AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON USED BUSES FOR SALE
An extended warranty is one way to protect your investment in a bus from unforeseen catastrophic repairs.
For all new vehicles, the vehicle is warranted directly from that manufacturer at any franchised dealership. Additionally, with commercial vehicles such as buses and trucks, when the body is constructed by another manufacturer normally a second warranty exists from the converter, the bus body manufacturer, and others including video system parts, rear air conditioners, wheelchair lifts, seating and other parts such as tires (typically have separate warranties with a list of contacts to deal with for any manufacturing defects) or breakdowns within the initial warranty periods. Also, every warranty segment varies in mileage and period of coverage. Although most buyers ignore the fine print at the time of purchase, it is important to understand each component’s warranty coverage for the bus you intend to buy. This is substantially different than in the automobile industry since the new car manufacturer’s warranty covers the entire vehicle from bumper to bumper except for the tires (which are administered by the new car dealer). The primary difference between the two industries is how their customers make warranty claims, and many new bus dealers are not authorized to repair the entire vehicle. It is advisable to choose a dealership that can help you navigate the warranty maze or at least give recommendations for a local service provider or parts supplier for each covered claim.
Since many used buses have no warranty remaining at the time of purchase, careful consideration must be given to the individual or dealer marketing the bus. Most used bus sellers offer their vehicles on an as-is basis. Simply said, what you see is what you get. Since buses and wheelchair vans are commercial vehicles, normal lemon law and miles-based coverages do not apply. Major Vehicle Exchange only sells vehicles that pass their comprehensive reconditioning process and offer buyers the opportunity for a hands-on inspection of vehicle quality.
Even when there is an optional warranty or service contract available, the coverage is incomplete, may have deductibles, allow substitution of used parts, and require preinspection before approval. The claims process is difficult, frustrating, and time-consuming typically resulting in an unnecessary delay in getting your vehicle back on the road.
Used commercial vehicle warranties can be costly, incomplete, and difficult to justify on a financial basis and the underwriters and carriers often make claims and repairs a hassle. In addition, low mileage buyers often see the warranty period expire before the miles and time periods are expended.
Major Vehicle Exchange is pleased to offer extended warranty coverage and service plans when requested on most of our used buses and wheelchair vans for sale. Since we thoroughly inspect, repair, and service every used bus in our inventory and perform a safety check, this expense is not always a smart expenditure. All of our pre-owned buses and vans have any known problems addressed and are considered problem-free at the time of sale. For many customers, some form of extended warranty or service plan depending on their make, model and year and mileage may be an unnecessary expense.
Every customer wants their bus to last as long as possible irrespective of the purpose they intend to use it for. Concurrently, they want the bus to cost as little as possible while in their ownership. An extended warranty may cost much more than it is worth although it is only a relatively small fraction of the overall amount of the original purchase price. The best advice is to purchase your used bus from a licensed and bonded used bus dealer such as Major Vehicle Exchange because working with an ethical dealer will give you peace of mind so that if something of value breaks on your bus you can use Major Vehicle Exchange as a resource to obtain parts and service at a fair price without the middleman profit of a service contract provider or a warranty company that may delay your repair or can burden you with a high deductible or co-pay amount.
Extended warranties and service contracts are available for many of our vehicles at additional cost. Even though all of our used buses and vans are serviced and thoroughly checked in our reconditioning process before the sale, service contracts and extended warranties are sometimes the best way to protect your investment and safeguard your finances but are not a substitute for regular preventative maintenance and inspection. Sometimes it is better to keep a ready cash reserve in case of a major breakdown and avoid the extended warranty altogether.
Consider the advantages of extended warranties seriously, especially if you do not have a budget for potential major repairs but remember that warranty companies are in business to make money. Please note that your extended warranty or service contract purchase is an additional cost above the purchase price of your vehicle. You may have the option to include the cost of your warranty purchase into your vehicle financing, or you may pay for a warranty separately – your choice.
