# Ext. Warranty opinion



## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

My whopping 6 month warranty is about to run out on my 05 Kaw Brute Force 650 4x4 and I am considering buying the extended warranty. I've never been a fan of extended warranties but considering that I will likely keep this atv for a very long time, I am now considering it. And lets face it, ATV's live a tough life for the most part, and fixing them is not cheap. I don't have the mechanical know how to fix anything major, but I can do my own basic maintenance etc. Right now I have had the machine 5 months and only have 10 hours on it....I expect the machine to last a good long time considering it is not something that will be used on a daily basis...mainly fall and winter hunting with some accaisonal play time mixed in.
Anyway here are the figures
24 months = $550
36 months = $605
48 months = $715
I don't know if these are negotiable yet or not and it is transferrable if I happen to sell it. It covers the same things as the original 6 month warranty. Kind of steep imo.
Whats your opinion?


----------



## outfishin_ (Jul 28, 2004)

My thoughts are If you only have 10 hours in 5 months on the machine I'd never buy an extended service plan....Plus with the quality of the atv's now days they are rarely used....I have a few pals who bought them and never used them...waste of money..and the one pal who attempted to use his extended plan was told the repair was not covered due to Customer Abuse..which was not true...but anyway....I'd weigh the costs of the atv vs the extended service plan price....In my view you could almost buy a extened service plan for a new car or truck which is $30k vs $6k-8K for and atv....This are my thoughts on the matter....I never bought one for my quad...I never will. I don't think at this point.



Swamp Monster said:


> My whopping 6 month warranty is about to run out on my 05 Kaw Brute Force 650 4x4 and I am considering buying the extended warranty. I've never been a fan of extended warranties but considering that I will likely keep this atv for a very long time, I am now considering it. And lets face it, ATV's live a tough life for the most part, and fixing them is not cheap. I don't have the mechanical know how to fix anything major, but I can do my own basic maintenance etc. Right now I have had the machine 5 months and only have 10 hours on it....I expect the machine to last a good long time considering it is not something that will be used on a daily basis...mainly fall and winter hunting with some accaisonal play time mixed in.
> Anyway here are the figures
> 24 months = $550
> 36 months = $605
> ...


----------



## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Yeah, thats the direction I'm leaning towards. I just feel that I'm damned if I do damned if I don't. I figure with my luck, as soon as I decide not to purchase it, I'll get stuck with a large mechanical failure and if I do buy it, it's almost a guarantee, I'll never need it!!  
Just thought I'd get some feedback on the issue has I know others have been faced with this decision as well.


----------



## explodingvarmints (Jul 1, 2004)

I look at it this way... say in a couple months the trans. breaks. how much is it going to cost to replace it? labor rates for atv's is running in the $70 per hour range and the trans. is about $900.00. I know my luck so i purchased a two year warrenty with the mind-set of if i can't break it in two years it's not going to break for a long time (hopefully). either way it's a gamble. ski-doo had a great warrenty program out a couple of years ago on their sleds that i used. pay like $750 up front and if you don't use the warrenty you get it back after the two years was up. have not seen that on quads though. good luck with your kawi.


----------



## marco (Sep 25, 2002)

Hey Swamp, I am thinking about getting a 650 Brute Force. How do you like your machine. Mine will be used mainly for hunting and food plots.

Thanks, Marco


----------



## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

So far I love it, but I don't have a ton of hours on it. I bought mine for the same use, hunting, utility and plowing. But, the power is addicting so I'm looking forward to playing with it on the trails. But primarily it's for work. 
It's got great power and it has a very smooth ride....probably not as smooth as an IRS equipped machine, but plenty smooth non the less. The straight axle has Kawasaki's excellent sealed wet brake...one of the best on the market. Kaw now has a 650 Brute Force 4x4i that has IRS, but it's also more money. Personaly, The think the standard Brute Force 650 is the best value on the market for a big bore quad....your getting big power for the price of most 400-500 class machines with IRS. I don't think IRS is necessary for 99% of what my quad will be used for so I don't feel I'm giving up a thing. The 650 Vtwin has been proven bullet proof since it's introduction in 2001 with the 650 prairie and Kaws cvt transmission is reliable as well. Many suggest using low range when using the quad at lower speeds to take some pressure off the belt system. When plowing or hauling people and deer, I've used low range so far. I have the green plastic, and it scuffs up easily, supposedly the camo is more durable but I don't know if thats true. Eventually I'll upgrade the tires to some mud tires in 26" or maybe even 27" just because of where I hunt, but at this point I don't think they are a necessity. 

I would also look heavily at the Artic Cats. I like there feature as well, and they offer and endless (but expensive!) list of options. 

The only improvement I could really think of for mine would be fuel injection, but that would add to the initial cost as well. Mine is cold blooded, but every Kaw I've had has been the same way....just a little inconvienance.


