Before you go signing for your new van you’ll need to know the ins and outs of your warranty cover.
It’s not just the manufacturer’s warranty you’ll need to know about. There’s also the small matter of extended warranties from manufacturers and even aftermarket warranties for older vans. Read our guide for all you need to know.
Manufacturer warranty
First off you’ll want to check all the finer details but the warranty should cover the engine, fuel and ignition systems, cooling systems, electrics, gearbox, clutch transmissions, steering and suspension.
Normal wear and tear of non-durable parts such as brakes, tyres and exhausts are not covered, and the same goes if the garage deems the damage has been caused by improper use of the van.
They may be similar to car warranties in what they cover, however, with the high mileage that van owners tend to cover the distance it covers is often higher.
The norm is a three-year warranty. But instead of two years unlimited mileage and a third year limited to the 60,000 miles, like you may find on a Volkswagen Golf for instance, this is limited to 100,000 miles in the third year for something like a Volkswagen Caddy. So if at two hand a half years you’ve only done 95,000 miles you’re still covered.
Obviously this all depends on which manufacturer you go to as the Vauxhall Movano comes with a warranty that covers the van for four years or 120,000 miles whichever is first.
Aftermarket warranty
Like buying car, if you are buying a used van that is no longer covered by the manufacturer’s warranty then you can take out an aftermarket warranty from an independent company. Obviously all companies may vary in cover. On some it may cover for replacement of parts and not labour, while some may be for just mechanical parts and not electrical faults. Most companies will cover a van that’s up to ten years old. You’ll need to make sure you check the terms and conditions.
Transfer of warranties
This all depends on which manufacturer you have brought your van from, but in most cases the warranty should be transferable to the subsequent owner, providing it is still with the warrant time/mileage limits. If you have opted for an extended warranty then you will probably end up having to pay an admin charge.
Claim limits
With the manufacturer warranty there are no limits on the amount of claims that you make and at the same time there is no limit on the price of the claim either. This changes a little when you get to aftermarket warranties. In this instance, depending on which company you buy the cover from, there can be limits on how much the claims can be. So if you limit is £2,500 you cannot make a claim for more than this amount.
