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Auto, Truck, and Car Warranty Definitions
warranty, warrantee (Auto,Home,RV,Car,Truck,Motorcycle,
RV)
- Official authorization, sanction, or warrant.
- Justification or valid grounds for an act or a course of action.
- Law.
- An assurance by the seller of property that the goods or property are as
represented or will be as promised.
- The insured's guarantee that the facts are as stated in reference to an
insurance risk or that specified conditions will be fulfilled to keep the
contract effective.
- A covenant by which the seller of land binds himself or herself and his
or her heirs to defend the security of the estate conveyed.
- A judicial writ; a warrant.
- A guarantee given to the purchaser by a company stating that a product is
reliable and free from known defects and that the seller will, without charge,
repair or replace defective parts within a given time limit and under certain
conditions.
[Middle English warantie, from Old
North French, from feminine past participle of warantir, to guarantee,
from warant,
warrant.]
A type of guarantee that a manufacturer or similar party makes regarding the
condition of its product. It also refers to the terms and situations in which
repairs or exchanges will be made in the event that the product does not
function as originally described or intended.
Warranties usually have exceptions that limit
the conditions in which a manufacturer will be obligated to rectify a problem.
For example, many warranties for common household items only cover the product
for up to one year from the date of purchase and usually only if the product in
question contains problems resulting from defective parts or
workmanship.
As a result of these limited manufacturer warranties, many
vendors offer extended warranties. These extended warranties are essentially
insurance policies for products that consumers pay for up front. Coverage will
usually last for a handful of years above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty
and is often more lenient in terms of limited terms and conditions.
Extended warranty, i.e Auto, Truck, Car, RV,
Motorcycle
An extended warranty,
sometimes called a service agreement, a service contract, or a
maintenance agreement, is a prolonged warranty offered to
consumers. The extended warranty may be offered by the warranty administrator,
the retailer or the manufacturer. These warranties extend the period of the
manufacturer's standard warranty and are usually not "double coverage". For
example, a refrigerator's extended warranty covers two years past
the manufacturer's one year warranty. Extended warranties cost extra and for a
percentage of the item's retail price. In retail consumer electronics, extended
warranties cost 20% to 30% of the price, and give sales associates up to 15%
commission at some retailers.[1][2] Occasionally, some extended warranties that
are purchased for multiple years state in writing that during the first year,
the consumer must still deal with the manufacturer in the occurrence of
malfunction. What was often promoted as a 5 year extended guarantee thus becomes
only a four year guarantee.
Overview
An extended warranty is coverage for electrical or mechanical breakdown.
It does not cover peripheral items, wear and tear, damage by computer viruses,
re-gassing, normal maintenance, accidental damage, or any consequential loss.
The indemnity is to cover the cost of repair and may include replacement if
deemed uneconomic to repair. It is important for consumers to read and
understand the terms and conditions offered at the point of sale.
The value of extended warranties lies behind the organization promoting
and selling them. Most of the major retailers employ specialist administrators
to manage the claims and to ensure the product is priced on a sustainable basis.
An essential part of this is to determine the appropriate provisions on the
balance sheet to reserve for future claims. Similarly, the income must be earned
over the period of cover.[3] Companies that have been around for several
years will usually have the systems and data in place with which to do this.
Less reputable organizations may not adequately price their extended warranties
and may therefore have insufficient funds to provide for future claims
costs.
Guarantee given by a seller to a buyer that the goods or services purchased
will perform as promised, or a refund will be given, an exchange made, or a
repair done at no charge. Warranties usually become effective when the
manufacturer receives a warranty application from the buyer (not at the date of
puchase) and are effective for a limited period of time. Warranties usually
include limitations that exclude defects not caused by the manufacturer.
The warranty application form typically contains requests for demographic and
other marketing information about the buyer such as marital status, occupation,
age, income, where and when the item was purchased, and why that brand was
selected. Direct marketers maintain lists of individuals who have completed
warranty applications, and use the data for promotion list enhancement.
Mini-FAQ
1) What is an extended auto warranty?
