What are your thoughts on a 10 yr or 11 yr / 100,000 miles - 150,000 miles bumper to bumper extended warranty by Fidelity Warranty Services

[CrazyOne]

If parked for period of time and just because one side or both sides have lost air does not mean it has failed. The suspension being a moving parts, it will lose air; hence pump and vales to regulate the height and damping.

If you do not hear clicking sounds and notice the vehicle re-establishing the proper ride height and damping, then it has failed.

I don't buy it. This is the 1.5 quarts of oil consumption per 1000 miles is normal stuff. One is dropping while other three are not. That's clearly a problem. Truck also adjusts the front left when I stop at lights etc. Its on the way out and I am waiting for it to get bad, so that I don't have to fight Rivian about it. It also causes excess wear on the compressor. Worst part is that this problem can strand me, as it happened for others. I only have 9k miles on it. I have 4 more years and 40k miles till warranty runs out.

I am not saying this is unique to Rivian. Air suspensions have a tendency to break within the first 10 years. Some will break well before 10 and some towards the 10 year mark. Even Lexus LX isn't immune to this from what I read.

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[MidnightRivian]

I just purchased my Platinum 100,000 miles / 10 year / $250 deductible warranty which expires Dec 28, 2033.

Rates are going up once you cross 10,000 miles and every calendar year. That means in 2024 you will see probably a 10% - 30% inflation adjustment.

Quote from 2 dealers regarding price changes

"by avoiding the 2024 rate increases and being under 10K miles in the lowest Fidelity mileage based pricing tier, your rates will not be this low again in the future."

"effective January 1st, pricing is increasing from Fidelity - about 20-30%!"

I went with Steingold Volvo using their online portal since they had the best price compared to 5 other dealers who were recommended online.

https://factoryprotect.ratessys.com/

Use code RIVIAN to save $200.

I got my warranty support documents right away to save down in case I need alternate transport, towing or lodging/travel coverage due to breakdown. I plan to go on a 600+ mile roadtrip for New Years.

ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION COVERAGE Reimbursement up to $40 per day for up to 10 days per covered mechanical breakdown. Coverage includes reimbursement for public transportation, rental car services or ridesharing services using a licensed rental agency, authorized dealer or ridesharing service.

TOWING COVERAGE Reimbursement of up to $100 in towing charges per covered mechanical breakdown.

TRAVEL COVERAGE If you're more than 100 miles from home when you experience a covered mechanical breakdown, reimbursement of up to $100 per day, up to $500 per occurrence, for food and lodging.

 

[RabidRat]

Darn it, not available in California.

Anyone know a good option for us in this state?

 

[MidnightRivian]

Darn it, not available in California.

Anyone know a good option for us in this state?

You can message Michael and ask why California is not covered for Fidelity Warranty.

Maybe Steingold Volvo does not cover California.

Michael Bernardo
Director of Marketing
Steingold Volvo Cars
766 Broadway
Pawtucket, RI 02861
(401) 723-4700 x126
[email protected]

You can try to get a quote from the 2nd best dealer who gave me a price on my vehicle and see if they can sell in California.

Trenton O. Gibson
Advertising & Marketing Manager
Highline Autos
Direct: 602.909.9216
Office: 480.348.0777
www.Highline-Autos.com

If not, you can try XCARE which was also recommended by Tesla members.


https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/extended-warranty-xcelerate-auto.20316/

https://www.xcelerateauto.com/xcare

 

[RivianDad2]

That dealership is in Rhode Island. Some dealerships won’t sell out of state (some will). That may also partially explains the lower pricing.

We may want to find a dealership/broker willing to get special rates for this forum. There’s one like that with the R8 forum, and it’s worked out very well for both sides. I’ll reach out to the person who did the R8 deal and ask if they want to try to do something similar with Rivians.

So, as a follow up to my earlier email, I spoke to both Michael Bernardo at Steingold Volvo and Heather Moyer at Tom Wood Audi Indianapolis, the latter of whom I’ve purchased warranties in the past. Michael can’t sell in CA or Florida. Heather is selling me a warranty for a little over $4,218 for a 10year/100K on a new R1S. The warranty is a Fidelity platinum, which is an exclusionary warranty (meaning everything is covered that is not on the excluded list), with a $250 deductible. The battery is not covered, so there’s a two year gap there.

Heather’s contact info is: (317) 853-3902, [email protected].

