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Chevrolet Impala Warranty & Extended Warranty

Karen_CMKaren_CM Posts: 5,020
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  • bh0001bh0001 Posts: 340
    I had a 5yr/160,000km extended warranty on my '01 Impala LS. It paid for itself 2x over. Transmission issue (can't remember what it was), BCM, front wheel bearings (slightly damaged by someone backing into me, but they covered replacing both!), steering shaft, and a few other things.

    I bought a 4yr/160,000km GMPP extended warranty with my '06 LTZ. I'm no good at the whole "put aside some extra money to cover future repairs" thing, so I choose the extended warranty.

    As much as I love my Impala, I do agree that it's sad that I feel so strongly about purchasing an extended warranty because I pretty much expect things to go wrong. It would be nice if the factory warranty was longer, but as charts2 said, warranty costs are just built-in to the cost of the car anyway. Either way, you end up paying!

    I'm up to about 7,000km in 10 weeks on my LTZ with zero problems.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Posts: 870
    How many of those problems did you have outside the timeframe that would have been covered by the original manufacturers warranty? I haven't had anything "new" crop up with my 2000 Impala since the warranty expired at 36k miles (and I'm over 91k miles now). As far as I can remember I haven't had any problems outside the initial warranty period that would have been covered by an extended warranty (which would have expired by now anyway).
  • bh0001bh0001 Posts: 340
    All of the things I mentioned were outside of the original manufacturer's warranty and were only covered because I had the extended warranty. I had a few things covered by the original manufacturer's warranty as well (most notably the upper intake manifold and another gasket leak).

    The nice thing about extended warranties is that they are OPTIONAL. Everyone can do their own cost/benefit analysis and decide what they feel most comfortable with. There's no right or wrong - just what each person feels is best for them. :)
  • steve333steve333 Posts: 200
    I had my mother buy a API Warranty (purchased from the Chevy dealer, who was pushing this one over GM's own!) on her 2006 Impala. It is $1400 for 7 years/100,000 miles. It seems like a good price and covers almost everything. There is a $100 deductible though. However, if she never has to use the warranty, after the 7 yr period she gets a full refund. Seemed like a good deal to me. Also, with the API Warranty she can get the car fixed at any service place, not just Chevy.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Posts: 489
    The dealers sometimes push third party warranties but I'd never buy anything but GM Protection Plan for a GM car. What if API goes out of business? You have kissed $1400 good bye. Look at and read the reports from buyers of the Winns warranty. The third party warranties are cheaper as a rule but I wouldn't buy one.
  • white6white6 Posts: 588
    I agree with you 100%. I have only purchased extended warranty one time, and only because they offered it so cheap ($350 to extend my Sierra warranty to 5/60 from 3/36). Of course, GMC was forced to buy back this lemon and I received refund on the warranty. Olds dealer wanted $750 for GMPP when I purchased my 99 Intrigue in Dec. 98. Would have extended the warranty to 6/100. Between 36,000 and 100,000 miles I spend $450 on repairs, so I would have been down $300 (plus $200 for 2 deductibles, of course). Of course, the tranny required extensive repair at 105,000 ($1650 rebuild from a trusted independent shop as opposed to $2500 from dealer service dept.) but it wouldn't have been covered, since I was 5,000 miles past the warranty limit. You are basically buying an insurance policy and gambling that your car will require more in repairs than the policy costs (plus the $100 per visit deductible). I'm glad they give me the option of not paying for the extended warranty. I actually have a friend (very saavy mechanically) that mentioned he wished they would just sell him a car without a warranty at all and knock off $1,000. He's also considering all the hair he's lost dealing with frustrating dealer service departments. Can't disagree; if I see one more "can't duplicate/normal operation" I may punch someone. How do you force them to fix something that they say is "normal operation?"
  • 66novss66novss Posts: 12
    I wonder how much in cost the basic 3 year 36K mile warranty actually adds to the price of a vehical. I know its factored in[the price],but is it possible to purchase a vehical with out it? Very doubtful.
  • mitzijmitzij Posts: 612
    "How do you force them to fix something that they say is "normal operation?" "

    You can't force them, but you can:

    1. return to the dealer when the vehicle is acting up,
    request to ride with a technician, and point out your concern.
    There may be an explanation for your trouble, or they may have incomplete information from their service writers. I've seen repair orders with 'Check noise' as the complaint. The tech has no idea what the noise is. We had a lady with an annoying rattle noise. The tech checked it several times, no problem found. He rode with the lady and found the problem: her garage door remote was rattling in it's cubbyhole!
    Many times a customer will leave an Early Bird envelope with a complaint: Leaks. What leaks, when, how much, where does the leak seem to be coming from? If I can't get ahold of that customer, my tech is stuck searching for a leak that could be as little as the a/c condenser doing it's draining thing.

