Posted by: @jperkins

It has a clean carfax.

That doesn't really mean much. Not everything is reported to Carfax. Make sure you have a trusted mechanic do a thorough pre-purchase inspection. Be aware that Subarus of that vintage were prone to oil burning problems.

https://www.carcomplaints.com/Subaru/Forester/2012/

Third-party warranty companies are notorious for weaseling out of coverage. What the sales droid giveth the fine print taketh away.

Having a dealer involved is a giant red flag to begin with. How much are they going to charge you for this warranty and what does it claim to cover for how long?

Posted by: @jperkins

I am purchasing a 2012 Subaru Foester

Have you already had it inspected by your trusted mechanic? Did they say the mileage seemed genuine?

Posted by: @jperkins

Should I spend the extra monies on an extended warranty from dealership.

What does the fine print say regarding the coverage of major drivetrain components in a 10+ yr old vehicle?

Unless it is from Subaru company and you read and completely understand all the contents (especially the fine prints), I would say no.

In general, the extended warranties are ways dealerships make money. Generally, customers rarely be able to use their warranty due to excuses dealerships find to avoid fixing cars for free.

Unless it’s from the factory (an extended warranty on top of their standard one), I would not bother with 3rd party warranties.

Also, it’s important to find the right used car that’s very reliable in the first place so you don’t have to purchase an extended warranty.  I wouldn’t get that 2012 Subaru Forester.

We’ve had good luck with the extended warranty on my wife’s grand Cherokee.  And by good luck I mean it’s a Chrysler product and behaves like a Chrysler product so we have used the warranty many times.  But in our case, they were discounting the factory warranty extension to get the old model year units off the lot; we wouldn’t have gotten the warranty if we had to pay full price.

@chucktobias is right that that particular car is vulnerable to some very $$$ repairs (although most of the things that could go bad on a forester you can fix yourself for cheap).  So getting an extended warranty is possibly a good idea.  But maybe not.  Depends on the cost of the warranty, the deductible, and what it covers (and doesn’t cover). Compare that to the price of, say, replacing a head gasket.  Also, find reviews of the warranty vendor to see their reputation.  

Also, be aware that you can shop around for warranties on your own, and the price is often negotiable (like everything else in the deal).

Good luck!

Posted by: @dad2lm2

We’ve had good luck with the extended warranty on my wife’s grand Cherokee.  And by good luck I mean it’s a Chrysler product and behaves like a Chrysler product so we have used the warranty many times.  But in our case, they were discounting the factory warranty extension to get the old model year units off the lot; we wouldn’t have gotten the warranty if we had to pay full price.

From what you're saying that's a factory extended warranty from Chrysler. Factory extended warranties tend to be better than the 3rd-party plans. I'm assuming here that Subaru is not going to offer their own warranty on a 10-year-old vehicle, and this car is probably at a used car dealer selling something like CarShield or the like. Most of those warranty companies have very poor reputations. The buyer needs to look at exactly what is being offered in the contract and research the company providing the warranty coverage.

Usually, they are not worth the powder to blow them to hell.  Just pure profit for the dealer who will find a way to deny coverage.