Michael’s is up above in a prior posting.

I have no relationship with them and did not receive a payment or discount for sharing this. I just like to help people that have provided me with excellent service.

 

[MidnightRivian]

So, as a follow up to my earlier email, I spoke to both Michael Bernardo at Steingold Volvo and Heather Moyer at Tom Wood Audi Indianapolis, the latter of whom I’ve purchased warranties in the past. Michael can’t sell in CA or Florida. Heather is selling me a warranty for a little over $4,218 for a 10year/100K on a new R1S. The warranty is a Fidelity platinum, which is an exclusionary warranty (meaning everything is covered that is not on the excluded list), with a $250 deductible. The battery is not covered, so there’s a two year gap there.

Heather’s contact info is: (317) 853-3902, [email protected].

Michael’s is up above in a prior posting.

I have no relationship with them and did not receive a payment or discount for sharing this. I just like to help people that have provided me with excellent service.

Thanks for an update. Can you tell me why the battery is not covered when it shows EV battery under the Gold warranty feature.

VEHICLE COVERED PARTS POWERTRAIN COVERAGE PLAN

ADDITIONAL HYBRID/PLUG-IN ELECTRIC/COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS/HYDROGEN COMPONENTS: Electric motor/generator(s) all internal
components; inverter/converter/transformer units including all internal components and cover; continuously variable transmission and all
internal components; power split device and all internal components; reduction/reducer box and all internal components; seals and gaskets.



GOLD COVERAGE PLAN (Includes POWERTRAIN Coverage Plan plus the following additional parts)

ADDITIONAL HYBRID/PLUG-IN ELECTRIC/COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS/HYDROGEN COMPONENTS: Motor/generator belt tensioner; drive motor dampener; voltage inverter reservoir; three-phase high voltage cables; hydraulic or electric regenerative braking system; hybrid/ EV/hydrogen battery (nickel-metal hydrate or lithium-ion drive propulsion battery) including the case and mounting hardware, junction block, main battery cable, and frame wire; onboard battery charging system including charge controller, plug in outlets, plug in cable, and trickle charger cable; electric AC compressor and motor; electric steering rack, gear, and motor; electro/hydraulic power steering pump and reservoir; hydrogen fuel cell stack; battery cooling pump; seals and gaskets.

 

[RivianDad2]

Thanks for an update. Can you tell me why the battery is not covered when it shows EV battery under the Gold warranty feature.

VEHICLE COVERED PARTS POWERTRAIN COVERAGE PLAN

ADDITIONAL HYBRID/PLUG-IN ELECTRIC/COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS/HYDROGEN COMPONENTS: Electric motor/generator(s) all internal
components; inverter/converter/transformer units including all internal components and cover; continuously variable transmission and all
internal components; power split device and all internal components; reduction/reducer box and all internal components; seals and gaskets.



GOLD COVERAGE PLAN (Includes POWERTRAIN Coverage Plan plus the following additional parts)

ADDITIONAL HYBRID/PLUG-IN ELECTRIC/COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS/HYDROGEN COMPONENTS: Motor/generator belt tensioner; drive motor dampener; voltage inverter reservoir; three-phase high voltage cables; hydraulic or electric regenerative braking system; hybrid/ EV/hydrogen battery (nickel-metal hydrate or lithium-ion drive propulsion battery) including the case and mounting hardware, junction block, main battery cable, and frame wire; onboard battery charging system including charge controller, plug in outlets, plug in cable, and trickle charger cable; electric AC compressor and motor; electric steering rack, gear, and motor; electro/hydraulic power steering pump and reservoir; hydrogen fuel cell stack; battery cooling pump; seals and gaskets.

Good question, I haven’t read the paperwork yet. I’m just going off of what Heather told me. She said some people are only going 8 years to match the Rivian battery coverage. The price difference between 8 and 10 years was under $800 and I can always get the last two years refunded if I cancel early, so the only risk is the interest on $800 (easy decision). Interestingly, the 11th year added $2,200 to the price, so you can see that Fidelity really incentivizes 10 years, but not 11!

The break even on $100 deductible versus $250 is at about 8 claims (maybe 9 or 10 after interest is factored in), so I went with the $250 deductible. I sure hope I’m not making two claims a year after the Rivian warranty runs out…

 

[Ramble On Rivian]

You can message Michael and ask why California is not covered for Fidelity Warranty.

Maybe Steingold Volvo does not cover California.