    2. find another dealer. another shop may have a tech that has A) seen your problem before and knows the fix for it or B) actually looks for technical bulletins.
  • mitzijmitzij Posts: 612
    There's a reason why the F&I guy was pushing the API service contract over GMPP. It's not because he is your friend.
    Make sure that refund promise is in writing, on the contract.
  • steve333steve333 Posts: 200
    I checked into the company and they are a member of the BBB. I also called the AAA-rated service dealer my mother likes to use and they said they have never had a problem with API.
    I considered a AAA Extended Warranty but decided to let her stay with API since they seem to be on the up and up. The warranty includes wear and tear, which lesser companies wont include.
  • steve333steve333 Posts: 200
    He was pushing it because they make more money on it than the GM Warranty. The API Warranty actually turned out to be a better deal, but only because I talked him down from $1900 to $1400. You can imagine the mark-up.
    The refund promise is right in the contract.
  • charts2charts2 Posts: 618
    I applaud Kia and Hyundai for offering a 5 year 60,000 mile warranty on their vehicles. Their power train warranty is 10 year or 100,000 miles....thats all lot better then the 3 year 36,000 mile warranty Chevrolet offers on their Impala. There is no evidence that Hyundais fall apart after 100,000 miles or evidence that Chevrolets fall apart after 36,000 miles. It is time that Chevrolet bumped up their basic warranties to at least compete with some of the other competitors. Its time that Chevrolet took the lead like they did years before.
  • charts2charts2 Posts: 618
    I am surprised with the number of car purchasers who buy an extended warranty on their cars when new. eg; When I purchased my 2001 Impala LS I passed on the GM extended warranty. The salesman did everything to get me to buy one. There was one price that was it. Just prior to the original warranty expiring I went into my dealership and they said I could negotiate in purchasing an extended warranty at that time at less $$ then the original price. Sounded like a good deal but again I passed on it. Within a month the Chevy dealership sent me a letter offering an extended warranty at an even much lower price then I was offered when the car was new. For the 2 1/2 years of ownership of my car the money I didn't spend on the extended warranty I invested and made a tidy profit.

    If after a year or two you decide not to keeep your car or it gets totalled by another hurricane that extened warranty $ paid for upfront is lost. Wouldn't it make more sense to wait and decide when the original warranty is about to expire?
  • steve333steve333 Posts: 200
    My mother got a 7 year warranty from a company that wasnt GM, and from the dealer. He actually pushed this one over GMs. I was hesitant to tell my mother to get it but she will keep this car forever, so I figured for $1400 it would be a decent deal. I talked him down from $1900. Her favorite service station also accepts this warranty and said they have never had an issue with them.
    Also, if she never needs to use the warranty, after 7 years she gets the entire $1400 back.
    Peace of mind I guess. Its easier to pay off the $1400 over the life of the loan than for her to come up with a ton of money if something should ever happen.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Posts: 489
    I agree with you completely. You can buy the extended warranty up until 3/36 but it starts when you first put the car in service, not when you buy the warranty unless things have changed so you lose three years, for instance, of a 6 year warranty. I think another factor is how dependable the car is. If you are having lots of problems in the first 36,000 miles, then perhaps the warranty is a good idea. Actually most American cars will be pretty dependable for the first 80-100k miles so I don't think that a warranty is really necessary but I've had it several times especially on my more expensive cars.
  • gened1gened1 Posts: 256
    If at the beginning of a new car purchase you purchase a 6 year extended warranty on a three year 36000 mile bumper to bumper manufacturers warranty you still lose 3 years as you get three years 'free' with the purchase of the car. So buying an extended warranty near the end of the Manufactuers warranty is the same as buying it at the time of initial purchase.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Posts: 489
    That's true on a new car. If you buy a used GM vehicle (except a Certified Cadillac)from a GM dealer you can purchase a GM Protection Plan that covers you from the time you buy the vehicle, not from the time it went into service. I bought a really cheap 1998 Silhouette in 1999 with 50,000 miles on it (the owner went to Florida every month for some sort of medical treatment) and got a 3 year 36,000 protection plan on it which covered it to 86,000 miles. The intake manifold gasket went out at 70,000 so it was a good investment.
  • charts2charts2 Posts: 618
    Purchased a 2001 Impala LS brand new. Basic 3 year 36,000 mile warranty like they all are. Salesman tried to sell me an extended 3 year warranty that would have taken me to 6 years or 72,000 miles. Showed me the price and I passed on it. He told me I could purchase this 3 year extended warranty anytime up to my base warranty expiring. A couple months prior to my base warranty expiring 34,000 miles I went back to the chevy dealership and now they were willing to negotiate the price of an extended 3 year GM warranty at less then what I was offered when the car was new 3 years before. I was surprised. I passed on it again. A week later I received a letter from the salesman with an offer even lower then that, if I purchased this 3 year GM extended warranty in the next 7 days.

    I would think purchasing a 2006 Impala would also be the same today. If purchasing an extended warranty you can negotiate the price of it. Too often people pay the full amount.
  • steve333steve333 Posts: 200
    They charge more for the warranty if you do it that way.
    I got my mom a 7 year API Warranty for $1400. So basically its 4 yrs tacked on to Chevy's crappy warranty. With API she can go to her Firestone dealer and have the work done if she needs it. Closer by than the dealer, better hours, drive home service, AAA Station. I also considered the AAA Extended Warranty.
    This is going to be her last car, she wants it to last, and she doesnt want any surprises down the road. She may or may not need it, but she knows after the 3 year GM warranty is up all she will ever have to pay for a major repair is the $100 deductible. The warranty also covers wear and tear, which some don't.
    If she didnt get such a good deal on the car I wouldnt have had her get the warranty. She got the Impala LT1 for $20,100, minus my $3,000 GM Card Rebate which I gave her. So I figured what the heck, GM gave me an extra $1400 off towards the car.
  • steve333steve333 Posts: 200
    I'm surprised, usually the price of the warranty goes up later on.
    Good thing I negotiated $500 off the API warranty!
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