Understanding warranties
What is a used car warranty?
A used car warranty can help manage the cost of unexpected repairs once the manufacturer’s warranty has ended. It may be provided with a used vehicle or purchased direct through an extended warranty provider.
How does a used car warranty work?
If your vehicle develops an unexpected mechanical or electrical issue, contact your warranty provider before arranging any repair work. A garage will usually need to diagnose the problem so the repair request can be assessed against the warranty plan.
You can see how the Warrantywise repair process works here.
What can a used car warranty include?
A used car warranty can include specified mechanical and electrical components, but what is included varies between providers and plans. Limits, exclusions and conditions may also apply.
For a Warrantywise plan, your plan schedule and plan book explain the components and add-ons listed in your plan, together with limits, exclusions and conditions. If you’re unsure whether a particular component is listed, check your plan documentation or contact us to confirm.
What isn’t usually included in a used car warranty?
Used car warranties don’t include every component, type of deterioration or repair. Depending on the provider and plan, exclusions or limitations may apply to areas such as:
- General wear and tear
- Rust and corrosion
- Accident damage or negligence
- Parts listed on a previous MOT advisory
- Missed servicing or maintenance
- Repairs carried out without authorisation
Always check the warranty plan carefully to understand what is and isn’t included, as well as any conditions and limitations that may affect your plan.
Choosing a used car warranty
Is a used car warranty right for me?
Whether a used car warranty is right for you depends on your vehicle, how long you plan to keep it, your budget and how you would prefer to manage unexpected repair costs.
Before deciding, consider:
- The cost of the warranty
- Any plan limits and conditions
- Your vehicle and how long you plan to keep it
- How you would manage the cost of an unexpected repair
Some motorists choose to pay for repairs themselves if something goes wrong. Others prefer the additional support of a warranty plan once their manufacturer’s warranty has ended.
What should I check before buying a used car warranty?
Before choosing a used car warranty, check what the plan includes, the exclusions and limits that apply, and any requirements you’ll need to follow.
It can be useful to check:
- Which components are listed in the plan
- Exclusions and circumstances where a repair may not be eligible
- Vehicle age and mileage requirements
- Servicing and maintenance requirements
- Repair value and labour rate limits
- Whether you can choose your own garage
- How diagnostic costs are handled
- How repair requests are assessed
It’s also important to understand what will be expected of you once the warranty is in place.
Depending on the provider and plan, you may need to keep your vehicle serviced in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations, report issues within a specified timeframe and contact the warranty provider before repair work begins.
For Warrantywise plans, you’ll need to keep your vehicle serviced and maintained in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations and contact us before any repair work begins. You may also need to provide information such as service history or mileage evidence so a repair request can be assessed.
Other requirements may apply, so always check your plan documentation for the full terms and conditions.
What should I look for in a used car warranty provider?
When choosing a used car warranty provider, look for clear information about how its warranties work, what its plans include and the terms and requirements that apply.
- Clear plan documentation: you should be able to understand what is listed in the plan, what isn’t, the limits that apply and any requirements you need to follow
- Customer reviews: look at recent feedback from customers across independent review platforms as well as information provided by the company itself
- Years of experience: check how long the provider has been operating and its experience in the used car warranty market
For more information, you can read our dedicated blog on what to consider when choosing a used car warranty.
Good to know.
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A manufacturer’s warranty is usually provided with a new vehicle and lasts for a set period or mileage limit, with terms determined by the manufacturer.
An extended warranty can help manage the cost of eligible unexpected mechanical or electrical repairs after the manufacturer’s warranty ends.
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The length of a used car warranty varies by provider. Plans may be available on a monthly basis or for a fixed period.
Warrantywise plans are available monthly or for fixed terms of 12, 24 or 36 months, depending on the plan and vehicle.
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Yes. Warranty providers may set age and mileage limits, and these can vary depending on the provider and the type of plan.
With Warrantywise, the plan available to you will depend on factors including your vehicle’s age and mileage. Typically, our standard warranty plans are available for vehicles up to 15 years old and 150,000 miles, with separate warranty options available for classic cars.
How Warrantywise works
How do Warrantywise warranties work?
Warrantywise offers discretionary warranty plans. If your vehicle develops an issue, you need to contact us before any repair work begins so the problem can be diagnosed and a repair request submitted.
What is a discretionary warranty?
A discretionary warranty means each repair request is assessed individually based on the plan level and information available, rather than using an automated system. This allows the full context of each request to be considered before a decision is made.
Each repair request is assessed individually against the terms of your plan. If a repair is authorised, we will confirm in writing before the garage starts the agreed work.
Your plan book and schedule explain the components listed in your plan, along with the applicable limits, exclusions and conditions.
Thinking about your vehicle’s reliability?
Reliability can vary considerably between makes and models. The Warrantywise Reliability Index uses real-world Warrantywise repair request data to compare how different used vehicles have performed.
Using around 1.6 million data points from vehicles aged three to fifteen years, the Reliability Index considers factors including repair frequency, vehicle age and mileage, and labour time.
Explore the real-world repair data in our Warrantywise Reliability Index here.
Looking for your Warrantywise plan documents?
Your plan documentation explains the components listed in your plan, together with the limits, exclusions, conditions and requirements that apply.
Warranty FAQs.
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A used car warranty can help manage the cost of unexpected repairs after a manufacturer’s warranty ends. Warranty plans vary, so check the plan documentation carefully for listed components, exclusions, repair limits and any conditions you need to follow.
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An extended warranty can help you manage the cost of mechanical or electrical repairs once the manufacturer’s warrant has ended. Add-ons such as breakdown recovery, car hire or onward travel may also be available depending on the plan level.
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A discretionary warranty means each repair request is assessed individually, based on its particular circumstances rather than relying on automated systems. This allows the full context of each request to be considered before a decision is made.
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The warranty plan options available to you will depend on factors such as your vehicle’s age and mileage. You can then tailor selected features and limits to reflect your needs and budget.
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Warrantywise plans may be available monthly or for fixed terms of 12, 24 or 36 months. The terms and prices available for your vehicle will be shown in your quotation.