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Dealer Warranty on secondhand cars
Jasper - 28/3/12 at 11:38 AM

I notice lokoing around for a secondhand car that some dealers offer 3 months, while others offer 6 or more.

Now one dealer told me legally they HAD to give 6 month warranty, and to insist on it from any dealer.

Anybody know if this is true?

[Edited on 28/3/12 by Jasper]

ash_hammond - 28/3/12 at 11:44 AM

All I will say is.. If its the AA 5 Star warranty its not worth the paper its written on.

loggyboy - 28/3/12 at 11:46 AM

Any car sold by a 'trader' has a statuary 3 month warranty on engine and gearbox.
Any post manufacturer warranty is likely to just be outsourced to a warranty company by the dealer, which anyone can buy themselves and will just be loaded on the price you pay from the trader/dealer!

edsco - 28/3/12 at 11:48 AM

+1 for loggyboy comment

Jasper - 28/3/12 at 11:52 AM

Cheers chaps, so it's 3 months then .....

loggyboy - 28/3/12 at 11:54 AM

HOLD ON thought i best google it, it might acctualy be an urban myth! http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=49548
lol sorry!

slingshot2000 - 28/3/12 at 11:56 AM

As I understand it from Durham County Trading Standards officers it is 6months warranty.

Kind regards
Jon

britishtrident - 28/3/12 at 12:03 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ash_hammond
All I will say is.. If its the AA 5 Star warranty its not worth the paper its written on.



Amazing what is deemed "service part" these days ---- especially by the Arnold CLark Empire

Theshed - 28/3/12 at 01:17 PM

There is no requirement whatsoever to give a (extra) warranty - all else is myth. You are however protected by the statutory implied warranty that the goods are of satisfactory quality. That cannot be excluded in a sale by a trader to a consumer.

I suspect the reference to 6 months is a reference to the fact that if a car (or other goods) develops a fault within 6 months then a court will assume that the fault was present at sale unless the dealer proves to the contrary.

Ninehigh - 28/3/12 at 05:16 PM

Yeah do be aware of what the warranty covers, last time I had to go through this they confirmed in the end that it covered two things.

The engine spontaneously dropping out and
The engine spontaneously exploding

motorcycle_mayhem - 28/3/12 at 06:47 PM

So that 2nd hand Sexy Saxo or MX5 that you'd buy to take to a track day....

So - HOW therefore can a dealer advertise cars as "taken as P/X, to clear, no warranty"..... hmmm? Interesting this sale of goods act methinks..

morcus - 29/3/12 at 02:36 AM

Technically they can't. If you bought a car like that from a dealer and it broke down on the way home he'd have to sort it out. THIS page from Direct.gov clearly states that it's illegal for you to accept the terms of such a sale and still have the full rights you'd have buying a more expensive car, it also says it aplies to dealers posing as private sellers.

thefreak - 29/3/12 at 06:40 AM

Most 2nd hand car warranties aren't worth anything. I've had 2 now from different companies. VGS/Warranty Services Direct or whatever they're called this week.
Aparently the turbo on a Mk4 Golf diesel isn't covered under warranty, or the brake light switch, or the head gasket.
Bunch of rip off cowboys. My advice... ask for a discount for not taking out the warranty (must be around £3-500 I think) and put that in an account somewhere for if/when the car breaks.