Warranties - are they worth it?
Discussion
Looking to buy my first TVR in the next 3 months, going for a mid 2001 Tuscan when I can find the right one. 
Ignoring the fact that my car to be might not be the same as yours, how do you rate the warranties you’ve got? Either the ones you got as the car was new, or extended warranties you bought as time went on. Are all warranties created equal???
Having spoken with the very helpful folk at Fernhurst’s, I’m (probably very ignorantly) under the impression that purchasing a 2 year warranty from them will give me much peace of mind, as in their words, “everything’s covered apart from wear and tear”. Sounds great, but what am I missing?
Advice and your wisdom is very welcome.
Ta
Ignoring the fact that my car to be might not be the same as yours, how do you rate the warranties you’ve got? Either the ones you got as the car was new, or extended warranties you bought as time went on. Are all warranties created equal???
Having spoken with the very helpful folk at Fernhurst’s, I’m (probably very ignorantly) under the impression that purchasing a 2 year warranty from them will give me much peace of mind, as in their words, “everything’s covered apart from wear and tear”. Sounds great, but what am I missing?
Advice and your wisdom is very welcome.
Ta
Caught me in a bad mood here.Yes and no. Just had an oil pump assembly rebuild(well new parts actually) as a faulty part broke the whole assembly.So the service department finally get them to admit it was a faulty part(not too difficult as the shaft had sheared and the pump was knackered!!!Well you would think not) and the car has all been done.However they did not pay for work on the engine just the 13hr book time (as stated by TVR) to remove and install the engine back into the car.So the total labour hours were 27!! Why-well you got to take the oil pump assembley off then reattach it and then reinstall the engine and check hoses and fittment etc (VERYVERY IMPORTANT !!) Do they pay for that ?? No?? So I am left with a £600 odd bill to pay for something that was proived as a faulty part?? Er - I know this can be a usual stroy but legally this stinks.Actually the warranty company stink period ! Cannot see that if an engine has to be removed for work to be carried out on it why the warranty company don't pay for this - I will tell you why - because they stiff you.They provide a warranty under false pretences and try and screw you every which way by not paying.However - as they have admitted that the part was faulty I think they have shot themselves in the foot by not paying for the whole job and this is something I am going to pursue legally to find out.
You do tend to feel that you get treated like an idiot with these people.If they don't want to pay out on TVR's bacause they are expensive then either raise the premium or don't sell warranties on TVR's.Do not provide something under false pretences.They did however pay for 2k but why stiff me with the other 600 if it was necessary.W
ers.
ers.
From my experience you will find that the warranties available (Warrenty Holdings seems to be the most common one) never cover everything.
Also the wear and tear arguement is often used against things that you would not imagine could qualify. If it can wear even though it shouldn't then it probably isn't covered.
Finally it is my firm belief that the relationship between the workshop you choose and the warranty company you go with is the most important part of the deal as this often determines what will and won't go through.
Still, on cars such as the Cerb and Tuscan with proprietory TVR technology in them, can you risk not having one? The Griffs, Chimps and older models have good independant support these days but the authorised service center and TVR only aspect of the AJP engines and other bits means that these costs can be very high if your luck happens to run out.
You pays your money and you takes your choice!
Also the wear and tear arguement is often used against things that you would not imagine could qualify. If it can wear even though it shouldn't then it probably isn't covered.
Finally it is my firm belief that the relationship between the workshop you choose and the warranty company you go with is the most important part of the deal as this often determines what will and won't go through.
Still, on cars such as the Cerb and Tuscan with proprietory TVR technology in them, can you risk not having one? The Griffs, Chimps and older models have good independant support these days but the authorised service center and TVR only aspect of the AJP engines and other bits means that these costs can be very high if your luck happens to run out.
You pays your money and you takes your choice!
Years ago I purchased a Vauxhall Cavalier second hand from a Vauxhall garage (It was fairly new then). I got a 12 month warranty thrown in with the car from Warranty Holdings.
Two months after buying the car, the engine siezed near Exeter on the A30. I had some comfort from the fact that the car was covered under the warranty, so next day I phoned the Vauxhall garage that the car was taken to just to check all was O.K. Surprise, surprise, the garage told me that Warranty Holdings would not be paying for any of the work to be done and the reason was that I had gone 200 odd miles over on my last service! I tried to get compensation for the remaining months that I would not be on cover i.e. 10 months worth and their attitude was, 'stick it up your arse!'
As they say, "Once bitten, twice shy" needless to say I wouldn't touch a warranty with a barge pole now and if a dealer were to include it in a deal, I would ask them to take the cost of the warranty off the capital price of the car.
