NSS: Won a free sofa!

[WhiskeyPapa]

Well, I didn't actually win it, but I get a free one nonetheless.

Four years ago we bought a leather livingroom set, and completely out-of-character for me, we purchased a $150 extended warranty. A few months ago one of the cushions started cracking and peeling. I called to make a claim, assuming they would just come out and replace the cushion.

First of all, they tried to deny my claim over the phone, but I insisted they send someone out to look at it before attempting to deny my claim. Some guy came out, said they will repair it.

Today we got a phone call from the furniture store saying the leather covers for our cushions are no longer available, and we have 10 days to select another sofa, which will be given to us at no charge.

[ray]

Well, I didn't actually win it, but I get a free one nonetheless.

Four years ago we bought a leather livingroom set, and completely out-of-character for me, we purchased a $150 extended warranty. A few months ago one of the cushions started cracking and peeling. I called to make a claim, assuming they would just come out and replace the cushion.

First of all, they tried to deny my claim over the phone, but I insisted they send someone out to look at it before attempting to deny my claim. Some guy came out, said they will repair it.

Today we got a phone call from the furniture store saying the leather covers for our cushions are no longer available, and we have 10 days to select another sofa, which will be given to us at no charge.

Excellent! I declined the extended warranty on the sofa i purchased 2 years ago. Hopefully I won't have things falling apart on me...

[kimchicowboy]

sweeeet.

better than the college way where we just find one of the street. :P

[Jenny]

Nice! Congrats! :) We need a new one badly. :( No leather or vinyl here, tho. I stick to it. ;)

[chadlnc]

This happened with our bedroom furniture. One of the drawers on our dresser stopped working, so they sent a guy out and he found out they no longer make the part. They told us that we would have to get a new dresser (which they no longer made) so we got a new dresser, bed, and night stands (all free) so that everything would match. That was just on factory warranty.

[whitak24]

that is awesome, wwp.

i strongly believe that SOME extended warranties are worth it, others aren't. looks like you're getting your money's worth out of this one.

[Kim]

Congrats!

[BigJon]

Score!

[ufcrusher]

So lets examine this....you paid for an extended warranty....which you had to use because of your original sofa was defective.....and are getting a replacement as the warranty is intended to do. I dont see how this is winning anything. Yeah, its great when stuff is replaced under warranty, but I guess I dont look at it as winning anything.

Either way, congrats. Just think that everyone else who bought the extended warranty and never used it paid for your replacement.

[attgig]

yeah, i did the extended thing on my sofa too....it's actaully a stain thing. if i get a stain on it that i can't get rid of...and one of their guys can't get rid of...they'll replace it.

[nickel]

i never buy the extended warranties on stuff. i just tell 'em if i don't get my money's worth out of it i'll never buy that brand again.

but you go kb0wwp - it definitely worked out well for you.

[WhiskeyPapa]

So lets examine this....<snip>...but I guess I dont look at it as winning anything.After I've had 18 hours to ponder this, I'm starting to think your way. We went to the furniture store to look at sofas last night, and all we could think about was that nothing would match our "matched" set.

We do have a living room and a family room, so we thought we could put the matching loveseat and recliner in the family room, and the new sofa in the living room, and simply pick one that would go with our other livingroom furniture. But then we're making wholesale changes to our decorating just because of one bad cushion.

The person who actually handles the details of warranty replacements is out until Saturday. The more I think about this, the more I think we should push for a replacement of the full set.

So you're right, ufc, the only thing we've "won" is the opportunity to get something new, which may not be worth the trouble.

Now, if we could get them to agree to give us a new couch, yet keep the old one, we could sell the old set... ;)

[DarkFury]

/me going over to kb0wwp's house to dig my feet into his new couch...

"I'm DarkFury... Beeeayatch!" :hihi:

[KCEnder]

I used to work for the anti-christ (Best Buy) and whenver i heard the line, we don't need the warrenty, if that brand doesn't last we will never buy it again, i would break down laughing. Many things can be covered by extended warrentys that have nothing to do with the quality of the item itself. Many of the warrentys are not worth it like people say, but on many items you know that they won't last so you might as well get a free replacement one down the road.

[DarkFury]

I used to work for the anti-christ (Best Buy) and whenver i heard the line, we don't need the warrenty, if that brand doesn't last we will never buy it again, i would break down laughing. Many things can be covered by extended warrentys that have nothing to do with the quality of the item itself. Many of the warrentys are not worth it like people say, but on many items you know that they won't last so you might as well get a free replacement one down the road.
Honestly, it just depends...

