At first glance, the mailer reads in big bold letters: “REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION – TIME SENSITIVE MATERIAL ENCLOSED.” Then to peek your interest, the words “TO BE OPENED BY ADDRESSEE ONLY PLEASE RESPOND WITHIN FIVE DAYS.”
So I open it, just to find out what this sender is really up to. The message inside tells me that my car warranty is expiring and they can help. But of course, I must act now. Let’s see they have the right owner, car make and year too. Guess they have a little bit of credibility?
The solution to my problem seems to be just a call away. They give me their toll free number to extend my vehicle’s coverage. But as Lee Corso says, “Not so fast.” After all, my car warranty isn’t expiring for another year.
But the mailer clearly says it’s “URGENT AND TIME SENSITIVE.” Surely, this mailer is going right into the recycle bin. Pronto!
However, I must say knowing the specifics about your warranty can really save you money. For starters you won’t fall into warranty extension gimmicks. Now if you really need the additional coverage, I encourage you to make sure it’s a reputable company and confirm the coverage is worth paying for (what does it cover? how much does it cost?).
Warranty protection could definitely be a good thing! And it gets even better when retailers (i.e. Costco) or credit card companies automatically extend the manufacturer’s warranty on some purchases.Understanding the warranty protection you have can keep more money in your pocket. For example, we had to replace a bedroom door handle in our home. And I didn’t have any warranty information because we bought the house new. After shopping around, I decided to call the manufacturer.
To my surprise, I found out the door handle was covered under a lifetime warranty. The only thing they requested is a picture of the broken door handle and that I pay a reasonable shipping and handling charge. Then they sent me a brand new door handle for free (about $40 retail).
Have you ever purchased an extended warranty? If so, what’s been your experience?
