RV Warranty Forever

[ranch.manager]

Visited a dealership to look at a Laredo. They offer the RV Warranty Forever which lasts as long as you own the rv. They say there is no cost to me ( ha ha sure ). To keep the warranty intact there is a required maintainence once a year.
1. inspect roof 2. lubricate axles and bearings 3. cleaner furnace 4. clean hot water heater. There is no deductible for repairs.
The policy is offered by NWAn inc. The website is rvwarrantyforever.com
Does has anyone have this policy or any info about it.
Our local rv guy is poor mouthing the policy.

Thanks

[Festus2]

Check out another thread running here on the forum about extended warranties. It's in the 5th wheel section ..."After Market Extended Warranty...."

Bottom line ? Don't purchase it. No cost? Nothing is free especially an extended warranty.

[bsmith0404]

Sounds like a plan to force you to pay for an annual service through the dealership. If you don't get the service each and every year, you void the warranty. They do stuff like this counting on the fact that most people do not keep their RVs long, or use them very often. They get paid for the service with very little chance of anything major happening in the few year you own it. Depending on the cost of the service and if you don't mind doing it every year, it may or may not be a good deal. Chances are you will be paying for work that isn't required. For example, they may charge a flat rate of $500 to inspect all of the items you mentioned, but they will probably never have to do anything other than look at the items to verify that they are still good.

[redridinghood22]

DH and I just purchased a 2014 Keystone Sprinter 331 RLS from a dealer in Indiana.. We were given a forever warranty on our unit. There was no fee attached to this and the previous poster was right. There is routine maintenance that must be done once a year to keep the warranty valid. The info on what he posted is correct lube etc done every year...Our dealer gave us coupons to send to the forever warranty people every year and as long as a reputable service person does the work and provides you with a receipt that you can send to forever warranty...you're covered..

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by redridinghood22

...Our dealer gave us coupons to send to the forever warranty people every year and as long as a reputable service person does the work and provides you with a receipt that you can send to forever warranty...you're covered..

redridinghood22-
Interesting. I'd be interested in knowing exactly what this coverage includes and what is not covered. Can you provide us with some examples of each?

[Ken / Claudia]

Near here in Gresham, Or. a new RV dealer opened afew months ago and the radio add is a forever warranty at no cost to the buyer. My question is who pays for it and I think I know the answer, it is added to the price you pay for the RV. How much does it cost and what is covered would be nice to know.

[berg]

From our recent 2014 purchase-

I don't recall seeing a line item for cost for me to rip apart during negotiations. It was thrown in - supposedly. I believe to keep us coming back for fixes.

--------------------------------------------------

Congratulations on the purchase of your new Recreational Vehicle and welcome to the growing family of RV Warranty Forever™ owners! We would like to take a moment to educate you on the benefits of the RV Warranty Forever™ program that was included with your new RV!

The RV Warranty Forever™ program will cover all of the components listed on page seven of the agreement booklet, which include items like your kitchen components, air conditioning, brakes, suspension, water system, heating system, deluxe appliances, leveling jacks and much more for as long as you own your RV.

Please remember, on an annual basis, the following maintenance must be performed by a professional repair facility. If your unit is a travel trailer, you must complete items A-D. If your unit is a motorhome, you must complete items A-E.

Inspect roof and seal where necessary.
Axle and hub lube.
Furnace – inspect and clean blower, combustion chamber, and control compartment (remove any dust, lint or obstructions), test gas line for leaks.
Hot water heater – flush holding tank, manually operate pressure relief valve, clean burner tube (as outlined by the manufacturer).
Lubricate Suspension – grease front and rear suspension components, including but not limited to, axle bearings, tie rods, control arms, and brake camshaft brackets (motorhomes only).

You must keep receipts and documentation showing the date, a description of the unit, and all services performed. Proof of maintenance must be mailed to the administrator along with an Annual Maintenance Record Coupon which is located in the back of your RV Warranty Forever™ Agreement, within 30 days of the anniversary date of which you purchased your travel trailer. Please remember, if you don’t submit this information, you will void your RV Warranty Forever™ Agreement.