An extended warranty is an agreement between the car owner and Warranty
Company, obligating the warranty company to pay for repairs covered by the
contract for a specific period of time.
With an extended auto warranty you are protecting yourself from the
unexpected cost of mechanical failure. More...
2) What exactly does an extended warranty cover?
Know what's covered -- and what's not covered -- by the extended auto
warranty you're considering. Does the contract cover breakdown as well as wear
and tear? Under a "breakdown" warranty, coverage is extended only to parts that
break. More...
3) Why do I need an extended auto warranty?
Since common mechanical repairs can cost into the thousands and
these costs are rising rapidly; protecting your automotive investment should not
be taken lightly. More...
4) Why should I purchase an extended warranty now?
Since common mechanical repairs can cost into the thousands and these costs
are rising rapidly; protecting your automotive investment should not be taken
lightly.
Whether you own a new or older make/model, an extended auto warranty will
provide you with peace-of-mind protection regarding costly mechanical repairs
that can happen at any time during the life of your vehicle. More...
5) What about the deductible?
Fully investigate a policy's deductible before signing on the dotted line.
Consider not only its amount, but also whether it's per visit or per repair.
With a per-visit deductible, each visit to the shop will run you a fixed amount,
regardless of how many parts are repaired; a per-repair deductible applies to
each serviced part. What sounds like a minor difference may, under certain
circumstances, have a major impact on your wallet. More...
6) What type of auto warranty can I buy?
Power train Warranty: Covers the engine, transmission, and other parts
of the Drive train only, which is defined as the 29 parts of the vehicle through
which oil flows. These are the parts least likely to fail.
The average vehicle contains thousands of parts. As it does not cover the
majority of the components of a vehicle, the Power train Warranty is truly not
an extended warranty. More...
7) Can I still obtain extended auto warranty coverage?
Many consumers do not realize that even after the manufacturer's warranty has
expired, their vehicle is still eligible for extended coverage. You can
generally receive coverage on vehicles that have less than 100,000 miles on the
odometer. A vehicle out of its original warranty is more apt to have mechanical
failure compared to a newer vehicle. More...
8) How does the claims process work?
The top warranty companies work like this: If your vehicle breaks down or is
in need of a repair, take it or have it towed to any licensed repair facility
and present your service agreement to the Service Department. After they
diagnose the problem with the vehicle, they will call the claims administrator
toll-free and receive repair authorization for all your covered repairs less a
deductible where applicable. More...
9) Why do car dealers sell extended warranties? Car dealers make a
profit on the extended warranty, sometimes as much as they make on the
car! Buyers can negotiate the price of the warranty just as they did the
price of the car. The working assumption is that dealers pay about 50 percent less
than the asking price for the warranty. A buyer should not pay more than
two-thirds of the asking price. More...
10) How do I resist the pressure to buy right away? It is not necessary to
buy the extended warranty right away. Buyers usually have 12 months
after a new car purchase to buy a warranty. Get the time limit from the
company selling it. More...
11) What if I decide I do want an extended warranty? The warranty need not
be purchased from the dealer. Check a credit union or auto insurance
dealer for a warranty program, sometimes known as mechanical breakdown
insurance. Check out the service contract or vehicle warranty companies.
More...
12) Extended Warranty Prices? Shop around for the
best price and the best coverage. If the warranty has a $100 deductible
for each service or repair, why bother? More...
13) Extended Warranty Dealers? Buyers can even shop
different dealerships by calling the finance managers at the other
stores. A buyer can tell the dealer who sold the vehicle that he's going to
check with the competition to find the best price. More...
14) What is a Double Warranty? Don't buy a double
warranty, which is coverage for items already covered by the
vehicle manufacturer's warranty. More...
15) How do Extended Warranties help resale? If the car won't be in
the driveway for longer than the manufacturer's warranty, typically
three years or 36,000 miles, why bother? Beware of the sales pitch that
the service contract will help the resale value of the car. A buyer has
just paid three years for a service that might never be used. More...
