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Avoiding Unexpected Breakdowns

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How to avoid unexpected breakdowns 

Most of us have experienced being left on the side of the road with a broken-down car. It's always inconvenient, and sometimes even scary. If you've gone through this even once, you will no doubt want to try to prevent it from happening again. 

Here are a few tips to help prevent breakdowns:

  • Do scheduled maintenance and yearly tune-ups. Whether you do them yourself or take your car to a mechanic, tune-ups and scheduled maintenance are opportunities to catch problems before they leave you stranded. While under the hood, you or your mechanic can look for cracking or bulging hoses, shiny belts, and other signs of potential problems. In addition, staying on top of regular maintenance can also prevent problems from becoming big enough to strand you.
  • Listen for problems. Always pay attention to how your car sounds and how it feels to drive it, and look for the cause whenever you notice significant changes. Sometimes a new noise can give you enough warning to have something fixed before your car actually breaks down somewhere.
  • Visually inspect your car every time you drive it. Make it a habit to look at your car every time you walk up to it to drive somewhere. Look at all four tires to make sure none are flat, and look for fluids leaking out from underneath. Look at your parking spot after you pull out of it for signs of fluids, too. You might be able to catch a problem before you drive away, just by paying attention.

Of course, sometimes no matter how vigilant you are, your car may still break down. Not all problems can be seen coming or prevented with regular maintenance. If it does happen, you'll want to have a Plan B: a cell phone and someone you can call to come rescue you.


In the event that your car does leave you stranded, help is just a phone call away when you have a vehicle breakdown protection plan already in place.  If your extended car warranty is soon to expire, please consider True Auto Vehicle Breakdown Protection with your next extended warranty. Click HERE to recieve a FREE Quote or CALL one of our team members at 877-397-1022.

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Topics: car extended warranty, extended warranty, car warranty, auto warranty, Warranty, Best Extended Car Warranties, Auto Warranties, auto car warranty, vehicle warranty, extended car warranty, used car, resale value, automobile warranty, car warranty quote

When the warranty that came with the car runs out, then what?

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When your car warranty runs out, then what?

When buying a vehicle, it typically has some sort of warranty connected to it. The warranty may vary in length and what it covers, but it protects a driver from spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on expensive fixes when caused by manufacturer defects. 


For any driver who is eyeballing their current warranty and sees it is set to expire soon, they need to take advantage of the current warranty and then consider looking into an extended vehicle warranty. Each driver needs to make their own decision, but understanding what an extended vehicle warranty can do and how to use it remains extremely important. 

Take the Car In Before the Warranty Runs Out

A vehicle warranty covers different elements of the vehicle. Usually all of this sits under the hood, but it does depend on the kind of vehicle driven and the warranty itself. Some vehicles have different warranties that run out at different year and mileage points.

Either way, it is a very good idea to take the vehicle in right before the warranty is set to expire. Not all problems are readily noticeable. Sometimes there might be a problem building under the hood but no apparent signs are displayed while driving.

Due to this, it is important to have the vehicle looked at. A problem might be detected that is still covered by the warranty. By catching it now, the warranty is still good and covers the associated expenses. 

Is an Extended Vehicle Warranty Right?

An extended vehicle warranty can be purchased after the buy date of the vehicle. With this extended warranty, it does become possible to increase the overall protection of the car.

Now, an extended vehicle warranty is not something that lasts forever. Like a regular manufacturer's warranty, it has an end point, whether it is years, mileage, or whichever one comes first.

It is important for a vehicle owner to determine if the new warranty is right. Essentially, they need to consider whether or not their vehicle is going to break down during the course of the extended warranty. Insurance covers accidents and repairs associated with this, so that is not at issue. What is at issue is something breaking on the vehicle due to age, wear and tear and just failing to work properly. 

What to Look For in an Extended Warranty?

So what points should be considered?

  • A driver needs to look at the vehicle they drive.
  • The cost of the vehicle.
  • The cost of the extended warranty.

With several years of driving under an owner's belt, if they have run into several different problems while driving the vehicle, purchasing an extended warranty may be smart. They can talk with the dealer about the manufacturers extended warranty or search for a third-party offering online. 

Now, if they have not yet had problems, it doesn't mean something might break on the next turn. Modern cars are built extremely well, but they are also more expensive to fix than older vehicles. Newer vehicles rely heavily on computer aided technology, and whenever a computer is involved, the repair cost tends to skyrocket (instead of replacing a built on a 90s car, it requires a belt and a computer chip, which drastically increases the cost).

Looking at the vehicle and doing some research on possible problems can help an owner determine if they should go for the warranty. According to Consumer Report, the average extended warranty sits at $1,200, with more for more expensive vehicles. If the potential repair costs exceed this price tag, it is a good idea to get the warranty. 


Click HERE to request a free quote from True Auto and find out how we can make you and your vehicle a priority. If your current warranty is about to expire, please consider True Auto for your future automobile extended warranty. 

