How many Owners buy the B.E.S.T. Spyder Extended Waurentee Insurance?

[007james]

Hi All,
I have 6 months left on my BRP Factory Waurentee, and keep changing my mind on whether to
Purchase the B.E.S.T. Three year Extended Waurentee or not. I have read the Threads that I can find here, but can not make up my mind. I have read the small print on the BEST Contract, about what is covered, and what is NOT covered, and what scares me the most are the two words under what’s covered are,..NORMAL ” Wear & Tear.” To me, those two words indicate that some one has to determine if the repair is not covered because of some part involved with the failure has been worn by normal Wear & Tear. My 2016 RT Limited will have about 35,000 miles on it, when my Factory Waurentee expires, so to me, at least, there will be lots of “ Wear & Tear” on lots of parts on my Spyder! There are so many parts listed in the Contract that are NOT covered, that it appears that if my Spyder suddenly just quits in the middle of no where, and has to be trailered to the nearest BRP Dealer for Diagnoses, and several hours of Labor has first be done to even remove the engine and split the Case , to let’s say, replace the drive shaft that the Sprocket/ Pulley failures have worn and twisted the splines on, that couldn’t such a failure be considered “ Wear & Tear” ? Many Sprockets have already been changed on the drive shafts, including mine, which have been reassembled with out removing the engine shaft, so could very well fail again. So would certainly be a Wear & Tear part to be refused. There are so many parts not covered, that at 35,000 miles, it hardly seems worth the bother to buy Insurence that will need a Professional Negociator to argue getting the repair covered every time. There are other Extended Waurentess sold by Dealers as well, such as Western Service out of California, that sells 5 year Waurentees, that have the same long list of parts not covered in their Contracts, plus have very poor Customer Reviews on the Internet. Let’s face it. The Extended Waurentees are Insurence Policies, and Professional Insurence Adjusters are paid to negociate paying as little as possible to Policy Holders asking for payments.
So, I would appriciate ALL Opinions, from both those who HAVE purchesed Extended Waurentees, and if they proved to be a good Investment, or a waste of money, and also Owners that have NOT purchased ANY Extended Waurentee, and decided to just take their chances and use the money saved to buy other needed Services, but then wished they had bought it before their Factory Waurentee expired.
Thanks in advance for all who respond. I think all Spyder Owners who’s Factory Waurentees have not yet expired would be very interested in responses.

 

[JKMSPYDER]

I bought my ‘15 F3-S in January of 2016. I got a year of BEST warranty added to the 2 year factory warranty. Just before the 3 years ran out this January I purchased an extra two years of the BEST warranty. I may never have to use it, but I feel more comfortable with it. I average about 12,000 miles per year. I have a friend that had to have her transmission replaced on her F3-S last summer. Luckily she had the BEST warranty and it was covered. Extended warranties are always a crapshoot. You may never need it but, again, you might!

 

[JayBros]

IMO, it depends on the depth of your pockets. As JKM's story shows $50 isn't bad for a new transmission. If you look at extended warranties for most any product there's a lot of wear and tear items. How big a gambler are you?

 

[DerSpyGuy]

When I bought my 2016 F3 Limited in Dec 2018, the seller said he did not have the B.E.S.T extended warranty. Well, when I got it home I cleaned out all the storage areas and found a shredded notice that mentioned the warranty. I called BRP, gave them the info on the Spyder and learned that it did have the extended warranty and its valid until Aug of 2021. Guess the original owner forgot about it.

 

[bhern]

I guess I'll come down on the "con" side for extended warranties in general -- haven't even really looked at the fine print of the B.E.S.T. warranty so if it's unusually generous, I'm open to being wrong -- simply because the math isn't in your favor. I believe several people on the board here work in/around the insurance field, so this isn't a knock on the insurance game, but the fundamental issue is that those offering insurance are not charities or non-profits. Therefore, their offerings have to make them money.

So to me the insurance decision always just comes down to the downside. What's my downside risk if I roll snake-eyes on this particular product/purchase/item?

In some cases, the insurance buying decision is mandated -- please don't take this in a political direction -- so in areas like auto/motorcycle insurance I'm required to buy it, and simply shape it to meet my personal criteria. Where I have a choice, I make the decision based on how concerned I am about the ultimate downside risk, and the cost of that ultimate downside.