Michael Bernardo
Director of Marketing
Steingold Volvo Cars
766 Broadway
Pawtucket, RI 02861
(401) 723-4700 x126
[email protected]

You can try to get a quote from the 2nd best dealer who gave me a price on my vehicle and see if they can sell in California.

Trenton O. Gibson
Advertising & Marketing Manager
Highline Autos
Direct: 602.909.9216
Office: 480.348.0777
www.Highline-Autos.com

If not, you can try XCARE which was also recommended by Tesla members.


https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/extended-warranty-xcelerate-auto.20316/

https://www.xcelerateauto.com/xcare

I just reached out to Michael, he simply said "We do not sell in California and Florida per state regulations"

 

[MidnightRivian]

I just reached out to Michael, he simply said "We do not sell in California and Florida per state regulations"

Thanks for your info. I spoke to Michael and he confirmed he can't sell in California or Florida.

Florida is a one price state and California you have to buy from a dealer in California.


Make sure to buy a Fidelity Warranty from a dealer in California. Call around to high end car dealerships and see if they sell Fidelity Warranty plans. Have them run you a quote with their Forum discount for the Rivian.

Good question, I haven’t read the paperwork yet. I’m just going off of what Heather told me. She said some people are only going 8 years to match the Rivian battery coverage. The price difference between 8 and 10 years was under $800 and I can always get the last two years refunded if I cancel early, so the only risk is the interest on $800 (easy decision). Interestingly, the 11th year added $2,200 to the price, so you can see that Fidelity really incentivizes 10 years, but not 11!

The break even on $100 deductible versus $250 is at about 8 claims (maybe 9 or 10 after interest is factored in), so I went with the $250 deductible. I sure hope I’m not making two claims a year after the Rivian warranty runs out…

Since Platinum warranty is exclusionary we should be ok. I pulled the terms of what is excluded and I pulled the gold terms. We just have to make sure the battery is Lithium ion or nickel-metal hydrate.


We know XCARE will cover the battery for sure. I will call Fidelity tomorrow to confirm they will cover the battery. That is one of my primary concerns due to the price.

Now the question is will Rivian sell you just a battery or you need a whole skateboard.


GOLD COVERAGE PLAN (Includes POWERTRAIN Coverage Plan plus the following additional parts)

ADDITIONAL HYBRID/PLUG-IN ELECTRIC/COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS/HYDROGEN COMPONENTS: Motor/generator belt tensioner; drive motor dampener; voltage inverter reservoir; three-phase high voltage cables; hydraulic or electric regenerative braking system; hybrid/ EV/hydrogen battery (nickel-metal hydrate or lithium-ion drive propulsion battery) including the case and mounting hardware, junction block, main battery cable, and frame wire; onboard battery charging system including charge controller, plug in outlets, plug in cable, and trickle charger cable; electric AC compressor and motor; electric steering rack, gear, and motor; electro/hydraulic power steering pump and reservoir; hydrogen fuel cell stack; battery cooling pump; seals and gaskets.



PLATINUM COVERAGE PLAN Includes the POWERTRAIN and GOLD Coverage Plans plus ANY OTHER MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN except for those items listed in the section EXCLUSIONS FROM COVERAGE and subject to the LIMITS OF LIABILITY section. All other terms and conditions of this Service Contract remain unchanged. ✰

EXCLUSIONS FROM COVERAGE: THIS SERVICE CONTRACT WILL NOT PAY OR REIMBURSE YOU FOR:


UNDER PLATINUM COVERAGE, ANY OF THE FOLLOWING PARTS: BRAKE LININGS, BRAKE DRUMS AND ROTORS, DISC BRAKE PADS, STANDARD MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH FRICTION DISC, PRESSURE PLATE, PILOT BEARING, THROW-OUT BEARING AND ARM, AIR BAGS, SOLAR POWERED DEVICES, GLASS, LENSES, SEALED BEAMS, BODY PARTS AND/OR PANELS, WEATHER STRIPPING, TRIM, MOLDINGS, LOCK CYLINDERS, TIRES, WHEELS, ALL BATTERIES EXCEPT HYBRID/EV/HYDROGEN HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERIES AS LISTED UNDER GOLD, LIGHT BULBS, UPHOLSTERY, PAINT, BRIGHT METAL, FREEZE PLUGS, FILTERS, HEATER AND RADIATOR HOSES, EXHAUST SYSTEM, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, SHOCK ABSORBERS, WORK SUCH AS FRONT-END ALIGNMENT OR WHEEL BALANCING (EXCEPT WHEN REQUIRED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN), SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, AUDIO/SECURITY OR OTHER SYSTEMS NOT FACTORY INSTALLED, OR VINYL AND CONVERTIBLE TOPS;

