My uncle told me to 'just buy the warranty' on a used car and I laughed at him

I bought a 2012 Honda Civic from a guy on Facebook Marketplace for $4,200 back in March. My uncle kept saying I should get a third-party warranty for like $800 and I thought he was just trying to sell me something. Three weeks later the transmission started slipping and it cost me $1,900 to replace... now I'm the one who looks dumb. Has anyone else had a family member give advice that actually would have saved you money?

2 comments

2 Comments

thea1435d agoRising Star

Second, $800 for a 3rd party warranty on a car that cost $4,200 is steep. Most of those cheap warranties have huge deductibles and fine print that excludes things like transmissions. Your uncle meant well, but the real lesson is getting a pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic before you buy. A $100 inspection would have caught that transmission issue and saved you $1,900. The warranty route might have paid out, but you'd be fighting them for months to get it covered. Did you take it to a shop before buying, or was it a cash-and-go deal?

rivera.jake5d ago

...and I'm over here thinking $800 for a warranty on a $4200 car is basically the seller saying "yeah this thing's gonna break soon, here's a tip to make yourself feel better." Like your uncle probably meant well but man, that $800 could have been a solid down payment on the next beater when this one finally gives up. And you're totally right about the fine print - those warranties are basically a scam, they'll find any excuse not to pay out. At least with an inspection you find out ahead of time and can walk away with your wallet still full.