[AznInvasion594]

I know there are a lot of "Is Hondacare worth it" thread, but I couldn't find one that answered my question.

So I bought a 2014 Honda Accord Touring and it came with a Lifetime Powertrain Warranty that includes the engine, transmission and drive axle and was wanted to know if getting Hondacare on top of that was worth it? What extra would it cover? It seems that the coverage of both warranties are pretty vague.

Thanks for the help. :thmsup:

 

[HondaVDede14]

I know there are a lot of "Is Hondacare worth it" thread, but I couldn't find one that answered my question.

So I bought a 2014 Honda Accord Touring and it came with a Lifetime Powertrain Warranty that includes the engine, transmission and drive axle and was wanted to know if getting Hondacare on top of that was worth it? What extra would it cover? It seems that the coverage of both warranties are pretty vague.

Thanks for the help. :thmsup:

I have never heard of a lifetime warranty on that. But I would get the Hondacare I know when i got my 2007 I did and it was worth it. I also have the 2014 Honda Accord Touring in black as well are you liking the car so far.

 

[Mechanic]

Invasion, I'm not familiar with the lifetime powertrain warranty your Honda Touring came with, but I'm going to speculate that the dealer who sold you your Honda has an arrangement with an aftermarket insurance company, and that company's policy provides "lifetime" coverage for specific components provided the vehicle is used and -- very important -- serviced in a very specific manner. Those service requirements, you may find, are much more rigorous than simply following the manufacturer's Maintenance Minder's system. It may also require the use of prescribed lubricants -- e.g., Quaker State engine oil perhaps. You may further find that, if you miss a prescribed service interval or fail to use a prescribed fluid, the aftermarket lifetime warranty ends. Your Hondacare warranty is unaffected, but the "supplement" one ends.

IMHO, these types of warranties are offered, and often sold at additional cost, to customers to tie them to a particular dealership and, in effect, to impose much greater service requirements than Honda prescribes to maintain a factory warranty. So, I encourage you to read the provisions of the lifetime warranty carefully to see what is required of you, and as tedious as it may be, to compare it with the terms of the Honda warranty booklet given you when you purchased your car. And, while you're at it, I also suggest you determine how much you paid for your Hondacare policy (terms and years of coverage) and compare that cost with the cost of a Hondacare policy purchased online. If you find a better price -- and I bet you will -- you can cancel the policy the dealer sold you, get a full refund, and then purchase an identical Hondacar policy at the lesser price online.

 

[cookieman214]

Excellent post by Mechanic! I'll add one other caveat to the Lifetime Powertrain Warranty.
Read the fine print of the contract, and you will learn that ALL scheduled maintenance as listed by the manufacture MUST be completed by an ASE certified technician, and at the time/mileage specified.. Your work at home does not count, unless your can prove that you are ASE certified.

Want to change the air filter or the cabin air filter yourself, instead of paying full list price plus labor at the dealer? Sorry, can't do that.

Very, very expensive 'free' warranty.

 

[RickBlaine]

Mechanic: Bravo! Well-done.

OP: Never purchase a 3rd party warranty. It never ends well. I am on the 7th Gen forums and the people who purchased those 3rd party warranties a while back are now trying to use them....no one, not a single member, has posted positive outcomes.

 

[Graycar]

Lifetime Warranties Are Money Down the Drain

There is a VW/BMW/Volvo dealer in Dayton that plasters wide Lifetime Engine Warranty banners across the top of VW windshields. The cost is about $2900.

Now, in the same building on the same lot, these banners are conspicuously absent from BMWs and Volvos. Why is that? If it is good for VW, it ought to be good for BMWs and Volvos, right?

Well, maybe it means that VW engines represent a greater reliability risk to the buyer vs. BMW and Volvo engines which are rock solid over the long term. Does that make sense? Not to me doesn't. It's just a gimmick, and a poor one, that sends the wrong message about VW engines.

As far as I am concerned this type of warranty falls under the category of scams that just increase dealer gross profit and offer little, if any benefit, to the buyer. Some VW buyers may put up with such shenanigans, but luxury car buyers will not, and the dealers know this.

Advice to buyers: Stay away from third party warranties. If you must have an extended warranty, go with what the manufacturer offers.

 

[Flyboy]

My opinion of Hondacare and any other extended warrantee is that it's insurance. Generally, Honda's are very reliable and if maintained according to the manufacturer should last a long time without major repairs. Honda also is very good about extending warranties when they have a manufacturing defect that shows up later. I would just wait until the normal warrantee is close to expiring before buying an extended warrantee. Why pay for something now that you can't use for three years.

