Had extended warranty on a Land Rover that was not from the manufacturer, but the dealer had an in with them, so most problems were covered OK... Problem is, like any form of insurance, you have to prove that the problem was not your fault, and they usually exclude alot of things... Key is to read the fine print... interestingly, AAA offers extended warranties, which are valid at any AAA rated repair facility, if I remembe correctly... might be worth checking into (if you are a AAA member)