16. GRADUAL BATTERY CAPACITY LOSS. NICKEL-METAL HYDRATE OR LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES, LIKE ALL BATTERIES, WILL EXPERIENCE GRADUAL CAPACITY LOSS WITH TIME AND USE. LOSS OF BATTERY CAPACITY DUE TO OR RESULTING FROM GRADUAL CAPACITY LOSS IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS SERVICE CONTRACT;

 

[Ramble On Rivian]

Thanks for your info. I spoke to Michael and he confirmed he can't sell in California or Florida.

Florida is a one price state and California you have to buy from a dealer in California.


Make sure to buy a Fidelity Warranty from a dealer in California. Call around to high end car dealerships and see if they sell Fidelity Warranty plans. Have them run you a quote with their Forum discount for the Rivian.




Since Platinum warranty is exclusionary we should be ok. I pulled the terms of what is excluded and I pulled the gold terms. We just have to make sure the battery is Lithium ion or nickel-metal hydrate.


We know XCARE will cover the battery for sure. I will call Fidelity tomorrow to confirm they will cover the battery. That is one of my primary concerns due to the price.

Now the question is will Rivian sell you just a battery or you need a whole skateboard.


GOLD COVERAGE PLAN (Includes POWERTRAIN Coverage Plan plus the following additional parts)

ADDITIONAL HYBRID/PLUG-IN ELECTRIC/COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS/HYDROGEN COMPONENTS: Motor/generator belt tensioner; drive motor dampener; voltage inverter reservoir; three-phase high voltage cables; hydraulic or electric regenerative braking system; hybrid/ EV/hydrogen battery (nickel-metal hydrate or lithium-ion drive propulsion battery) including the case and mounting hardware, junction block, main battery cable, and frame wire; onboard battery charging system including charge controller, plug in outlets, plug in cable, and trickle charger cable; electric AC compressor and motor; electric steering rack, gear, and motor; electro/hydraulic power steering pump and reservoir; hydrogen fuel cell stack; battery cooling pump; seals and gaskets.



PLATINUM COVERAGE PLAN Includes the POWERTRAIN and GOLD Coverage Plans plus ANY OTHER MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN except for those items listed in the section EXCLUSIONS FROM COVERAGE and subject to the LIMITS OF LIABILITY section. All other terms and conditions of this Service Contract remain unchanged. ✰

EXCLUSIONS FROM COVERAGE: THIS SERVICE CONTRACT WILL NOT PAY OR REIMBURSE YOU FOR:


UNDER PLATINUM COVERAGE, ANY OF THE FOLLOWING PARTS: BRAKE LININGS, BRAKE DRUMS AND ROTORS, DISC BRAKE PADS, STANDARD MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH FRICTION DISC, PRESSURE PLATE, PILOT BEARING, THROW-OUT BEARING AND ARM, AIR BAGS, SOLAR POWERED DEVICES, GLASS, LENSES, SEALED BEAMS, BODY PARTS AND/OR PANELS, WEATHER STRIPPING, TRIM, MOLDINGS, LOCK CYLINDERS, TIRES, WHEELS, ALL BATTERIES EXCEPT HYBRID/EV/HYDROGEN HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERIES AS LISTED UNDER GOLD, LIGHT BULBS, UPHOLSTERY, PAINT, BRIGHT METAL, FREEZE PLUGS, FILTERS, HEATER AND RADIATOR HOSES, EXHAUST SYSTEM, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, SHOCK ABSORBERS, WORK SUCH AS FRONT-END ALIGNMENT OR WHEEL BALANCING (EXCEPT WHEN REQUIRED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN), SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, AUDIO/SECURITY OR OTHER SYSTEMS NOT FACTORY INSTALLED, OR VINYL AND CONVERTIBLE TOPS;

16. GRADUAL BATTERY CAPACITY LOSS. NICKEL-METAL HYDRATE OR LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES, LIKE ALL BATTERIES, WILL EXPERIENCE GRADUAL CAPACITY LOSS WITH TIME AND USE. LOSS OF BATTERY CAPACITY DUE TO OR RESULTING FROM GRADUAL CAPACITY LOSS IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS SERVICE CONTRACT;

It gets a little confusing in California but my understanding is vehicle service contracts can only be sold by dealers in California. But mechanical breakdown insurance which is the same as an extended warranty can be sold online and by insurance agents. The trick is mechanical breakdown. Insurance in California is highly regulated. Hence the reason most companies do not sell policies in this state.

