Tip: Appliance Warranties

Tips from Real-Estate-Agents.com

When purchasing an appliance ask the dealer if the appliance is covered by a factory warranty. Some dealers and retail chains purchase appliances from the manufacturers without factory warranty, to lower their costs. There are several drawbacks to this:

If the dealer or chain goes out of business, you will likely be left without any warranty at all.
When service is needed, the dealer will arrange for someone to service the unit at no cost to you. However, if you're unhappy with whom they've chosen, you're stuck with them. On the other hand, if the warranty is covered by the factory, you should be able to call any of their authorized service agents to get the repairs done.

If you purchase an appliance for commercial/store use or for a townhouse, boarding house or apartment building with a common kitchen or laundry room, be sure to read the warranty restrictions. The warranty on most domestic products are for single family use only. If the dealer assures you otherwise, get it in writing.

Keep in mind that most appliance warranties will only cover repairs to the unit that you purchased and do not usually allow for replacement of a product, should it fail to function.

-- Tips courtesy of Service Magic