Used car warranty

[Lukas239]

Still undecided on a new (to me) car and toying with diesel Vs petrol.

I think diesel makes more sense for my situation but fear the costly repairs involved that are often avoided with a petrol engine, so...

Are used car warranties worth it at all? Things that I'd want covered are DPF, DMF, injectors, turbo, EGR etc. But I imagine most stipulate these are all 'consumables'. Wondered if anyone had any input or experiences.

Thanks

[RazerSauber]

Personally, I'd go for whatever suits your needs. If you're a heavy motorway user then a diesel is fine. I'm pretty sure petrols come with DMF's too. If you're at all concerned, look at the warranty they offer and read it cover to cover, the main reason warranty claims get declined is failure to adhere to Ts and Cs. You get some protection from a dealer under CRA but don't rely too heavily on it. Failing that, look at breakdown insurances from AA/RAC etc which can help in a pinch but don't cover wear and tear. Alternatively, put away a small amount each month as a contingency. It's rare a repair will go over £1000 unless it's total engine/gearbox failure. As always, maintain the vehicle properly. Ignoring problems only makes them more expensive!

[drgoatboy]

I have had an egr fixed under third party warranty before. But check the small print. Not all warranties are created equal. If it's a free warranty on a £1000 car expect it to be rubbish.

[ninjag]

The one I have is fairly comprehensive and has good reviews, but like most the electrics aren't covered nor is the dpf.

[Lukas239]

ninjag said:

The one I have is fairly comprehensive and has good reviews, but like most the electrics aren't covered nor is the dpf.

Mind me asking who it's with? Having done some research I'm leaning towards just keeping a slush fund and ignoring the diesel scaremongering.

[mcbook]

Things can go wrong with both petrol and diesel cars. There's are many anecdotes but I'm yet to see any proper evidence that diesels are a significantly more expensive ownership proposition.

Here's my anecdote: I've owned a 2010 Volvo V70 D5 for 4 years, taking it from 70k to 110k. No diesel-related failures in that time, just routine maintenance.

[Lukas239]

mcbook said:

Here's my anecdote: I've owned a 2010 Volvo V70 D5 for 4 years, taking it from 70k to 110k. No diesel-related failures in that time, just routine maintenance.

Exactly, most new petrols have similarly complex engine bays and all things mechanical will eventually break.

My current car is a ford diesel renowned for being problematic but has seen me through 65k in 4 years and cost £110 in diesel related costs. I'll stop being a pussy.

[valiant]

Most diesels are fine and a good long term ownership proposition and it’s usually stuff that’s bolted on on top like sensors and whatnot that tend to play up just the same as petrols.

Also cars of whatever fuel are so loaded with electronics nowadays that it’s this where a lot of problems lie.

[eybic]

Avoid a company that you might directly buy a warranty from, they have quite bad reviews. Seemingly most warranties are full of get out clauses that are used regularly and the "best" (using the term loosely) ones are the ones you get straight from the manufacturers.

[SWoll]

eybic said:

Avoid a company that you might directly buy a warranty from, they have quite bad reviews. Seemingly most warranties are full of get out clauses that are used regularly and the "best" (using the term loosely) ones are the ones you get straight from the manufacturers.

Agreed, although I did once take out a warranty with a certain company, which ended up being a wise decison. Had problems with the car and they paid out multiple times without issue.

Lots of different types of cover though and will depend on age/mileage/budget which you can go for.

[ninjag]

Lukas239 said:

ninjag said:

The one I have is fairly comprehensive and has good reviews, but like most the electrics aren't covered nor is the dpf.

Mind me asking who it's with? Having done some research I'm leaning towards just keeping a slush fund and ignoring the diesel scaremongering.

Sorry that would have helped! I'll dig it out. Infiniti use them as standard apparently and I read their terms pretty closely and it seemed pretty fair.