Jas.
Two months after buying the car, the engine siezed near Exeter on the A30. I had some comfort from the fact that the car was covered under the warranty, so next day I phoned the Vauxhall garage that the car was taken to just to check all was O.K. Surprise, surprise, the garage told me that Warranty Holdings would not be paying for any of the work to be done and the reason was that I had gone 200 odd miles over on my last service! I tried to get compensation for the remaining months that I would not be on cover i.e. 10 months worth and their attitude was, 'stick it up your arse!'
As they say, "Once bitten, twice shy" needless to say I wouldn't touch a warranty with a barge pole now and if a dealer were to include it in a deal, I would ask them to take the cost of the warranty off the capital price of the car.
Jas.
I have recently bought a Tuscan, and, because of all the engine rebuilds that have been happening, I felt that a warranty was a neccessity.
However, since buying the car, I have taken it in to the garage because the reversing light wasn't working and I was charged £70 - just 2 weeks after buying the car! Apparently the thing that makes the reversing light go on when you select reverse gear (technical eh?) needed adjusting and the warranty doesn't cover adjustments! I have also had a problem with the oil light which turned out to be just a dodgy sensor (free recovery from Bournemouth to Henley-on-Thames and new sensor, all covered by warranty), slight misfire (£200 for tuning) and a suspension arm safety recall (warranty).
I've never had a warranty on any other car but I've spoken to friends who have on BMW's etc and they seem to be covered for everything, with a free courtesy car, a magnum of champagne and a fortnight in the south of France if anything goes wrong!
From what I've experienced and read, the warranty's that TVR (or company's offering warranties for TVR's) seem to be offering should be viewed more as a kind of insurance. In the same way that you pay for your car insurance or life insurance - year in, year out, never making a claim (hopefully), it's peace of mind (to a certain extent).
I will continue to pay for a warranty until my car's got a few thousand miles under its belt because of the threat of the engine re-build (although the fact that it is recognised as a fault with certain cars, you would think that it would be fixed FOC warranty or not (in my own little world anyway!)).
When I bought my car two months ago I said that I would do less than 6000 miles per year - since then I've done 2000!!! Will this cause my warranty to be invalid once I cover 6000 miles (probably in about 4 months!) do you think?
However, since buying the car, I have taken it in to the garage because the reversing light wasn't working and I was charged £70 - just 2 weeks after buying the car! Apparently the thing that makes the reversing light go on when you select reverse gear (technical eh?) needed adjusting and the warranty doesn't cover adjustments! I have also had a problem with the oil light which turned out to be just a dodgy sensor (free recovery from Bournemouth to Henley-on-Thames and new sensor, all covered by warranty), slight misfire (£200 for tuning) and a suspension arm safety recall (warranty).
I've never had a warranty on any other car but I've spoken to friends who have on BMW's etc and they seem to be covered for everything, with a free courtesy car, a magnum of champagne and a fortnight in the south of France if anything goes wrong!
From what I've experienced and read, the warranty's that TVR (or company's offering warranties for TVR's) seem to be offering should be viewed more as a kind of insurance. In the same way that you pay for your car insurance or life insurance - year in, year out, never making a claim (hopefully), it's peace of mind (to a certain extent).
I will continue to pay for a warranty until my car's got a few thousand miles under its belt because of the threat of the engine re-build (although the fact that it is recognised as a fault with certain cars, you would think that it would be fixed FOC warranty or not (in my own little world anyway!)).
When I bought my car two months ago I said that I would do less than 6000 miles per year - since then I've done 2000!!! Will this cause my warranty to be invalid once I cover 6000 miles (probably in about 4 months!) do you think?
I've got a WHA warranty on my Griff 500, and they have been great. You do need to get a dealer or garage that has a good relationship with them. I've used Bauer Millet in Manchester and Team Pro-Active in Birmingham.
So far I've had a gear box, two batteries, an alternator, a drive belt and half of my last service bill paid for by WHA. £600 well spent in anyones book.
So far I've had a gear box, two batteries, an alternator, a drive belt and half of my last service bill paid for by WHA. £600 well spent in anyones book.
Shamus,
I'm intrigued to hear the dealers justification for charging you £70 to adjust something that is a legal requirement on a new car! This should have been covered by TVR, HH or just out of respect for the customer, the WHA extended warranty doesnt kick in until the original maunfacturers period of cover has lapsed so I am highly suprised by this.
