Originally Posted by Fenwick223
I bought my XF from a Chrysler dealer and purchased an extended warranty (5 years/50 miles MaxiCare from my purchase date). It did NOT go through the Chrysler Certification program. My understanding is that the dealer pays Chrysler to have a mechanic go over the car and "certify" it. Once that's done, you can still purchase and extended warranty (like the MaxiCare) but it will cost you less because the dealer has already paid to have it certified, which really only covers the powertrain for the 7/8 years and 70/80K miles. You do not have to purchase a certified XF to purchase an extended warranty; you may, however, pay less if it is certified. BTW, I have never had a Chrysler dealer not honor a Chrysler extended warranty and I have 3 Chryslers, each with an extended warranty. They just look up the vin number when you go in for service, give you a free rental if it's going to take more than a day to repair, and either a bill for $0 or $100 deductible when you return.
This is exactly right. The dealer pays Chrysler a 'certification fee", which IIRC is between $400 - $500 to get the 8/80 'certified' power train warranty. Then, if you wish, you can add a 'max care' upgrade for a reduced price (compared to a non-certified car). Coincidentally, the amount of that discount is around $400 bucks! The cost ends up being about the same, but the certified is good for 8/80, whereas the max care max is 7 years.