Warning: this is really loooong. Apologies. No need to slog through the whole thing, if you don’t want.

So I decided to go the extended warranty route when I bought my XKR. I read a few warranty threads on this forum, and understood the value of maybe getting a broker and purchasing it separately later, but honestly, I just wanted it done. I didn’t feel like researching and outsourcing it, didn’t want do do any plan-level-vs-cost negotiating with the dealer. I wanted:

- the best, Triple-Diamond, Super-Platinum, Grand Amazing Awesome Plan the dealer (JLR San Diego) offered.
- no deductible.
- the longest term they could sell me.

In other words, as close to the manufacturer’s warranty as I could get. I got: FIDELITY WARRANTY SERVICES’ top “Platinum” plan. As far as I can tell, absolutely everything but the usual exclusions are covered. 6yrs/100,000 miles. Zero deductible at the source (JLR San Diego), $100 anywhere else. Paid $3200 for it.

A few months later, I get the feared and hated Restricted Performance light, with the usual loss of power and limping home. Was fine for a few days, but the light and symptoms returned. I’d been researching indy shops in the LA area, but decided that for something like this I should take it to a dealer, and settled on Rusnak Jaguar in Pasadena. Good news: they’re familiar with the warranty company, and: “oh yeah we deal with Fidelity all the time, they’re pretty good.”

Car also had the annoying high-pitched AC whine, so I told them about it and brought the Jaguar service bulletin in with me (thanks, forum!) to have them take a look.

A few days later, they call: it’s an injector. Should be covered. For things like this, an “inspector” comes out, but they don’t foresee a problem. But then, the part of the call I dreaded: “we did a full inspection on the car, and we found a few other things.” OK, I thought. Here we go.

What they found:
- front bushing cracked and leaking. (I hadn’t understood that these cars have fluid-filled bushings). They said they typically replace two at a time.
- Rear fog lamps were defective. Full disclosure: I didn’t know these cars HAD rear fog lamps. They showed me the lamps— you could see them going on, but just barely, and they flickered. Tech said he’d seen it before, and there’s a little circuit board in the light assembly that’s not sold separately, so they’d need to replace the whole unit. On both sides (each was not working).
- License plate lamps not working. Tech’s opinion: Jag electrical gremlin that he’d dealt with on other cars. Would require a “full reflash,” of memory, which had about a 50-50 chance of working. (If it didn’t, they’d have to replace some computer control module, which would be covered.)
- crack on lower coolant hose. Not leaking yet, but he strongly recommended replacing.

Service rep said that this particular warranty company allowed you to “stack” issues on a single visit, and recommended I submit them all. They’d only charge the single deductible. Sure, why not.

Reply from Fidelity: yes on the injector. Yes on both bushings. No on everything else, so I passed on everything else. But my service rep gave me their their claims phone number, and she suggested I call.

I got lucky— got a very nice, smart guy, who knew XK’s, but hadn’t handled my claim. He looked it over. His points:
HOSE: everyone excludes hoses (which I knew); I was on my own on that.
AC WHINE: Even though they agree that it’s a flaw in the design, and even though there’s a bulletin on it… since the fix involved that “O-ring and spacer,” which are NOT ORIGINAL TO THE CAR, they reject the claim flat out. Parts not original to the car, even if they’re Jaguar parts, are not covered, period.
FOG LAMPS: bulbs, LEDs, etc, are not covered. But, I point out, you can see the LED’s, the problem’s with those circuit boards. He suggests resubmitting and never mentioning the LED’s. I thought that was nice of him.

In the meantime, the tech replaced the injector, and now there’s a new code: a coil. The tech swaps the coil around and the code follows the coil. So out comes the inspector again. The coil’s covered… and now so are both rear lamps!

I actually go buy some license plate bulbs and the tech lets me put them in. No good. I ask the dealer if they can work with me on the reflash and the O-ring-and-spacer cost, and they knock down the price on both.

So, when all is said and done, I get: 1 new injector, 1 new coil, 2 new front bushings, 2 rear reverse/foglight assemblies. Total: $100. Replace lower coolant hose: $137. Reflash memory (it worked) and install O-ring and spacer (also worked) and run climate system check: $310.

So I was out a little over $500. The invoice was a little over $3,000. And if any of the covered issues reappears during the warranty period (I’ve got 5 years left), they’re covered with no deductible.

Obviously, my first takeaway is: GET A WARRANTY (at least with Fidelity Warranty). My second takeaway is: helpful to understand that you’re really getting an insurance policy, and if you treat it as such (and be the squeaky wheel and lean on the claims people) sometimes things go your way. Third takeaway: if you’ve got that high-pitched AC whine, just pay to get it fixed. So much nicer not to hear that noise.

My last takeaway (which makes me nervous): this seems like a lot of items for a car with barely over 20,000 miles on it. Especially since the tech subtly suggested that both the fog lamps and the plate lights were probably defective when I bought the car (with about 8,000 miles on it). Worried that it was not the creampuff I was led to believe.

