fooldall1

All:


With the potential issues with Brake controller, Control Arms, etc- and the cost of those to repair.. Are the extended warranties actually worth the cost? My car is a 2009. Should I be worried about these issues in this model run of the vehicle?

greg3852

I had an extended warranty with mine, and I can say it gave me piece of mind, but I never needed it. I had the car checked out by friends who worked at the dealership before it expired, and they couldn't find anything wrong.

On the other side, there will be people who have had to use it, and it probably saved them a lot of money. There are always two sides.

I say if you feel more comfortable with having one, then get it. If you do not think you need it then don't. One thing I will say is they are all different. It is very important to read the fine print as to what they cover. There are also different companies that back the warranties, and some are better than others. Without a doubt read the fine print on what is covered and what isnt.

Doublebase

A lot of people on here really love them, personally I do a lot of my own work...plus the car really didn't need much of anything, so the warranty would have been a waste for me. But others have gotten their money's worth out of them.

The big ticket items are the control arms and brake actuator. The control arms can be replaced at an independent for a fraction of the dealer price. And the brake actuator is now covered under an extended warranty by Lexus. Still perhaps it might be the right fit for you, just do your home work.

Wandl

There are plenty of threads on this, it is split because the LS is a pretty reliable vehicle and the issues are "relatively" minor in relation to the cost of the vehicle.

If you are a DIY-er, bypass the warranty as most of the parts are cheaper to be sourced yourself. If not, there are options. 3rd party warranty companies are iffy unless you stick with some well known ones (i.e. Route 66, CarChex, Warranty Direct) who, depending on the plan you choose, do cover major items like control arms and brake controllers.

Being an 09 model, you probably have to find an aftermarket one and the question you have to answer is whether the cost (I'd guess between $2500-$4000 for 3-4 years of coverage) outweighs the risk. How many miles are on yours? Have a mechanic check it out to see if any issues exist now. And, like greg 3852 said, what is your financial position if something happens in 2 years? That hopefully will help determine whether this is the right move or not.

Alvin

Nospinzone

One thing that I have read here multiple times is that extended warranties through your local credit union are much preferred over other 3rd party warranties.

dlbuckls10

My extended warranty paid for itself and thousands more in unexpected repairs.. Well worth the $1600 for me. Chance it or not that's your call. The LS 460 have problems.

Littleguy

For me personally, nothing that breaks on these cars is expensive enough or difficult enough to do yourself to justify a warranty. If I couldn't wrench myself then yes.

fooldall1

All, thanks for the comments- some good useful information there.

WANDL, the car has 56k on it. I just checked in the CarFax service section that the local Lexus replaced the "ABS/Brake Motor" already at 25k miles. I think I will call the dealership in the AM and see if this replacement was the "brake actuator" referenced in the TSBs.

I'm not exactly sure I know what the symptoms would be for the control arms- other than the uneven tire wear. It does feel a bit like it needs a SLIGHT alignment adjustment, but nothing major.

roadfrog

There have been endless debates on the value of an extended warranty (not truly a warranty, but a service policy).

At the end of the day, you have to look at it as whether it gives you peace of mind. Most consumer organizations and the like advise against them, since studies have shown that they do not usually pay for themselves over time. I know personally that had I bought an extended warranty on my vehicle, I would have been out a ton of cash. Same with every other car I've owned - EXCEPT my BMW. I would have put the warranty company out of business. Fact is though, most of those companies exclude the 7 series and X5. These companies are more than happy to sell you a warranty, because they know it's a money making gamble. They're betting you won't need it and you're betting you will. That's why the dealers spend more effort trying to sell you a warranty than the car you're buying. The only repairs my car has needed is a water pump and mufflers. The mufflers would not have been covered and the water pump cost me 55 bucks and a few jugs of coolant to repair. It has 115k miles.

fooldall1

Thx RF, sage advice as usual..

mdpresco

We purchased a 2007 460L in July 2014 from a Toyota dealer. I had read (on this site) about control arms and had the dealer put the car on the lift before I bought the car. They didn't look bad at the time. I bought the 4 yr/48,000 warranty through the dealer at the time of purchase for $2,600 not knowing why I would use it. The warranty "bumper to bumper" warranty.

