Extended Warranty - is it worth it?

[Berengaria]

The standard 5 year warranty on my 2012 v-matic expires next year, and so I'm considering buying the Toyota 2-year warranty extension.

Although  I'm a relatively low mileage user, parts can fail as much with age as mileage and I'm thinking it could come in handy if the EPB fails.

That said, it says that 'replacement of parts due wear and tear' isn't covered.

This does't inspire confidence. Sounds like a cop-out statement to reject a claim for anything. After all, everything fails in the end due to wear and tear. For example, it the EPB did go, what's to stop the dealer sucking teeth and saying that it's age / wear & tear?

Has anyone had any experience with the extended warranty.

I know that bodywork isn't covered, but the  emerging 'door crack' problem is another worry. Mine doesn't have a problem, but if this forum is to believed it will do soon - this is a shocking piece of poor quality from Toyota - no car thesedays should have this problem, but if you do it seems you're left to pick up the expensive pieces yourself!

I don't mind owning a boring but reliable car. I do mind owning a boring but unreliable one.

[Berengaria]

Well, judging by the lack of responses, is this an indication of confidence in the extended warranty or not?

[FROSTYBALLS]

We've bought manufacturer's extended warranties previously, and found them to be useful just for piece of mind. 

The one car that we had an extended warranty on (a Mazda Premacy we bought from new), had the driver's air bag fail during the extended warranty. Mazda replaced the air bag without quibble - the part alone cost £750 at 2006 prices.

Manufacturer extended warranties tend to be more comprehensive than third party warranties.

The Toyota extended warranty is supposed to be one of the best, and also includes Roadside Assistance for the duration of the warranty - see https://www.toyota.co.uk/caring-for-your-toyota/warranty/extended-warranty.json

In 2016, Toyota was also offering two years for the price of one - don't know whether thery have continued with this offer.

I would have no hesitation in buying one.

 

 

[estate]

I've bought the 2 year warranty for the price of 1 year for my 2012 Avensis, as I intend to keep the car for a few more years as it's piece of mind and I think I'll be using it, judging by the expensive problems this car can have.

I never considered it for all the previous Toyota's I owned, but they were all Japanese built and in my mind were a far superior built quality and they (only) had 3 years warranty.

So "Is it worth it"? I think so for my current car, but it may not be, if you have a more reliable Toyota.  

[Heidfirst]

I also availed myself of the "2 for 1" offer as I too intend keeping my car until it is at least 7 (possibly go for 9).

It also includes Toyota Roadside Assistance so once you deduct the price of that in my case (low mileage) it works out to ~£3.50 per week for peace of mind. As with estate this is on a diesel with an EPB ( so more expensive bits than some other cars). 

[samski]

With extended warranty you still need to service your car at Toyota dealership or qualified mechanic otherwise your warranty will be invalidated. For this reason I cancelled extended warranty for a full refund, as the total cost of service and warranty would be coming to almost £1000.

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[Parts-King]

13 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

 

In 2016, Toyota was also offering two years for the price of one - don't know whether thery have continued with this offer.

I would have no hesitation in buying one.

 

 

Yes they have for the time being

[FROSTYBALLS]

Extended warranties are outside the Block Exemption legislation, so the warranty provider can specify where servicing should be carried out. In the case of Toyota, servicing must be carried out within the Toyota dealer network. However, the Essential Care service scheme satisfies the requirements oif the warranty, and represents a saving over the Fixed Price Servicing (£100 for the silver service, £180 for the gold - engines up to and including 2.2 litres).

[Heidfirst]

4 hours ago, samski said:

With extended warranty you still need to service your car at Toyota dealership or qualified mechanic otherwise your warranty will be invalidated. For this reason I cancelled extended warranty for a full refund, as the total cost of service and warranty would be coming to almost £1000.

but at 5 the car becomes eligible for the cheaper Toyota EssentialCare servicing scheme or in my case I have a service plan from the dealer that was a no brainer - an Intermediate & a Full service plus 2 MOTs for ~ the price of a Full only ...

So for ~£850 (low mileage option) I get 2 years servicing, 2 MOTs, 2 years Roadside Assistance & peace of mind over potentially large issues which would make £1000 look cheap. 

[Berengaria]

I think it's something I'm going to have to mull over - at £516 for two years, it isn't cheap.

[FROSTYBALLS]

That's the current offer price - usually it is £516 for one year - and includes two years roadside assistance which currently costs £72 per annum.

[estate]

41 minutes ago, Berengaria said:

I think it's something I'm going to have to mull over - at £516 for two years, it isn't cheap.

Your right to mull over it.

I would leave it until your last year of your warranty and keep an eye on the problems mentioned on this forum and your own experience with your car and then make your own mind up.

I did this and that's why I decided to go for the extended warranty, as I intend to keep the car for about 7 years and the Avensis is probably way down the legue in terms of reliability among the Toyota built cars. 

[Heidfirst]

8 hours ago, estate said:

I did this and that's why I decided to go for the extended warranty, as I intend to keep the car for about 7 years and the Avensis is probably way down the legue in terms of reliability among the Toyota built cars. 

The German TUV reliability reports are useful, the Avensis T27 does quite well at 4-5 years being 3rd= best of all cars. At 6-7 (in 2015) not quite so good (still in the top quarter though) but that may include T25s & the AD engine head/head gasket problems. http://www.anusedcar.com

It's now an old car design though - if it's market sector hadn't collapsed & continued to decline it would under normal circumstances have already  been replaced.

