Aftermarket warranty - bargain?

[pr100]

My 2004 XK8 has never had any kind of fault or malfunction but I figured it would be prudent to look into an aftermarket warranty. I found one which reads well and covers just about everything I can think of - including diagnostics and repairs by main Jaguar dealers - but I wasn't too keen on shelling out £850 for it during the crunch. So I departed the website without buying. But a few days later, the firm called me up and in what I take to be a sign of the times, offered me the full deal for £350 including an extra month's cover. There's a £50 excess but he would have removed that if I had been willing to pay £400.

So I bought it. Are any of these third-party warranty deals any good? This firm is owned by a (French) multi-national so it is unlikely to disappear on me. And my main worry - that they would insist on getting any work done by their own dealers - has been resolved.

I guess I'm not supposed to say the name of the firm (W.... D....) but they are based in Reading and if anyone has anything terrible to say about them, I have a 14-day cooling off period.

[BigNige]

I too have looked at WD in the past and then been bombarded by phone calls in the days afterwards...so much so that I literally told one of the callers to F*** OFF!

[Triple7]

Warranty companies are a business, therefore have to make money. Proof is in the pudding of how they deal with you should you make a claim.

These days with the steel XKR you know exactly what can go wrong with them: suspension bushes, water pump/thermostat, timing tensioners, warped brakes, maybe a duff rear diff etc. that you can budget for them and find a good indy to do the repairs at a fraction of the cost.

[pr100]

BigNige said:

I too have looked at WD in the past and then been bombarded by phone calls in the days afterwards...so much so that I literally told one of the callers to F*** OFF!

I'm the same and most pesky callers wish they hadn't -- but this guy was pleasant, reasonable and even made me smile. Then when he kept knocking another £100 off the price, he eventually got my attention... Time will tell if I have made a mistake.

[pr100]

Triple7 said:

... find a good indy to do the repairs at a fraction of the cost.

I know there are good independents out there but I only use the expensive main agents: always have and always will. Hence this warranty might be worth more to me than it would to others. And, yes, on all known form, nothing will go wrong with the car (it just sailed through its MOT this afternoon). But we still stump up for other optional insurances like house contents, BUPA, vet-care, etc in the hope, if not the certainty, that we won't need to use them.

[Triple7]

Insurance is a waste of money, right up to the point when you need it!

Edited by Triple7 on Friday 17th April 18:08

[groomi]

Read the T&C's and look for a 'betterment clause'. It'll almost certainly be in there and if so, then you'd better hope nothing major ever happens to your car because that clause is their get-out.

I won't be going near an aftermarket warranty again - even with a 10ft barge pole...

[pr100]

groomi said:

Read the T&C's and look for a 'betterment clause'. It'll almost certainly be in there and if so, then you'd better hope nothing major ever happens to your car because that clause is their get-out.

---

I've now received the policy and there is a Betterment clause which simply states that where a policy holder or repairing garage feels it is desirable to replace parts of complete units which in the opinion of the inspector are in excess of what is necessary to repair the fault then the policy holder must pay the difference in cost. I don't think that is unreasonable. Any parts which it is essential to replace are covered.

The policy also states that 100% of both parts and labour costs will be paid in vehicles under 60,000 miles. And it covers "wear and tear" deterioration of mechanical and electrical parts as well as breakdown damage.

I can't find too much wrong with it - but time will tell...

[groomi]

pr100 said:

groomi said:

Read the T&C's and look for a 'betterment clause'. It'll almost certainly be in there and if so, then you'd better hope nothing major ever happens to your car because that clause is their get-out.

---

I've now received the policy and there is a Betterment clause which simply states that where a policy holder or repairing garage feels it is desirable to replace parts of complete units which in the opinion of the inspector are in excess of what is necessary to repair the fault then the policy holder must pay the difference in cost. I don't think that is unreasonable. Any parts which it is essential to replace are covered.

The policy also states that 100% of both parts and labour costs will be paid in vehicles under 60,000 miles. And it covers "wear and tear" deterioration of mechanical and electrical parts as well as breakdown damage.

I can't find too much wrong with it - but time will tell...

Yep, 100% of parts and labour will be covered unless they decide that putting a new engine/gearbox (insert any expensive item in here) will increase the value of your car - in which case they will swear black is white and after months of wrangling you'll be lucky to get 50% of the bill covered.

Just my experience of such warranties (not the same company though).

[Paracetamol]

If its Warrantydirect, I have found them to be absolutely superb and they genuinely cover wear and tear components on their policies. I have used them on my old CLK which they even paid out for anti roll bar bushes, cental locking motor, fuel pump sensor and other parts. On my old Passat they paid for CV boots!

[pr100]

Thanks Paracetamol - it's comforting to see your endorsement.