I'd probably buy one too, but I'm just passing along what studies have shown, multiple times over. They're great when you need it, but the percentages say that most end up not using it, which makes it a cost with no return. Or, many also do use it, but never end up with repairs that exceed the cost of the extended plan. It's just a comfort knowing you have it, but strictly from a financial standpoint, odds are against the buyer of the warranty.
Hmmm. Do you feel the same about your auto insurance on your truck? Collision insurance? I'll quote you on the Extended Warranty and then apply that same thinking to collision insurance.
You say, "They're great when you need it, but the percentages say that most end up not using it, which makes it a cost with no return. Or, many also do use it, but never end up with repairs that exceed the cost of the extended plan. It's just a comfort knowing you have it, but strictly from a financial standpoint, odds are against the buyer of the warranty."
So, allow me to copy that verbatim, and insert, "collision insurance" in place of 'Extended Warranty' and see what that looks like:
"They're great when you need it, but the percentages say that most end up not using it, which makes it a cost with no return. Or, many also do use it, but never end up with repairs that exceed the cost of the collision insurance. It's just a comfort knowing you have it, but strictly from a financial standpoint, odds are against the buyer of the collision insurance."
Now, before I go on with this, I'll say ahead of time, yes, collision damage could result in totalling your vehicle and therefore cost many more times than even a major repair such as a blown engine, so it does make sense to carry it there... That being said though, I'm guessing that statistically, most people do not total their truck when involved in an accident and therefore repairs are probably more comparable, cost-wise, to mechanical repairs. Figure in your deductible, etc., and where are you in terms of a "financial standpoint"?
"They're great when you need it, but the percentages say that most end up not using it, which makes it a cost with no return." <---- Apply that statement to collision insurance.
So you get my idea here... Allowing that, do you carry collision insurance, and if so, do you consider that a "waste of money", considering that collision insurance probably costs significantly more money than an Extended Warranty?
Again, back to my thinking on the Extended Warranty coverage. As I said, I guess it depends on your perspective. From my situation, it really was a no brainer. First, I knew I was going to be driving my truck a lot. I've owned it for not quite 25 months and I have 45,000 miles on it. My factory 3/36 is already up and my 5/50 or whatever it is on the powertrain will be gone soon. Secondly, and just as important, my personal financial situation is such that the Extended Warranty was not a matter of affordability or stretching myself short to get it. I'll be 55 years old in a couple of months and this was my first new truck, and maybe my last, and I expect to drive it until it drops and it's not worth fixing, and I can't be bothered with worrying about major repair cost headaches down the road - I'm too old for that now. I prefer to spend what time I do have left above ground thinking about other things and lessening my stress levels worrying about potential problems in the future. Now, there were times in my life in the not so distant past where I couldn't have afforded a new truck and then a moderately expensive warranty to go with it - that alone would have been stressful on me trying to decide to get it or not - take my chances... so I know how it is to have to have to make such financial decisions when affordability is an issue.
I guess my real point here is, for those thinking about getting an Extended Warranty or automatically dismissing the idea as a "waste of money" or a rip-off, is that it's really no different than regular auto/collision insurance in that respect. Do you NEED it? You hope not - but if you do, you're glad you have it. In fact comparing the two again, there is a HIGH possibility you will NEVER use collision insurance, but is a guaranteed fact that if you own your truck long enough and drive it enough, at some time it will have mechanical failures that require expensive repair costs - IF you do not have an Extended Warranty... Just some things to consider.
Either way, good luck to you all and happy driving with your Rams!