Don’t worry, as a courtesy, we will send you a reminder letter and an email 60 days prior to the required maintenance submission being due.

For additional information, please visit www.rvwarrantyforever.com or contact us by phone at 1-800-810-8458.

Sincerely,


Your RV Warranty Forever™ Team

--------------------------------------------------


Sounds to me like a good way to churn up service department work. I'm a serious DIY'er and take care of my toys, but now I have to pay some "certified" shop probably $100/hr to do simple work like this...?

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by berg

From our recent 2014 purchase-

I don't recall seeing a line item for cost for me to rip apart during negotiations. It was thrown in - supposedly. I believe to keep us coming back for fixes.

Sounds to me like a good way to churn up service department work. I'm a serious DIY'er and take care of my toys, but now I have to pay some "certified" shop probably $100/hr to do simple work like this...?

Thrown in? I doubt it! Somewhere, somehow, you are paying for this and it should have appeared as a line item on your invoice.

In the FAQ section of their blurb, this question was asked..."Can I perform my own maintenance?"

Answer? You guessed it.... "No, all services must be performed by a professional repair facility. This is to ensure proper documentation as well as the workmanship of all services performed on your RV."

What your dealer is doing is underhanded and corrupt. He is almost forcing you to return to a "professional repair facility" to do routine maintenance. I doubt if you are obliged to take your RV into one of these "professional repair facilities" (his perhaps??) so why not go ahead and do as much DIY as you can and take it where you want to for the rest? I bet you weren't asked if you agreed to this "free service".

Sneaky. Very sneaky.

What next? I wonder if this scheme is going to be a part of future purchases at all dealerships?

Shame on your dealer for not being upfront with you.

[Phil76]

Agreed that this dealer is doing something sneaky, you could purchase a different warranty from another dealer. They sell them even though they don't sell the unit. We own a XtraRide extended service agreement and we have been very happy with our dealings. I know as long as you keep receipts you can do your own maintenance.


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[airforceret]

Some of those warranty offers are valid and may be worthwhile, you just have to understand what you are "getting into" and what is "required" to retain the warranty in effect. My mom had one on their trailer and they wore the dealer out over the years. In the beginning it seemed the dealer had pulled a fast one, but since they traveled many miles every year, and kept that trailer for a long time, it finally turned the corner and they recouped far more than what they invested. In fact, the dealer finally gave them an incredible trade-in offer on that ole trailer, and they took it! I think they went through 3 hot water heaters, 2 refrigerators, an a/c or two, a new roof, some siding panels, 3 or 4 sets of brakes, at least 5 or 6 window repairs for leaks, and more I'm sure...

They had no desire to do any of their own maintenance, and because they traveled extensively it was peace of mind for them to get it checked out annually before they headed out for the season.

They clearly are not for everyone, and not all are created equal, and I'm sure some are a ripoff.... and even the good ones are a bit of a gamble, but like insurance, you may never use it, but it sure is nice if you one day need it!

Good luck...

[GunDoc]

I just purchased a new Cougar and received the “RV Warranty For Life” policy as a part of the purchase. It was no cost and WAS a line item entry on my purchase agreement. Did I have a choice whether this was included or not? I guess I could have declined the policy, but I had negotiated the price of the TT and had, BY FAR, the best deal of many major dealers in our area…Best price (by thousands), best financing, free WD hitch (which I upgraded to an Equal I Zer 4 point for $200.00), no PDI costs, numerous other free goodies all at a dealership that has been around for over 29 years, is family owned and you deal directly with the owner when it’s time to buy. BTW they are the largest single-point Keystone dealer in the US.

