Whether you’re purchasing a car new or second-hand, the motor warranty should be at the forefront of the conversation. How long is it valid for? Which car parts are covered? We take a look at some facts about motor warranty plans in South Africa that you may not have considered before.
1. Check service history
When purchasing a car second-hand, dive into the service plan booklet and get in the know about your future car’s service history. If it’s due for its next service soon, see if the dealer is willing to complete the service. This should be the case, provided you approach them before the deadline for the service. Service intervals may vary, so make sure you are well-versed in the terms and conditions of your motor warranty. Some of these agreements stipulate that a vehicle must be serviced every 10,000km – 15,000km or every 12 months, whichever comes first. Diesel-powered vehicles should be serviced every 10,000km.
2. Your insurer might not cover the full amount
Remember that your warranty agreement is only there to “assist” in the cost of repairing your car after a mechanical breakdown. Like any form of insurance (and motor warranty is essentially mechanical breakdown insurance), the cost may be more than your pay-out (which is based on your monthly premium) can cover. While a good motor warranty can save you a lot of money and trouble in the event of a breakdown, it’s always a good idea to have some money tucked away in case the repairs needed cost more than what your insurance agreement can cover.
3. Your motor warranty could be voided if you replace parts yourself
No matter how good an amateur mechanic you think you are, do not try to perform a service on your car yourself. You many have heard that you can save some change by performing your own oil change. Don’t do this. Servicing your car yourself can complicate your claim, since your insurer can’t be sure whether the damage is the fault of you or the manufacturer.
4. You can only claim for one incident at a time
If you’re making a claim for your car’s CV joints, for instance, you’re not allowed to also claim for the airflow meter too. Unless the components being operated on depend on each other in order to function, you can’t make more than one claim per incident.
5. Motor warranty is not the same as a maintenance plan
We’ve covered the difference between motor warranty and motor plan on this website. The short version is that a warranty and a motor plan are not at all the same products. A car’s warranty assists in cover the costs of a mechanical breakdown. A maintenance plan, on the other hand, also covers general maintenance. Ideally, this breakdown insurance should be paired with a service plan in order to cover all your car’s little accidents.
If you don’t have a motor warranty to your car’s name already, let us help you find the best for your budget. We take care of the legwork around getting motor warranty quotes for your to compare. Interested? Apply for a quote today!