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So
many people get ripped off after they have already closed the deal. They get you
on the extras and the warranties at that point.
The
extras are things like rust proofing, scotch guarding etc. It seems pretty
straight forward but you would be surprised at how many people get taken on
these.
The
trickiest closing cost scam is the extended warranty because the language used
is so confusing. This is not the warranty that the factory gives you for the
car.
It
is a warranty that covers the cost of fixing the car should it break down on
you. To get around this, you have to know the dealer’s language.
Extended
warranties often do cover any repairs that you require during your coverage
period, but there is often some information that you are not told about.
For
example, the extended warranty is usually effective only up to a certain amount
of mileage or term period; whichever happens first.
They
might also only cover certain types of problems. If your extended warranty
doesn’t cover every part of your car, why bother?
Some
extended warranties don’t cover the larger problems, but just the smaller
ones. If your engine conks out, you may be left in the lurch.
You
shouldn’t even consider buying an extended warranty if you are only leasing
the car for a small time period like 36 months. Perhaps it is better only for
longer periods of leasing like 60 months.
Many
extended warranties don’t cover everyday wear and tear policies, only
breakdown problems. If you do insist on getting an extended warranty, get one
that covers both instances.
You
will only really want to get a warranty on a more dependable car like a Lexus,
Honda, or Toyota because extended warranties rarely cover the costs incurred in
cars that are present at the time of purchase.
You
will also want to get a warranty that is effective immediately. You will also
want to get a warranty with a well established finance company and not one that
go belly up in a year.
Don’t
purchase an extended warranty directly from the dealer. Instead look at sites on
http://www.LendingTree.com for an online warranty because being online gives you
all the time to asses your warranty properly.
Watch
out for deductibles because you don’t want to get stuck paying for deductibles
that you thought were covered by the warranty.
Now
let’s look at some of the extras that dealers get you on at closing. This can
be very irritating how they try to weasel even more money out of you in the end
on stuff that you really don’t need at all.
Of
course, when you hear it, they will all sound dire. It’s bad enough that they
will throw them up at you but look at this table to show how much they are
really ripping you off by.
Most
Common Extras at Closing
| Description
|
Your
price
|
Dealers
costs
|
| Rust
proofing
|
$800
|
$40
|
| Extended
warranty
|
$1200
|
$300
|
| Scotch
guard
|
$300
|
$5
|
| Car
alarm
|
$400
|
$100
|
| Paint
sealant
|
$300
|
$10
|
| Credit/insurance
costs
|
$200
|
$30
|
| Detailing
and pin striping
|
$299
|
$30
|
| Total
of extras
|
$3499
|
$515
|
| Extra
monthly payment total
|
$97
|
$0
|
|
|
|
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As
you can see, these extras will get you in the end. If you can, you should avoid
them all together. They are worth far more to the dealer than they are to you.
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