Ever have a car sealed?

Joe is right, they didn't throw it in, they moved some numbers around so they could add it in the deal without affecting the bottom line which means you paid too much. It's a common practice and a much spiffed item- there getting a bonus and it's probably tied to a contest. The product is usually not worth much and does nothing for value and little for protection. Ask me how I know.
 
Jason, they likely didn't give you an extended warranty. What they gave you was an "extended service contract". Warranties can only come from the manufacturer. Extended service contracts are provided by third party suppliers.

The problem with them is the devil's in the details. The dealer makes it sound like you will be covered bumper to bumper. The reality is there are lots of hoops to jump through before ANYTHING is covered. An example might be if you have a problem with the engine. The internally lubricated parts are covered, but if an exhaust manifold breaks (for example) it isn't covered. Another problem with ESC's is they often have to examine the defective parts before they'll pay. That means you may get stuck paying for the teardown of your engine before they will send out their guy to inspect the broken parts. If they determine they'll pay for the broken part, they'll also cover the tear down. But if they deny the claim, you're stuck with having the repairs done at the dealership instead of a shop of your choice because your car is already torn apart. (Remember this is AFTER the car's original warranty runs out.)

I've seen cases where the ESC has saved people money, but I've also seen LOTS of cases where people were very unhappy with the results of a claim they submitted.

Want some more examples? I bet if you google "Extended Service Contract Complaints" you'll get enough to keep you busy for awhile.
 
Thanks Mike, and others...

I really appreciate the info guys, I don't buy new cars every day and just sorting everything out now.
 
"Be wary. The dealership's "business manager" may try to sell you undercoating, rustproofing, fabric protection, extended warranty, windshield etching, etc. They're generally worthless or overpriced."

-2002 Consumer Reports Buying Guide

GFC brought up some of the nuances of service contracts, extended warranties, etc. What you got can vary. My Ford dealer pitched me a third party "warranty," which, when you think about it is sort of an "insurance policy" against future repair expenses. These companies undoubtedly have a few actuaries who are effectively making bets on payouts and trying to make a profit.

When you buy an extended warranty, you are making a bet that you will hold on to a car long enough, and suffer repairs significant enough, to meet or exceed your premium. You may also have to deal with a third party "gatekeeper" that approves your claim, where you can get service, etc. I personally find handing somebody a thousand dollars or more, hoping that they will safeguard it for three years during the manufacturer's bumper-to-bumper period, and treating me fairly 50 months down the road a more scary proposition then just handling repairs on my own. If a person is normally "cash poor," scared of unexpected expenses, and prefers to have "pre-paid service" built into their monthly car payment, a warranty can provide (probably expensive) piece of mind.

Consumer experience will vary. I have a relative that got a new engine under an extended warranty (she had abused and neglected it). Later she found that her warranty company had gone out of business, she lost her last year of coverage, but she still made out very well. We joked about her bankrupting the company.

I hang on to my cars, maintain them, and have never seen the numbers pan out in favor of a warranty. I normally don't use the mileage potential of the coverage - again a bet the warranty actuary is making regarding some of its customers.

I've put a lot of thought into the purchase of several cars, and always walk away wondering if I could have done better. A little buyer's remorse is normal. Don't let it get to you and enjoy your new wheels. Your buddy may have gone easy on you, but keep in mind his boss incents him to stand between you and the car, and maximize profit for himself and the dealer.

Next go around, consider using the Consumer Reports buying guide and data. It will cost you a pittance, and arm you with a lot of information.

https://ec.consumerreports.org/ec/aps/order.htm?INTKEY=I0AH0L9


On the paint sealent, read your owner's manual. It probably will recommend a good coat of wax, and make no reference to getting a good paint sealent at your dealer! And nothing is maintenance free. I'm sure you aready know that a certain amount of road grime and crud will eventually make you work at your paint beyond a normal wash job. No paint sealent will change this destiny. My tip is to wax out the weld joints inside your doors, hood, trunk lid before winter each year, and keep them clean as possible during the season. These joints seem to be where water and chemicals build up and start trouble.
 
I clean and buff my Audi S5 like I clean and buff my boat. I love it and either is a great excuse to smoke a good cigar for a couple of hours.

Anyway, the dealer offered interior/exterior paint protection stuff is all BS. It's fantasy that you never have to wax your car again. That being said, it won't hurt the car.

The best thing I did was have a 3M clear bra applied to to the front of the car and mirrors. When applied correctly, you can't see it at all and it protects the finish from all the road grit. I have a midnight black car and you can't see one ding on the front, it works that good. I have had the car for 10 months and drive in RI which has the worst roads in the nation so it definitely does the job.

As an aside, I have a whole line of Adams car care products and they work perfectly. I highly recommend them. 5 minutes with the detail spray and a microfiber towel has your car looking brand new. We spend so much time discussing the best products for boat maintenance so I thought I would throw that out there for you guys who like to keep your cars in spotless condition like your boats!





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Save your money and not buy most of the dealer's items they push. Assuming there are no manufacturing mistakes at the plant the vehicle should do well without additional paint/under coatings. What can happen is when the metal is not prepped correctly at the plant just before painting then the paint can peel or panels rust from within but that is the exception.
 
I had a dealer tell me sometime in the late 90's that sealing was a waste of time because the way cars are painted today. The newer paint formulations are far more resistant to dirt, road tar, salts and other chemicals than they used to be. I wax my car (and motor home, twice a year, in the spring and then in the fall. That's it. Wash it once a week, or more in crappy weather, and they still look good. Use a good quality wax like Macguires. The MH is a 2004, and the Chevy Trailblazer is a 2005. Both look like new. I had a 2004 Chevy cavalier and the paint job on it was still like new when I sold it a couple of months ago. (except the rear bumper which had been replaced and the repair shop did a lousy job of painting it. I repainted it myself with a good quality auto paint and after that It continued to look good.)
 
Ike said:
I had a dealer tell me sometime in the late 90's that sealing was a waste of time because the way cars are painted today. The newer paint formulations are far more resistant to dirt, road tar, salts and other chemicals than they used to be. I wax my car (and motor home, twice a year, in the spring and then in the fall. That's it. Wash it once a week, or more in crappy weather, and they still look good. Use a good quality wax like Macguires. The MH is a 2004, and the Chevy Trailblazer is a 2005. Both look like new. I had a 2004 Chevy cavalier and the paint job on it was still like new when I sold it a couple of months ago. (except the rear bumper which had been replaced and the repair shop did a lousy job of painting it. I repainted it myself with a good quality auto paint and after that It continued to look good.)
Click to expand...

Judging from the timing that would have been right when reduced VOC regulations kicked in. The traditional undercoating was basically a paraffin with binders mixed in. We used an Ashland product named Tectyl for undercoating tractors, trailers and fully coating container chassis. Ziebart used the same product. The stuff worked great, except it needed so much solvent to be sprayable that it never got past the first round of VOC reduction regs. Two things resulted from these regulations; old style undercoating and rust sealing was essentially outlawed, and paints were reformulated resulting with better performance.

My read on this stuff now is that it is more of a profit center for dealers than a necessary option.

Henry


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