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!