 

[Graycar]

Generally, Honda's are very reliable and if maintained according to the manufacturer should last a long time without major repairs. Honda also is very good about extending warranties when they have a manufacturing defect that shows up later. I would just wait until the normal warrantee is close to expiring before buying an extended warrantee. Why pay for something now that you can't use for three years.

No matter how well you take care of your car, that does not reduce the risk of electronic component failures, which can be very expensive to repair, especially in the case of the navi/audio system. An extended warranty may be beneficial to offset this risk.

Hondas are generally very reliable mechanically, so the benefits of an extended warranty may not apply to the same degree for mechanical failures. One exception to that may be the CVT, which which does not yet have a proven track record of long-term reliability. An extended warranty just may be worth it on that basis alone.

Another benefit of an extended warranty is that it may make your car easier to sell in the case of a private sale. That was part of reason I bought the extended warranty, since I tend to sell my cars privately.

 

[RickBlaine]

My opinion of Hondacare and any other extended warrantee is that it's insurance.

I thought the point of this thread was that a 3rd party warranty is bad. Not warranties in general- just 3rd party ones.

No matter how well you take care of your car, that does not reduce the risk of electronic component failures, which can be very expensive to repair, especially in the case of the navi/audio system. An extended warranty may be beneficial to offset this risk.

Hondas are generally very reliable mechanically, so the benefits of an extended warranty may not apply to the same degree for mechanical failures. One exception to that may be the CVT, which which does not yet have a proven track record of reliability. An extended warranty just may be worth it on that basis alone.

Another benefit of an extended warranty is that it may make your car easier to sell in the case of a private sale. That was part of reason I bought the extended warranty, since I tend to sell my cars privately.

Well-said....lots of 7th Gen owners (very little to no "electronics" compared to the 9th Gen) have remarked that when they trade for a 9th, they WILL make sure the car is covered by a Honda warranty specifically because of the electronics. Mechanically, they are simple to work on- as you stated.

.

FYI on the English language, these words are NOT interchangeable!
Warranty: a statement of promise, a legal document
Warranties: plural of warranty
Warrantee: a person to whom a warranty is made (YOU, the car owner)
Warrantor: the person or entity that makes the warranty (Honda or some 3rd party)



.

 

[steve88]

I know there are a lot of "Is Hondacare worth it" thread, but I couldn't find one that answered my question.

So I bought a 2014 Honda Accord Touring and it came with a Lifetime Powertrain Warranty that includes the engine, transmission and drive axle and was wanted to know if getting Hondacare on top of that was worth it? What extra would it cover? It seems that the coverage of both warranties are pretty vague.

Thanks for the help. :thmsup:

I got a lifetime powertrain warranty on my EX-L that covers the engine, transmission, and front/rear drive axles for no charge from my dealer (Hendrick Honda in Woodbridge, VA). The warranty is underwritten by Hendrick Autoguard. Rick Hendrick owns about 80 dealerships throughout the country and he also owns the NASCAR racing teams of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Kasey Kahne.

The warranty is included for free on all Hondas sold at his Woodbridge, VA dealership. I'm not sure if the warranty is available at any other dealerships he owns but I'm guessing it probably is. I got a great deal on my EX-L through the USAA car buying service and there really is no charge for this warranty. It says "No Charge" on the line that reads "Limited Warranty Price" and none of the loan documents or other paperwork I signed list this warranty or any price for it anywhere.

The only stipulation is that I have to have the Honda recommended services performed when they're required but it doesn't have to be at Hendrick Honda. It can be at another Honda dealership, an independent shop, or in my own backyard by me. As long as I document the service work that was performed and I keep all of my receipts showing what was done and when it was done, I'm holding up my end of the bargain under the terms of the warranty.

But even though I have this free powertrain warranty, I still went ahead and got the HondaCare warranty for 8 years/120K miles/$0 deductible to cover everything else (got it through Hyannis Honda for $1,140 last September). Maybe it's overkill but there are too many other things that could potentially fail in 120K miles and it helps me sleep better at night knowing that it's there (even though I also realize that I may never use it).

Here's a link showing what is covered by the HondaCare warranty. As you can see, it's quite a bit more than just the engine, transmission, and drive axles:

http://www.curryhondacare.com/coverage.cfm

 

[cookieman214]

I got a lifetime powertrain warranty on my EX-L that covers the engine, transmission, and front/rear drive axles for no charge from my dealer (Hendrick Honda in Woodbridge, VA). The warranty is underwritten by Hendrick Autoguard. Rick Hendrick owns about 80 dealerships throughout the country and he also owns the NASCAR racing teams of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Kasey Kahne.