[speedwaydthom]

For what its worth Berengaria I have recently purchased my second 2 year extended warranty from local Toyota dealer coupled with a two year service plan.

This basically takes me to June 2019 covering warranty and routine servicing by which time the car will be approaching 100K miles.

During my period of ownership from new, there have been 3 warranty claims (2 new alloy wheels, new tailgate seal and replacement ball joint). On each of these occasions repairs were dealt with without quibble.

This car is without doubt the best and most reliable car I have ever owned over 40+ years of car ownership and to me the warranty cost and servicing charges represent money well spent particularly as breakdown cover is included and warranty is basically 2 years for the price of one. Interesting to compare with other manufacturers extended warranty costs and I think you will find that Toyota is excellent value for money

 

[fordulike]

Just out of interest. If you purchase a Toyota extended warranty when the 5 year one runs out, do you have to continue having the Intermediate, Full or Full+ servicing, or will they still honour the warranty under their Essential Care service?

[speedwaydthom]

32 minutes ago, fordulike said:

Just out of interest. If you purchase a Toyota extended warranty when the 5 year one runs out, do you have to continue having the Intermediate, Full or Full+ servicing, or will they still honour the warranty under their Essential Care service?

"Your car must be serviced and inspected by an Authorised Toyota Service Centre at least once a year or more frequently for high mileage use, as set out in your service record booklet. Regular servicing means your car is safer, more reliable and more enjoyable to drive. It can also help to increase the car's value when you come to sell it."

Quote from Toyota website.

Don't know that this answers your question though.

[FROSTYBALLS]

2 hours ago, fordulike said:

Just out of interest. If you purchase a Toyota extended warranty when the 5 year one runs out, do you have to continue having the Intermediate, Full or Full+ servicing, or will they still honour the warranty under their Essential Care service?

In one of the earlier threads on the changed service regimes that Toyota introduced last year, Devon Aygo checked whether the Essential Care scheme met with the servicing requirements of the Toyota extended warranty, and the answer was 'yes'.

Logically it would be difficult for Toyota to introduce a service scheme for vehicles over 5 years old which didn't meet the service requirements of the extended warranty.

[Berengaria]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Speedwaythom - were any of the things you mentioned that were fixed under the warranty on your car claimed under the extended warranty or the original 5 year one? If a worn ball joint was replaced, then that's pretty good as I'd have thought this would be quibbled by Toyota as being 'wear and tear'.

When the breakdown cover is factored in, it does make it better value. However, for me, I run a classic car as well, and so for the £75 per year fee, my own AA cover benefits both cars. Consequently, I'd also be paying 'twice' for breakdown cover, as the Toyota-based cover only applies to the Avensis and not me as a driver. Breakdown cover is definitely worth having on a very old car!

My original 5 year warranty expires at the end of March. Car currently has only 9000 miles on the clock, and I do roughly 5500 per year (80% are motorway miles). I wonder of this makes any difference to the chances of making a claim (those of you who bought the extended warranty probably do / have done a lot more miles).

From my own perspective, the main things I'm foreseeing having trouble with are the EPB and the dreaded front door hinge cracking. The extended warranty would be a good bet if the EPB went, but wouldn't cover the door hinge issue, which I think is shocking reading others' stories.

I love the look and fit-out of my Avensis, but found the driving experience to be staid to say the least. Been driving some other new cars recently (an Octavia 1.4 TSI and a 1.0T Astra) which, notwithstanding their reliability pedigree, were way more satisfying to drive. Will probably end up keeping the Avensis for another two years, but if I do decide to sell it (privately), I'd be fairly sure that the remainder of the Toyota extended warranty would add to the car's value and saleability though.

[speedwaydthom]

Berengaria - the alloy wheels and ball joint replacements were carried out during the initial 5 year warranty. The tailgate seal was carried out in year 1 of the first 2 year extended warranty.

I agree that the driving experience is unexciting and have been tempted by a number of other estates - Skoda Superb/Octavia, Ford Mondeo Vignale, Mazda 6 and Kia Optima Sportswagon (7 year warranty) but at the end of the day my loyalty continues with my current Avensis which has just exceeded 70,000 mainly motorway miles. I would not however be tempted to buy the latest version of the Avensis which is not to my taste in terms of looks or appeal and I have heard is powered by a BMW engine.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Toyota are using 1.6 and 2.0 litre BMW diesel engines for some models in Europe - the 1.6 in the Auris and Verso, the 1.6 and 2.0 litre in the Avensis.

[Heidfirst]

11 hours ago, speedwaydthom said:

I agree that the driving experience is unexciting and have been tempted by a number of other estates - Skoda Superb/Octavia, Ford Mondeo Vignale, Mazda 6 and Kia Optima Sportswagon (7 year warranty) but at the end of the day my loyalty continues with my current Avensis which has just exceeded 70,000 mainly motorway miles. I would not however be tempted to buy the latest version of the Avensis which is not to my taste in terms of looks or appeal and I have heard is powered by a BMW engine.

Imo you can find major strikes against all the opposition too though. & with traffic & enforcement the way that it is what chances do you get to enjoy a "sporty" driving car?