# Extended warranty... yes/no/maybe?



## trellis (Mar 14, 2018)

Currently the extended warranty appears to be $99, is this worth getting for a Platinum 24 carb model? Have you needed to use the warranty? Any common problems that break?

Other than the transport back and forth, it seems to cover most things.

thanks in advance.


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## JeffF (Jan 10, 2018)

I plan on ordering the exact same blower (24" SHO with carb) in the next few weeks and was thinking the same as you about the warranty for years 4 and 5. If I'm reading the information on the warranty correctly, it appears you can buy it 2 years and 364 days after you buy the blower. So you don't have to add it right now but you can wait until just before your initial one runs out. No guarantee the price would still be $99 in three years however. I'm on the fence also but I'm leaning toward holding off for a few years and seeing how it goes.


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## GeekOnTheHill (Oct 11, 2018)

trellis said:


> Currently the extended warranty appears to be $99, is this worth getting for a Platinum 24 carb model? Have you needed to use the warranty? Any common problems that break?
> 
> Other than the transport back and forth, it seems to cover most things.
> 
> thanks in advance.


I guess it would depend on the failure reasons covered by the warranty. If it only covers manufacturing defects, then I'd say no. Defects usually become apparent within the basic warranty period. If it covers wear, then maybe. If it's an all-inclusive protection plan that covers things like accidental damage (for example, you bent the auger when you hit a rock), then quite possibly yes if you live someplace like I do where there are more rocks than dirt.

Extended warranties in general range from utterly useless to fantastic. The difference is all in the fine print. 

The best one I've ever used was the free warranty extension on my USAA Visa card, which is a free benefit. The claim was approved promptly, they allowed me to have the device (a clothes dryer in my case) repaired by my company of choice, and they cut the reimbursement check a few days after I submitted the receipts. They also would have paid the repair company directly if I didn't have the money to lay out up-front. And it cost me nothing.

The worst extended warranty experience I ever had was years ago when I tried to have a lost cell phone replaced. Yes, it was covered. But by the time all the deductions, exclusions, and depreciation were factored in, I got exactly zero from the warranty company. I forget which company it was, but it was a rip-off.

I also have a few Square Trade warranties that I haven't used, but I know people who have used them, and they have had positive experiences. But again, it would depend on the fine print. No warranty company is going to fix something that's not covered.

Richard


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## trellis (Mar 14, 2018)

I generally don't purchase extended warranties. My thought has been to avoid all of them, and use that saved money as my own self-insurance warranty to cover what might happen to any of the items. This has worked so far...

The unit comes with a 3 yr warranty, with a 5yr on the cast iron auger gear case.... not the gears?

And the repairs are specific to only defective materials or workmanship:



> An authorized Ariens dealer will repair any defect in material or workmanship, and repair or replace any
> defective part, subject to the conditions, limitations and exclusions set forth herein. Such repair or
> replacement will be free of charge (labor and parts) to the original purchaser; except as noted below. Pick-up
> and delivery are at the owner’s expense.



What's enticing me to purchase is the regular price for this model - $275:

Compact Series - $99.95, regular Price $150.00
Deluxe Series - $99.95, regular Price $200.00
Platinum Series - $99.95, regular Price $275.00
Professional Series - $99.95, regular Price $350.00


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## trellis (Mar 14, 2018)

JeffF "in the next few weeks "

any chance of a black friday sale from Ariens?


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

* I would PASS on this whole Extended Warranty thing that you speak of here.*


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## JeffF (Jan 10, 2018)

They were running the same $99 deal last year as well, not sure if they've always done that in years past or not. I seriously doubt any type of black Friday discounts will be available. They best we can hope for is maybe a few extras thrown in. I called an online dealer (SBD) and they looked back at last year's sale and said the Ariens weren't discounted. The only reason I'm waiting a little bit, since I plan on buying online and can't see the serial number, I want to make sure I'm going to get a 2019 model. I know they are suppose to be the same as last years, but I'd still like a new one. So hopefully they clear out the 2018's first.


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## trellis (Mar 14, 2018)

>I want to make sure I'm going to get a 2019 model

do the serial numbers contain a date code?


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## JeffF (Jan 10, 2018)

According to the Ariens rep:

For the 24" SHO with carb model number 921050

2018 models have serial numbers starting with 05xxxx and the 2019's will be 06xxxx.


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## trellis (Mar 14, 2018)

Hi JeffF

I just received the latest manual which was updated 7/2018 and it lists the serial numbers as "SN 035000+" (see attached image)

Seems like these would be newest, but it sounds like you are looking for an additional production run for 2019 this year?


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## JeffF (Jan 10, 2018)

When you go Ariens's website and try to download a manual you have to put in a serial number. I was trying to download one and didn't have a serial number so I called them and they told me to use 060000 as that would be the first number used for the 2019's. So maybe the cover of the OEM manual covers all models over the past few years starting with 035000 up until now. That would be my guess.


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## trellis (Mar 14, 2018)

>That would be my guess.

that sounds right. I'll probably move ahead sooner than later. Good luck with your new snowblower!


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Extended warranties are really a tough call. With a blower who pays for transport ?? Do you have the time, tools, space and skills to fix most things yourself or are your hands covered in thumbs and you're garage door can't close because of all the stuff already in there ?? Have you been outside trying to fix something when it's below zero, warranty looks great then. 
Buying new and having a warranty is a nice thing even if you can do repairs yourself especially if you have a PU or trailer (or can borrow one) and can get it to the dealer easily.
You need to think of your situation and is the 99 bucks worth two years of maybe repair(s) ?? If it covered a yearly tune up and you knew the dealer actually did quality work that could easily pay for itself.
The trick is finding a dealer you trust and like who does good work who's honest.