16) What if I did get an extended warranty from the dealer? If buying the warranty
from the dealer, make sure it's the car manufacturer's warranty, which
is to say a Ford warranty for a Taurus.
More...
17) When should I buy an extended warranty for my vehicle? The warranty begins the
day it is purchased, not on the date the car is purchased. So those who
buy it 11-and-a-half months after purchasing have a car covered for
seven years instead of six. More...
18) Extended warranties on a used car? A used car's price
sticker should clearly state whether there is any initial dealer
warranty. As for an extended warranty, many companies won't sell one
unless the used car was bought from a dealer. More...
19) Extended warranties on a leased car? Never buy an extended
warranty when leasing a car. More...
After-Market Auto
Warranties
From Matthew
Wright,
Q. I have been trying to find a source that can give me information
concerning After-Market Auto Warranties. There is a great deal of information
that anyone would need to make an informed decision about purchasing this
product and no place to find it, Can you help? Specifically, I have a 94
Infiniti Q-45 with 69,000 miles on it. I would like to locate providers that can
offer up to 150,000 Mile warranty protection. I have heard they are out there,
but where? Are any of these providers rates as to their performance and
universal acceptability?
A. In the years I have been in the Auto Repair business, I have never
seen an extended warranty plan that covers over 100,000 miles. I have searched
out many companies offering extended warranties and have yet to find one that
offers anything over the 100,000 mile mark. (Look for links on extended warranty
companies in the next week or two)
Not being in the extended warranty business, I would guess the most likely
reason for this is most cars are designed with built in obsolesce. That is to
say they will incur more frequent and more costly repairs as they get older. An
extended warranty is an insurance policy. When you buy life insurance, most
companies require you to take a physical before they will sell you a policy. The
same holds true for your car. When you go to buy an extended warranty, most
companies will require a "physical" on your car before they will sell you the
warranty. If the car is in good shape with no history of serious problems, they
will sell you a policy. On the other hand, if the car has been poorly maintained
and/or has had serious problems in the past, they will most likely decline. When
you go to buy an extended warranty there are some things to look for.
-
What is covered? Does it just cover power train or "bumper to bumper"?
Before you sign, make sure you know exactly what is covered.
-
What is the deductible? A 50.00 deductible is common but as the deductible
rises, the cost of the warranty will go down. Thus a warrant with a 100.00
deductible will be cheaper than one with a 50.00 deductible.
-
How does the company pay for a covered repair? Do they pay the repair
facility directly or do you pay the bill and they reimburse you? A direct pay
is desirable because the repair facility will do all the required paper work
leaving you free to pick up the car and drive away. Also, if there is a
problem with the repair not being done correctly or not lasting, the warranty
company will, most likely, take steps to help you resolve the problem.
-
How long has the extended warranty company been around? Look for a company
that has been around for a while. That will give you a good indication that
they will not close up shop tomorrow and leave you with a worthless policy.
-
Compare prices and plans. Look for reasonable rates, not the cheapest. As
with anything, if it's to good to be true, it probably isn't.
As with any car, the best insurance is preventative maintenance. And the best
PM is changing the engine oil frequently. Infinity recommends an oil and filter
change every 7500 miles under normal driving conditions. Nobody drives under
"normal conditions" I would highly recommend changing the oil and filter every
3000 miles. I have seen Q45's, and many other makes of cars, go 150,000 -
200,000 miles with no major problems with 3,000 mile oil changes.
I hope this has been of some help to you. I am always doing research on this,
and many other subjects and if I should come across a company that offers a
150,000 mile plan, I will surely let you, and all my readers know.
Update:
I have found a Auto Warranty Broker,
Warranties 4 Wheels and they seem to have a variety of programs that will take a
vehicle way past the 150,000 mile mark. Know remember, it is not going to be the
same coverage while you were under the factory warranty, but it will help to
indemnify you against major catastrophic repair costs down the road. You can
contact them at 1-877-844-7283 or go to www.warranties4wheels.com and get a
free, no obligation Auto Warranty Quote from them.
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