service costs!!!

[sparky Paul]

Personally I think expecting any car maker to repair a droplink on a 9 year old car is stretching it,  they have no control over how the car is used and it may be regularly used in an area where the roads are littered with speed bumps or potholes

So why pay for a warranty package, which is in effect an insurance policy against mechanical failure? What other parts wouldn't be covered because they are 9 years old?

We are not talking about a manufacturer's warranty here.

[culzean]

Personally I think expecting any car maker to repair a droplink on a 9 year old car is stretching it,  they have no control over how the car is used and it may be regularly used in an area where the roads are littered with speed bumps or potholes

So why pay for a warranty package, which is in effect an insurance policy against mechanical failure? What other parts wouldn't be covered because they are 9 years old?

We are not talking about a manufacturer's warranty here.

I have never taken an extra warranty on anything I have owned,  but then again I look on extended warranties as a waste of money given the high quality of pretty much everything you can buy these days,  I can remember when some engines would need a re-bore at 40,000 not go on to do 200,000 without a problem.

[ColinS]

Personally I think expecting any car maker to repair a droplink on a 9 year old car is stretching it,  they have no control over how the car is used and it may be regularly used in an area where the roads are littered with speed bumps or potholes

So why pay for a warranty package, which is in effect an insurance policy against mechanical failure? What other parts wouldn't be covered because they are 9 years old?

We are not talking about a manufacturer's warranty here.

That is a most valid point.

The last extended warranty I had was 10 years ago on a CR-V.  Saved me £2.5k on a seized up central diff.  Repair costs are so high now on modern cars, in my opinion extended warranties are a good insurance, as long as you read the small print.

As far as the OP is concerned, I think it is disgraceful that they are trying to get out of repairing this under warranty.

[culzean]

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/new-and-used-cars/article/should-you-buy-a-used-car-warranty

Most advice sites will tell you getting a warranty package is a waste of money, they are a nice earner for the people who sell them though. The exclusions normally cover anything that is likely to go wrong anyway ( these warranties are sold by hard headed companies not charities ).

[sparky Paul]

Looking at the documents for the Honda 'warranty' that came with ours, it think the relevant bit is the first exclusion,

"a) Replacement of parts that have reached the end of their effective working life because of age and/or usage are not covered."

...which of course is a bit of a catch all. If a part fails, it can always be argued that it must have reached the end of it's effective working life.

The only specific exclusions I can see are

"b) Items which can be expected to wear as part of their normal function* (such as, but not limited to, brake friction surfaces, wiper blades, tyres, bulbs, fuses, headlight adjustment, auxiliary drive belts, wheel alignment or tracking when not required as part of an authorised repair)."

* doesn't that cover most of the car?

and...

"g) Batteries, LEDs, exhaust systems and airbags."

Airbags not covered? What's that all about?


I'm not sure if the OP has the same warranty wording, as this came with a used one, but I'm guessing it will be something similar.

[sparky Paul]

I have never taken an extra warranty on anything I have owned,  but then again I look on extended warranties as a waste of money given the high quality of pretty much everything you can buy these days,  I can remember when some engines would need a re-bore at 40,000 not go on to do 200,000 without a problem.

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/new-and-used-cars/article/should-you-buy-a-used-car-warranty

Most advice sites will tell you getting a warranty package is a waste of money, they are a nice earner for the people who sell them though. The exclusions normally cover anything that is likely to go wrong anyway ( these warranties are sold by hard headed companies not charities ).

I absolutely agree, but the flannel the dealers give you before they get their hands on your money has to be heard to be believed. When we bought this one, there was an advisory on the MOT for corrosion on the exhaust, when I told the other half to question it, they just told her that it would be covered on the warranty if it was a problem. Which it quite patently is not.

As it happens, it turned out to be the tiniest trace of rust staining coming from the side seam... someone looking for work, me thinks. The car is pretty much spotless underneath.

[Rory]

So why pay for a warranty package, which is in effect an insurance policy against mechanical failure? What other parts wouldn't be covered because they are 9 years old?

We are not talking about a manufacturer's warranty here.

It's the "mechanical failure" but which is crucial.  The drop link won't have mechanically failed, it's worn out.   It might not even be fully worn out, it might be just worn a bit, but main dealers like to pick up on everything that isn't factory fresh. 

Really, having a 9yr old car serviced and maintained at a dealership is asking for trouble (appreciate the car in question has a service package though).

