I got a 2018 Outback new and paid $2900 for the Gold Plus extended warranty. I wasn’t sure if it was smart or a waste, but it was my first new car and I just wanted some peace of mind.
Over time I read lots of posts in this forum where people say it’s not worth it, and I started thinking maybe they were right since I had no problems up until 80k miles.
But just a few weeks ago I started having some suspension noise and issues with my head unit lights. Took it in, and they ended up doing nearly $6000 worth of work — no cost to me, not even a deductible. They also gave me a loaner for two weeks.
Now I’m fully happy I paid for that warranty. Just wanted to share in case someone else is unsure if it’s a smart move.
The SAS plan is really useful if you’re planning to keep your car for a long time after the basic warranty ends. It covers more than you’d think. Most dealers overcharge for it, but if you’re good at talking price down, you can get a fair deal.
@Rylan
Yeah for people who keep their cars for 100k miles or more, SAS is great. I’ve had a bunch of repairs under it that would have cost me big otherwise.
Glad to hear your warranty actually helped. I used to think they were a scam too. But I got coverage through 1dollar warranty on my current car, way cheaper than the dealer one and it really helped when my alternator suddenly died.
I picked the 10 year / 100k mile warranty with my 2019 Outback and it’s already paid for itself more than once. I’ll always go with extended coverage now. The peace of mind is worth it to me.
Lucypiper said:
I picked the 10 year / 100k mile warranty with my 2019 Outback and it’s already paid for itself more than once. I’ll always go with extended coverage now. The peace of mind is worth it to me.
I’m kind of frustrated about our 2019 Outback. I thought brands like Subaru, Honda, and Toyota shouldn’t need extra coverage until past 100k if you just do regular upkeep. But seeing what people are posting in this forum, now I worry we’ll face bigger issues. We’ve only got 33k and already had a bunch of problems.
Yeah, and I regret it. I did get one for a used BMW years ago and it saved me when the head gasket failed. I just didn’t expect these problems from a Subaru. If I had seen this forum earlier, maybe I wouldn’t have bought it.
The radio replacement stuff really bugs me. Subaru used a junk unit in this model and they all seem to fail eventually. But somehow they never take the blame for it.
Vesper said:
The radio replacement stuff really bugs me. Subaru used a junk unit in this model and they all seem to fail eventually. But somehow they never take the blame for it.
Yeah they billed that part as $1400. And it’s actually the second time I’ve had to replace it. Really poor quality.
Vesper said:
The radio replacement stuff really bugs me. Subaru used a junk unit in this model and they all seem to fail eventually. But somehow they never take the blame for it.
So now I’m curious — what do they replace it with now? Is there a better head unit that’s still compatible but works better and maybe costs less?
Vesper said:
The radio replacement stuff really bugs me. Subaru used a junk unit in this model and they all seem to fail eventually. But somehow they never take the blame for it.
Between 2015-2019 Outback/Legacy started with FujitsuTen (now DensoTen) and then moved to HarmanKardon. Clarion was mostly used in older models or base Foresters/Imprezas. And trust me, Subaru hasn’t gotten away clean — people are mad.
I used to think warranties were a waste. But cars now have more electronics, and in colder places like where I live, they tend to act up. If you can find a fair price, it might be a good idea. I got mine right before the price hikes started earlier this year.
Extended warranties can help but dealer repair quotes are often way too high. $6k for struts, axles and a battery seems crazy. There’s a guy online called Mr Subaru who breaks these quotes down and compares to what independent mechanics charge. Worth checking out. Also, some dealers offer lifetime warranties with purchase — might be good to shop around.