 

[MidnightRivian]

It gets a little confusing in California but my understanding is vehicle service contracts can only be sold by dealers in California. But mechanical breakdown insurance which is the same as an extended warranty can be sold online and by insurance agents. The trick is mechanical breakdown. Insurance in California is highly regulated. Hence the reason most companies do not sell policies in this state.

Got it, that makes sense. I would shop around and see if you can get three quotes from your local Audi, Porsche, BMW and Mercedes dealer.

 

[PhatDaddy]

Darn it, not available in California.

Anyone know a good option for us in this state?

... also not available in Florida.

 

[drivetorun]

Since Platinum warranty is exclusionary we should be ok. I pulled the terms of what is excluded and I pulled the gold terms. We just have to make sure the battery is Lithium ion or nickel-metal hydrate.


We know XCARE will cover the battery for sure. I will call Fidelity tomorrow to confirm they will cover the battery. That is one of my primary concerns due to the price.

I'm currently debating between XCare and Fidelity coverage as well. XCare pricing seems to be priced better for higher mileage coverage. Were you able to get any clarity from Fidelity on battery coverage? My impression reading the terms is that Fidelity will cover outright failure/errors of the main battery pack, but not degradation. It would be good to get clarity.

 

[MidnightRivian]

I'm currently debating between XCare and Fidelity coverage as well. XCare pricing seems to be priced better for higher mileage coverage. Were you able to get any clarity from Fidelity on battery coverage? My impression reading the terms is that Fidelity will cover outright failure/errors of the main battery pack, but not degradation. It would be good to get clarity.

I was busy today and didn't have a chance to reach out to Fidelity. I'll try later next week and report back. I have 30 days for a full refund and 60 days for a full refund -$50 service fee. I will make a final decision to keep it or not by then. I didn't want pricing to go up in 2024 while I am thinking about it.

You're right if you need more mileage, XCARE is a better option because Fidelity can get expensive.

I agree that degradation is not covered but outright failure would be covered. I am totally fine with that. I do not want to end up with a brick but I totally expect degradation and don't expect it to be covered.

Do you know if Xcare will cover degradation?

I went with Fidelity since my usage is low and I would like to spend as little as possible for this plan.

I plan to pick-up an extra set of wheels probably forged 20" to run with all-seasons so I can get back some range once degradation becomes an issue.

 

[RabidRat]

A couple of datapoints from California:

-Boardwalk Lotus offers Fidelity, and I was quoted this for my 9000 mile '22 R1T.
120 MONTHS X 100K MILES       $250 DEDUCTIBLE $5,985.00
120 MONTHS X 120K MILES       $250 DEDUCTIBLE $6,170.00
-Noted that the Fidelity exclusions list "shock absorbers", which makes me a bit worried because our complicated air suspension is probably one of the costlier systems to go bad.
-Called around to a few other traditional dealerships' Sales/Finance departments, and either haven't heard back yet, or was told they don't have anything on offer that covers Rivian
-XCare for my 9000 mile '22 R1T was roughly:
120 months, 125k miles, $500 deductible, ~$4150.
120 months, 125k miles, $200 deductible, ~$4700.
120 months, 125k miles, $100 deductible, ~$4850.
120 months, 100k miles $100 deductible, ~$4450.
-Found an XCare discount code "RIVIANROF" for additional -$100.
-Noted Xcare does not have an exclusion on "shock absorbers" or "dampers" as far as I can tell.

Still on the fence about whether to get an extended warranty. Our factory 8yr powertrain warranty covers both battery and drive units, so this extended warranty only adds 2 years coverage of the really big-ticket stuff, and then 5 years for other things like our complicated air suspension (unclear what this would cost but is it really going to be in the $5000+ range to make the extended warranty worth it?), headlights ($1000+ on Teslas, reportedly), etc.

I think the most comparable vehicle we may have is an early production Tesla Model S / X esp if they had air suspension. Can anyone share their experiences on whether they actually broke even on the warranty cost?

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