Whoops! Just edited to say that I noticed that you just bought the car recently, it wasnt neccesarily new, which is even worse as all motor dealers are obliged to give you a 3 month warranty on the whole car!
Matt.
>> Edited by plotloss on Tuesday 26th March 14:17
I'm intrigued to hear the dealers justification for charging you £70 to adjust something that is a legal requirement on a new car! This should have been covered by TVR, HH or just out of respect for the customer, the WHA extended warranty doesnt kick in until the original maunfacturers period of cover has lapsed so I am highly suprised by this.
Whoops! Just edited to say that I noticed that you just bought the car recently, it wasnt neccesarily new, which is even worse as all motor dealers are obliged to give you a 3 month warranty on the whole car!
Matt.
>> Edited by plotloss on Tuesday 26th March 14:17
quote:
Whoops! Just edited to say that I noticed that you just bought the car recently, it wasnt neccesarily new, which is even worse as all motor dealers are obliged to give you a 3 month warranty on the whole car!
Are you sure? As far as I am aware a dealer does not have to supply a warranty at all, merely comply with the Sale Of Goods Act (which means the goods must be fit for purpose, of merchantible quality etc)
I have however sued a dealer in the past who did not provide a warranty as a part that fell off (exhaust) was only on the car a week which is not really of merchantible quality - I won.
As for the reverse light not working after two weeks I would imagine the same applies.
>> Edited by Jason F on Tuesday 26th March 16:25
In my experience, dealers are generally quite keen to keep you sweet for a while so that you start to use them for servicing & repairs. A dealer who wants to charge you for niggles barely weeks after buying the car is pretty dim if you ask me. Most will fix things like that ex-gratia at the very least.
Besides, as has already been pointed out, within the first few weeks you can simply throw it back at them as being not good enough, which they well know (or should).
Besides, as has already been pointed out, within the first few weeks you can simply throw it back at them as being not good enough, which they well know (or should).
Warrantly Holdings... They actually wrote to someone on here saying that they allowed up to 500 miles over the service mileage if they were informed at the time. So the 200 quid quibble on the Vauxhall seems like crap. I probably have a copy of the proof of that somewhere.
BMW warranties are fantastic - I have thousands out of it on my 7 series. No quibbling, stuff just gets fixed.
As for WH on my TVR, nothing major has so far happened to warrant (ha!) a claim. Still, I shall be renewing for another year come summertime.
BMW warranties are fantastic - I have thousands out of it on my 7 series. No quibbling, stuff just gets fixed.
As for WH on my TVR, nothing major has so far happened to warrant (ha!) a claim. Still, I shall be renewing for another year come summertime.
quote:
Warrantly Holdings... They actually wrote to someone on here saying that they allowed up to 500 miles over the service mileage if they were informed at the time. So the 200 quid quibble on the Vauxhall seems like crap. I probably have a copy of the proof of that somewhere.
BMW warranties are fantastic - I have thousands out of it on my 7 series. No quibbling, stuff just gets fixed.
As for WH on my TVR, nothing major has so far happened to warrant (ha!) a claim. Still, I shall be renewing for another year come summertime.
I don't appreciate being called a liar Marshy.
This kind of arrogant response won't win you many friends on this site.
Unfortunately I no longer have proof since the incident took place in 1992, but I can assure you that those are the facts and they are correct. Anyway it wasn't '200 quid', it was 200 odd MILES.
Jas.
Hmmm, I wrote quid and meant miles. Keyboards these days, tsk.
And yes, I meant that WH were being/talking crap, not you. Hence my note about having a copy of a letter from them to another PHer, referencing the 500 mile thing.
Apologies accepted... been on here for 19 months (jesus, is it that long?) and I usually try to avoid pissing people off...
>> Edited by Marshy on Wednesday 27th March 00:11
And yes, I meant that WH were being/talking crap, not you. Hence my note about having a copy of a letter from them to another PHer, referencing the 500 mile thing.
Apologies accepted... been on here for 19 months (jesus, is it that long?) and I usually try to avoid pissing people off...
>> Edited by Marshy on Wednesday 27th March 00:11
quote:
Hmmm, I wrote quid and meant miles. Keyboards these days, tsk.
And yes, I meant that WH were being/talking crap, not you. Hence my note about having a copy of a letter from them to another PHer, referencing the 500 mile thing.
Apologies accepted... been on here for 19 months (jesus, is it that long?) and I usually try to avoid pissing people off...
>> Edited by Marshy on Wednesday 27th March 00:11
I'll be eating humble pie in shovelfulls!!
Apologies again,
Jas.
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