Best Warranty - Air suspension / high mileage

[ajlsl600]

I buy a car on condition.I haggle some,I never buy any car needing bodywork
When I get it I store away a grand,if all well six months later I treat myself.
But things have changed .on modern motor prob needs to be 3k tucked away.and thats why I wont do it any more.
I quite like the ml ,have only done 600 in last yr and shes going in spring as I aint bein held over a barrel by maker. Shame,but I need motors I can fix myself without needing a degree in computer. electronics and a laptop I could pay someone to do that,that can take a decent small cars worth of cash out of my economy each yr and aint happening.

 

[robin.large]

I had two claims with Warrant Wise - same car, same time.
Clutch plate tangs broke, new clutch and flywheel. Eventually paid up but not without slot of pressure from specialist and detailed examination.
LSD failed on material failure - rejected.

So if it breaks you have a chance, if it wore out unexpectedly probably not..

I'd think for suspension you would be covered if something broke eg pump but not if it wore out or just stopped working.
You also have to agree the investigation and dismantling AT YOUR COST and if the claim is approved they will pay that charge....

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

 

[DSK]

Is this why old cars are going up in value

I was talking my next door neighbour a few days ago, whose elderly and partially disabled now. Some 30/40 years when I was a nipper he was taking his Ford Escorts apart, doing on hell of a ****** service to engine rebuilds, cambelts etc on a weekend etc. Now I have to change the bulbs for him on his new Cmax. Then he taught me on my 1985 Audi Quattro and VW Golf how to do mechanicals...… Good old days

 

[ajlsl600]

Is this why old cars are going up in value

I was talking my next door neighbour a few days ago, whose elderly and partially disabled now. Some 30/40 years when I was a nipper he was taking his Ford Escorts apart, doing on hell of a ****** service to engine rebuilds, cambelts etc on a weekend etc. Now I have to change the bulbs for him on his new Cmax. Then he taught me on my 1985 Audi Quattro and VW Golf how to do mechanicals...… Good old days

Sounds like a decent partnership to me

 

[eclass guy]

it depends on the age and mileage of the car, I had a Volvo and I brought a warranty direct warrant. I had a couple of claims and they settled them without a issue ( leaking rms and crank case vent issue) also we had one on my daughter car where it failed the mot and they covered the work to get it though. You get what you pay for though and you need to read the terms and condition to know what you getting. Not all warranties are the same and if you have a old or high mileage car, the risk cost means for the insurer it will be expensive.

 

[MBDevotee]

The only ones that are any good at all are the ones that list what is NOT covered rather than those that list what IS.

By this - I mean the presumption is always then that the item is covered unless otherwise stated rather than the other way round.

As to companies, it's not that simple. Our policy is administered by a company on our behalf this company also do their own "packaged" warranty - but we don't take that - so with us they get their profit whatever, we just chuck the premium at them, and if over the year there is a shortfall, then we top it up - if they have taken more than they pay out, they keep it for the next year. We are a large dealer group (50+ dealers in UK) so I think it's somewhat different than some others - I worked once for a small company who bought a basic warranty (Warranty Direct I think it was) that listed all the "covered parts". I remember some right ding-dong's with people in the service department when nothing ever seemed covered.....

A couple of guidelines though -

1) If they are covering anything older than 8 years old or 80,000 miles at inception ( -ish it might be 70k or 7 years or something) , the warranty is going to have a much lower level of cover than a policy that has such a limit. Ours used to be 5yrs 60k but we managed to get the inception upped as cars (Kia's, Hyundai's etc have 5 / 7 years from new nowadays) - So ask the garage - "What's the age and mileage limit for this policy at inception and end?" Ours is limited at the start, but unlimited miles during the life of the policy - however wheel bearings are only covered up to 120,000 m which I think is fair.

2) Ask what the cost of the "free" component part of the warranty is - i.e. what is the dealer paying. If asked that direct question, a dealer is obliged to tell you. Whether they tell you the truth.. well who knows - however ours cost about £350 for a year... that's a LOT of money - which means that there is a LOT going in the pot - so they can pay claims quite happily. Some companies pay £90 or £100 for a warranty - if you are paying £90 for a warranty on a 10 year old 100,000m car that warranty won't be worth the paper it's written on and will only pay out in a very limited number of circumstances. Even though these warranty companies get a much reduced labour rate from a garage, if the warranty cost £90 and the labour rate is £60 per hr - that's one hour and a £30 part before they are into making a loss - nothing really.

3) How much is the "top up" - many garages offer a 3 year warranty as an option - how much is it. If it's £200 / £300 then honestly, it's a rubbish warranty. If it's £799 - then again if you look at the cover and it's a "everything is covered except" type rather than a "here is what's covered" type then I would venture it's probably a fairly decent warranty. Ruskin summed it up perfectly with....... "It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money — that is all. ... “If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better." So with warranty, the price needs to be fair - but simply ask this - if labour rates run at £110 per hr (about average these days) and most parts are £100 + then how much would YOU want in order to "insure" someone on their car repairs........ If someone said to me "I'll give you £50 but if my car breaks down, you pay for it" i'd tell em to sod off! If they offered me £350... well if enough did it, I'd consider it....

Sorry to kind of "Not" answer your question - but it's not as simple as "good ones" and "Ones to avoid".

