New Car Warranties - What They Include And Don’t

New car warranties now offer broader protection with extended powertrain and basic coverage. Check the key inclusions, exclusions, and how a well-informed warranty choice can cut down repair expenses.

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The new automobile warranties have improved significantly during the last five years. Big automakers are producing cars with better warranty features that are luring buyers in.

One example is when Chevrolet announced that the new Volt plug-in electric car will come with an 8-year, 80,000-mile guarantee. This soon-to-be-unveiled vehicle's batteries are covered by warranty.

You should be aware of the benefits and limitations of new car warranties, especially since the offerings seem quite promising. Here, we examine a few of these details.

New Car Warranty Coverages:

In the past, the majority of automakers provided new car models with warranties of three years or three6,000 miles. With longer-term warranties covering the engine, gearbox, and other powertrain components, this has changed in the modern era. Large players in the industry, such as General Motors and Chrysler, offer 100,000 miles or five years of powertrain coverage.

Ford is comparable to most other automakers in that it offers a warranty of five years or 60,000 miles. Hyundai is credited with igniting this new wave of competition in the 1990s, and they are still offering their 10-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

  1. The majority of the vehicle's components, including the stereo system, air conditioning, and electrical fixtures, are covered under the basic coverage, or bumper-to-bumper guarantee. While certain luxury manufacturers may allow for an extended warranty, most warranties have a maximum of three years and three 6,000 miles.
  2. The powertrain coverage is the most important aspect of your warranty. This component covers potentially expensive gearbox and engine repairs.
  3. Roadside assistance for support during the breakdown of a car was initially only provided for luxury brands. This has, however, been added to the ambit of most warranties today.
  4. Warranties also include protection against rust for body parts. However, this is a rare occurrence in modern vehicles.
  5. You can avoid buying pricey extended warranties from new-car dealers if your vehicle is covered by comprehensive basic and powertrain warranties.

New Car Warranty Exclusions:

Most of the regular warranties do not include maintenance consumables like windshield wipers, oil changes and brake linings. But these options may be available to luxury cars in the market today.

When you are already in possession of a new vehicle with robust warranty, you need to observe the following steps:

  1. Review the coverage - Read the owner's manual from cover to cover, especially if you need to make an expensive repair. You can check to see whether this is included in the handbook even if the dealer won't accept specific items as being a part of the powerplant. If you want further information, you can also give the car manufacturer a call.
  2. Check what is covered in hybrid warranties - The pricey battery and other hybrid components may be covered differently if the car you purchase is a gas-electric hybrid.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 In summary, it is important to familiarise yourself with your warranty coverage, as it would be useful at the time of claims.
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