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car warranties ? are they worth having?

1K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  4823 
#1 · (Edited)
Ok ive been looking for a family member on the net for used car

warranties,and wondered if anyone has got recomendations or bad

experiences of car warranty companies either giving great service or totaly

falliing short of their expectations!

also whats the best companies price wise and the best cover options!

(discuss)
 
#2 ·
i got a new car once (never again) and it was great for the first year . then the cpu went the ,cluch went ,the gear box then the head gasket all in 6 months ooohhh yeah and the tampets . oil sump .got it all fixed under warentee new engine the works . so i was drivin a 2 year old car with everything new underneath . and was well looked after for my next car i bought off them .

just bought a 1 in a million car .:car:
 
#3 ·
If it's a Lexus or Toyota then you can buy the one from the manufacturer even if you buy a car private. It's very rare that anything will go wrong but that makes the warranty cheap to purchase.

I have owned Lexus and Toyota for well over a decade and they never quibble if it's in for a service and they need a part. I once asked them to replace the aerial as I left it up in the car wash. They did it under warranty as it wouldn't retract. If the car fails the MOT then the warranty kicks in as well.
 
#5 ·
SWMBO brother bought a car from a garage and it had a 6 month warranty . the turbo went and he brought it back . car was old bout5 years old and they argued over it but replaced it .

dad bought a 6 year old car an import and got all his work done on it before the year was over . no quibles . he went back and bought another car off them and they were delighted .

customer service rocks:shade:
 
#6 ·
What renault? Some issues with Renault about then, I am waiting for the inclination to get under mine and replace the turbo, piston rings and cat. And flush the engine, working out costly, in both £ and time.
 
#7 ·
Vauxhall warranty isnt worth the paper its wrote on and the customer service is crap to be polite so stay well clear !
 
#8 ·
From Which

Which Online said:
Used car warranties: what to look for
Excess

The best warranty providers let you choose your own garage
Any excess charges on the used car warranty should be low – ideally £25 or less. Look for percentage excess clauses, which ramp up the amount you pay as your mileage increases.

Warranty claim limits
Check the warranty to see how much each individual claim is limited to. Ideally, you should be able to claim up to the value of the car. Many used car warranties have a claim limit of just a few hundred pounds – which is clearly inadequate. Make sure the cover matches the likely costs of repair, which could be thousands of pounds.

Garage choice
Make sure to check whether the used car warranty lets you take your car where you want it to be repaired. Usually there is a limit on the hourly rate, so if you want to use a more expensive repairer, you’ll pay the extra.

Some warranty providers may tie you into using specific garage networks, but the best providers will allow you the freedom to choose your own (see our guide to finding a good garage).

Car mileage
Check if there’s an annual or total mileage limit above which the used car warranty won’t pay for repairs.

Car age limit
If your car is approaching the maximum age allowed, it may not be worth buying the used car warrant.

Regulated warranty provider
Ensure that your warranty provider is regulated by the Financial Services Authority and that you get a 14-day cooling off period.

Conditions of the warranty
Some warranty providers state that you must be with a scheme for a period before being able to claim.

Keep your warranty
You need to keep the car serviced according to the manufacturer’s schedule, and keep all the paperwork. Your used car warranty could be invalidated if you fit non-standard parts, and any pre-existing faults will also be excluded.

Additional benefits
Some warranties include breakdown cover while others may offer replacement car hire, cover in Europe and MoT test insurance cover (see our MoT test guide for tips on passing your MOT).

What to avoid with used car warranties
Betterment
Watch out for warranties with these clauses. When a repair makes a car more valuable than before (eg a new engine), you may have to pay part of the cost.

Consequential loss
This is an exclusion where a part suffers damage as a result of another part failing, which is not covered by the warranty. The best used car warranties don’t have these.

Wear and tear
Items that fail because of wear and tear are commonly excluded from used car warranties, leaving you vulnerable to declined claims. Most warranties exclude ‘wear and tear’ items such as tyres, exhausts, catalysts, hoses, clutch friction plates and brake pads. The reason is that claims could be almost limitless.

What is covered on a used car warranty can be confusing – most car owners only know that their car has broken down, not what caused it. The best warranties offer some wear and tear cover; a major benefit. You could still be asked to pay toward the cost of parts, and some items may not be covered.