The warranty is included for free on all Hondas sold at his Woodbridge, VA dealership. I'm not sure if the warranty is available at any other dealerships he owns but I'm guessing it probably is. I got a great deal on my EX-L through the USAA car buying service and there really is no charge for this warranty. It says "No Charge" on the line that reads "Limited Warranty Price" and none of the loan documents or other paperwork I signed list this warranty or any price for it anywhere.

The only stipulation is that I have to have the Honda recommended services performed when they're required but it doesn't have to be at Hendrick Honda. It can be at another Honda dealership, an independent shop, or in my own backyard by me. As long as I document the service work that was performed and I keep all of my receipts showing what was done and when it was done, I'm holding up my end of the bargain under the terms of the warranty.

Here's a link showing what is covered by the HondaCare warranty. As you can see, it's quite a bit more than just the engine, transmission, and drive axles:

http://www.curryhondacare.com/coverage.cfm

Sorry to burst your bubble, but read my post in this thread.

Here is a link to Hendrick Honda Woodbridge:

DO I HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF MY SERVICE COMPLETED AT HENDRICK HONDA IN VA?

No. Our award winning service department will certainly exceed your expectations, but you are not required to come here. All service must be completed by an ASE certified technician.

http://www.hendrickhondava.com/lifetime-warranty.aspx

 

[steve88]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but read my post in this thread.

Here is a link to Hendrick Honda Woodbridge:

DO I HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF MY SERVICE COMPLETED AT HENDRICK HONDA IN VA?

No. Our award winning service department will certainly exceed your expectations, but you are not required to come here. All service must be completed by an ASE certified technician.

http://www.hendrickhondava.com/lifetime-warranty.aspx

Thanks for the link and for correcting my misinformation. Sorry I missed your original post. In my case, I actually bought a maintenance plan from Hendrick Honda and plan to have them do all of the service on my EX-L so I think I'm covered. But, obviously, anyone else needs to make sure they're at least going to an ASE certified technician. And I don't have any problem going to the same dealer for service. On my 2003 Accord, I went to the same dealer for 11 years and they did all the service for me on that car.

I'm going to go get some popcorn now since I just introduced maintenance plans into this thread. aranoid:

 

[Flyboy]

No matter how well you take care of your car, that does not reduce the risk of electronic component failures, which can be very expensive to repair, especially in the case of the navi/audio system. An extended warranty may be beneficial to offset this risk.

Hondas are generally very reliable mechanically, so the benefits of an extended warranty may not apply to the same degree for mechanical failures. One exception to that may be the CVT, which which does not yet have a proven track record of long-term reliability. An extended warranty just may be worth it on that basis alone.

Another benefit of an extended warranty is that it may make your car easier to sell in the case of a private sale. That was part of reason I bought the extended warranty, since I tend to sell my cars privately.

Your first paragraph quoted the exact words used by the finance guy trying to sell me Hondacare when I bought my Accord. One of the reasons car manufacturers are switching some mechanical functions to computers and electronics is more reliability. Honda is investing a ton of money into the CVT technology and if problems arise in the future they will probably stand behind their product as they did with the 6th generation automatics by extending the warranty and replacing the transmissions.

We drive our cars at least eight or more years and just trade them in for a new one. By that time they have depreciated to where the difference in trading vs. selling privately is not worth the time, effort and risk of fraud, theft or bodily injury during a private sale.

If having the extended warranty makes you feel better than by all means buy it. Honda dealers make lots of extra profit selling them.

 

[Graycar]

Honda is investing a ton of money into the CVT technology and if problems arise in the future they will probably stand behind their product as they did with the 6th generation automatics by extending the warranty and replacing the transmissions.

The key word in your statement is "probably." For $200 per year you can buy a an extended warranty that provides repairs with "certainty." Whether you think it is worth it is an individual decision according to your risk management philosophy.

We drive our cars at least eight or more years and just trade them in for a new one. By that time they have depreciated to where the difference in trading vs. selling privately is not worth the time effort and risk of fraud, theft or bodily injury during a private sale.

The risks you cite are very, very low if you know what you are doing. I've sold most of the cars I have owned and came out ahead financially.

If having the extend warranty makes you feel better than by all means buy it. Honda dealers make lots of extra profit selling them.

Exactly what is a "lot of profit" on an extended warranty that costs $1025 for 120k miles and 8 years? Maybe I will ask my dealer what is costs to replace a CVT.... $6,000+ would be my guess.

