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Model specific boards => Golf mk5 => Topic started by: ILoveTuna on 15 April 2008, 15:07

Title: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: ILoveTuna on 15 April 2008, 15:07
Hi,

Not sure if anyone can help just had my first service at the dealers.

I brought my GTI in Febuary its an import and I am the second owner.

When I went to pick up the car they told me that there was a recall on the car to have the EUC updated. Which there is no charge for which was fine.

They also informed me that the headlight washers are not working and they need to look into it. As the car was first registered in the UK in April 07 I assumed that this would be covered under warranty but they said as the car was an import and build in 05 it was out of warranty??? Is this correct ? I am going to call VW UK to check this but assumed that the warranty would start when the car was first sold in the UK?

Any help welcome thanks,,,
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: Rollini on 15 April 2008, 15:18
hmm i thought the 2 years warranty started at the date of first reg.  :undecided:
i've got an import and got it 1st reg'ed as of 1st sept 07 (57 plate) - according to the handbook it was manufactured mid/late 2006.
When i got the car i contacted my local dealer to have my zenon's re-adjusted and they took all my personal details, the fact it was an import and the date of UK reg. the actual year/date of manufacture didn't come up and as far as i'm concerned my warranty will run till 31st Aug 09.

Let me know what they say.

Cheers
Iain
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: markymark on 15 April 2008, 15:20
As far as I understand things that is correct, the car being an import starts its warranty from its build date and only would have 2 years instead of 3 for UK cars.
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: ILoveTuna on 15 April 2008, 15:23
Yeah knew I only had two years warranty. Just didnt expect it would start from the manuafacture date. Unfair really as UK dealer supplied cars would also have a manufacture date well in advance of the first UK reg date.

Will call VW when I get home....
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: markymark on 15 April 2008, 15:27
Yeah I know its stinks, main reason why I opted to go for a UK car instead of an import. It wasnt till I asked a few questions on here and on uk-mkivs forum that I was told of this fact.
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: Rollini on 15 April 2008, 15:38
 :sad: Hmm i'm still pretty convinced that the 2 year warranty starts at date of first reg - imports don't have the 3rd year dealership warranty that UK cars do.
As a coincidence i picking up my GTI from the dealer in an hour as i had the boot handle replaced (white spidering affect) under warranty - now if what you say is true then they will charge me for this? i'll confirm with the guy when i get my keys.

Cheers
Iain
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: markymark on 15 April 2008, 15:42
:sad: Hmm i'm still pretty convinced that the 2 year warranty starts at date of first reg - imports don't have the 3rd year dealership warranty that UK cars do.
As a coincidence i picking up my GTI from the dealer in an hour as i had the boot handle replaced (white spidering affect) under warranty - now if what you say is true then they will charge me for this? i'll confirm with the guy when i get my keys.

Cheers
Iain

Lets hope im wrong! :undecided:
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: ILoveTuna on 15 April 2008, 15:47
Yeah let me know what they say. I am going to quiz VW later I would have thought it would start the date the car was sold from the foreign dealer to the importer.

We will see... Will be gutted if my warranty has run out as I thought i still had 12 months to run.
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: Rollini on 15 April 2008, 15:50
" General Conditions
All new Volkswagen passenger cars purchased from an Authorised Retailer in the United Kingdom qualify for a 3 year vehicle warranty consisting of a 2 year/unlimited mileage warranty and a 3rd year warranty with a 60,000 mile limitation.

...

This warranty will terminate on the anniversary of the third year from the date of original registration or at 60,000 miles, whichever is soonest.
"


I took this from the vw uk website warranty t & c's section - with regards to imports then its just the 2 year warranty that applies, but it does mention that it from the anniversay of original registration not manufacture.

Phew  :smiley:

Iain
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: farina on 15 April 2008, 16:20
Imports are warranted from the date the ordering dealer (i.e. the foreign dealer) gets the car - basically the PDI date at the supplying foreign dealer.  If it's been sat on a UK importer's forecourt for 12 months since the foreign dealer got it then it will in effect have 12 months warranty left.  That's why it's important to check when the foreign VW dealer who ordered the car got it.  I would say that build date and start of warranty would be in the same league as I'm sure the foreign dealer would get it soon after build.

The same goes for UK cars.  The warranty starts from the UK reg/PDI date.  UK supplied cars get an extra 'dealer' year 3 warranty on top of the manufacturers 2 years.
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: ILoveTuna on 15 April 2008, 16:28
Update!!

Not good news i am afraid!!  :cry: :cry: :cry:

Just called VW, they can check the date the car was first sold which it was to a German Dealer in September 05.

This means my warranty expired in September 07 5 months before I brought the car!! So I will have to pay for my headlight washer repair. This does not worry me too much as it shouldnt cost me more that a 100 quid.

The two things that do bother me are,

A. What if something major goes wrong!!  :cry: :cry:
B. What the hell was my car doing between September 05 and May 07 when it came into the UK????  :shocked: :shocked:

Still I suppose thats the chance you take with imports and why you pay 4K extra for UK sourced cars!!
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: Hurdy on 15 April 2008, 16:36
Some cars will literally sit in a paddock awaiting someone to buy them. I have seen imports with terrible corrosion inside the engine bay that are being sold as new imports, but have been sitting at dockside for 18 months. :sick:
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: ILoveTuna on 15 April 2008, 17:53
Some cars will literally sit in a paddock awaiting someone to buy them. I have seen imports with terrible corrosion inside the engine bay that are being sold as new imports, but have been sitting at dockside for 18 months. :sick:

Yeah thats what worries me!! Joy . :cry: :cry: :cry:
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: JonnyG on 15 April 2008, 18:19
Imports are warranted from the date the ordering dealer (i.e. the foreign dealer) gets the car - basically the PDI date at the supplying foreign dealer.  If it's been sat on a UK importer's forecourt for 12 months since the foreign dealer got it then it will in effect have 12 months warranty left. 

That's my understanding of it too. 

and, if for any reason this date is not clear / recorded / no PDI stamp etc.  ... then & only then will VW use the manufacturing date.

I think the lesson learnt for anyone considering an import is to check the PDI stamp and date very carefully, and if buying 2nd hand, confirm details with VW UK.
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: orca on 15 April 2008, 19:29
Out of interest, where did you buy the car from?

My GTI is an import but I got it new (it was built to order) and I've only got 2 years warranty.  No major problems with the buying process.  I'd be wary of buying a used import though.

That reminds me,  I still need to get mine registered with VWUK.  My local dealers said that you don't have to register imports anymore but I don't trust them (are they trying to con me out of my VW assistance?).
Title: Re: Warranty and Import help advice
Post by: ILoveTuna on 15 April 2008, 19:46
Didnt buy it from new. Brought it used. So i guess i should have checked out the warranty situation. But i just assumed i would get 2 years from date of first registration.

Point to note for anyone on here looking for an import!!