by Joslyn Stark

Created on: January 17, 2007   Last Updated: April 20, 2007

Salesman LOVE to brag about a "bumper to bumper warranty" on cars they are trying to sell you. What they leave out is that not only is neither bumper covered under the warranty, but many things in between are excluded also.

The quality of a warranty depends on the car manufacturer, and whether you are looking at a new car factory warranty or an aftermarket extended plan. You'd be suprised to actually read the fine print on the warranty information of a brand stinking new car. Very few car manufacturers cover wheel alignments, brakes, paint defects, wiper blades, or other "wearable" items-especially after the car is 12,000 miles old.

Furthermore, whether you own or are leasing the vehicle, you are responsible for the routine maintenance on the vehicle. That consists of oil changes at regularly scheduled intervals, filter replacement, and fluid servicing. Any defect that results as a lack of maintenance can and will be denied by warranty. A few higher end car companies, such as Audi and BMW, cover some of the maintenance on their vehicles as part of the warranty plan.

Factory warranties are much better than an extended warranty. The extended warranty that salesmen constantly tell you that you need are generally a rip off. They will look for any reason to not pay a claim, and usually charge you a hefty deductible with every visit to the repair shop. On top of it these warranty plans cost you anywhere from $1000 - $3000 right out of the gate. (But what a deal, you can finance that cost with the price of your vehicle!)

Additionally, save all your receipts for any maintenance service that you pay for out of pocket on your vehicle. If you have an engine problem, you may be called on to produce proof that you've maintained the vehicle according to manufacturer's specifications.

Any repairs that are needed and result from something other than a part or workmanship defect on the end of the vehicle manufacturer are not covered under any sort of warranty. If a mouse decides to nest in your air cleaner box and chews up some wiring, this is not covered. Anything resulting from debris on the road or accident damage is also not covered. If you modify the vehicle in any way and this produces a problem, forget about warranty coverage. In fact the fad to "chip" the car's computer can void an entire warranty alltogether, whether or not it causes an immediate problem.

In summary, do not assume that just because your vehicle is still under warranty that every little thing that goes wrong with it will be covered. Make sure you know what you are responsible for doing to keep the warranty in good standing, and be able to prove in the drop of a hat that you've fulfilled your end of the commitment. As long as you do that, the manufacturer will step up to the plate every time.

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