I bought my couch from a furniture store with the "warranty" and like 3 years later, they went out of business... and my warranty went with them. :eek:

On major ticket items... I highly recommend warranties. Expecially when the cost to replace by far exceeds the price to repair.

On small items... i.e. TVs, VCRs, DVD players, home electronics... I generally don't buy the warranties and so far that has worked out well for me. BTW.. . why would anyone pay $30 on a warranty for an item that cost like $60 to begin with? Honestly, I think some of these stores need to re-look at their extended warranty pricing. They warranty at most should probably be 10 - 20% of the value of the item, when they get to around 50%, they are just kidding themselves. :D

[nickel]

I used to work for the anti-christ (Best Buy) and whenver i heard the line, we don't need the warrenty, if that brand doesn't last we will never buy it again, i would break down laughing. Many things can be covered by extended warrentys that have nothing to do with the quality of the item itself. Many of the warrentys are not worth it like people say, but on many items you know that they won't last so you might as well get a free replacement one down the road.
ummm... yeh.... it's a warranty dude.

and you laughed in customer's faces? that's wrong.

and for the record - so far i haven't went wrong with not purchasing an extended warranty.

[WhiskeyPapa]

I basically never buy an extended warranty, I think this one is maybe the third (and the first I've ever even tried to collect on.) I'm sure if you added up the cost of all warranties I've turned down, it would easily be ten times the price I've paid to repair or replace those items. Oh yeah, I got an extended warranty on my new fridge, but that was just part of the price negotiation.

I've always wanted to start my own "extended warranty account". Each time I buy an item on which an extended warranty is offered, I'd put that amount into the account. Maybe I'll start one this year...

BTW, I think KCEnder was the guy who sold me a microwave at Best Buy. This guy basically called me stupid for not buying the extended warranty. Because of him, I'll never buy an appliance from Best Buy again.

[ufcrusher]

When I worked at Good Guys they always yelled at us if our warranty percentage wasnt above a certain level. In fact, any time we would work out a deal, it was always placed in there, even if it was given to them for free.

People used to always look at me like I was trying to wrestle their first born away from them when I would explain the benefits of the warranty plans. The thing was that I was always honest with the customer, explaining if and when I would go for the warranty.

For example, on things like dvd players, cd players, cordless phones, plasma tv's, and other items with high breakage/repair rates it was a no brainer. Especially since our warranties included annual service on those units.

As for the idea of starting your own extended warranty account.....its an idea that lots of financial specialists say is the best way to protect yourself. They claim that you take whatever the amount is for the instore warranty and place it into a special intrest baring account. Thus, if your warranty for the phone is $60, the couch is $90, the PS2 is $55... you would have $205 in the account plus whatever intrest accrued. Their point of view is that maybe 10% of warranties purchased are ever used. Thus you are losing approximately 90% of anything you put towards extended warranties. If you had that money yourself then you are not limited to 1 store and theoretically havent lost any money if nothing ever breaks. Plus, in the event that it doesnt break but just goes obsolete, you are recouping money that would have been lost otherwise.

My only problem with this idea is simply the fact that if multiple items break you can be completely screwed over. When it comes to buying the warranties now, I look at what extra features are included (routine maintenance?), what it includes (broken remote covered? What about burned out display), and the likelihood that an item will break. (If its something that I know has a high breakage rate, then its a no brainer.)

At this moment I keep getting all these lovely re-up offers for warranties that are expiring. These companies want me to pay $100+ for 1 year of coverage on an item that cost $200 to buy new. (Which I bought at cost 4 years ago..) Those offers are almost never worth it as if it hasnt broken in the original extended warranty period there is little chance that it would suddenly go now.

[WhiskeyPapa]

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who thought of the extended warranty account...

I tend to look at extended warranties the same way I look at insurance: Their purpose is to protect me from financial disaster. In other words, I insure things I can't afford to replace/repair/pay for. That's why I buy life insurance, home owners insurance, car insurance, health insurance, etc. If I hit another car, I can't afford to pay $50k for the other guys medical bills, that's why I pay for the insurance.

If my $300 microwave breaks, I *can* afford to buy another. Yes, it will suck, but I can do it. From my perspective, I want to be insured against disaster, not insured against inconvenience.

[WhiskeyPapa]

Went to the furniture store today and they decided to allow us to replace the entire set. We picked out what we wanted and it will be delivered Monday.

Oh yeah, and we decided to pass on the extended warranty when the offered it this time...

[kei2]

They are replacing your whole set? Now that's more like it. Congrats.