Any experience of buying a used car warranty?

[beanzontoast]

Having saved up for ages (we're really proud of the way she's done this), my daughter's about to buy her first car. As it's 3 years old and just out of manufacturer's warranty, I'm wondering if it would be useful for us to buy her a couple of years' warranty on it. She can already get RAC gold cover - home start included - through her insurer if she wants, so that doesn't have to be part of the deal.

I'd welcome thoughts from anyone who's got experience of buying warranty in this way. Who did you go with and how did it work out? Did you consider it worth having? Would you do anything differently in retrospect?

 

[subaqua]

talk to the manufacturer/ dealer if it is a main dealer she is buying from. Volvo offered an extended warranty for another 12 months on top of the 12 months they were giving on just out of warranty cars. it was fairly good. warranty direct however have plagued me with calls despite being asked to stop when i used them for a comparison quote - which didn't cover anywhere near what the dealer one said it would.

 

[pplpilot]

in my opinion forget warranties, waste of money when you look at the stuff it covers, stuff that is highly unlikely to go wrong on a 3 year old car. A friend of mine is a dealer and they love people who buy them on relatively new cars the comeback is virtually nil 3 yeas old is nothing for a car. IF you/she wants to get anything to me gap insurance is the thing to get and don't get it from the dealer either way way cheaper on line.

 

[GlasgowFinn]

I bought a warranty from WarrantyWise for my CRV as it had required quite a lot of work under the manufacturer's warranty. True to form, the rear diff packed up a few months later at a cost of £2300. It was covered. YMMV

 

[beanzontoast]

Should have said - not buying through a dealer - it's coming from a well-known user car supermarket.

 

[fossyant]

You should get a few months warranty anyway which is enough to find any faults. Best option might be to chuck said money in an account for any possible costs.

TBH likely costs will only be consumables. Cars usually have warranty issues in first couple of years in my opinion. Both of ours had recalls etc, but since the warranty expired, there has been very little go wrong that I couldn't do myself.

 

[beanzontoast]

You should get a few months warranty anyway which is enough to find any faults. Best option might be to chuck said money in an account for any possible costs.

TBH likely costs will only be consumables. Cars usually have warranty issues in first couple of years in my opinion. Both of ours had recalls etc, but since the warranty expired, there has been very little go wrong that I couldn't do myself.

This is the alternative I suggested to my wife. The car has 3 months warranty and a full MOT coming with it (used to be only a months warranty, but they've upped it since we last went to them). We could give her some dosh to put away and if she doesn't need it, it will at least start her savings off again. I'm a bit wary of what warranties do and don't cover. Even if she had a warranty, she would still end up having to find money for wear-and-tear repairs of course.

 

[green1]

Should have said - not buying through a dealer - it's coming from a well-known user car supermarket.

Don't buy a car from a car supermarket, they make main dealers look like angels in comparison. I wouldn't buy an extended warranty either.

 

[beanzontoast]

Don't buy a car from a car supermarket, they make main dealers look like angels in comparison. I wouldn't buy an extended warranty either.

We've had good experiences of using them, but I realise there will be people who haven't. I take it you are the latter? Equally down the years (and we've never had a 'new' car in our lives!) we have had some good cars but also the occasional regrettable outcome buying from dealers or private sellers. It seems a bit of a lottery at times.

This would be the first time we've bought a warranty so we don't have any experience of this at all to fall back on.

 

[biggs682]

Should have said - not buying through a dealer - it's coming from a well-known user car supermarket.

you will more than likely end up with a warranty that has more clauses than cover , ask the nearest dealer if you can extend the original warranty , would be my advice

 

[fossyant]

I've bought my car from a supermarket, but it came with two years manufacturer warranty.

What's the cost of the warranty then ?

 

[beanzontoast]

I've bought my car from a supermarket, but it came with two years manufacturer warranty.

What's the cost of the warranty then ?

About £350 for one year to £660 for three years. We're waiting to receive details of exactly what this covers and what is excluded.

 

[Over The Hill]

Isnt it just like any insurance? A waste of money if you dont claim or a great deal if you do!

I have looked at them in the past and they had so many exclusions I did not bother. Cars really dont seem to go wrong now.

 

[fossyant]

660 in the bank goes a long way for car repairs from an indie.

 

[fossyant]

What car is it ? That might help. Make model?