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Topics: car warranty, Warranty, Best Extended Car Warranties, Auto Warranties, auto car warranty, vehicle warranty, auto warranties used cars, car warranty quote, used car warranty, extended warranty options, Insurance car warranty

Lemon Law: What You Need To Know from an extended warranty company

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Toyota Truck

 

 

When life gives you lemons, the common advice people give is to make lemonade. However, when it comes to automobiles and other consumer items that turn out to be lemons, the result may not be so sweet. If you have purchased a defective car or other product that is not functioning properly, you may have heard of the “lemon law” and wondered if you could get an explanation about it might protect you as a consumer.

 

Lemon laws are federal and state statutes that fall under the category of consumer protection laws. Each state sets up its own lemon laws, which vary in the ways that they are set up to protect people. In order to qualify, the car typically must have a major defect while still under warranty coverage and that cannot be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts. For example, your car might be considered a lemon if it failed within the first two years or 24,000 miles and has been in the repair shop for 30 days out of a year. Consumers with cars that qualify are subject to getting a refund or a replacement vehicle.

 

Basically, the lemon law covers three aspects of consumer protection. First, the law will specify what types of vehicles are covered, such as motorcycles, mobile homes or cars. Second it will note the period of coverage, such as a certain number of years or the number of miles on the vehicle’s odometer. Third, the lemon law specifies how many times you have tried to get the car repaired and how long it was out of service during these repairs.

 

If you think that your car is a lemon, contact the attorney general’s office for your state to see if your particular situation is covered under the law. If your state’s lemon laws do not apply to your vehicle, you may be afforded protection under the national lemon law, also known as the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act.

 

You will need to make detailed records of the types of repairs you attempted to make, and how long the vehicle was unavailable for you to operate. Contact the manufacturer or your dealer and mention that you are thinking of using the lemon law to make a claim on the car. If you cannot get satisfaction from the dealer or manufacturer, it’s prudent to contact a lemon law lawyer to assist you.

 

It can be frustrating trying to deal with a lemon car, with the time and effort you make to try to get it fixed as well as having to arrange for alternative transportation while the car is in the shop. Fortunately, the lemon law is designed to minimize the hassle and get you back on the road with a replacement car or a refund to buy another vehicle yourself.

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Topics: Best Extended Car Warranties, Auto Warranties, auto extended warranty, extended auto warranty, vehicle warranty, automobile warranty, car warranty quote, used car warranty

Are you looking for a car warranty quote - here are you next steps

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Before you start looking for a car warranty quote, you have to consider how long you plan to keep the car. If you will get tired with the car by the third year, purchasing an extended warranty will not make sense since the manufacturer’s warranty will still apply. However, if you plan on staying with the car until the wheels fall off, you can consider an extended warranty.

After determining whether an extended warranty will be good for you, you have to find a good quote. Here are some things you should consider when choosing a quote:

Who is offering the warranty?

Most consumers purchase warranties without exactly knowing the companies behind them. Most of the warranties offered at dealerships are from third party companies and not the auto manufacturers. Make sure the warranty you purchase is backed by the car manufacturer and not another company or the dealership only.

Manufacturer’s extended warranty can be used at any dealership across the country. On the other hand, a third party warranty may only be applicable at the dealership where you bought the car. If you need warranty for a purpose not covered by the car manufacturer, check online reviews before you buy.

Are you getting the best price?

Before you visit a dealership, shop around and request for quotes from different online providers and compare their prices. Some dealers will indicate that the price of a warranty is fixed. However, if you request for quote from different online providers, you might find some that are offering a lower price or will be willing to negotiate.

You however have to work hard to get the Finance Officer lower the warranty cost. Present arguments that will warrant a lower cost. For example, you can negotiate your costs based on the number of miles you cover a year and the term of the warranty you want.

What does the warranty cover?

A warranty is not a cushion for all repair and maintenance that the car may need. Even an extended warranty may not cover parts of the car that wear and tear on a regular basis. Go through the fine print of a warranty to know what is and what is not covered.

Also, find out who will front the cost for the repair bill. Are there deductibles? Will you pay for the costs upfront and get a reimbursement later or are the repairs fully covered?

Will you repair history affect the warranty?

Your vehicle repair history can help you determine the kind and extent of warranty cover you should purchase. If your other cars have had some kinds of problems, you may want the problems covered by the warranty. For example, if the road that you frequent has many debris and you’ve had several flat tires within a short time, a road-hazard warranty can be a good option.

Another way of determining the extent of warranty to purchase is to add up the total amount you have spent on repairs in the past and compare it to the cost of the warranty. While no two cars can have the same repair expenses, you can determine how much warranty to purchase based on your past vehicle repair history.

Getting a good warranty is all about knowing the amount of cover you are looking for and shopping around to compare quotes from different companies. The above are some of the questions you should keep in mind when you want to purchase car warranty quotes.

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Topics: car warranty quote

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