BACKGROUND
After a lot of research, we decided to purchase extended coverage for our 7-year-old RAV4. We decided to go with Consumer Reports recommended provider ENDURANCE. After lengthy discussion with the company representative on the phone we decided on a plan that fit our needs, paid the down payment, and set up a monthly payment schedule. We were told we could not make any claims for a specified period of time, (one month), the company would not pay for any problems that existed before coverage, and that a certain amount of milage had to be covered before a claim could be made, (1000 miles). These restrictions were all well and good. Since signing up several months have passed and the mileage requirement has been met.

WHAT HAPPENED
We plan to take a trip to Washington DC in a few days, so I took the car to a local shop for and oil change and to diagnose a rattle coming from the engine compartment. Good thing I did. The mechanic discovered a belt tensioner had cracked and was causing the belt to loosen. The cost to remove and replace the belt tensioner, (and a new belt), came to $640. Yikes! Still, I was glad it was discovered before we embarked on our trip to DC. When I returned home, I got out my contract with ENDURANCE and ascertained that belt tensioners were a covered item. So, I called ENDURANCE to make a claim. I was advised they do not pay claims that have not been pre-approved. HUH? How can I get something pre-approved that I did not know existed? I was told the proper procedure is to have the repair facility call them for pre-approval. They determine if the repair is covered. Then after the work is completed, they pay the repair facility directly. Since I had not done that, it was tough luck. I reread the contract, and it was all there in black and white, so I only had myself to blame. I will certainly be more knowledgeable in the future. If any of you are considering this type of service READ YOUR CONTRACT CAREFULLY. Just a word to the wise
Gilkar

Sometimes I see a lot of meanness on this site. People without understanding the economies of other members, throw out recommendations about buying like they are the ultimate authority on a subject, or right out boast like they think others are stupid for not buying the best on the market. Some people skimp whenever they can due to their financial situation. Obviously, you can't buy a generic Nikon, Canon, Sony, or Olympus body so while someone may have funds for that, they may need to skimp elsewhere. Someone in another post actually said they would not buy a non-OEM battery because it might be made in a foreign country! Guess what -- your OEM batteries are made in a foreign country! Other answers berate members for buying 3rd party items like battery grips. Hey, maybe they don't need the grip that can fall off a 100 ft. cliff and survive, maybe they just like a grip that affords a better hold when using the camera in a vertical orientation. Someone else said they would only buy HP cartridges -- I have an answer for that -- professional equipment like printers using eight or more cartridges notwithstanding, if you own a printer that you paid a couple of hundred dollars for, you didn't buy a printer, you bought into a very expensive ink program. Those lower-priced printers are so cheap because when you buy one, HP, Canon, or any others the manufacturer has you by the balls! You will be paying through the nose for your ink. Epson, and now Canon and HP have printers that use tanks which are easy to fill and cost a fraction of what cartridges do. Another possibility is that when it comes to batteries who knows who makes them? There may only be two plants in Japan/China/Taiwan that make all of them and just put different names on them. Look at the round head flash from Neewer, Bolt, and Godox they are all the same unit, just a name change. When someone asks for advice, it would be nice to see people respond with their recommendations and not put others down for things like not using OEM equipment. I would bet 75% of people here who act like people are stupid for not spending the extra bucks for a Nikon/Canon/Sony battery, use a flash that is not OEM. I work part-time at Sam's Club and I've had people tell me they would only buy Everyready Batteries over the store brand. Guess what -- they are the same battery! They don't understand marketing -- they can't believe Everyready would sell us batteries that would undercut the name brand. I explain that most big retailers will have an inhouse brand and Eveyready knows if they don't sell us a generic, someone else would! This way they get all the business. Ever see two gas stations owned by the same company across the street from each other -- it's about limiting competition. While I understand some of the group has the money to buy top-drawer on all their equipment, I think putting others down (and that is what you are doing when you state I would only buy xxx) is insensitive and is an opinion you should keep to yourselves. When I was 15, I worked in a manufacturing jewelry shop. We sold Rolex watches both 14 kt. and gold plated. They looked identical so one day I asked Mr. Hays (the owner) why anyone would spend 1200 or more for a Rolex when they could have an identical watch in gold plate for a third of the price. I said no one would know the difference. Mr. Hays looked me in the eye and said, "Oh, but the owner would know". That has stuck with me for the last 58 years and I have tried to live life in a way so as not to flaunt what I have but to just respect my good fortune when something good comes my way. So UHHers, lighten up. Respect each other, give recommendations when asked, and don't come down on others for their choices. (If you are wondering about the cheap prices for Rolex Watches -- while I worked at the jewelry shop the US went off the gold standard. One day gold was 37.00 an ounce, the next day it was like 387.00 an ounce!)

I don't want to roil the waters. As I tried to explain in my original commentary, I made a purposeful decision to leave my Nikon DSLRs at home for this trip. On a previous trip, I had several experiences where my phone took a better SOOC shot than did my D7500. Since I also have the latest Lightroom, ON1 and Luminar NEO image software, I think I can pretty well make any necessary adjustments when I arrive home. I doubt all but the most experienced and professional photographers could determine a difference. I'm not shooting
for National Geographic or to sell my photos (although I've done so in the past). My intent in posting this photo was simply to express my joy at fulfilling a long-held dream with visual evidence.

Thank you all for your wonderful and kind comments.