Warranty Wars: What Manufacturer Has Your Back When There Is A Problem?

Buying a car is a lot like dating, you scan your options, you find what you think you like and take it for a spin. But just like a relationship it takes two to make it work. While you may have committed to your choice, if your other half can’t commit then trouble may ensue.

 Study after study touts reliability as a major factor in the purchase process.  So while you do your part by selecting the best from the market, the best way to gage your other half may be their commitment to you.  The factory warranty.

 Taking this into account I assembled a table of all of the major players grouped them into categories so we can all see which manufacture has your back if trouble arises.

 Mainstream Manufacturers

 Our first category is arguably the most sensitive to having a solid warranty in the event of an issue.  A lot of manufactures toss around lengthy figures here in attempt to sway you, but this might just be a small portion of the equation.  Looking at the charts it is pretty clear the domestic manufacturers still don’t back their cars as well the competition.  Part of this is cost containment, part may simply be holding warranties to what they were a decade ago.  Either way buyer beware a short warranty may expose you to expensive repairs.

 A couple of items to note here maybe the statement that the Koreans are making by offering long basic warranties and powertrain warranties as well.  This can go a long way for the buyer on a budget concerned about repairs.

Premium Manufacturers

 Precision and luxury demand a far higher complexity level than our mainstream makers.  This complexity makes repairs expensive and time consuming.  While the buyer typically found in this market may have deeper pockets, many of the entry level buyers will still be sensitive to potential repair costs.  So the warranty is still a big factor.

 Basic warranties for all practical purposes are very similar; however powertrain warranty can vary by quite a degree.  Better use of materials my also factor in for longer corrosion protect and roadside assistance has been extended as well.  Actually Mercedes one ups everyone with unlimited roadside assistance for the life of the car.

Ultra Luxury Manufacturers

 It is safe to say that if you can afford these cars, repairs probably are not an issue, but it is interesting to note that a high price does not mean the warranty is standard.  I guess the biggest question here is why would Bentley only offer a 3 year warranty?

Exotic Manufacturers

The sky is the limit and warranty is purely academic here.  Price is rarely a factor so who cares?  Well you do I guess, because after all if you make the fastest cars on the planet shouldn’t the warranty be stellar as well?  Well by looking below I guess not if you own a Lambo.

Now don’t forget if you are in the market for a new car nothing beats being prepared. Part of your arsenal should be knowing where to buy, and the best place start your research on a great dealership would be dealerrater.com where you can you make an informed choice.

So if you like the car and you like the numbers then you may actually have found a match made in heaven for you.  If not hedge your bets and buy something close and hope a new model comes out and only then will you have eternal automotive happiness.

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Whelan - 3/12/2008 12:49:12 PM

+1 Boost

This is based off of new car ownership. I have only had certified pre-owned as I don't see the need to own something that depreciates so quickly in the first year. I typically buy cars 1-2 years old when I go looking. Not to mention you get a better warranty with CPO.

My 05 Matrix XR AWD came with 20k miles on it. Has a 7yr. 100k powertrain and 7 year unlimited roadside assist. Of course I have AAA that I would use mostly, but it's nice to have the backing.

Of which I already used when one of the vacuum lines in the intake throttle body was acting up. The Toyota dealer near my house is open till midnight all weeknights. So worrying about overnight drop offs and leaving work early to get in for next day service is not a worry. I drop it off at 8 or 9pm, they call me at 10pm with the problem, I come down, pickup a Corolla loaner free of charge, and after work the next day go pickup my car all covered under warranty.

Can't do much better than that considering my fiance's Jeep Liberty's service center is only open till 5 and no weekend hours period.

Hence I do mostly all the maintenance; brakes, oil, tranny, other fluids, and detailing on my own. Saves a bunch of $$$ and it's fun to get the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

good article!

Agent009 - 3/12/2008 1:18:20 PM

+1 Boost

You sound like me. Let someone else take that hit, then I will reap the rewards of ownership.

Agent009 - 3/12/2008 2:00:21 PM

0 Boost

The way to get around an issue, is to only buy a car when you can validate the service records. That saves tons of trouble with warranty.

Threepoint1415926 - 3/12/2008 2:27:22 PM

+1 Boost

I'm with you two. I've bought few vehicles brand new, those that I have were for what I consider largely personal taste reasons. Mostly, I buy used cars because I enjoy driving older cars but I also hate paying a premium that depreciates as soon as the car is driven off the lot. Any experienced used car buyer knows what to look for in buying used. There are subtle (and some not so subtle) signs everywhere that show what kind of driver used to wield the captain's chair.

