Warranty deals - worthwhile?

[neil stevenson]

Remember: insurance companies are all likely to make you pregnant... well, that's what happens when you get shafted, innit?! (BTW thanks to Jeremy Clarkson for that one-liner )

Pete[/QUOTE]

Even if they do make you pregnant, just remember they can't make you love it.

Originally Posted by neil stevenson

Even if they do make you pregnant, just remember they can't make you love it.

BTW when referring to warranties I was thinking of the independant "warranty direct" / "Rac warranty" ones. Buying an extended manufacturer's warranty from volvo is another kettle of fish IMO, and I would think could be worthwhile if it is basically the same as the 3 year/60kmiles type standard warranty. With my previous car (owned from new) I was able to take it in under warranty and have them investigate faults, even if "NFF, mate" for nothing.

As for RAC inspections... well my car had an RAC inspection done but it didn't seem to bother inspecting much again IMHO! I think it is better to do the inspection yourself, I always have in the past and wish I had this time too. For example, Mr. RAC will say "yep, throttle works, makes engine go" wheras I felt the cable was stiff and notchy and a new cable made things a lot better.

If buying from a dealer who has "all my vehicles inspected by RAC", I do also wonder if the dealer and the RAC inspection guy are "working together"? i.e RAC ignores a couple of minor faults they can get away with, and dealer gives them more business. Now this is just a hunch from my own, very limited experience, and of course it could never be proved: and obviously this wouldn't be the case for any major faults. But it seems a bit weird to me that the only faults the RAC guy picked up on my car where the blindingly obvious ones like "aerial broken" and "big scratch down side" (which were all resolved by selling dealer).

My advice to you punters out there is to either find out a bit of stuff and do the inspection yourself, or take a mate who knows about cars for an opinion. Mr. RAC doesn't give a monkeys about how your car will be to drive for years to come, you and/or your friends will do. Mr. RAC will also probably charge you several hundred pounds, I would hope your mechanically minded friend would do the work for a couple of pints!

This is all just my opinion though, please be clear about that.

Cheers, Pete

[homer timpson]

Just realised I forgot to thank everyone for their input - sorry.

I've decided to hold back on the warranty - seems the popular conscensus.

Homer