Early claims
Some used car warranties don’t pay out if a claim is in the first few weeks, effectively cutting your warranty short.

Working out which warranty is best for your car isn’t easy: it’s difficult to compare warranties like-for-like as each has its own exclusions, many of which are buried in small print, or vaguely described. We’ve taken a look at what is available for four different types of vehicle and what they cost.

Used car warranty cover and costs

What does a used car warranty cover?

There are two main warranty cover levels – ‘mechanical breakdown’ and ‘comprehensive’
When you’re looking for a used car warranty, it’s important to find out exactly what the warranty covers. There’s so much small print in documents it’s often difficult to tell what is and isn’t covered on the used car warranty – and warranties vary widely.

There are normally two main cover levels for used car warranties – simple ‘mechanical breakdown’ and ‘comprehensive’. Whatever used car warranty you buy, it almost always covers major mechanical items such as the engine, ignition, electrical system, gearbox, steering and suspension.

Warranty exclusions
Commonly exclusions on used car warranties are things such as damage to bodywork, paint, glass and lights, sometimes even oil leaks. Items that fail because of ‘wear and tear’ are commonly excluded.

How much does a used car warranty cost?
Used car warranty costs vary enormously, depending on the level of cover and the car you drive. For example, Tesco basic cover for small cars costs from £99 a year, but it charges up to £419 for more comprehensive cover for prestige vehicles. The most expensive used car warranty scheme we found was £895 for one year’s extension to a Land Rover Discovery warranty.

Adding an excess charge to your used car warranty – ie agreeing to pay the first part of a repair cost – reduces your premium. A £100 excess on BMW’s comprehensive policy, for example, cuts the premium from £620 to £499 a year.

But when you’re buying a used car warranty, there are more factors to consider than simply the price. See Choosing a used car warranty for advice on what to look for.

Is a used car warranty worth the money?
According to Warranty Direct, one in three cars between four and nine years old breaks down each year, at an average repair cost of £273.50.

According to Car Care Plan (2007), the average repair costs across all car makes and models are:

Turbocharger £602
Cylinder head gasket £444
Air flow meter £286
Water pump £195
Alternator £225
Radiator £208
Clutch assembly £399
Gearbox £887
Electric window motor £313
So buying a warranty might not save you money – but it could offer peace of mind.


Land Rover’s own used car warranty scheme is costly at £895
If that’s what you want, go for comprehensive cover. We think Tesco’s ‘Finest’ warranty is worth a look (see Compare used car warranties) – it covers wear and tear, travel expenses, continental breakdown and MoT failure, and is keenly priced.

Where to buy a used car warranty
Franchised dealer
The most obvious place to buy a used car warranty is from the relevant main (franchised) dealer. Extending the cover as a car comes out of its manufacturer’s warranty effectively means continuing the same warranty cover you’re used to.

Every official brand car warranty is different, so check the terms carefully – the same applies to used cars bought from independent dealers.

If you're looking to buy a used car, see the Which? guide to buying a used car for advice, and check out the Which? car buying guide for Best Buy used cars, the results of our reliability survey, and troublespots for each car.

Independent providers
Alternatively, you can buy a used car warranty from an independent provider. The three main companies are Warranty Direct, Warrantywise and Tesco, which has its own branded scheme run by Car Care Plan.

Some breakdown recovery providers offer schemes to cover repair costs – these only apply at the time of the breakdown, so they aren’t full warranties.

Having a used car warranty can give you peace of mind, and helps sell a car (see the Which? guide to selling your car). You can usually transfer a warranty’s balance to a new owner but many providers charge for this (typically £10-£50).

Can I get a used car warranty for any car?
Mostly yes, but some cars are difficult to find warranty cover for. Performance cars are often excluded – Tesco won’t cover you if your car has an engine bigger than 3.5 litres – while specific uses like driving school instruction or taxis may be excluded from used car warranties.

You normally need a current MoT test certificate (see our MoT test guide) and proof of servicing by a VAT-registered garage within the last year. Most warranties also have an age and mileage limit, so if your car is close to either, you could be left with no cover. Some used car warranties won’t cover cars that are more than six years old or have done 60,000 miles, but the best have unlimited mileage policies.
Hope that helps
 
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