Anyway, there you go. If you’re thinking about a warranty, hope this helps.

Oh, one more thing. EXCLUSION CLAUSE SIX: “Any claim, if your vehicle is used for COMPETITIVE DRIVING OR RACING, police or emergency service, principally for off-road use, CARRIAGE OF PASSENGERS FOR HIRE, rental services, towing a trailer or other vehicle.” So don’t tell ‘em if you track it, and for God’s sake NO UBER.

 

Well done, glad it is working out for you. I paid a bit more to make sure I had a CPO car, in the first six months I had to have my compressor replaced. Time will tell if it was worth the extra cost but I am comfortable with the outcome.

Whenever someone has an aftermarket coverage policy I always advise calling the company should you have items that are denied. My previous BMW had some items denied that were on the covered list due to "pre-existing" condition clause and I was able to get some reimbursement. If it is on the excluded list then forget it, but in your case an item that could be further downstream as the issue, not a bulb but a circuit. Good job on taking the effort to dispute the root cause.

 

PK4144 - Nice write up! Just to be clear - you say early on there is 'no deductible' but then you say later down the line they charge a 'single deductible.' which one is correct?

 

Both, sort of.
There's no deductible if the car is serviced at the dealership that sold the warranty (JLR San Diego), $100 anywhere else. It's similar to how Carmax structures their warranties - it's always a lower deductible of you have Carmax service the car. It incentivizes the buyer (me) to give the repair business to the original dealer. (They get a check on the full repair invoice, minus the deductible, from the warranty company). It would have been a few hundred more to do a complete zero deductible.

 

Wow. Bushings are not usually covered! Considered wear and tear items. I have always been impressed with Rusnak Jaguars service dept. Top notch especially Eden!

 

EDEN was my service rep!
Yeah I think I'll stick with Rusnak for anything that might be warrantied. I'm loving my local Pep Boys, believe it or not, for oil changes, etc.

 

Lothar .... your problems are solved! From now on, all you have to do is take your 'Black Lemon' to Eden at Rusnak Jag in Los Angeles for repairs! Makes more sense than taking it back to Byers in Columbus! Just sayin' ...

 

Depends on contract, my previous policy for my bmw was with mercury insurance. They covered bushings, I was reimbursed for both lower control arms and new bushings for upper arms.

 

I followed your instructions and did not read your entire post. I can say this about extended warranties and the one I purchased 3 years ago. I purchased a 2010 XK Coupe 3 years ago with less than 5,000 miles. I also purchased a 6 years $50 deductable (stupid) with a well known great rated 3rd party warranty (although used and promoted by Jaguar and Porsche) It's the Easy Care Gold policy and cost me $3600 big ones. I have not used it once in 3 years. I did bring my car in 2 months ago for the glove box door damper not working correctly and the service writer decided (wisely) not to call Easy Care and took care of it as "Good Will". My car now has almost 9,000 miles since purchase (4,000 miles in 3 years) so I don't drive much. Regardless, I was terrified by Jaguar's horrid reputation and went for the coverage. Although I have had no issues with very little driving, I've heard many many issues with water pump failures, cooked engines, a/c failures, defective leather dashboards (not covered anyway). which can cost more than my premium. Yes I feel better having it... especially with a Jaguar, but with this low miles, maybe I could have saved Thousands, but that's the Insurance game!

 

$3600 over 6 years is $600 per year, in my mind a pittance. If you end up as upside down it won't be horrible, you will lose a lot more money on continued depreciation.

Forum boards are a great gatherer of negative information, a problem with someones car drives them to research which leads them to post the issue.

For me I would not buy an extended coverage after my CPO ends as it seems to have low failure rates. Only time will tell if you wasted money or not, but in the meantime having a contract would have mitigated risk.

Luckily the dash issue seems to be less prevalent for the 5.0 models as most likely it would not be covered under a policy, internal trim issues are usually the top of the exclusion list!

 

Yeah, I think it comes down to which would **** you off more: to get through the period never having used the warranty, or to pass on the warranty and then really need it.
For me, it's 1) I place a fairly high value on the peace of mind, 2) First-time Jag owner, so I'm not as familiar with the XK's yet (and have also heard $ stories), 3) I do put a lot of miles on a car. Plus, I financed, and figured 6/100K would take me past the period of the loan.

 

Warranty might be a better choice for you. Especially if you drive alot.

 

Yep.
I'll drive this one to 100, 120,000 miles, God willing. Then I'll sell it to some young kid for eight grand.

 

Carmax has the

 

So sad that our great cars depreciate at such a rapid rate. Over 100,000 dollars when new and then in low double or even single digits in a flash! What a shame. Is this a British thing? Can the stigma ever disappear or be with our car owners forever?

 

Any 100k+ mile car will depreciate to low digits, particularly luxury cars... For $80k, you can buy a 2007 Bentley Mulliner GT Coupe or a 2005 RR Phantom.
If that bothers you so much, buy used like I do. I paid $13k for my ride and don't care if it goes to $0.