EnnNorak - 3/12/2008 4:56:37 PM

+2 Boost

One has to look past the warranty provisions. It's one thing for manufacturers to offer great warranties, then turn around and save costs by building el-cheapo vehicles and price the reliability risk during the warranty period into what the customer pays for the product. It's quite another thing to enjoy a car that hardly ever breaks down

In the spring of 1991, I bought a new 1992 Grand Marquis with a 6-year rust perforation warranty. The oil pan rusted thru 2 weeks before the warranty was up which cost Ford 7 hours of labor because the engine had to be lifted up to remove it. I found out that the oil pan was only a little thicker than a thick tin can. Ford then turned around and changed the rust perforation warranty from 6 years to 5 years and for body panels only.

BTW, the same thing happened to the Ford truck owned by the guy that plowed my driveway in the winter.

I wish the manufacturers would simply make demonstrably more reliable cars instead of playing the warranty game. Even if you get work done "free" under warranty there is still personal inconvenience and a personal administrative cost involved -- there is no greater thief than one who steals your time.

85bmw745i - 3/13/2008 11:39:21 AM

+1 Boost

Why do you think Toyota and Honda haven't jumped on the 100k mile band wagon like GM, and worse that lifetime warranty is going to bankrupt Chrysler. That sounds like a last ditch effort before they shut down.

richard112360 - 3/13/2008 2:41:44 PM

+1 Boost

New car Depreciation hits some car manufacturers more than others.

FYI one of my Inlaws bought a new S500-MB for $80-90K and after driving it for 5 years with 20,000 miles took it into the MB stealership for a trade and dealer offered him $20,000. Stealership told him he could probably get a little more for it at Car max.

Heck a one or two year old used Toyota/Lexus or Honda will cost almost the same as a brand new one.

Ironman273 - 3/12/2008 12:56:46 PM

+11 Boost

Damn, what am I going to do on my 84th year with a Maybach if I get a flat tire?

Agent009 - 3/12/2008 1:18:55 PM

+7 Boost

83 years is an odd figure for a warranty

Hantra - 3/12/2008 3:48:43 PM

+10 Boost

83 is "lifetime". According to Wilhelm Maybach's life anyway.

He was 83 when he died.

EnnNorak - 3/12/2008 4:59:54 PM

-1 Boost

Ironman273, in your 84th year you are going to wish you would have waited until Maybach stops using SOHC 3-valve-per cylinder engines an starts using proper DOHC 4-valve-per-cylinder engines.

bmwman1963 - 3/12/2008 12:58:16 PM

+5 Boost

Two words, "BMW Assist". Free for the first 4 years of ownership and not to mention that BMW still offers free scheduled maint. for 4 years of 50,000 miles. I guess there is at least one car company that believes in it's products and customers.

Agent009 - 3/12/2008 1:20:19 PM

+7 Boost

And even brake pads and rotors are included, something rare in the industry.

They are almost always excluded from any warranty.

EnnNorak - 3/12/2008 5:00:44 PM

+2 Boost

Ironman273, in your 84th year you are going to wish you would have waited until Maybach stops using SOHC 3-valve-per cylinder engines an starts using proper DOHC 4-valve-per-cylinder engines.

EnnNorak - 3/12/2008 5:05:40 PM

+4 Boost

I have free scheduled maintenance on my leased Audi A6 Quattro in addition to full coverage during the 4-year warranty period. This was a Canada only marketing program. In this case I don't have to watch the dealer too closely but I have heard of cases where a guy goes in for an oil change and the oil filter never gets changed. Suggest you always put secret marks on parts that will be changed so you can check that the work is actually done. Car companies should set up their service areas behind large glass windows so that customers can monitor what the mechanics are actually doing.

EnnNorak - 3/12/2008 5:10:46 PM

+2 Boost

Agent 009, Audi has extremely thick brake pads which last a long time although I had my rear brake pads replaced free by Audi.

M35MT - 3/12/2008 1:03:51 PM

+2 Boost

I thought Chrysler had lifetime powertrain warranty...did they drop it already?

snatchandgrab - 3/12/2008 1:26:59 PM

+1 Boost

They still have it. It's actually unbelievable. I almost bought a Town and Country when I bought a mini van a couple of months ago.

Agent009 - 3/12/2008 1:29:36 PM

+1 Boost

The matrix I pulled that from didn't count it as lifetime because it is non transferable. I did however up date the chart to reflect it.

EnnNorak - 3/12/2008 5:08:39 PM

+2 Boost

A life-time warranty is only as good as the life of the company. One should also check what escape clauses lawyers may have written into the warranty provisions.

pushrod27 - 3/12/2008 6:24:09 PM

+2 Boost

Chrysler's lifetime warranty is a load of crap.

The Hemi V8 engine is excluded from the lifetime warranty program, as is the Viper V10 engine.

