Extended Warranty - Worth It?

[dxhound]

Hello,

I have a BX1870 with a belly mowing deck and front loader. Just got a notice in the mail that my basic 2 year warranty expires this month. The dealer wants $400 for a one year extension of the factory warranty and $700 for two years.

I did the 50 hr maintenance myself and everything looked fine. Transmission filter and oil filter looked clean. No obvious metal chips or dust. Have 66 hours on the tractor now.

My gut says not to get the extended warranty, but perhaps there's a common problem lurking in the BX1870 that I'm not aware of that would make getting the extended warranty a smart choice.

Comments?

Thanks for reading.

 

[TripleR]

Of all the six or seven new tractors I've bought, I never got an extended warranty and never will. On that tractor $400 will pay for a lot of repairs.

 

[hodge]

I agree with Triple.
Unless you are piling on the hours and working the tractor to death, there is very little chance that you would need an extended warranty. They know that, too- that extended warranty is a pretty sure money maker for them. If nothing else, put $700 in an interest bearing account to use for repairs if needed, then use that money 2 years from now for something else.

 

[85Hokie]

typically a warranty is nothing but gravy for any given company.
I agree with what is posted - save that money and place it in a cookie jar, then a year from now, pull it out - but I think unless something goes haywire - that money will collect dust in the jar!

 

[OBKubota]

I will admit I got one extra year extended warranty and with my GR but I bought it at the time of sale when I had some bargaining leverage as I bought the machine snowblower and grass catcher all at the same time. After we haggled over the price I didn't think he would go much lower so I made the extra year warranty a deal breaker any he took it. I know this is contrary to what others are saying but On big ticket items such as a tractor or a vehicle I don't really mind buying extended warranty if it's reasonable price. And $700 doesn't go very far if you have to replace any of the major components. If you don't get the warranty I would recommend you go over that machine with a fine tooth comb before the present warranty has expired just to make sure nothing is leaking etc. Just my two cents anyway good luck on your decision


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[TripleR]

If you don't get the warranty I would recommend you go over that machine with a fine tooth comb before the present warranty has expired just to make sure nothing is leaking etc. Just my two cents anyway good luck on your decision

Always a good idea, my dealer calls me a month or so before my warranties expire as a reminder to check everything over.

 

[hodge]

I will admit I got one extra year extended warranty and with my GR but I bought it at the time of sale when I had some bargaining leverage as I bought the machine snowblower and grass catcher all at the same time. After we haggled over the price I didn't think he would go much lower so I made the extra year warranty a deal breaker any he took it. I know this is contrary to what others are saying but On big ticket items such as a tractor or a vehicle I don't really mind buying extended warranty if it's reasonable price. And $700 doesn't go very far if you have to replace any of the major components. If you don't get the warranty I would recommend you go over that machine with a fine tooth comb before the present warranty has expired just to make sure nothing is leaking etc. Just my two cents anyway good luck on your decision


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The problem with an extended warranty, and I'm generalizing- I don't know the particulars of the Kubota warranty- is that they sometimes don't cover everything. And/or, they are tricky. We bought a car once, and had purchased an extended warranty. During the extended period, the power mirrors quit working. While the extended warranty covered the mirrors, it didn't cover the relay that was bad. So, we were still stuck with a repair bill (on top of having paid for the extended warranty). So, before getting it (if you chose to), check that warranty for loopholes or gaps.

 

[Grouse Feathers]

Why do you think they (cars, tractors, lawnmowers,....) try so hard to sell extended warranties?
A It's a good deal for the purchaser.
B It's a way for the seller to make more money.

 

[William1]

Take the money you'd spend on the warranty and leave it in the bank. Chances are, by the time the tended warranty would of expired, you will still have the money in the bank.
Warrrantoes generaly are useful in the first few months of ownership to cover assembly errors or defective parts. Most defective parts fail fairly quickly (in the first 20 or so run time hours). The only time extended warranties are/could be worthwhile is when there is a design defect and a part will repeatedly fail. Sort of like 'expensive maintenance'.
I had a Deloren. To change the oil, you had to undo the engine mounts and lift the engine a few inches as a cross member blocked the drain plug. Also had an early Porsche 930. Had to pull the engine for spark plug changes. Every 30,000 miles. Also had a Ferrari 328. Timing belt every 25,000 miles, had to pull the engine. Had a Porsche 928. Exhaust lasted about 20,000 miles normally. A $7,000 'part' (in the 1980's) plus labor.
A Kubota is a quality machine. Simple to take care of. Sturdy. Few weak points. It does not need the extended warranty.
With the BX25D, they say you need to pull the FEL off, the engine surround to do an oil change. Nope. Just use the right too to loosen the oil filer and it will spin right off with none of those shenanigans.
I drive a cheap P/U now..... Had to replace the tires. After ten years. They do not make them like the used to......

