Most people who buy cars are very happy to note that any repairs which are needed on the car will be covered by their warranty. They are also very unhappy when they know that some kind of repair will not be covered under the warranty. But they need to properly understand what is a car warranty.
A car warranty is basically an agreement which is entered into between the car manufacturer and the car buyer. The manufacturer will set some rules regarding maintaining the car which need to be followed properly by the buyer. This way he will fulfill his part of the warranty agreement. In spite of all this, if the vehicle needs to undergo some repair, then the manufacturer will have to do so and this repair could arise due to some poor workmanship as well as poor fitting of the parts.
Many people believe that a car warranty is their right and not an agreement. Many sales people help in reinforcing this wrong belief among their prospective consumers. But when the time comes for the warranty to be enforced, they find that the required repairs will not be covered under the warranty. But there are many people who will cover certain repairs under the warranty when they actually cannot be covered under the warranty. Due to this all car manufacturers will now carefully go through every warranty claim that comes to their desk to make sure that no underhanded business is taking place. They will carefully inspect any case which they feel is suspicious. But this makes the customer feel that the manufacturer is trying to avoid picking up the cost of the repair. But the truth of the matter is that the repair cannot actually be covered under the warranty. This could either be because the vehicle has not been maintained properly or because the warranty has expired.
The car manufacturer will take care of repairs for certain parts like engines, transmissions, suspension, steering, computers and emission control devices, instruments, chassis wiring and all other parts which have been made by the manufacturer. The time of the coverage and the mileage will be different for each part. Filters are maintenance items and they will not be covered under the warranty. Things like belts, hoses, brakes, tires are also subject to wear and tear and they also will not be covered under the warranty given by the manufacturer. The manufacturer does not make parts like tires, stereos and conversion components but they will still be included as a part of the warranty which has been provided by the manufacturer. There are many people who complain about warranty problems and they should make sure that they read the warranty agreement properly. Some of the terms in a warranty agreement are:
Bumper to bumper coverage – This is a warranty which will cover all the basic items as well as the drivetrain warranty and this will be for the period which has been stated by the manufacturer.
Corrosion Warranty – this is a warranty which covers rust on sheet metal which has holes. Surface corrosion which takes place due to nicks, chips and scratches will not be covered under this. The extent of the coverage will be different with every manufacturer so make sure that you check up all the details of your warranty.
Campaigns – A manufacturer might arrange a safety campaign which is conducted at no cost to the buyer who owns the affected vehicle. These campaigns will be done without taking into account the time or the mileage. The vehicle identification number of the car will be used to check if that particular car has been covered under the campaign.
Customized conversions – Certain vans and limousines have a warranty which will cover parts that have not been installed by the manufacturer. When such vehicles are purchased make sure that you get a proper warranty disclosure. Make sure that you understand all the intricacies of the warranty. There are many people who do not understand such warranties and they suffer badly after some time.
Goodwill adjustments – Sometimes adjustments can be made once in a while regarding a vehicle which has finished a certain mileage or the warranty has expired. But this is dependent on certain factors like the loyalty of the owner, the period of service, maintenance, history of the vehicle, mileage and whether any other service contracts still exist on the vehicle. Sometimes the customer might have to pay a part of the expenses which have been incurred.
Hidden warranties – Many people keep talking about hidden warranties. But, people should know that there is no such thing like a hidden warranty. Car dealers make money on warranties and the manufacturer pays them for this.
Common Questions