No Chrysler is even remotely close to worth buying if it is not equipped with a Hemi. Why the hell would I want a V6?

nybimmer - 3/12/2008 1:19:01 PM

+7 Boost

I don't think the years/mileage in the charts above tell the whole story. There are many manufacturers who may have seemingly lengthy warranty's but who really dicker and whine about paying/fixing certain things as the cars get up in years. I guess you'd expect that on a cheap car but in prestige makes its the worst.

A friend of mine had an Audi A8 where the center console got a little damp, when the car was 2 yrs old (the cupholders are stupidly located next to the MMI, parking brake, and various other electronic switches)and most of the electronic stuff shorted out and didn't work. Cost a lot to fix and dealer initially refused to pay for it.

Guy basically had to threaten to take Audi to court b/c if a company engineers a cupholder next to some switches, it is a fair assumption that it might get wet.

Bentley probably has 3-yr warranty b/c it (cont & flying spurs) will start to fall apart in yr 4 - car is basically a VW Phaeton/Audi A8

ghosthunter - 3/12/2008 8:44:15 PM

0 Boost

german engineering rarely cares about small things (which could be big if you stuck in traffic and forget about the driving dynamic), and that is why and how japanese cars are gaining market share and will continue to do so.

LexusKindaGuy12 - 3/12/2008 1:22:42 PM

-5 Boost

from personal experience, lexus generally fixes cars "under warranty" even if your warranty has expired. this may be only certain dealerships, but they have very good service

Threepoint1415926 - 3/12/2008 2:19:28 PM

+5 Boost

That depends largely on the dealer and the repair being covered. I know that with my BMW motorcycles, my dealer will fight for me to get certain known issues covered after warranty because they would like to keep me as a repeat customer. If your dealer doesn't know you and it's a problem they've never heard of before, good luck.

XYZZ - 3/13/2008 6:43:54 AM

0 Boost

it mite be toyota/lexus POLICY to keep customers happy.

i read in japan, they even do that for ordinary toyotas. should be a given with lexi.

of course those cars are super reliable anyway; free repairs are not likely to squeeze much out of company's profits.

CR has a chart of how much people foolish enuff to buy extended warranties, end up losing. just about NO ONE 'gains' by having their actual costs exceed the premium.

lexus owners lose the MOST. i.e., have the LEAST repair claims. followed by toyota, acura, hyundai, and mazda.

only jeep and pontiac owners lose nothing, getting as much on average from their warranty claims as what the paid for the extended warranties.

snatchandgrab - 3/12/2008 1:24:45 PM

+4 Boost

I love the BMW warranty, but right now you can't beat the Chrysler lifetime warranty.

bmwman1963 - 3/12/2008 1:30:28 PM

+3 Boost

It is just on the drivetrain, what about all the other gremlins that Chrysler is riddled with in the meantime? I have owned two and they were the absolute worst cars ever. Always in the shop and nothing was ever corrected. Never, Never again will I go with Chrysler.

Agent009 - 3/12/2008 1:58:11 PM

+4 Boost

Beware there are plenty of exclusions in there as well.

pushrod27 - 3/12/2008 6:27:28 PM

+4 Boost

The primary exclusion is the Hemi. Chrysler makes some shitty cars. If you ask me, the lifetime warranty and the Hemi V8 are the company's only redeeming qualities. How sad, then that they are mutually exclusive and cannot be enjoyed together.

Why would anyone want a Chrysler without a Hemi?

AMiodynski - 3/12/2008 1:42:52 PM

+1 Boost

Lexus will cover things after your normal warranty is expired but you better be a regualr customer. If you bought your car 4 years ago, and haven't set foot in the store to after your warranty has expired and now you suddenly have a problem, your outta luck.
But if you due your regualr maintnance service there, you should have no problem at all.

LexusKindaGuy12 - 3/12/2008 2:01:00 PM

+1 Boost

yes, i agree here. its not really a relationship with lexus itself, its a relationship between customer and service representative.

Whelan - 3/12/2008 3:20:07 PM

+1 Boost

I can speak from past experience and knowledge that not everyone stands by there warranties. I also take the time to go through several of my own checks on a used car before buying. AND I make sure to buy them Certified Pre Owned, not from Al's Used Cars down the street. That way I know it is a Toyota CPO from a Toyota dealer so I'm well covered.

As for my past experience. My last car was a 2002 Honda Civic EX Coupe; 5 speed, moonroof, spoiler, 127 VTec engine, fantastic car to own, but sucked in the winter. I bought it with 6,000 miles on it in 2003 for 15,700. Brand new would have cost me 20k. My friend new the salesman and I really got a steal.