I've owned 3 homes along the journey, and for many years I paid USAA for the privilege of insuring each of them. Why? While the risk, even in Houston -- more on that in a minute -- is relatively low for a total loss, the cost risk is just too great for my wallet. And for the first 18 years of that timeframe, I hope my picture was up on a wall as "most profitable customer" -- never filed a claim, never had a problem that involved them. But in year 19, hurricane Ike decided to drop a little cyclone into our neighborhood and my house was one of 6 in a diagonal path that had trees relocated to and through their roofs. Structural repair, roof replacement, HVAC repair/replacement... it added up. (In Houston, all the major plumbing is usually in the attic. 7-8 months of the year you don't have to pay to heat your water!) By my rough calculations, I pretty much got back all of my insurance payments over the years; figuring in the time/value of my "donations," USAA has done all right by me, but my picture may have come down from the wall.

Same thing for auto/motorcycle insurance -- IMVHO, the bigger issue is the liability side you might have in an accident where someone else is severely injured. I'm not worrying so much about replacing the car -- painful, but not a show-stopper -- but picking up a couple hundred thousand dollars for medical bills? Not in my budget.

So for me, the decision should be based strictly on, "how painful is it going to be to replace this item if it is a total loss?" And in this case, you're talking about a *mechanical* total loss. That means while your total exposure is, at worst, the cost of the Spyder, in reality, it's probably some painful percentage, but lower than 100%, of that value. If that's going to be a problem for you, then as JayBros said, how big of a gambler are you? If it's not going to be a significant issue for you, then let the math work in your favor.

 

[bscrive]

If you have a loan on the Spyder then I would say get the extended warranty. Nothing like paying on a loan, but you cannot afford to get the bike fixed. If you can afford to fix it and pay on a loan then save your money. Although, $1000 doesn't go very far fixing these machines. I bet that a tranny alone is probably worth $3000, or more. We always have warranty to cover the length of our loans.

 

[007james]

Great Response! A real lot to think about there. I really was favoring buying the Western Service 5 year Extended Waurentee, until I found these reviews on the Internet. But the B.E.S.T. Negative reviews are absent, at least as far as refusals ,or rejected Claims are concerned, but the fine Print on both Contracts are just about the same, for what is, and what is not covered. But there is no Deductable $50 per Claim on the Western Service Contract,.....IF you happen to be one of the lucky ones that they don’t reject. To me, I can’t imagine EITHER Company to repace my Engine Shaft if the splines shear too severe again to secure another Sprocket/Pulley that has already been replaced at 21,500 miles, can any one else? That Shaft would surely fall in to the “ Worn and Torn” catagory. The Western Contract fine print says Air Bags are not covered, so they could very well refuse to replace the Air Bag and Air Compessor on the RTs that start leaking and fail, as happend on my 2012 RT that cost me $1300 at 55,000 miles. I did not have Xtendend Insurence on my 2012.
https://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/western-service-contract-corp-c301446.html

I guess I'll come down on the "con" side for extended warranties in general -- haven't even really looked at the fine print of the B.E.S.T. warranty so if it's unusually generous, I'm open to being wrong -- simply because the math isn't in your favor. I believe several people on the board here work in/around the insurance field, so this isn't a knock on the insurance game, but the fundamental issue is that those offering insurance are not charities or non-profits. Therefore, their offerings have to make them money.

So to me the insurance decision always just comes down to the downside. What's my downside risk if I roll snake-eyes on this particular product/purchase/item?

In some cases, the insurance buying decision is mandated -- please don't take this in a political direction -- so in areas like auto/motorcycle insurance I'm required to buy it, and simply shape it to meet my personal criteria. Where I have a choice, I make the decision based on how concerned I am about the ultimate downside risk, and the cost of that ultimate downside.

I've owned 3 homes along the journey, and for many years I paid USAA for the privilege of insuring each of them. Why? While the risk, even in Houston -- more on that in a minute -- is relatively low for a total loss, the cost risk is just too great for my wallet. And for the first 18 years of that timeframe, I hope my picture was up on a wall as "most profitable customer" -- never filed a claim, never had a problem that involved them. But in year 19, hurricane Ike decided to drop a little cyclone into our neighborhood and my house was one of 6 in a diagonal path that had trees relocated to and through their roofs. Structural repair, roof replacement, HVAC repair/replacement... it added up. (In Houston, all the major plumbing is usually in the attic. 7-8 months of the year you don't have to pay to heat your water!) By my rough calculations, I pretty much got back all of my insurance payments over the years; figuring in the time/value of my "donations," USAA has done all right by me, but my picture may have come down from the wall.

Same thing for auto/motorcycle insurance -- IMVHO, the bigger issue is the liability side you might have in an accident where someone else is severely injured. I'm not worrying so much about replacing the car -- painful, but not a show-stopper -- but picking up a couple hundred thousand dollars for medical bills? Not in my budget.

