Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-14-2017, 06:08 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Crete Nebraska
Posts: 23
New Berkshire XLT

We just purchased a new Berkshire XLT43A and dealer is highly recommending an extended warrenty. I deal with large manufacturing equipment and really do not like these much. Can others share their experience and opinion of this. We do not pick up until April, after Easter, so I am not rushing a decision. As it is quite an investment.

Thanks in advance for your input.
Steve & Annette
OnBarrowedTime is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-14-2017, 06:18 PM   #2
Dragonship Captain
 
Oscarvan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Eastern PA, USA
Posts: 1,335
Congratulations! Hopefully you'll love your Moho as much as the other owners I know.

I've had a good run. I have ALWAYS said "no" to extended warrantees/protection plans........ I am tens of thousands of dollars ahead of the game, so I continue to say "no". Even if I get to eat something at some point, I'll still be way ahead.

They are a MAJOR profit center for those selling them. That right there should tell you something.
__________________
2020 RAM 3500 DRW Long Horn. In the hunt for a Palomino TC, formerly a 2017 Berkshire 38A: https://dragonship.blog/
Oscarvan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-14-2017, 06:22 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 3,290
no,no,no

why do dealers push these, or any retailer push these??
because they make the dealer a commission and the company profits, which is only possible if they pay out LESS in claims than they take in charges. which means that you pay more in than they will pay out. put your money in the bank, use your own money if you need to, keep it all if you don't.
__________________
The Turners...
'07 Rockwood Signature Ultralight...
two Campers and two Electric cars : )
formerFR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-14-2017, 07:59 PM   #4
Dragonship Captain
 
Oscarvan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Eastern PA, USA
Posts: 1,335
Quote:
Originally Posted by formerFR View Post
no,no,no

why do dealers push these, or any retailer push these??
because they make the dealer a commission and the company profits, which is only possible if they pay out LESS in claims than they take in charges. which means that you pay more in than they will pay out. put your money in the bank, use your own money if you need to, keep it all if you don't.
Well, that's the very concept of insurance, buy down the risk and the insurer makes a few bucks putting it together.

Thing is, here the risk is very low, and if there is a claim it's relatively low compared to the numbers in play. Not like a million dollar liability.

So, no.
__________________
2020 RAM 3500 DRW Long Horn. In the hunt for a Palomino TC, formerly a 2017 Berkshire 38A: https://dragonship.blog/
Oscarvan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-14-2017, 08:23 PM   #5
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Crete Nebraska
Posts: 23
Thanks

Seems like a pretty united front. I think I am going to like this group as I feel very aligned.

Regards
Steve &Annette
OnBarrowedTime is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2017, 06:13 AM   #6
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 74
New Berkshire XLT

Definitely don't buy an extended service plan during the first year, as everything is usually covered by the manufacturer during that period of time. Try to use your RV and all of its features as much as possible during the first year so you can get things fixed / adjusted without any outlay of cash. You will get a feel for how often your RV is going to need work. We had a new 2016 Itasca that had numerous issues that would have cost us a lot to pay for out of pocket, but since it was new it was all covered by Itasca. At the rate we were having issues, I think one extra year of coverage might have been smart, but we ended up trading it in on a 2017 Berkshire XLT 43B.

Another thing to keep in mind is that a dealer-provided service plan will be included in your RV loan. You don't want to pay several years of interest on a service plan, especially one that only lasts a few years. You are way better off using a pay-as-you-go plan that starts just before your manufacturer warranty ends. Two of the more popular service plans are Good Sam and Wholesale Warranties.

Hope that helps!

Vernon
HTTPS://habsontheroad.com
HabsOnTheRoad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2017, 06:37 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 3,290
Angry

Quote:
Originally Posted by Oscarvan View Post
Well, that's the very concept of insurance, buy down the risk and the insurer makes a few bucks putting it together.

Thing is, here the risk is very low, and if there is a claim it's relatively low compared to the numbers in play. Not like a million dollar liability.

So, no.
you're so right, and the fact is that these plan are not INSURANCE, as many folks confuse them with, but are 'extended warranty' plans - NOT designed to take care of ANYTHING that the original factory warranty would not have taken care of on it's own.

