Was sold a "Lifetime Warranty" on this new heater for an additional $20 ($99 vs. $79) and found to my dismay that the "warranty" only brought the price of the heater down to what the competition sells it for anyway (after the factory warranty expires). Oh yes - they throw in a couple of bottles of worthless "waterbed conditioner" if you spring for the scam warranty - probably to get around legal issues of the scam.

Anyways, to add insult to injury, the heater thermostat was faulty from the get-go and the manufacturer's warranty clearly states that claims should be directed to the distribuitor. You guessed it - he ("Steve") said he doesn't make them and I had to deal with the manufacturer. Didn't even stand behind the product after selling the supposed warranty. Apparently the business model doesn't include repeat business!