Mercedes Extended Warranty or...
autoPOM! Mechanical Breakdown Protection?
First, let me explain the difference between a Mercedes extended warranty and Mechanical Breakdown Protection.
- Mercedes extended warranties are only offered by the manufacturer and are usually sold through the dealership.
- Mechanical breakdown Protection provides extended protection (beyond the manufacturer’s warranty) and may be purchased from a third party.
- There are pros and cons to each option but the main difference is that mechanical breakdown protection allows you to have repairs performed at any authorized automobile repair facility. The Mercedes extended warranty repairs must be performed at an authorized Mercedes repair facility (usually at the dealership.)
Mercedes is the luxury car for sensible people; People who don't mind spending the money, if it means they're getting the absolute best. But, just because you've bought one of the finest motorcars in the world, doesn't mean that you don't need to buy some form of a Mercedes extended warranty.
Mercedes has been building cars for well over 100 years. Not only did they make the world's first internal combustion car, but they've created some of the world's most elegant luxury cars too. Princes, Politicians, and other A-Lister's have been driving a Mercedes for decades. Every other luxury brand on the market is just trying to play catch-up.
The reason for Mercedes' undying popularity has to do with the technology. For over a century, Mercedes engineers have been "evolving the car". Some of the most common place features found on today's cars, were first available on a Mercedes Benz.
Mercedes Innovations
- First internal combustion car (1886)
- First car to have 4-wheel brakes (1924)
- First Diesel production car (1936)
- First car to have "Crumple Zones" (1951)
- First car company to offer ABS (1978)
- First car company to offer Airbags (1988)
- First car company to offer ESP Electronic Stability Program (1995)
- First car company to offer Brake Assist (1997)
It's said that "if you want to see what the future holds for the modern car, just have a look at what Mercedes is doing". And, if you look at today's MB, you'll find some pretty amazing features.
There's a night vision system...that works. There's a driver alertness sensor that can bring the car to a stop...if you decide to have a nap, while driving. There's even radar guided cruise control...so you won't have to pay attention when you're on the freeway. It's truly unbelievable just how advanced these cars are.
But, you still might be wondering "why should I buy a Mercedes extended warranty or Mechanical Breakdown Protection from autoPOM!?" Well, keep reading.
Mercedes' Cutting Edge Features:
Distronic: This is a radar guided cruise control, that uses 2 short-range radar sensors, and 1 long-range sensor to calculate the distance of the cars in front of you. The car's computer uses both the throttle, and the brakes to keep you at a predetermined distance from the car in front of you. If the car in front stops, your Merc will apply its own brakes...and stop itself.
Cool system, but some of it's computer parts can fail, costing upwards of $1,000 to repair.
7-Speed Automatic Transmission: While the new 7-speed transmission offers unbelievable fuel economy, it's also unbelievably complicated. It uses a series of sensors, a computer, hydraulic pumps and gears to provide such high gearing. Some of these internal parts are known to fail early, requiring a trained technician to disassemble the transmission and replace the offending parts.
Modules: Here's a partial list of expensive "Modules" that tend to go bad;
- Door Control Module
- Seat Control Module
- Climate Control Module
- Active Body Control Module
- Engine Control Module
Like I said before, the reason that modern Mercedes' are so advanced, is the technology. These cars have a sensor for EVERYTHING. You even have separate computers to control various functions of the car (as demonstrated by the list above). Some models can have as many as 140 individual motors to power all of the accessories! So, can you imagine how much money that you might be spending on repairs, once the warranty runs out?
Mercedes Reliability
Before making any decision, research your specific model and year to ensure reliability. Certain cars are known to be unreliable, making the extended protection decision a no-brainer. Check out the the U.S News and World Report. for current reliability ratings.
Another easy to find out about a product's reliability in the age of the Internet is to check with a community of people that have the same product. People in these groups tend to be very outspoken. In the case of automobiles one such community is Edmunds.com.
Use the links below to research your specific model for known problems.
MSN.Autos.com is another great resource to check the reliability record of your used vehicle.
Do I Really Need a Mercedes extended warranty or Mechanical Breakdown Protection from autoPOM!?
The Mercedes warranty is a standard 4-year/50,000 miles. This covers everything from the brakes, to the transmission. But, if you want to extend that warranty, you will have to decide between the Mercedes Benz extended warranty or a Mechanical Breakdown Protection from a third-party. Ultimately, it is a personal decision.
Mercedes extended warranty is a solid choice and can cover your car for up to 7 years, or 100,000 miles. However, autoPOM! Mechanical Breakdown Protection, backed and administered by Mercury Insurance Group, offers comparable coverage with more flexibility and substantially lower cost than dealer pricing.
Mercedes' are wonderful cars, but they're extremely complicated to work on. When you take it in for repairs, you're going to wind up paying top-dollar for both parts, and labor. However, if you have a purchased extended protection from a reputable source, you will have peace-of-mind knowing that you're vehicle is going to be taken care of.
autoPOM! and Mercury Insurance Group are sources you can trust.autoPOM! has an A+ rating from the BBB and Mercury has a A+ rating from A.M. Best.
See 10 Reasons To Choose autoPOM! and Mercury.
If you want to drive the most advanced car on the road today, buy a Mercedes Benz. If you want to protect yourself from the inevitable repair bills, purchase Mechanical Breakdown Protection from autoPOM!
To summarize:
- Mercedes are fantastic cars, but they will cost a lot to repair when things go wrong
- Many of the onboard high-tech systems require specially trained technicians to work on them.
- You're going to pay a qualified mechanic (aka "technician"), handsomely.
- A Mercedes extended warranty is a solid choice but you will pay more at the dealership and you will be limited as to where you can have it repaired.
- autoPOM! offers comparable coverage for far less money and you can take your vehicle to any licensed repair facility in the US or Canada.
Teddy Field
In these unsure financial times, you need to be protected from expensive auto repair bills. Many Mercedes owners decide to buy a Mercedes extended warranty through the dealer, or Mechanical Breakdown Protection from a reputable third-party company. if you decide Mechanical Breakdown Protection is right for you, I recommend the folks at autoPOM!
Whatever you decide to do, I hope that your decision will provide you with peace of mind so you can actually enjoy driving this very fine vehicle.
For additional information on determining your need for a Mercedes extended warranty please review the following pages:
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