cooling unit needed to be replaced. So not being sure that was just an anomaly or foreshadowing of repairs to come, I chose the warranty.

So I would assume your repair was performed under the 2 year warranty that comes with the unit. That being said, and if the rep was a preview of what's to come for the fridge then the 3 year might prove valuable.

Earlier in this thread it was mentioned, and copied from a warranty, that to have the warranty honored you would have to take, in your case, the TT back for yearly fridge maintenance. Or are you allowed to do that yourself in this case?

Thanks for the posting.
Mike.