Auto Warranties : Making Sure you are Legally Protected

How much have you thought about auto warranties. Ah, another over looked category, which could save you possibly thousands of dollars if researched correctly. There are instances, where the manufaturer and/or the seller of the vehicle have a legal obligation to guarantee its operation for a specified period of time.

New and used vehicles have different legalities which surround them. Aside from the legal obligations, options are in abundance when it comes to making a purchase for an extended warranty or service package.

Pre-owned auto warranties come in two categories, expressed warranties and implied. The implied or "legal" warranty is your true protector and is enforced through judicial discretion.

The expressed or written warranty can come from both the manufacturer and the seller of a pre-owned vehicle.

There is the factory warranty. This is both the "bumper to bumper" or comprehensive warranty and the powertrain warranty which are written in the owners manual. Also, there are legal extended guarantees applied to all vehicles from the sellers (30 days etc).

The comprehensive warranty will cover most components on the vehicle aside from wear items. Wear items are items such as brake shoes or pads and tires. Keep in mind though, there are also warranties which cover those items from defects under normal use.

The expressed auto warranties unfortunately can many times be inundated with loop holes and grey areas. Some common excuses for not honoring these claims are "thats regular wear and tear", "its rusting outside in not inside out", "it passed the government certification".

Luckily, even if you have purchased a vehicle with an "as is" inclusion the judicial system will often side on your favor because of these two leagal concepts:

1.The vehicle must meet the needs for which it was purchased

2.The vehicle must be of saleable quality when purchased

Using the expressed warranty will most times assist you with repairs which need to be made from defects. Even if you are regrettably caught up in one of the various excuses for not honoring the expressed warranty, you still have your hidden ace, the implied warranty.

The implied auto warranties are an essential legal principle for the car buying public. These principles are supported by most federal laws and it aids the consumer from falling victim to indiscernible defects or problems.

Manufacturers and dealers are held to the implied warranty principles whereas private sellers may not be. Industry professionals are expected to have enough knowledge to discern what defects or problems may occur in the forseeable future. This way you can be certain of reasonable durability or lifespan of not just vehicles but there components also, when you are purchasing from a dealership.

How long should most parts last? Durability will range from 1 year and 20000kms for alignment to the lifetime of the vehicle, yes lifetime, for airbags.

Purchasing an extended service or warranty package for your new purchase may allow you the comfort of extra protection. Dealers love to sell these packages which can occasionally be marked up by more then 80-120% of the actual cost to the dealer .

Make sure you do your research on the various auto warranties and extended aftermarket contracts.

An extended warranty may be purchased at the time you purchase a vehicle or it is also possible to purchase one much further along in the ownership of the vehicle. If you're the type of consumer who believes in Murphy's Law, picking the best extended car warranties could be the fix for your anxiety. Even if you believe in the immortality of the major components, keep in mind the ever-increasing cost of vehicle repairs. For this reason these contracts can make a lot of sense.

I have included a few links to some of the extended service providers I have found to offer the best prices and have the reputation I am comfortable in recommending. Whether you decide to purchase an extended service contract or rely on the factory warranties , we will do our due diligence in assisting you with your decision.