 

[MBDevotee]

Just to add to the above - it's funny but when people refuse the warranty it's always "Oh cars are ever so reliable these days - I'm sure it will be fine" - yet read these forums. It's true most Engines and gearboxes are fine... but it's the electronics.

So to the point in the above - make sure electronics, sat nav's, and so on are covered as in they are not "excluded" because if for example it says "What is covered" and then "Sat Nav's" but the aerial went wrong - then it wouldn't be covered - whereas if it said "Everything is covered EXCEPT" and the aerial is not listed, then it's covered.

I promise, it's the electrics you need covered these days, the mechanicals can be costly, but will be more reliable than the electrics.

 

[welease woger]

The best warranty- at least for the first 6 months and possibly longer - is The Consumer Rights Act 2015. It overides any dealer warranty and it's free!

 

[DSK]

Just to add to the above - it's funny but when people refuse the warranty it's always "Oh cars are ever so reliable these days - I'm sure it will be fine" - yet read these forums. It's true most Engines and gearboxes are fine... but it's the electronics.

So to the point in the above - make sure electronics, sat nav's, and so on are covered as in they are not "excluded" because if for example it says "What is covered" and then "Sat Nav's" but the aerial went wrong - then it wouldn't be covered - whereas if it said "Everything is covered EXCEPT" and the aerial is not listed, then it's covered.

I promise, it's the electrics you need covered these days, the mechanicals can be costly, but will be more reliable than the electrics.

I personally don't believe engines are better these days (just look at all the known issues with crap design flaws exposed across many brands) from a reliability perspective. But, coupled with the ever increasing complexity of electronics added to the mix its not surprise that these would be the most common failures.

The best warranty- at least for the first 6 months and possibly longer - is The Consumer Rights Act 2015. It overides any dealer warranty and it's free!

Sadly very few know about this, especially more so what it details (I include myself in this). I believe dealers don't appreciate customers and therefore, should they try and reference such an act, they would push them away. For me, no doubt it was approaching my solicitor who would have referred BMW to this as well as other legislation that swiftly put them in their place. I think its only the likes of trading standards and legal routes that make dealers take any note of such acts when, they know they will not be able to fob off a certain customer.

 

[nooney]

I only have experience of Warranty Wise and have to say that their response to my older A Class was superb having to replace AC condenser radiator and at a previous stage an alternator. There was no hassle and the cheque literally was in the post next day.
I have just been given another warranty on latest purchase of a 2013 B Class so will have to see if its anygood if called upon.
I did not use main MB dealers as the labour rates are too high for the policy cover plus warranty companies want to use alternative parts which have same spec , I have no problem with that as thay carry the same warranty and test specs.

 

[sonic]

Just to add to the above - it's funny but when people refuse the warranty it's always "Oh cars are ever so reliable these days - I'm sure it will be fine" - yet read these forums. It's true most Engines and gearboxes are fine... but it's the electronics.

So to the point in the above - make sure electronics, sat nav's, and so on are covered as in they are not "excluded" because if for example it says "What is covered" and then "Sat Nav's" but the aerial went wrong - then it wouldn't be covered - whereas if it said "Everything is covered EXCEPT" and the aerial is not listed, then it's covered.

I promise, it's the electrics you need covered these days, the mechanicals can be costly, but will be more reliable than the electrics.

Certainly from MOT inspections electrics are is the main failure area, in particular bulbs.
From my point of view 20 years & 6 Mercedes cars these are my failures.
2001 CLK 200K blowing manifold when sold at 120K miles.
2003 CLK270D one shock absorber, front suspension bushes both at about 100K sold at 115K miles
2004 SLK 200K nothing sold at 90K miles.
2010 SLK200K replaced battery at 55K miles 9.5 years old. Sold 10 years old 57K miles.
2011 E350CDI replaced turbo boost sensor oil seal failed 45K miles. Still have car.
2016 SLC250d nothing, still have car.
So in my case the only possible electrical fault was a 9.5 year old battery.

 

[MBDevotee]

The best warranty- at least for the first 6 months and possibly longer - is The Consumer Rights Act 2015. It overides any dealer warranty and it's free!

Yup, and that's why we do a 12 month minimum warranty. If the car goes wrong in 1st 6 months its for us the dealer to prove that the fault was not there at point of sale (hard to do except things like tyre wear etc) - after 6 months it's for customer to prove it WAS there at point of sale. Point is, we'd never let it escalate to that anyhow - hence having the warranty - and if it's not covered on that, it's a consumable and therefore down to the customer.

 

[welease woger]

The only ones that are any good at all are the ones that list what is NOT covered rather than those that list what IS.

By this - I mean the presumption is always then that the item is covered unless otherwise stated rather than the other way round.


Whilst I agree, a less than honest warranty company would argue the opposite - unless specifically mentioned as a covered item then it would be excluded. Unfortunately most claimants would not be aware of precedent case contract law in that where a contract is either silent, vague or contradictory on a matter which is the subject of dispute then the contract will be interpreted against the company that drafted the document, ie the warranty company.

 

[MBDevotee]

Not really true.

Warranty companies either list “Covered parts” or state that all parts are covered “except....”

If it’s the Covered parts type warranty, then unless the EXACT thing that breaks is specifically listed as covered then it isn’t.

These warranty’s are basically useless. They tend to be on cars over 7 yearly old and 80,000 ish miles (there or thereabouts) and basically there are simply too many parts to list them all. A modern car has say 50,000 components - these warranties list about 50 thing so that are covered.....