Do I think my dealer is underhanded, or corrupt? Is this some sort of scheme? I don’t think so. What my agreement states is I have to have the roof inspected, the axle and hubs lubed, the furnace inspected and cleaned, the water heater holding tank flushed, manual temp valve operated and burner cleaned on an annual basis by a professional shop (any shop). My dealer offers this annual “check-up” for $100.00. Could I do this work myself? Of course I could. Is it worth it for me to pay my dealer $100.00 per year to insure my major systems are in top working condition? YES! If for some reason my furnace stops working, or my water heater burns out, they will replace them for free. Parts and labor included. Of course it is still my choice…Don’t get the annual service done, extended warranty is void. In no way does this affect the manufacturers’ warranties.

I was also offered a bumper-to-bumper extended warranty when I purchased my TT. This one would have cost me and like all other extended warranties I have been “offered” (read purchase) I declined.

So you see, some dealers may, in fact, offer this as an incentive to buy the TT at their dealership. Do they hope to make money for their service department? Sure they do – That’s why they are in business! If they do a good job at a fair price they will remain in business and gain repeat customers. I guess that’s why my dealer is still going strong after 29 years!

[JRTJH]

Nobody remains in business to give things away. Either there's a way the dealer makes money on this "forever warranty" or they lose money on it. I can't see any dealer staying in business if they lose money, so somewhere, hidden in the "line item" is a scheme that's been run through the insurance company's actuarial program and has shown that the customer will spend more than the dealer will spend. So, is it a "free forever warranty" ? Chances are, the answer is, "no, I traded the trailer before anything broke." or "No, they told me at 3 years, during the axle check, that I needed new brakes and bearings, and they weren't covered because they were worn, not damaged." Or ??????

I would propose that every dealership that offers this does so as an incentive for you to buy the TT at their dealership. It's been sold to them by the marketing pros as a "means to improve sales" and someone at the dealership bought into the program. How they are paying for it has not yet been identified on this forum, but rest assured, it's not free.

If it sounds too good to be true, chances are it's too good to be true.


As an example, Dometic has a 3 year warranty on their refrigerators. It "sounds good" and is 2 years longer than Keystone's warranty. Pull out your documentation folder and look at the refrigerator owner's manual. Read the warranty section, and look at the last page to the booklet, it's a check sheet that must be filled out. That check sheet indicates that a "Dometic service center" inspects the refrigerator annually to keep the 3 year warranty in force. Cost? First year at CW: $75 second year at CW: $125. So, to maintain your 3 year refrigerator warranty, you'll spend $200. Funny how the only thing that usually goes bad during the first 3 years is the control board and it costs $79.

It's a "bet" you make with Dometic that their product will fail before they cash your check.... My guess: They get your money. On the "forever warranty" My guess is the same. Somewhere, hidden in all that "easy to read fine print" is a way for the dealer to come out on top.

[GunDoc]

You, JRTJH, are correct; this is a game of chance and if some don’t want to play, that is their choice. We all know that the house usually wins, but I am sure plenty of folks on this site go to Vegas every year and hope to hit it big. Yes, the dealership makes money off of this “Freebie.” They are, after all, in business to make a profit. I think most reasonable folks know this going in.

I don’t think the dealership is being underhanded, or corrupt. Those are very strong accusations to make based off of a dealership offering a warranty, or insurance policy. Virtually ALL new car dealerships offer some type of lifetime warranty. All they all corrupt? Most warranties require some sort of preventative maintenance be performed or your warranty will be voided. The difference here is the work has to be done at a “professional shop.” I don’t know about the other places, but my dealer was very up-front about the requirements to keep this additional warranty in effect.

I have been in the maintenance business (both aviation and ground) for over forty years and am sure I could easily repair most anything that may go wrong with my RV. Some things I would rather not deal with…I don’t even change my own oil in my daily drivers anymore (my Hot Rods and bike are a different story!). I am sure there are many like me, who either choose not to deal with all of the repairs, or who are not capable of doing so. For these folks the peace of mind knowing that their equipment is covered is worth the price.

[JRTJH]

For you, within the presribed terms, the "Forever Warranty" may be a benefit.

But, to clear one thing: You are the only one to have used the terms, "Underhanded" and "Corrupt". I wouldn't go that far in describing any business, even the "bad ones" ......