.


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## Ferret (Oct 4, 2016)

JeffF said:


> They were running the same $99 deal last year as well, not sure if they've always done that in years past or not. I seriously doubt any type of black Friday discounts will be available. They best we can hope for is maybe a few extras thrown in. I called an online dealer (SBD) and they looked back at last year's sale and said the Ariens weren't discounted. The only reason I'm waiting a little bit, since I plan on buying online and can't see the serial number, I want to make sure I'm going to get a 2019 model. I know they are suppose to be the same as last years, but I'd still like a new one. So hopefully they clear out the 2018's first.


CAUTION! Buying something like a snow blower online can be a giant nightmare. I did buy one online. When I unboxed it, I found that the bucket was bent to one side. The process of returning was long and troublesome. 
When I unpacked it I didn't save the box(stupid me). The instructions for return were to strap it to the skid fully assembled. The problem is the blower is larger than the skid when assembled. It took 2 weeks to get a return authorization from the seller. After the trucking company picked it up, I received a call that said they could not forward the unit, because it did not have a carton around it. I contacted the seller to ask them to contact the trucking company about this. A couple of days later I received a invoice from the trucking company for around $700 for shipping. Another 2 weeks go by, with many phone calls to both the seller and the trucking company. It finally arrives back at the seller. I then spend about a week or so on the phone with the seller (when they would answer their phone) about the credit to my card. It finally was credited.


This started the beginning of September and ended in November, I then purchased a blower from a local independent dealer. 
Just remember that buying an extended warranty means that your local dealer will do the work. The local dealer (the only one in this area) that I bought from Is not sure which end of a wrench to use. So your warranty is only as good as the people doing the work.


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## trellis (Mar 14, 2018)

It's good to know that it can be purchased later. But my thoughts are that it only covers manufacturing and assembly issues. I would think that these problems would show up within the first 3 years. It seems that it's more likely that non-warranty covered issues might occur more frequently than warranty repairs.

I was happy to not see a bunch of responses about repairs that people needed to have done on their Ariens and regrets for not getting the warranty.

I'm leaning towards waiting.


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## GeekOnTheHill (Oct 11, 2018)

Ferret said:


> CAUTION! Buying something like a snow blower online can be a giant nightmare. I did buy one online. When I unboxed it, I found that the bucket was bent to one side. The process of returning was long and troublesome.
> When I unpacked it I didn't save the box(stupid me). The instructions for return were to strap it to the skid fully assembled. The problem is the blower is larger than the skid when assembled. It took 2 weeks to get a return authorization from the seller. After the trucking company picked it up, I received a call that said they could not forward the unit, because it did not have a carton around it. I contacted the seller to ask them to contact the trucking company about this. A couple of days later I received a invoice from the trucking company for around $700 for shipping. Another 2 weeks go by, with many phone calls to both the seller and the trucking company. It finally arrives back at the seller. I then spend about a week or so on the phone with the seller (when they would answer their phone) about the credit to my card. It finally was credited.
> 
> 
> ...


Excellent points.

One of the advantages of living in the Middle of Nowhere is that warranty service companies tend to become more flexible. They know that sending their usual technicians will almost always mean _at least_ an hour of deadhead time each way -- and that's assuming they're based out of the nearest cities to me, all of which are about 50 miles away (in different directions).

Consequently, when I have a warranty complaint that involves a part that I'm capable of replacing myself, they're usually relieved when I suggest that they just ship me the part, even if that's not their usual practice. They're similarly relieved when I suggest that I take the item to a local service shop rather than having staff from their "approved" shop make the trip. They become very flexible when it's in their interest to be flexible.

The clothes dryer I mentioned in my previous post had two previous repair visits by the company GE used in my ZIP code. Unfortunately, they didn't solve the problem either time. GE didn't give me the option of choosing the company myself, so the same amiable dolt showed up both times, but failed to fix the problem. 

USAA Visa, on the other hand, didn't care which company I chose; so I chose a local company that came highly recommended. They diagnosed and fixed the problem in 45 minutes.

So maybe OP should look at their credit cards to see if any of them offer free extended warranty protection. Many do, usually for one year. Maybe one year of free coverage is a better deal than two years of paid coverage.

Richard


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## bisonp (Mar 23, 2018)

I stopped buying extended warranties of any type a long time ago. I guess if you normally don't have cash on hand to handle unexpected expenses it can make sense. But like any gamble the house always wins in the long run. It also helps that I take care of my stuff and can fix most problems myself.


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## Ariens hydro pro (Jan 24, 2014)

If you can do basic repairs, then you don't need it. Ariens machines are solid. They don't break down like something from Walmart could.

That being said I bought the warranty on my newest machine the hydro pro. Only because the hydro transmission is an unknown factor. If that should fail mid season, I don't want to spend the money on fixing it. That could be very expensive. I looked it over well when I got it, that tranny is bolted straight to the engine. If the tranny comes out, the engine gets removed (best I can tell)

I haven't used it this year but so far it's been terrific. Only thing I wish was the reverse to be a little faster. The 36" machine is heavy in neutral, but it runs and handles like a corvette powered up.


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## 95SLE (Nov 8, 2018)

Interesting discussion. Thank you for the information.


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## trellis (Mar 14, 2018)

JeffF said:


> they told me to use 060000 as that would be the first number used for the 2019's.


Hi JeffF

Yup, you are correct. The 2019 models are shipping. I received my 24SHO from the dealer and the SN is 062XXX. Started right up, I put in a drop of seafoam, ran it for a little while and now I just need snow... and Amorskids which are on order.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

95SLE said:


> Interesting discussion. Thank you for the information.


:welcome: to SBF 95SLE


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