I had finalized my choice of a next vehicle, and it was a Volkswagen Touareg. For those who are knowledgeable car geeks, you will fully understand why the vehicle is intriguing, and if not, don't worry about it.
My research revealed that starting in approximately 2012, VW started offering a ten year "limited" warranty on the drivetrain on all Touaregs. I didn't see anything official, but each of them seemed to have that notation on the ad. Other VW's it seems to be f years, 60k miles.
Because I sold off two other cars I am in a position to get the T'reg and whatever related goodies I want. I am considering getting an after-market warranty, to cover the possible catastrophic repair bill.
So at my initial viewing of the Car of My Dreams, the car is perfect in every visible and apparent way. When I ask about the VW warranty (this is a Kia/Genesis dealer), the sales dude says I'm wrong about the VW warranty; it's expired. Done. Non-existent. The F&I person is sitting there as I have asked about getting an aftermarket warranty. After the usual song & dance, he tells me everything that can go wrong with the VW and how expensive it will be, and he quotes me the mind-numbing sum of $3,600 for a three-year "comprehensive" warranty package (that excludes everything that actually wears out on a car),
Well...
I walk away from the deal and go home to do some additional research. I'm right about the 10-year drivetrain warranty, which kinda tips the scale back in favor of the car. In fact, the owner's manual clearly states the existence of the 10-year drivetrain warranty, and I print out a copy of the relevant page (for my benefit, not the dealer's) - although I intend to shove it up the salesman's ass at the appropriate time. I go back to the dealer and indicate I want to buy it, and they start the paperwork.
Not surprisingly, the F&I person is required to go through his entire song & dance and in addition to a couple other preposterously expensive forms of "protection," he brings up the 36-month aftermarket warranty again. I bring out the copy of the owner's manual page, where it details the hundred-thousand-mile drivetrain warranty. I point out that the coverage on the pricey warranty we discussed the previous day had been reduced by more than half, with the introduction and confirmation of the Volkswagen warranty.
No change in the price of the warranty.
I realize that this is just a low-life minion, but he never batted an eye. My new information was analogous to giving a life insurance quote for an 80-year-old, then quoting the same price to his grandson.
Why on earth would I think the price would go down?
My research revealed that starting in approximately 2012, VW started offering a ten year "limited" warranty on the drivetrain on all Touaregs. I didn't see anything official, but each of them seemed to have that notation on the ad. Other VW's it seems to be f years, 60k miles.
Because I sold off two other cars I am in a position to get the T'reg and whatever related goodies I want. I am considering getting an after-market warranty, to cover the possible catastrophic repair bill.
So at my initial viewing of the Car of My Dreams, the car is perfect in every visible and apparent way. When I ask about the VW warranty (this is a Kia/Genesis dealer), the sales dude says I'm wrong about the VW warranty; it's expired. Done. Non-existent. The F&I person is sitting there as I have asked about getting an aftermarket warranty. After the usual song & dance, he tells me everything that can go wrong with the VW and how expensive it will be, and he quotes me the mind-numbing sum of $3,600 for a three-year "comprehensive" warranty package (that excludes everything that actually wears out on a car),
Well...
I walk away from the deal and go home to do some additional research. I'm right about the 10-year drivetrain warranty, which kinda tips the scale back in favor of the car. In fact, the owner's manual clearly states the existence of the 10-year drivetrain warranty, and I print out a copy of the relevant page (for my benefit, not the dealer's) - although I intend to shove it up the salesman's ass at the appropriate time. I go back to the dealer and indicate I want to buy it, and they start the paperwork.
Not surprisingly, the F&I person is required to go through his entire song & dance and in addition to a couple other preposterously expensive forms of "protection," he brings up the 36-month aftermarket warranty again. I bring out the copy of the owner's manual page, where it details the hundred-thousand-mile drivetrain warranty. I point out that the coverage on the pricey warranty we discussed the previous day had been reduced by more than half, with the introduction and confirmation of the Volkswagen warranty.
No change in the price of the warranty.
I realize that this is just a low-life minion, but he never batted an eye. My new information was analogous to giving a life insurance quote for an 80-year-old, then quoting the same price to his grandson.
Why on earth would I think the price would go down?
