Straight talk on extended warranties

After hours at a car dealership, about the time you're starting to feel numb from long negotiations, all you want to do is step into your new car and drive away.

That's when the real hard sell begins.

The finance manager will start talking about an extended warranty. An extended warranty is actually an extended service contract, which covers the cost of certain repairs and problems after a car's factory warranty expires.

Make a wrong move here and it could cost you hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Extended warranties are enormous money makers for auto dealers, with markups running to 100 percent over what you could buy the same coverage for elsewhere.

Do you need an extended warranty?
Don't let the dealer pressure you into a quick decision. First, you may not need an extended warranty. And even if you do, you'll get a much better deal later by shopping around. People who buy and trade cars frequently shouldn't buy an extended warranty. There's no need to purchase one if you only plan to keep the car for three or four years since repairs are covered under the car's original warranty.

But let's say you plan on keeping a car long after its original warranty expires. Should you purchase an extended service contract? Answering these questions might help you decide.

Answering these questions might help you decide:

• Do you hate surprise expenses, especially costly auto repairs? • Will the cost of replacing a pricey electrical part or air conditioner or transmission bust your monthly budget? Or do you have a few thousand dollars tucked away in an emergency fund for just these kinds of expenses? • How long do you plan on keeping the car after the original warranty expires? • Would you sleep better at night knowing that certain major repairs will be covered under an extended service contract? Or would you rather risk it and pay for repairs when and if they are needed?

Another thing to consider is your car's reliability. On the one hand, new cars are more reliable than ever, so car owners can expect fewer repairs. On the other hand, repair costs, while infrequent, could be quite high, thanks to the complex electronics and computer circuitry under the hood.

Let's say you plan on keeping your car for several years and an extended service contract appeals to you. There's still no need to buy it at the moment of your new-car purchase. You can buy an extended warranty a week, a month, even years after you purchase a new car if you want.

If you say yes...
To get a good deal on an extended service contract, you'll have to negotiate the price. Prices for the exact same warranty vary widely from dealership to dealership, so it's important to shop around. If you're absolutely sure you want an extended warranty on a new car, you may want to shop for one within your first year of ownership when the prices tend to the lowest.