It’s the start of the great annual buying spree for September 1 registered cars. Most customers take pains to match their new

car to their needs, but what about the warranty? With the exception of bits that are meant to wear out, such as tyres, brakes and clutches, the warranty should cover everything that could go wrong.

If your new car fails to match expectations you should not have to pay a penny for parts or labour. Even consumable bits such as the clutch and brakes can be subject to a goodwill contribution from the car manufacturer if they have failed to provide reasonable wear.

Or that’s the way it should be. But sometimes customers come unstuck and find themselves at odds with the dealer and the manufacturer. To prevent this happening you may want to take a look at the small print and find out how watertight your warranty is. To help, we’ve compiled a checklist:

Duration of cover
The first thing to look at is how long the warranty lasts. This can vary from 12 months (Caterham) to five years (Hyundai) and is so important it should influence your decision about one make over another. Not only does it offer peace of mind, it pushes up the resale value. With a five-year warranty you can drive the car for two years and sell it with three years still intact.

Mileage limitation
A typical warranty might limit mileage to a maximum of 60,000 miles for the three-year duration — not good news if you do high mileage. Oddly, though, some warranties include a clause that provides two years’ cover with no mileage limits. You can do 200,000 miles in the first two years and the warranty applies, but in the third year the total will be used against you.

Flexibility on servicing schedule
Your warranty will require your car to be serviced at an approved garage, but that doesn’t necessarily mean one from the franchised dealer network. Changes in the law mean you can take your car to any approved service centre. If you find the right approved service centre you can save a fortune. Some labour rates are about half the price of a franchised dealer’s.

The warranty will also specify that your car be serviced at a particular time, usually within 1,000 miles or one month of a specified date or mileage — not much room for manoeuvre.

Additional benefits, such as breakdown cover
Many new cars come with extra benefits such as breakdown and recovery or roadside assistance. This sounds good, particularly if you are a member of a motoring organisation, because cancelling your subscription will save you money.

But often the cover is for just one or two years, not the entire warranty period, and the cover extends only to the car you have bought. Your existing membership may cover you for any car you are driving.

Body and paint cover
The most commonly overlooked element is paint and body cover. This can give you up to 30 years’ protection, although closer perusal usually reveals that to maintain the warranty you must submit your car for annual inspection. The warranty becomes invalid if this is not done, but many dealers are poor at reminding you of this fact. You may need to be proactive and make sure the checks are done and the warranty booklet stamped. Most paint and body warranties extend well beyond the mechanical warranty and are well worth having because they can be transferred to subsequent owners.

EXTENDED WARRANTIES
When your new car warranty expires you may want another. Extended warranties are often bought direct from the original dealer but many are also available online. Buying online can be useful if you have bought your car from an importer or broker.

Either way, annual premiums vary dramatically and price is not always the best indicator of quality. What is usually true is that the scope of cover is rarely as comprehensive as the original warranty’s and will often have maximum claim limits. Such warranties offer peace of mind but it is important you know what you are buying. Match your extended warranty against our checklist:

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