So for me, the decision should be based strictly on, "how painful is it going to be to replace this item if it is a total loss?" And in this case, you're talking about a *mechanical* total loss. That means while your total exposure is, at worst, the cost of the Spyder, in reality, it's probably some painful percentage, but lower than 100%, of that value. If that's going to be a problem for you, then as JayBros said, how big of a gambler are you? If it's not going to be a significant issue for you, then let the math work in your favor.

 

[Bob Denman]

I had the extended warranty on my 2014 & 2018 RTs. (The 2010 didn't have it...)
I'd suggest that you should always make the B.E.S.T. warranty part of the purchase negotiations.

 

[tibadoe]

Since this will be my first Spyder, decided to go for the B.E.S.T. warranty. It's a roll of the dice but maybe I can get a good deal before I order/purchase.

 

[Bob Denman]

I hope that you never have to use it! :thumbup:

 

[ARtraveler]

To extend the warranty or to not extend the warranty comes up from time to time.

Personally, over five Spyders...I have only had the BEST warranty once. It was a part of the promotion on the 2014. I got two extra years. The most miles I have put on any ONE Spyder have been 36,500 (the 2010 RTS). I am currently at 32K on both the 2011 and the 2014. So far...there have been no major repairs required for any of the five Spyders owned.

That said...there are many things to consider. Is it worth it? Many who have encountered major problems will attest to the fact that having the BEST warranty was a Godsend to them. Without it, they would have spent thousands of dollars.

Cost--ballpark $700 to $900...if you shop around. You do not have to buy it from the selling dealer...but they should be given a chance at it. The price is always negotiable. Like all other add on's for toys...there is a nice markup, and the dealer will take their chance at the most money they think they can get.

Other similar warantees They are out there. Some better than others. BEST is honored by all dealers except for one state. Not so with "other" brand warranties. Beware of dealer only extended warrantees...unless you do not plan to move.

As others have said...a crapshoot...do you need it, or not? I am fine over the life of my Spyder experience (11 years). I have been lucky enough not to carry long term loans on any of them. Those that have tighter money...it is worth thinking about. If you have to wonder where the repairs are to come from, you probably should have an extended warranty.

I would vote with starting with BEST. :yes:

 

[Bfromla]

If you have a loan on the Spyder then I would say get the extended warranty. Nothing like paying on a loan, but you cannot afford to get the bike fixed. If you can afford to fix it and pay on a loan then save your money. Although, $1000 doesn't go very far fixing these machines. I bet that a tranny alone is probably worth $3000, or more. We always have warranty to cover the length of our loans.

:agree: peace of mind & in my case it covered itself quite a bit.:lecturef_smilie:https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?117964-SE-tranny-heads-up.

 

[Gunner3773]

I am not sure about the aftermarket warranties, but with the BEST warranty, it is still a crap shoot whether they cover the repair or not. My dealer told me that it really depends on who picks up the phone at BRP as to whether the warranty claim will be approved or not. In my case, my hazing headlights were denied because the failure was considered "cosmetic" even though other owners have had their hazing headlights replaced without issue under the BEST warranty. That being said, I used up a great deal of the cost of the warranty when I had my entire left hand control unit replaced because of bizarre shifting issues. Because these bikes are so costly to repair, I will be looking to trade when the BEST warranty expires on my Spyder in 2020. Even though BRP denied a claim on a part failure, I still wouldn't be without it.

Now, with my multiple Honda motorcycles, I have never purchased an extended warranty and would never had any reason to use that warranty. But Honda and BRP products are different products when it come to reliability, in my opinion. Again, I would not be without a warranty when it comes to a Spyder.

 

[gnorthern]

In the long term self-insurance is the way to go. When you pay for insurance you are paying for the statistical average of the cost of repairs, plus processing costs, plus profit for the company issuing the insurance, plus profit for the people selling the insurance. On new car purchases the markup on the extended warranties is terrible.

Having said that I do buy insurance on things I might break due to abuse, mainly cell phones and cameras. It is so I do not have to "be careful" since if it breaks it is insured. I do not want to have to think about being careful.

 

[LeftCoast]

I just had the DESS control module replacement done under warranty that would have cost me $700 bucks on my 2015 RTL. The warranty transferred with the bike though when I bought it

 

[007james]

Left, what was the mileage at the DESS failure, and was it replaced by BRP Factory Waurentee, or BEST Extended Waurentee? How long did it take gor BRP to approve, and did the Dealer do the negociations for you, and was it the Dealer you bought the Spyder from? Thanks.

I just had the DESS control module replacement done under warranty that would have cost me $700 bucks on my 2015 RTL. The warranty transferred with the bike though when I bought it

 

[jcthorne]

I will come in on the Yes side. Been there, done that, BRP covered the $11k cost of a complete new engine assembly when mine blew coming home from a long trip last fall. BRP was actually very good to deal with but I will say, MUCH of the outcome has to do with your dealer and how well they know the bike and BRP's systems. How to report claims, how to work the parts system, and communication with several different departments in BRP that are not real good at speaking with each other.