ADDED: I stand corrected. I read the previous post from GunDoc with the interpretation that the poster was referring to my post as the sole source for his comments. I did not read into his response that he was also referring to a post from nearly 6 weeks ago made by another poster. I apologize for not interpreting his comments clearly. I still would not go that far in describing any business.

[SAD]

Originally Posted by Festus2

Thrown in? I doubt it! Somewhere, somehow, you are paying for this and it should have appeared as a line item on your invoice.

In the FAQ section of their blurb, this question was asked..."Can I perform my own maintenance?"

Answer? You guessed it.... "No, all services must be performed by a professional repair facility. This is to ensure proper documentation as well as the workmanship of all services performed on your RV."

What your dealer is doing is underhanded and corrupt. He is almost forcing you to return to a "professional repair facility" to do routine maintenance. I doubt if you are obliged to take your RV into one of these "professional repair facilities" (his perhaps??) so why not go ahead and do as much DIY as you can and take it where you want to for the rest? I bet you weren't asked if you agreed to this "free service".

Sneaky. Very sneaky.

What next? I wonder if this scheme is going to be a part of future purchases at all dealerships?

Shame on your dealer for not being upfront with you.

Originally Posted by JRTJH

For you, within the presribed terms, the "Forever Warranty" may be a benefit.

But, to clear one thing: You are the only one to have used the terms, "Underhanded" and "Corrupt". I wouldn't go that far in describing any business, even the "bad ones" ......

Shrug.....

[GunDoc]

Review post #8 this thread...

[berg]

Originally Posted by GunDoc

BTW they are the largest single-point Keystone dealer in the US.

I believe we purchased from the same place - TacomaRV? Your whole story about the buying experience is like a deja vu.

I wasn't aware that they will do the annual inspection for $100 - never came up or I glossed over it. That may make it worth the drive back up there for me if they can do it in just a few hours and get me back on the road.

They've treated us amazingly on everything else, I don't know why I'd think this would be any different!

[Festus2]

Underhanded? Corrupt? Sneaky? I confess to being the culprit who used those terms to describe the dealership who slips in this unsolicited offer and passes it off as a "freebie" to his valued customers.

Perhaps my choice of words was too strong but I still stand by my belief that someone is paying for this and that someone is the customer. So let's stop kidding around and be up front with the consumer. I'm not against the dealership making $$$ but not that way.

If it works for you and you think it is a good deal then go for it.

[bsmith0404]

As I stated in my initial post, and my suspicions were validated, I believe this is a "no cost" warranty........initially! As stated by those who have it, it doesn't cost anything up front, it is paid for in the required annual maintenance. Most people will take the RV back to the dealer for the annual check up, they make the money on the "inspection" and very few repairs are ever required. Most people do not keep RVs for long periods, we all tend to upgrade or just get that buying itch. So the odds are that you will pay for the annual inspection/maintenance and never make a claim. Also as posted earlier, if you keep the RV long enough, eventually the table will turn.

My opinion, if you choose to do your own maintenance, do it. It voids this additional warranty (not the factory warranty) and you are out nothing. If you are the type of person that doesn't know a Phillips screwdriver from a nut driver, you would probably be paying for service and repairs anyway, the peace of mind that the RV was checked over by a certified RV technician every year isn't a bad thing and you will have a warranty to cover anything that may pop up along the way.

As long as the dealer is up front that you MUST complete the annual maintenance for the warranty to be valid, they aren't doing anything bad/wrong. If you walk out thinking you got a warranty forever and nothing was required from you to keep it intact, then they are sneaky and underhanded, but it's all in the print so I doubt that is the case. They are just offering a service/product that may appeal to some customers. Personally, if they offered it to me trying to show me the great deal I'm getting, I'd tell them to save their breath with the sales pitch and lower the price.

[billb800si]

I have a question that hasn't been addressed yet.
What if you're on the road and have a failure. How is the "free" repair taken care of??

Happy trails,