Thoughts on Extended Warranty and Service Plan

[Chief1337]

Thanks all - seen as I'm going to keep the car for 4-5 years the extended warranty makes perfect sense judging by the feedback in this thread.

The comments around the DSG gearbox make me slightly nervous!

[Chief1337]

Incidentally, is the warranty 'transferable' to a new owner ? Say for example if I sold the car in 4 years time and had a 5 year warranty could the 'new' owner benefit from the 12 months?

[Hawaii-Five-O]

One thing that does irk me quite a bit is the fact that most, if not all, of the so-called premium car manufactures (Audi, BMW, Merc, Mini, VW etc) only offer the standard 3 year warranty.

However Vauxhall offer Lifetime, Hyundai 5 years and Kia 7 years. That says to me that they have more confidence in their product. Even with the introduction of the Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty, a game changer in my eyes, it hasn't altered the premium boys attitude towards offering longer warranties. Pure arrogance if you ask me (i.e. they know they can get away with it).

Rant over

[CraigW]

One thing that does irk me quite a bit is the fact that most, if not all, of the so-called premium car manufactures (Audi, BMW, Merc, Mini, VW etc) only offer the standard 3 year warranty.

However Vauxhall offer Lifetime, Hyundai 5 years and Kia 7 years. That says to me that they have more confidence in their product. Even with the introduction of the Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty, a game changer in my eyes, it hasn't altered the premium boys attitude towards offering longer warranties. Pure arrogance if you ask me (i.e. they know they can get away with it).

Rant over

It's not that they offer better products, it's more that they need some sort of gimmick to lure people into these cars. I'm sure Vauxhall, Hyundai etc break down just as much as other manufacturers but because parts are so cheap they may as well give longer warranties

[mcmaddy]

VW service plan can be paid for monthly according to all the bumpf that comes through my door from them. warranty can be transferred but an admin fee needs to be paid.

[Snoopy]

It's not that they offer better products, it's more that they need some sort of gimmick to lure people into these cars. I'm sure Vauxhall, Hyundai etc break down just as much as other manufacturers but because parts are so cheap they may as well give longer warranties

At retail level maybe but at trade level or more appropriate at cost level there little if any difference. A close relative of mine works for a local dealership chain and theres little differences between the cost price of parts of all the manufacure brands in the group. Even then it would not be vwuk paying for it if it was a manufacturer backed warrenty.. As the VW group is so large and has huge buying power with companys like bosch, trw, hitachi etc etc the cost price would be as cheap. Open the bonnet of most makes and check the oem make of the parts most use the same companys.
Its down to simply brand image. Look at how poor vw is viewed in the usa were they will not except unreliable cars. Vw do poorly over there even when they have supplied german made cars for quite a few years now. KIA and hyundai do very well tl as do the Japanese brands and there Japanese posher brands. VW had to up there warrenty over there to help the image and still they are looked on as a cheap lowend budget brand.
Its all down to how a brand image is viewed and badge snobbery factor than anything else which is very sad state of affairs.

[Bill_the_Bear]

The comments around the DSG gearbox make me slightly nervous!

I wouldn't worry too much.  They sell a huge number of these boxes and they've been on the market for around 10 years now.  If failures were common we'd all know about it.

Of course like with the engine if you are the 1 in a million it happens to its gonna cost you a lot.

[Chief1337]

Went for the extended warranty (5 years), Service Plan and DSG in the end! Now the looong wait begins! :-)