Warranty

There is little more frustrating than being landed with an expensive and unexpected repair bill when something goes wrong with your car. Which is where car warranties come in.

Many people will assume that warranties are only available for vehicles bought from new or, if used, from a big dealer. But that’s not the case, as there are companies out there which will provide a warranty for virtually any car.

If you’ve owned it for years or only just bought it, if you got it from a dealer, bought it privately or picked it up at an auction, you can get a warranty on the phone or online very easily.

In general a warranty will cover you against the cost of parts and labour following a mechanical or electrical failure. According to the RAC Insure Cost of Motoring Index it costs mores than £1,000 a year in repair, breakdown and servicing costs for even the average family car, so it’s well worth considering.

With a warranty, you should be able to choose between an annual fee or small monthly payments, just like any insurance policy. The amount you will have to pay will depend on the model, how old the car is and its mileage.

You can expect to be covered for the cost of mechanical and electrical failure. You’ll want to check the small print though to see if wear and tear to a covered part and damage to an insured part caused by an uninsured part are also covered.

Some policies include a contribution towards recovery costs if a car breakdown is a result of failure of an insured part. Similarly, some policies include a contribution towards car hire if your car cannot be fixed quickly and may help with the cost of alternative travel such as coaches or trains.

Other policies may help with the cost of overnight accommodation. The golden rule is to shop around and study the small print as deals can vary widely.

Also remember that you still have the responsibility of maintaining your car. For example, car warranty firms may cover you for damage caused by the failure of a timing belt, but only as long as you can show you have had the belt changed at the recommended interval.

Luckily there is lots of choice online and it’s easy to compare deals for your make and model.