----------



## marco (Sep 25, 2002)

Thanks Swamp. I have a friend who can get me a discount on Kawasaki products so I most likely won't be looking at anything else. I too don't need the IRS. Its just more money.


----------



## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

Swamp,, couple of things here. Is this warranty through the dealer or Kaw.??
I didn't buy the warranty with my Cat, but I still can, up until the 2 year Cat warranty expires. Heres the thing though, this warranty is through the dealer, Nelsons Speed Shop, not Arctic Cat. Nelsons sells all kinds of ATV's, and the guy told me by FAR, AC is the WORST to deal with on a warranty issue, doesn't seem to matter what it is. I was in the warranty biz years ago, so I know how the game works. The manager at Nelsons told me,, if someone brings in a unit with a warranty issue,, AC tells them right off the bat, tell the customer they abused the unit and we're not covering it. Lots of dealers are going to their own warranties or outside companies because AC is putting them in real awkward situations. The manager said,, "don't get me wrong, AC's are good, reliable units but if you ever have an issue, you won't believe how bad AC treats you.  Anyway, that's my story. You might wanna inquire at your dealer about Kaws. customer serv. and if they have different warranty companies to choose from.


----------



## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

This one is through Kawasaki directly...I can buy directly from them or I can buy it through my dealership sales person. My dealer does not offer there own waranty or service program outside of Kaws, but I have heard the same as you....some dealers are getting into this game themselves so they have more control inhouse with you the customer. A friend had some tranny problems with his Polaris...Polaris played the abuse card even though the dealer disagreed completely...to keep the customer happy the dealer ate the cost of fixing the unit. I imagine that happens more often then we realize I guess, so I can see why dealers might want to offer their own warranties. I still have not found out if those numbers are negotiable yet, but I have a month to decide. I'd like to know if my dealer gets any incentives for having me purchase a warranty, I don't need to even contact them to purchase it, but I would like to get some honest feedback from their service deptartment as to how well Kaw stands behind the warranty etc. I'll look into the possiblity of other warranty companies as well......I get offers in the mail for my truck every week it seems, but most of those seem shady to me, but I don't honestly know if thats the case. Thanks for the tip!


----------



## Captain Tan Can (Nov 9, 2005)

I currently have an AC 650 which is of course powered by Kaw. My first snowmobile was a 1972 AC with 440 Kawasaki. I have owned several machines over the last 35 years and never purchased an extended warranty. The only repair that I have had to do that would have been covered by warranty was to replace a crankcase seal. It was on my son's AC 340 and he had been "abusing" it as all 17 year olds tend to do. I got him the service manual and told him to have fun. He fixed it in a couple of days and babied it thereafter. I do not abuse any equipment I own whether its an ATV, snowmobile, car or snowblower. Buying a good product to start with is half the battle. Generally speaking a manufacturing defect will show up in the first 6 months. After that I believe that if you take care of it , it will take care of you. Most financial advisors will tell you that purchasing extended warranties it a waste of money and I can tell you that over a 40 year period of not buying them I feel I've come out way ahead. Just my 2cents worth.


----------



## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

:tdo12: I thought AC ATV's had Suzuki engines in 'em?


----------



## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

William H Bonney said:


> :tdo12: I thought AC ATV's had Suzuki engines in 'em?


Ours do Bill.


----------



## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

William H Bonney said:


> :tdo12: I thought AC ATV's had Suzuki engines in 'em?


AC has two different 650 models.
With AC, depending on the models, you get both! One of the 650's is the same motor I have....633cc Kaw Vtwin, the other 650 AC model has their own engine (I think)...an AC first. The new FI 700 AC, has the Suzuki King Quad motor. Confused yet? I think the AC 400's have the same Suzuki motor that the Suzuki Eiger has. Both Kaw and Suzuki are known for reliable engines so AC has benefited from years of RD etc.....probably far more cost effective than if they were to start out with their own engine program initially. 

Want to be more confused, for the last few years Suzuki and Kawasaki have been under agreement to share technology, and many of their models are exactly the same, just different color plastic. Suzukis previous 700 Twin Peaks quad was nothing more than a yellow version of the Kaw Praire 700...ofcourse they came in other colors as well. That agreement was ended late last year though.


----------



## jmoser (Sep 11, 2002)

Search the web for an owner's group or forum for your specific machine - ask if there are any well known repair issues that an extended warranty would cover. Unless there is a SPECIFIC issue you want to insure against I cannot see spending the $$ on the extended warranty. 

These usually cost way more than they are worth; many times these are so full of loopholes that you'll have to pay up for repairs anyway.

Also - never buy an extended warranty that is not from the OEM themselves. Your warranty 'contract' is not with the dealership, it is with the underwriter. There was a recent case in the automotive world where a large underwriter of extended warranties [just a financial entity, not a manufacturer] went bankrupt and left these policies worthless. The dealerships got blasted cause they sold them but at the end of the day the owners were simply out of luck [and money.]


----------