 

[RCW]

I had a Deloren. To change the oil, you had to undo the engine mounts and lift the engine a few inches as a cross member blocked the drain plug. Also had an early Porsche 930. Had to pull the engine for spark plug changes. Every 30,000 miles. Also had a Ferrari 328. Timing belt every 25,000 miles, had to pull the engine. Had a Porsche 928. Exhaust lasted about 20,000 miles normally. A $7,000 'part' (in the 1980's) plus labor.

A Kubota is a quality machine. Simple to take care of. Sturdy. Few weak points. It does not need the extended warranty.

Jeepers William, you had some cars!!

I wouldn't get an extended warranty on a Kubota, either.

 

[sheepfarmer]

I am wondering about the newly designed tractors with different fuel injection systems and dpf, turbo, def, etc. The tier 4 stuff has a 5 yr warranty, but the rest of the tractor only 2. Anyone know of any repairs turning up commonly on the new ones that won't be covered after 2 years, and that would make it worthwhile to buy an extended warranty?

 

[CaveCreekRay]

I bought an extended warranty for my L3800 because I bought it with 126 hours on the clock and the guy had done zero to it. Everything has checked out fine but, you never know if something will pop up down the road. I am starting to notice a less and less lifting power from the FEL. Before the two years are up, its going in for a full fine-toothed comb check out at the dealer.

In the last month of my original warranty, the dealer had to got to the mat with Kubota Central about my herky-jerky 3-pt. That part alone was $975. I knew I was going to be using the machine a kaboodle over the next two years.

Just doing the most recent project in the back yard, I have hauled in (and out) around 150,000 lbs of material. That is a boatload for a mid-sized machine. I take it plenty slow and easy but, I wanted to know it was covered should it go down. So far, so good. My dealer offered me a two-year full coverage with a third year for drivetrain only for about $350 per year. After a $975 valve I didn't have to pay for, I thought that reasonable coverage.

Had I not had the huge project planned, I most likely would not have bought the extended warranty. Once completed with landscaping, this tractor is going to have a pretty easy life.

Ray

 

[lugbolt]

Putting myself in the situation, I don't think I'd invest in extended warranty. KTAC insurance, a different story....I'd keep it as long as I owned the tractor

 

[rentthis]

It appears that you are using your tractor 33 hours a year. Unless you plan to dramatically increase it's use, buying an extended warranty is an absolute waste of money.

 

[D2Cat]

Extended warranty is never worth it, if you don't need it. It's almost always worth it if you do need it.

If you can figure that out ahead of time you'd be a wealthy person, with the ability to forecast situations!

It's a gamble, you have to decide.

 

[dxhound]

Just to close this out .... I decided to skip the extended warranty. Had it been less expensive I might have gone that way. At 30-40 hours a year, primarily grass cutting and moving some snow, I'll take my chances.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

With that usage, you should be fine. Any major problem likely would have popped up under warranty. Glad my 3pt valve issue did in the last couple months of my original warranty. A buddy in Ohio has the problem and his warranty is long over.

Ray

 

[CaveCreekRay]

Follow up at 282 hours total time:

My "bumper-to-bumper" extended warranty expires at months end so I had the local dealer pick up my tractor to check out a few issues. Drivetrain is still under warranty for another year.

Lifting capacity: They found one of the cylinders bypassing internally. Parts were $80 and it took 1.5 hours of labor to take it off, disassemble it and rebuild it. Out of pocket, it would have run about $280.

HST Pedal: My HST pedal has been getting very stiff after the transmission warms up. The pedal pressure to initiate movement forward or backward is about three times what is necessary when cold. The tech suspects something is going on with the HST. The service advisor just called me and they are taking the transmission apart, which I assume requires splitting the tractor.

Update:

-Talked to the service tech working on my machine. After testing the operation, they suspect the two bypass valves may be acting up so they will start by replacing those. If that doesn't work, they will split the tractor.

Update:

-They swapped out the FWD and REV valves (about $350 parts and labor) and it tested out good. I will put time on it once the rain stops to verify. It's been raining in Phoenix the last three days... and my once pristine tractor has a bunch of rust spots after sitting in the dealer yard during the weather. Grrrrr.