How to Find Your Secret Car Warranty

The silent, secret or hidden warranty is a nice surprise for someone who has shelled out more than $15,000 for a new car. Here are things to know beyond your typical 3-year/30,000-mile manufacturer's warranty.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Warranty booklet
• Files for receipts

1. Read your warranty booklet and owner's manual carefully. Different items and systems on your car carry different time and mile limits on their warranties.

2. Be aware of the emissions warranty. This is federally regulated and is intended to make sure auto manufacturers are building adequate emissions systems. The warranty on parts in that system (catalytic converter, exhaust, fuel injectors, and certain wiring and vacuum hoses, for example) should be 5 years or 50,000 miles.

3. Document everything. This is the trick to taking advantage of any type of warranty.

4. Keep your receipts and make sure they show the date of purchase, installation or repair, and the mileage at the time.

Tips & Warnings

• If your car needs to be towed because of a failure of some part or system that is under warranty, most dealers will pay towing. They may also reimburse you if you had to have the repair done by someone other than an authorized dealer.
• Be aware that many dealers outside of the United States will not honor warranties on vehicles bought in the United States.

[emcguire]

on 11/10/2008 Everyone from dealers, to online sellers, to telemarketers are trying to push their own warranties. Look for the warranty that fits your needs the best, nor the company's for the best commission. Each plan offered by different companies are different, so do your homework, compare and shop- Erin McGuire, http://www.bestwarrantydeals.com

[Warranties4Less]

on 3/2/2008 Good point,

There are many quiet warranties, but it is up to the customer to push the service managers for a regional factory representative to come to dealer to evaluate claim, don't take your service managers word for it not being under warranty. Any expensive repair must be researched, and no better place to start than on the internet.

Warranties-For-Less.com