Porsche extended warranty
Discussion
Owner:
I took delivery of a brand new £62,000 SUV from Porsche on March 2, 2017 and, as with all the company’s new cars, it came with a three-year warranty and breakdown cover, expiring on March 2 this year.
Before the expiry, I received a letter from Porsche offering me a follow-on extension of the warranty and breakdown cover for up to two years depending upon preference and budget. For the least costly option, I was informed that the Porsche Approved warranty needed to be activated from the date that the original three-year new-car warranty expired.
On February 28 I paid for the warranty for the maximum further two years, to start on March 2, and received confirmation and the accompanying documents stating that the Porsche Approved warranty and breakdown cover was in place.
In April Porsche said that because of the coronavirus crisis it was extending the new-car warranty by three months for all those expiring between March 1 and May 31. This was free of charge for customers and valid worldwide.
It also applied to customers who had purchased a Porsche Approved warranty to follow on after the expiry of their new-car warranty. If the Porsche Approved warranty started within the time period in question, it too would be extended by three months.
I checked with my local Porsche dealership that this offer had been applied to the warranty covering my vehicle. Its response was that I had paid for the extended warranty in February, hence the offer did not apply.
Thinking that it was mistaken, I contacted Porsche UK customer service, which investigated further. Its response was that the three-month extension offer on the Porsche Approved warranty could not be honoured in my case. It cited regulatory reasons such as not retrospectively applying it to a warranty that was paid for (although not activated) prior to March 2020. It added that these were unprecedented times, so it could not do anything about my situation.
The three-month extended warranty is very valuable because of the premium of a longer warranty when it comes to the resale of my car versus similar Porsche vehicles that have had the extension successfully applied. It could leave me out of pocket when competing to sell my car with other owners of the same vehicle.
I took delivery of a brand new £62,000 SUV from Porsche on March 2, 2017 and, as with all the company’s new cars, it came with a three-year warranty and breakdown cover, expiring on March 2 this year.
Before the expiry, I received a letter from Porsche offering me a follow-on extension of the warranty and breakdown cover for up to two years depending upon preference and budget. For the least costly option, I was informed that the Porsche Approved warranty needed to be activated from the date that the original three-year new-car warranty expired.
On February 28 I paid for the warranty for the maximum further two years, to start on March 2, and received confirmation and the accompanying documents stating that the Porsche Approved warranty and breakdown cover was in place.
In April Porsche said that because of the coronavirus crisis it was extending the new-car warranty by three months for all those expiring between March 1 and May 31. This was free of charge for customers and valid worldwide.
It also applied to customers who had purchased a Porsche Approved warranty to follow on after the expiry of their new-car warranty. If the Porsche Approved warranty started within the time period in question, it too would be extended by three months.
I checked with my local Porsche dealership that this offer had been applied to the warranty covering my vehicle. Its response was that I had paid for the extended warranty in February, hence the offer did not apply.
Thinking that it was mistaken, I contacted Porsche UK customer service, which investigated further. Its response was that the three-month extension offer on the Porsche Approved warranty could not be honoured in my case. It cited regulatory reasons such as not retrospectively applying it to a warranty that was paid for (although not activated) prior to March 2020. It added that these were unprecedented times, so it could not do anything about my situation.
The three-month extended warranty is very valuable because of the premium of a longer warranty when it comes to the resale of my car versus similar Porsche vehicles that have had the extension successfully applied. It could leave me out of pocket when competing to sell my car with other owners of the same vehicle.
Times Money Correspondent:
The arguments that these are unprecedented times and that Porsche cannot apply the extension to your warranty retrospectively seem contradictory to me. It was offering the extension in the first place because these are unprecedented times, and it announced the extension at the end of April, to be applied to car owners whose new-car warranties started running out at the beginning of March, so it was already backdating by two months. The two-year warranty cost £1,905 (you could buy my car for that and still have plenty left over for new floor mats!) and I really could not see why Porsche should want to penalise you for being organised enough to sort out and pay for your new warranty two days before the start of March. Even then, the warranty wasn’t due to commence until March 2.
I argued long and hard with the company, but got nowhere. It said that the extension was intended to protect those customers who could not get a new warranty because of lockdowns being introduced around the world. However, the press release published by Porsche’s head office in Germany started: “Uniform solution for our customers worldwide,” and went on to say: “This also applies to customers who have already purchased a Porsche Approved warranty to follow on after expiry of the new-car warranty. If the Porsche Approved warranty starts within the time period in question, it will also be extended by three months.”
