The term ‘car warranty’ refers to standard mechanical breakdown insurance, and it has been designed to protect you and your vehicle against unforeseen faults and damages.
This is often something that we take for granted as motorists, particularly as new vehicles are purchased with a manufacturers’ warranty that usually provides coverage for up to three years (or even longer depending on your preferred make and model).
In instances where this coverage expires or you invest in a used car, however, you may find yourself driving around without any protection in the event of a breakdown. In this post, we’ll consider this further whilst appraising the three main benefits of securing a third-party warranty for your car.
- Protect Your Car for a Longer Period of Time
As we’ve already said, the typical manufacturer’s warranty on new cars lasts for three years on average (although some brands such as Kia and Hyundai provide guarantees over an extended period of time in most instances).
This will expire before you know it, however, whilst buying a used vehicle that’s more than three years old will also leave you at the mercy of any unexpected mechanical breakdowns and often at the worst possible times.
With this in mind, seeking out a warranty from a third-party provider like ALA can provide additional coverage that protects your vehicles for a far longer period.
Ultimately, this type of agreement can provide coverage for as long as you need, reducing the cost of long-term repairs in the process.
- The Best Value Warranties Provide Long-term Cash Savings
If you do decide to invest in a used car warranty through a third-party, it’s important to compare the market and ensure that you achieve genuine value for your hard-earned money.
After all, not all warranties are created equal, and it’s important that the cost of this guarantee isn’t significantly higher than future maintenance costs.
At the lower end of the scale, for example, the most competitively priced warranties are around £100 more expensive that the average repair cost. This makes for excellent value in general terms, particularly as vehicles are likely to require a higher frequency of repairs as they continue to age.
However, some warranties cost considerably more, and you need to consider the precise terms of the guarantee if you’re to realise the benefits of such an agreement.
- Warranties Encourage you to Seek Out Repairs and Create Safer Roads
In some cases, the cost of repairing your car (particularly older vehicles) can be both prohibitive and off-putting to drivers.
However, given that the most comprehensive used car and third-party warranties provide coverage for even relatively small repairs (such as faulty warning lights), they encourage motorists to fix these seemingly small issues with a far greater sense of urgency.
This undoubtedly contributes to safer and more roadworthy vehicles, which receive regular maintenance on a scheduled and unscheduled basis.
In instances where warranties aren’t in place, you may avoid seeking out repairs to the detriment of the vehicle and at the risk of incurring far greater costs in the future.