I did all the maintenance to the vehicle with no worry and have a 7yr 100k bumper to bumper I added to it just to be safe. Yeah, last Honda I'll ever own personally. At around 65,000 miles my oil lamp went on. Apparently I have literally two quarts down. I topped it up and brought it to the dealer to check it. They found nothing wrong, no smoke, no leaks, nada. I will also mention throughout this whole time that They never offered me a loaner vehicle.

Moving on, I would go back to them once a week, yes I had to get myself to the dealership between 830am and 5pm once a week somehow (while working full time) to have them check my dipstick and mark it on a piece of paper. Then they would top off the car and see me next week. Finally after almost 3 months they concurred that my car was burning oil. How fast do you say? at the rate of about 1 quart a month. To me that was a lot of oil. They could not identify where the issue was but they contacted Honda of America to see if my warranty covered the issue which I was assured by the techs and advisors that it shouldn't be a problem. The amount even boggled their minds as being high. So after contacting Honda of America, what do I get back.

"We are sorry for your inconvenience, but given your current situation, Honda of America will not cover the work needed on your vehicle unless an issue is found internally with a part that needs replacing. The generally accepted amount of oil consumption for your vehicle is above what your current consumption is"

Basically according to Honda, burning 1 quart of oil every month is considered Normal wear and tear!?!?!?

BS! So I gave up on them, the dealer said that in order to find the problem they needed to tear the engine down to get to the piston rings and such cause they felt that was where the problem was. Well, if they found it and turns out it is covered, Honda would pay for everything. If not, then I would have to pay for my engine to be taken apart and put back together at a cost of almost $1100. I politely told them to go F themselves, and two months later sold the car.

I know what your saying, did I tell the new owner, why should I, according to Honda, nothing was wrong with it. Besides he had another 25k on the warranty that I transferred to him so if he had a pr

M35MT - 3/12/2008 3:42:41 PM

+1 Boost

You made the right choice - buyer beware.

Hantra - 3/12/2008 3:54:35 PM

+1 Boost

Speaking of no loaner. . . is it just me or. .

Wvery single time I need a loaner at the BMW place, I gotta make an appointment like 3 weeks in advance.

If I have a warning light come on that could be bad, and I take it in immediately, NO LOANER. "Sorry, we don't have any. But if you wanna bring it back second Tuesday of the third week from now. . . . ".

Seems to me that if people can make an appointment 3 weeks in advance, they can find a freaking ride. People that need loaners are the ones who have something catastrophic, and sudden.

I'm not advocating NO loaners for appointments. Just saying they should always have a couple on hand for those who are in dire need.

/rant

bmwman1963 - 3/12/2008 4:23:04 PM

+1 Boost

Never been a problem at my dealership. Always have me a loaner, no matter what the problem. No three week wait either.

07G35J - 3/12/2008 5:13:34 PM

+6 Boost

I've never had a problem getting a loaner at my local Infiniti dealer. I always get one, even if it's only an oil change.

XYZZ - 3/20/2008 3:17:22 AM

+1 Boost

the people MOST warranty conscious are the ones who've owned crappy cars that NEEDED warranty work. and REPAIR issues before and after the warranty expired.

most honda and toyota owners don't give a crap about warranty lengths. these cars are very much like electronic gear: if nothing goes wrong in the 1st 30 days, likely NOTHING WILL.

the only claim i EVER put in for on the last new toyota i bought, was for a $12 thermostat. on subsequent used toyotas, i've had ZERO issues with part failures.

it has been COMMON INDUSTRY PRACTICE to offer super long warranties, to boost consumer confidence when the PRODUCTS THEMSELVES had a crappy reputation earlier. toyota has NEVER had to play that game.

XYZZ - 3/20/2008 3:21:53 AM

+1 Boost

"the people MOST warranty conscious are the ones who've owned crappy cars..."

should add: the people MOST warranty conscious are the ones who've BUILT crappy cars at one time.

S4cabriofoxone - 3/12/2008 5:08:28 PM

+1 Boost

LOL, compare the Aston Martin powertrain warranty to Lamborghini's.

What am I to do when I put 1,000,000 miles on the Volante?

silver1 - 3/12/2008 6:49:16 PM

+1 Boost

I should get me a bentley. It's the only Untra Luxury car in the U.S. that has unlimted miles on warranty....Meaning if I was to put 200,000 miles on my bentley, in 2 1/2 years it's covered from bumper to bumper....COOL!

ceric - 3/12/2008 10:00:24 PM

+2 Boost

The data on Mazda is wrong
Before 2006: 4yr/50K Basic and power train
After 2007: 3yr/36K Basic, 5yr/60K power train

DiamondJim - 3/12/2008 11:18:10 PM

+1 Boost

classic tables, thank you.....