After I pointed this out, Porsche said that the UK version of this press release included the words: “This measure is subject to local legal compliance.” This apparently means that because the UK wasn’t in lockdown on March 2, and your warranty became effective from that date without coronavirus-related delays, you were not entitled to the extension.
Since the warranty is supplied by an insurance company rather than Porsche, the car manufacturer says it is not able to change the dates on your active warranty, but surely it could arrange for three months to be added at the end?
The person I spoke to at Porsche got rather huffy and said that the company was simply trying to ensure that no one was disadvantaged by not being able to buy a new warranty during lockdown. He seemed unable to grasp the fact that you would be disadvantaged by not getting the extension.
Given that you paid £62,000 in cash for your car, and are obviously a diligent and loyal customer, you’d think that Porsche would do everything in its power to keep you. I suggested you save up for a Ferrari next time, but you said that the divorce that would follow would not be worth it.
The arguments that these are unprecedented times and that Porsche cannot apply the extension to your warranty retrospectively seem contradictory to me. It was offering the extension in the first place because these are unprecedented times, and it announced the extension at the end of April, to be applied to car owners whose new-car warranties started running out at the beginning of March, so it was already backdating by two months. The two-year warranty cost £1,905 (you could buy my car for that and still have plenty left over for new floor mats!) and I really could not see why Porsche should want to penalise you for being organised enough to sort out and pay for your new warranty two days before the start of March. Even then, the warranty wasn’t due to commence until March 2.
I argued long and hard with the company, but got nowhere. It said that the extension was intended to protect those customers who could not get a new warranty because of lockdowns being introduced around the world. However, the press release published by Porsche’s head office in Germany started: “Uniform solution for our customers worldwide,” and went on to say: “This also applies to customers who have already purchased a Porsche Approved warranty to follow on after expiry of the new-car warranty. If the Porsche Approved warranty starts within the time period in question, it will also be extended by three months.”
After I pointed this out, Porsche said that the UK version of this press release included the words: “This measure is subject to local legal compliance.” This apparently means that because the UK wasn’t in lockdown on March 2, and your warranty became effective from that date without coronavirus-related delays, you were not entitled to the extension.
Since the warranty is supplied by an insurance company rather than Porsche, the car manufacturer says it is not able to change the dates on your active warranty, but surely it could arrange for three months to be added at the end?
The person I spoke to at Porsche got rather huffy and said that the company was simply trying to ensure that no one was disadvantaged by not being able to buy a new warranty during lockdown. He seemed unable to grasp the fact that you would be disadvantaged by not getting the extension.
Given that you paid £62,000 in cash for your car, and are obviously a diligent and loyal customer, you’d think that Porsche would do everything in its power to keep you. I suggested you save up for a Ferrari next time, but you said that the divorce that would follow would not be worth it.
Have I missed something?
Person buys 2 year warranty, gets 2 year warranty. Buyer is upset he doesn't get another 3 months free?
That some effectively get a 2 year plus three months warranty, is more to their good fortune, but then we are to say this is "surprisingly poor customer service"?
Person buys 2 year warranty, gets 2 year warranty. Buyer is upset he doesn't get another 3 months free?
That some effectively get a 2 year plus three months warranty, is more to their good fortune, but then we are to say this is "surprisingly poor customer service"?
I had to read it a few times before coming to the same conclusion. It's a bit harsh, as if he had paid for the warranty on the day it expired, he would have been fine, but hey, sometimes you land on the right side of a cut off point, sometimes you don't. The plaintive wail about being disadvantaged when selling just grates though. It's not like aftermarket warranties are only granted on June 1st, and if selling into the trade, it matters not a jot.
The finance expert whining at the cost is dreadful journalism as well.
Overall, not worth the share token.
The finance expert whining at the cost is dreadful journalism as well.
Overall, not worth the share token.
Twinfan said:
woollyjoe said:
Have I missed something?
Person buys 2 year warranty, gets 2 year warranty. Buyer is upset he doesn't get another 3 months free?
Exactly what I thought when I read it. Nothing to see here, move along...Person buys 2 year warranty, gets 2 year warranty. Buyer is upset he doesn't get another 3 months free?
I am actually in this position, my warranty expired in May but had already extended for 2 years back in Feb. i.e. i did it early. Not even crossed my mind to write and complain to Porsche that i want another 3 months for free......!
Twinfan said:
woollyjoe said:
Have I missed something?
Person buys 2 year warranty, gets 2 year warranty. Buyer is upset he doesn't get another 3 months free?
Exactly what I thought when I read it. Nothing to see here, move along...Person buys 2 year warranty, gets 2 year warranty. Buyer is upset he doesn't get another 3 months free?
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