You will find that any motor home that you buy will come with a warranty of some sort. Of course, the warranty will vary depending on whether you buy a new or secondhand. New vehicles will attract a long-term warranty than secondhand vehicles. However, at some point, the warranty on either vehicle will expire, leaving you exposed to the risks of paying for expensive repairs should something happen to your vehicle after that expiration. And guess what something normally does happen!! You can, however, protect yourself against this by taking out an extended warranty on your motor home. This is a highly debated topic in the RV community.
For many motor homeowners, an extended warranty provides peace of mind. With companies offering extended warranties directly to owners via the internet, premiums have come down greatly, thus making an extended warranty quite reasonable. You will find that dealer’s extended warranties are much more expensive because the insurance companies must raise their price to cover the commission paid to the dealer. Online companies don’t have this commission to pay and can therefore offer a better price.
When buying an extended warranty, make sure that you are dealing with a reputable company. The most reputable companies are underwritten by “A” rated insurance companies, rated by Standard & Poor, and others. Do not buy a motor home extended warranty from a company that will not disclose the company’s rating that backs the policy. You will find that extended warranties are available on new and used motor homes. However, if a vehicle is old or has very high mileage, you will not be able to take out a motor home extended warranty.
The cost to protect yourself from expensive repairs will vary on motor homes, so here are a few guidelines to assist you.
1. Generally, you will pay more for diesel engines, and then depending on the location of the engine, you will pay more or less. Generally, rear engines are more expensive.
2. Most companies will exclude Renault-built engines.
3. Some modifications on engines will void the warranty. However, the cost of coverage will be more if a turbocharger is added.
4. There will be a surcharge added for every year added over the first few years of age of the vehicle. With mileage, the surcharges will start earlier.
5. Any accessories added such as satellite dishes, TV, stereo, etc…will incur a surcharge.
The best way to find out the cost of a motor home extended warranty is to contact a few companies and get a full rundown of all policy aspects. In this way, you can make an informed decision and choose the policy you feel suits you best.