Unfortunately, though, because they are not insurance, they are also NOT REGULATED, as insurance is. The buyer has very little recourse if the plan does not follow through with any 'claim', and the company has very little reason to care if you are a satisfied customer since they already have all of your money.
formerFR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2017, 08:07 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
I-RV's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Mount Laurel, NJ
Posts: 1,024
A covered item under an extended warranty doesn't mean all you pay is the deductible. The warranty company has fixed number of hours for each repair. The repair shop has their own ideas and generally needs more time, for which you pay the difference.
Hank
__________________
Gale & Hank- 2012 Berkshire 390BH
I-RV is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2017, 08:11 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
I-RV's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Mount Laurel, NJ
Posts: 1,024
Also, your Allison is warranted for 5 years, not 3 years like most shops believe.
Hank
__________________
Gale & Hank- 2012 Berkshire 390BH
I-RV is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2017, 10:12 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
BamaBob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Whereever our Berkshire is Parked!
Posts: 7,082
First off, welcome to the Forums and more importantly, welcome to the Berkshire Family!

I agree with the others - dealer sold warranties are just a profit center for the Finance Person (in some dealerships this is the only income they make off a deal!) In a lot of cases you have to use that dealer for warranty repairs; the warranty is not, in many cases, honored nationally or in Canada/Mexico.

So, steer clear of dealership warranties!

The 1 year warranty given you by Forest River is your 'wart' year. There WILL be things that go wrong / break. You WILL miss things - no matter how through you were at your PDI. (Ask me how I know )

This is the process that worked for us; your mileage may vary:

During your first 3 months of ownership, pick your rig apart, nitpick everything - nothing is "too minor"! As you find issues write them down creating a punch list of sorts. If you are fortunate to have a local Forest River dealer that will do warranty work, schedule your repairs there. If not, you are probably better off contacting the Diesel Division and taking your Coach to them direct; especially if it is a major issue.

At about month 6 of ownership you will have probably picked your rig apart and found all the factory defects & omissions. Months 6-11 can be spent using your coach as much as possible and if anything breaks, getting it replaced/repaired as soon as possible.

Around month 10 will be decision time. How handy are you? Most of us can troubleshoot with a multimeter and make minor repairs & modifications. Some of us are virtually a certified RV tech! Where are you on this continuum?

If you consider yourself RV tech material, almost any extended warranty will probably not be for you.

At the very least, you will probably want a roadside repair/flat fix/towing plan; unlike other RVs you are not going to be able to change a tire on your coach, and towing to a repair facility can be frighteningly expensive! These are not DIY tasks.

On the other hand if you start feeling insecure at the thought of troubleshooting your furnace at 7:00PM on a Friday night you may want to consider some sort of warranty plan. Check out all the warranties - especially the ones offered through FMCA & Escapees. In our opinion they offer a level of peace of mind if you frequently use your coach and take extended trips. In addition, these warranties are honored nationally and in Canada/Mexico.

Hope these thoughts help in your decision making process - again welcome to the Berk Family!
__________________
Bob & Anne-Marie [BamaBob & 6 Actual]
| 2017 Berkshire XLT 43A with Ultrasteer Tag | Blue Ox Avail + KarGard II |
| SMI AF-1 Air Brake | 2016 Jeep Cherokee Overland TOAD | Pedego Bikes |
Nights Camped: 2013 - 242014 - 422015 - 56Jul 2016 - Fulltime
BamaBob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2017, 01:19 PM   #11
Dragonship Captain
 
Oscarvan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Eastern PA, USA
Posts: 1,335
Quote:
Originally Posted by I-RV View Post
A covered item under an extended warranty doesn't mean all you pay is the deductible. The warranty company has fixed number of hours for each repair. The repair shop has their own ideas and generally needs more time, for which you pay the difference.
Hank
VERY TRUE. There are plenty of stories out there where people filed a claim with their extended warrantee and were sorely disappointed.
__________________
2020 RAM 3500 DRW Long Horn. In the hunt for a Palomino TC, formerly a 2017 Berkshire 38A: https://dragonship.blog/
Oscarvan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2017, 06:22 AM   #12
Member
 
randyf74's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 77
Buying our Berk used we rolled the dice and did not go for the extended warranty. Like most above I do not believe in them. For the first few months, our dealership covered a majority of the repairs after we purchased the coach.

After the first winter/spring we ran into major problems, electrical and then engine problems. I sat down with the dealer, ran the numbers and together we decided it was in both our best interest to purchase a warranty. The other thing about warranties is there is alot of markup on them. So make sure if you make the jump you know this. We bought it relatively inexpensive. After replacing the inverter, steps, microwave, waste gate, turbo and various other items, it paid for itself in the first six months and after one long trip to SD. The dealership was also great in facilitating the repairs and claims. In the end it saved us both money.
randyf74 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
berkshire

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:49 AM.