- Our guide to used car warranties
- Find out what a warranty covers
- Is an extended warranty worth the money?
While the modern car doesn’t break down as often as its ancestor, the older motors get, the more susceptible they can be to mechanical trouble. And when parts do fail, they can be very expensive to repair. That’s where a warranty comes in.
What is a car warranty?
Think of a warranty as a cross between a guarantee and insurance. You pay for cover to specific areas of the car over a certain time. If your car runs into trouble during this period, whoever has issued the warranty will fix your car.
Knowing that cars are complex machines and to give owners peace of mind, car makers always sell new cars with warranties. These usually last for three years but some cars are sold with cover for five or even seven years.
When you buy a used car from a manufacturer franchised garage, and the car is sold as ‘approved used’, it might come with a year’s warranty. Work is then carried out directly, rather than you paying for it and having to claim back from a warranty company.
Most reputable independent garages will give a warranty. But often a used car dealer warranty is much shorter than a manufacturer franchise dealership’s warranty.
If the car doesn’t come with a warranty, or you want cover once the garage’s warranty has lapsed, you might choose to pay for a warranty from an independent company.
Remember!
A car warranty does not usually cover what’s known as ‘wear and tear’. These are components that regularly wear out such as tyres, brake pads and discs. It won’t cover the cost of regular maintenance, either.
Do I need an extended car warranty?
Whether or not you need an extended warranty depends on what your car comes with and your attitude to risk. If it’s less than three years old, your car should still be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. And if you buy a car with a seven-year warranty, you may have a good few years’ of cover left.
If your car is older than three years, you may wish to buy what’s called an extended warranty. This is usually with the manufacturer and generally covers the same items as a new car warranty.
Alternatively, there’s a host of independent warranty providers that will provide a guarantee for your car.
But no one’s forcing you to take a warranty. You may decide you’re happy to simply pay for repairs as and when they occur.
What does a warranty cover?
This is the most important question to ask when you’re considering buying a warranty.
A warranty will be advertised with an attractive headline price. There will then be variations of terms, conditions and caveats. Some warranty may cover you for mechanical repairs, not electrical ones. And some may cover the cost of parts but not the labour.
You need to read this carefully before signing any agreement as every warranty provider will have slightly different wording and conditions.
Buying a warranty for a used car
As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. A cheap warranty may only pay a limited hourly rate for labour, meaning you might struggle to get the job done at a garage of your choice.
You should be sure damage to other parts arising from a failure is covered too. If your car’s timing belt breaks, your car might also need an entirely new engine. A replacement timing belt will be a fraction of the cost.
Is it worth it?
First of all, it depends on the age of the car. It’s probably not worth buying a warranty for a car that’s worth less than £1000.
When you’re weighing up whether to pay for a warranty, do some research into the cost of repairs. It’s fine paying £600 for a year’s warranty. But if you end up claiming for repairs that only cost £500, you’re out of pocket by £100.
Equally, if a dealer offers you a warranty at an extra cost, it’s worth comparing it with third party offers to be sure you get the best deal.
Another way is to self-insure against serious mechanical problems. Rather than paying into a warranty, pay into a savings scheme. That way, if your car doesn’t break down, you won’t have spent all your money for nothing.
How long does a used car warranty last?
Warranties can be bought for any length of time, but are usually between one and three years. But again, to be sure, check the small print. Some warranty providers refuse to pay out if a car is older than seven years or has done more than 100,000 miles. So paying for a three-year warranty on a five-year old car, or one that’s done 90,000 miles, might be money not well spent.
At heycar, all of the cars we list come with a minimum 30 days’ warranty. That’s our quality promise to you - find the right car for you here.
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