Should I Buy Toyota VSA? Deal or Scam?

congrats and welcome! i wouldn't call it a scam, but it is usually unnecessary, like most insurance, and you need to be aware that not everything is covered. if you do buy it, and have occasion to use it, sometimes things are covered, and sometimes not. it's not blanket coverage. all the best!

 

you need an oil change every 10K and a few filters every 30K. so a 75K maintenance plan is like paying for 5 $50 synthetic oil changes (first two are free) and about $50 in air/cabin filters or about $300 so yes the maintenance plan is a rip off.
In CA most expensive components have a 10 year 150K warranty, in general extended warranties are not worth it

 

Check on this forum. I think those plans are less expensive, if you feel you need them. Insurance gives you a warm fuzzy feeling, until you need to use it. Then it can be "legal hell".

 

+1

 

On a brand new vehicle I have never bought an extended warranty. And I have never regretted it.

Here's my potentially "flawed" logic.

I figure with the manufacturers initial bumper to bumper, that's enough time to discover if I have a new car "lemon", if I do? I'm probably going to move on from the vehicle quickly.

If I don't have a lemon? Then I have a reliable "new car" that will age with the provided new car warranties, and I can keep up with the maintenance at my own desire and budget.

You never know if you're going to be in an accident and the vehicle totaled, or what may happen in the future. But I think I've always done OK, simply handling repair costs as they arise. Is there a risk that something "major" could happen and stick me with a huge bill? I suppose. But usually with good maintenance, vehicles are built pretty well, even big problems usually give you some warning on the horizon.

In the meantime I DO invest into maintaining the vehicle.

I'd rather put a percentage of the cost of a long term warranty, into great maintenance of the vehicle. And hopefully I have the resources to buy another vehicle before the age and mileage on the vehicle makes "big issues" risk more tangible.

 

Just to save others heading to Google, VSA stands for Vehicle Service Agreement. The opening sentences of explanation by Toyota is:

"For the unexpected bumps down the road. Show your car some love with our Vehicle Service Agreement (VSA) which covers the cost of eligible parts and repairs when you may need it most."

I'd pass.

 

yeah, i got confused by the 'platinum warranty' statement in the second sentence. happens easily these days.

 

okay, now i'm really lost. is it a maintenance plan or warranty?

 

Maybe both:

Toyota Financial Services

 

if so, generally the maintenance is cheaper a la carte. the first two years/25,000 miles are free.

what is not covered in the warranty? i would ask them. there have been a few complaints here, but not a ton.

 

gotcha. see my post 13.

 

Even if the coverage was "bumper to bumper," policies are written to favor the underwriter. In the most basic sense, they are designed to terminate at the point where the risk of claim resembles Al Gore's hockey stick graph. Otherwise, the policy would have to be way more expensive to justify the risk of filed claims.

 

In other words, they favour the house.

Every so often someone here is selling a 6 pack of oil or air filters, having traded in their Prius. Just another example: better to deal with the issues as they arise. Anything more is cargo-cult.

 

I did get my rear wheel bearing replaced under the extended warranty.

Can't wait to see if they cover my oil burning under the warranty...