Around 85,000 miles, an alignment by Lexus confirmed there was no more left front caster adjustment unless "suspension parts were replaced". In addition, It was also noted that the direct injection fuel pump gaskets were leaking and there were pink crystals under the water pump. I went to the Toyota dealer, presented the warranty, the SA said "everything was covered" and we will get you a rental car! The warranty company sent an adjuster to check the claim for the $4,000 in control arms. Six of 8 front control arms and the water pump were replaced. The radiator was replaced when they broke the plastic nipple inserting the small hose on the top. The fuel pump gaskets were replaced and the plugs were changed. The engine is quieter now - not sure why - but I don't hear the DI fuel pumps. The car is a pleasure to drive.

High end cars can be expensive to maintain. Would I buy an extended warranty again for a used car? Depending on the history and the cost of the warranty - probably yes.

enoch861

THIS. If you're going to shop for an extended warranty, check in with your local credit unions. They'll more likely than not save you a ton of money. Case in point my policy was only $892 for 4Y/50k that covers practically everything except for wear and tear items. It's paid for itself almost 10 times over at this point.
With the LS you don't explicitly need a warranty. Mechanically the car is sound unlike other cars where your engine or transmission is a ticking time bomb. But it doesn't hurt to have one in case something stupid your like NAV decides to start acting up one day or something random like that. The peace of mind you get from having a warranty is quite nice. I look at it as insurance. You don't get health insurance because you're going to get sick or car insurance* because you plan to crash. You get it for that peace of mind that when you inexplicably do get sick or hit someone with you're car, you're covered and your wallet won't be feeling the pain. People go years and years without getting sick or every using their car insurance, that doesn't inherently mean you shouldn't get it though.

*Yes, car/health insurance is typically mandatory, but you get my point.

roadfrog

Keep in mind that when people quote that, "they saved x" amount of dollars, it is always dealer prices with dealer parts. An example of that is the control arms. 750 dollars will replace ALL your CA's aftermarket/indy etc. I already provided another example in my case of the water pump. 55 bucks doing it myself....maybe an hour labor for an indy to do, for a total of about 150 bucks. I'd still be out more cash on the warranty than what my car has needed. This has proven true with other members here.

Chuckinnj

Mr Frog is 100% correct if you want to go the indy/after market route but most owners want to stay with Lexus parts and factory trained techs which are not needed for some repairs like suspension components. HOWEVER...... When you get into the electronic control repairs (that must be done at a dealer) the repairs can get very costly exceeding the cost of the contract, I must admit the LS is very reliable and that these repairs are rare but "Hey! ***** Happens"

I have purchased FACTORY warranties for my:
Volvo 850 Turbo Wagon used it for 2 AC replacements and trans replacement.......Huge WIN.
SRT Charger and never used it..... Out $2000
Nissan 300Z used it on several occasions for suspension module and several "minor problems"........ WIN
Nissan Maxima used it for a AC compressor and alternator....... Broke even
Lexus ES used it for a power window motor....... Out $1500
Lexus LS......... Too early to tell BUT I sleep well at night.
At the end of the day I have lost money on buying these contracts.

These contracts are a gamble and most of the time you are paying more for the contract VS. out of pocket repairs.
Feeling Lucky?..... Don't buy them. Wanna sleep at night?....... Buy it!
Dealers make a big profit from selling these contracts and the prices are well calculated in the underwriters favor. These contracts are negotiable and can be "lumped into" the financed price so chisel away at the F&I guy.

fooldall1

Thanks, I'm pretty sure I can breathe easier knowing the 460 isn't TOO likely to need an extended warranty.. but at least the car came with a great drivetrain warranty from the dealer I bought it from.