In my case, there was never really any intent on BRPs part to deny the claim, trouble was there were no 2015 Rotax 1330 SE engines in the parts system. And no 2016s either which were the only superseded part number. Neither the dealer nor I wanted to attempt ordering sufficient parts to build a new engine from what we had left of my old one....starting with a new case. Phone calls to parts and engineering support for service resulted in the answer that yes, a brand new 2019 engine assembly will indeed work fine in a 2015 bike. They placed the order and had the crate in hand in less than a week. Total repair bill was over $11k. More than the bike was worth but they fixed it. Bike is running great with its new 2019 drive train. BRP BEST warranty was actually pretty easy to deal with. They even paid the entire tow bill which was far more than the $200 limit on the roadside assistance. Heck of a way to get new plugs, filters and other items I was due for at that time for free.....

Avoid ALL aftermarket extended warranties. They simply do not handle claims in the same straightforward manner that the dealer processes standard warranty claims.

 

[LeftCoast]

Left, what was the mileage at the DESS failure, and was it replaced by BRP Factory Waurentee, or BEST Extended Waurentee? How long did it take gor BRP to approve, and did the Dealer do the negociations for you, and was it the Dealer you bought the Spyder from? Thanks.

I bought the 2015 bike used from a Spyderlover member with just over 15k on it in May of 2018 with the warranty. Got my first DESS error within a few months of owning. I should point out it never failed completely and popped up randomly about 7 times after that but a quick on off turn of the key cleared the error. I took the bike in for oil change etc in Jan. 2019 with about 18,300 on it and had the module replaced then. I’m pretty sure it was replaced under the BEST warranty with zero hassle and the dealer had the parts on hand.

 

[007james]

WOW!! That is powerful, and almost enough to convince me to go for the 3 year BEST. But I agree that the Dealer handling the Claim makes all the diffence, and has to have the inside favorable connections with BRP to get every thing handled honestly. But BRP going for a complete new engine gives me a lot more confidence to roll the Dice. The report by them replacing the complete Wiring Harness on the Guy’s Spyder who got stranded in Winslow, Arizona was very positive for BRP, as well. Thanks for this Report! I also agree with you regarding After Market Insurance Policies. They look like real Crap Shoots.

I will come in on the Yes side. Been there, done that, BRP covered the $11k cost of a complete new engine assembly when mine blew coming home from a long trip last fall. BRP was actually very good to deal with but I will say, MUCH of the outcome has to do with your dealer and how well they know the bike and BRP's systems. How to report claims, how to work the parts system, and communication with several different departments in BRP that are not real good at speaking with each other.

In my case, there was never really any intent on BRPs part to deny the claim, trouble was there were no 2015 Rotax 1330 SE engines in the parts system. And no 2016s either which were the only superseded part number. Neither the dealer nor I wanted to attempt ordering sufficient parts to build a new engine from what we had left of my old one....starting with a new case. Phone calls to parts and engineering support for service resulted in the answer that yes, a brand new 2019 engine assembly will indeed work fine in a 2015 bike. They placed the order and had the crate in hand in less than a week. Total repair bill was over $11k. More than the bike was worth but they fixed it. Bike is running great with its new 2019 drive train. BRP BEST warranty was actually pretty easy to deal with. They even paid the entire tow bill which was far more than the $200 limit on the roadside assistance. Heck of a way to get new plugs, filters and other items I was due for at that time for free.....

Avoid ALL aftermarket extended warranties. They simply do not handle claims in the same straightforward manner that the dealer processes standard warranty claims.

 

[blacklightning]

I bought the 2015 bike used from a Spyderlover member with just over 15k on it in May of 2018 with the warranty. Got my first DESS error within a few months of owning. I should point out it never failed completely and popped up randomly about 7 times after that but a quick on off turn of the key cleared the error. I took the bike in for oil change etc in Jan. 2019 with about 18,300 on it and had the module replaced then. I’m pretty sure it was replaced under the BEST warranty with zero hassle and the dealer had the parts on hand.

I am not sure, but I believe that the DESS error is one of those items that are not quite a recall, but still a covered item, even if you are out from under warranty. I cannot swear to that, because my 2014 RT was still under warranty when I had mine replaced.
But to the OP, I will be extending the warranty on my 2016 F3T just for piece of mind. It is paid for, but I just don't want to worry with outstanding repair bills. Plus, I see using my potential payment money to pay for the warranty. I had a 2012 RSS, and the transmission shift control module went bad. That cost around $800 alone. I would hate to have a major repair bill on this thing.