There is no way I would consider owning any car with a CVT for eight years without an extended warranty.

 

[slimm1469]

Even with Hondacare, read it thoroughly. The F&I guy who sold me the policy said it "covers everything." Wrong. I does NOT cover most electronics, the source of many - most? - problems with new vehicles. When I nailed him on that, he cut the cost by half. And yes, it is definitely an insurance policy therefore your deductible will vary. Insurance companies profit from NOT paying claims. Having been an insurance agent, let me say BUYER BEWARE.

 

[Flyboy]

The key word in your statement is "probably." For $200 per year you can buy a an extended warranty that provides repairs with "certainty." Whether you think it is worth it is an individual decision according to your risk management philosophy.



The risks you cite are very, very low if you know what you are doing. I've sold most of the cars I have owned and came out ahead financially.



Exactly what is a "lot of profit" on an extended warranty that costs $1025 for 120k miles and 8 years? Maybe I will ask my dealer what is costs to replace a CVT.... $6,000+ would be my guess.

The CVT is modular unlike the geared transmission and the defective part will be less money than the entire transmission.

There is no way I would consider owning any car with a CVT for eight years without an extended warranty.

Although interest rates are low today, invest the $1025 for three years or 36,000 miles until you can use it. Then if you still are worried you can buy the policy as long as your bumper to bumper warranty has not expired.

Even with Hondacare, read it thoroughly. The F&I guy who sold me the policy said it "covers everything." Wrong. I does NOT cover most electronics, the source of many - most? - problems with new vehicles. When I nailed him on that, he cut the cost by half. And yes, it is definitely an insurance policy therefore your deductible will vary. Insurance companies profit from NOT paying claims. Having been an insurance agent, let me say BUYER BEWARE.

Well said. That's why the finance guys push these things, EXTRA PROFIT.

 

[Bob Chill]

I do most mechanical work myself so I would never buy an extended warranty. But I can see why some folks would do it. It's a gamble that has winners and losers. The odds favor the house though.

I've seen people buy them because of all the new electronics on the accords but honestly, the electronics aren't very high tech and usually flaws in an electrical system show up sooner rather than later more often than not. If anything, honda's electronics are pretty basic in today's car world.

 

[Atarian]

Even with Hondacare, read it thoroughly. The F&I guy who sold me the policy said it "covers everything." Wrong. I does NOT cover most electronics, the source of many - most? - problems with new vehicles. When I nailed him on that, he cut the cost by half. And yes, it is definitely an insurance policy therefore your deductible will vary. Insurance companies profit from NOT paying claims. Having been an insurance agent, let me say BUYER BEWARE.

 

[Graycar]

Even with Hondacare, read it thoroughly. The F&I guy who sold me the policy said it "covers everything." Wrong. I does NOT cover most electronics, the source of many - most? - problems with new vehicles. When I nailed him on that, he cut the cost by half. And yes, it is definitely an insurance policy therefore your deductible will vary. Insurance companies profit from NOT paying claims. Having been an insurance agent, let me say BUYER BEWARE.

I don't know what you bought, but I just reread my HondaCare extended warranty contract, and the OEM computers and electronics and navigation systems are covered.

As for the deductible, mine is $0.00, but I believe you can by the coverage with $100.00 deductible.

A warranty contract and an insurance policy are NOT the same thing. You can read about the differences in this link (or do your own search for "insurance policy vs. warranty contract"):

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/insurance-vs-warranty.html

 

[crmplex]

I know there are a lot of "Is Hondacare worth it" thread, but I couldn't find one that answered my question.

So I bought a 2014 Honda Accord Touring and it came with a Lifetime Powertrain Warranty that includes the engine, transmission and drive axle and was wanted to know if getting Hondacare on top of that was worth it? What extra would it cover? It seems that the coverage of both warranties are pretty vague.

Thanks for the help. :thmsup:

i hate myself for being honest here, but here my two cents. I hate hondacare. it makes my life as a tech miserable. i work for slave labor when a customer comes in with hondacare. However i gotta admitt they cover A LOT of stuff. i personally think its a great product for the consumer. but know that whatever tech is working on your car, is rushing to get it the hell out of his life. i know when i rush my quality goes down. just a thought.

Overall, i would def recommend hondacare. also it will be cheaper when they offer it to you right before your factory warranty runs out. they'll find you dont worry. also i think you can buy it online for almost 1/2 what the demonic finance guy tried to hit you for it. iv sen full blown hondacare for $800 at one point. when your shocks go at 100k miles, it just paif for itself. iv also never heard of a lifetime powertrain warranty. is that real?