[sparky Paul]

So why pay for a warranty package, which is in effect an insurance policy against mechanical failure? What other parts wouldn't be covered because they are 9 years old?

We are not talking about a manufacturer's warranty here.

It's the "mechanical failure" but which is crucial.  The drop link won't have mechanically failed, it's worn out.   It might not even be fully worn out, it might be just worn a bit, but main dealers like to pick up on everything that isn't factory fresh. 

Personally, I would call that a mechanical failure. It's not something like tyres, brake pads, or a clutch plate, which are genuinely consumable items.

If you accept that a droplink is a consumable item, you have to accept that the same must apply to every other part of the suspension, or indeed every bearing, bush, joint, etc., on the car. Where does it end?

[peteo48]

I have only bought an extended warranty once and that was on my 2005 1.9TDI Golf. There had been so many issues in the first year of ownership I was spooked but chopping the car in after only 12 months was not economically viable for me at the time.

The warranty I got was from Warranty Direct. It was cheaper than the extended warranty that VW offered. All I can say is that in the 2 years I had the warranty I paid out far less for the warranty than I would have done for the repairs including the ABS system, two snapped coil springs and a broken cruise control.

That's the only time I've taken out a warranty because, generally, I agree with Culzean on this issue. I haven't bought anything German so I haven't needed one!

[madasafish]

In 2001 I bought a 3 year old Audi A4 TDI and had an Audi warranty for 12 months.. In that time it had:
new front suspension top balljoints
new catalyst
new air conditioning condenser.
The dealer costs were around £2k+
In the next 12 months I apid for:
new battery
new cambelt and tensioner,,(new 12 monthss before when I bought the car)

I sold it as a money pit.
So if you are buying a secondhand German made car, a dealer warrnty is worthwhile as they are so unreliable.

I did not bother with Toyota and Honda  later cars as they are too reliable .(for a warranty costing me £££s to make sense)

[culzean]

In 2001 I bought a 3 year old Audi A4 TDI and had an Audi warranty for 12 months.. In that time it had:
new front suspension top balljoints
new catalyst
new air conditioning condenser.
The dealer costs were around £2k+
In the next 12 months I apid for:
new battery
new cambelt and tensioner,,(new 12 monthss before when I bought the car)

I sold it as a money pit.
So if you are buying a secondhand German made car, a dealer warrnty is worthwhile as they are so unreliable.

I did not bother with Toyota and Honda  later cars as they are too reliable .(for a warranty costing me £££s to make sense)

Sadly this is a scenario I have seen in our family with even pretty new German cars, they have tried them, been disappointed and gone back to Japanese...  IMHO German car makers have lost the plot and are living on their past reputation.

[ColinS]

IMHO German car makers have lost the plot and are living on their past reputation.

Sadly people are still buying them based on their past reputation.

[peteo48]

When I had my Golf I cam across a very knowledgeable guy on the internet - Stuart Dalby. He outlines in incredible detail every single event with his cars - every fuel up - every oil change - every new wiper blade - you get the picture. He changed his Golf for another one a few years ago and it's fair to say he is a VW fan. This newer car has had a catalogue of issues.

I was also a member of a VW/Audi forum and I got some quite unpleasant feedback from members as I catalogued my woes. "Oh no - here we go again - more whingeing." and, remarkably, "why don't you piss off and buy a Japanese tin can."

I wonder if drivers of German cars think that the level of unreliability is somehow normal?

I've had more than one German car and the sense I get is that they have indeed lost the plot. They weren't always this bad.

[Rory]

So why pay for a warranty package, which is in effect an insurance policy against mechanical failure? What other parts wouldn't be covered because they are 9 years old?

We are not talking about a manufacturer's warranty here.

It's the "mechanical failure" but which is crucial.  The drop link won't have mechanically failed, it's worn out.   It might not even be fully worn out, it might be just worn a bit, but main dealers like to pick up on everything that isn't factory fresh. 

Personally, I would call that a mechanical failure. It's not something like tyres, brake pads, or a clutch plate, which are genuinely consumable items.

If you accept that a droplink is a consumable item, you have to accept that the same must apply to every other part of the suspension, or indeed every bearing, bush, joint, etc., on the car. Where does it end?

Droplink is such a routine item, Honda even list it here:  https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/owners/repairs.html

Of course bearings, bushes and joints are wear and tear items!  Springs seem to be going that way too.

[guest4871]

That link says £50 to change the pollen filter!?!?! Or have I misread it?