A statement on Saab parts availability in the UK. Warranty and Saab Recovery

[sgould]

Just seen this posted on UKS

http://www.cambridgesaab.co.uk/default.asp?docId=40411

[Geoff1951]

Well, at least one dealer is keen to keep flying the flag, unlike my Lookal dealer which is still advertising sponsorship of a tennis tournament last summer...

[Kev_Mc]

Just checked my local Saab dealer, and they're still "Introducing the new 9-5 Sportswagon". Wish they were 

[Steve McF]

On the subject of warranty on new Saabs (and used), I was sent details of this this morning (it was in my Spam folder at work!!).

Waaranty Direct offering warranties at a discount to new and prospective Saab owners.......

http://www.warrantydirect.co.uk/press227.html

I had a WD warranty on my 9-5 (back in the days when i did have a Saab!!!), and they did cover a lot of things!! 

[Max Headroom]

Hey thanks Steve!

I've been thinking of buying a warranty for my car just to insure myself against a drama really. My only hesitancy is that I have never been able to speak to anyone whom has bought one of these warrantys to get their opinion of it

[Norfolk Jim]

My car had a 3 months warranty from dealers when I bought it. Warranty was through Autoprotect.

When it was getting close to expiry they contacted me and after some discussion agreed a 12 month warranty that's pretty comprehensive on my MY 05 9-5 Vector Sport 2.2tid for £269. Claim limit on any one claim is £1000 and doesn't have to be a specific garage. My car has done 125k so paid the extra £20 (included in the £269) to cover the turbo.

Its called their Premier Warranty and also covers brake master cylinder, wheel cylinders, restrictor valve, brake calliper seals and servo. Also we cover the Anti locking brake system (factory fitted). Wheel bearings and so on...............

This is what they first sent me.

Premier
 
1 Years Premier is £249 or £24.90 over 10 interest free instalments.
 
2 Years Premier is £349 or £34.90 over 10 interest free instalments.
 
3 Years Premier is £429 or £42.90 over 10 interest free instalments.

•   Covers a list of major mechanical and electrical
•   £1000 claims limit and unlimited claims
•   Covers parts, labour and VAT
•   No excess charge
•   Any garage of you choice for repairs
•   Breakdown contributions

Website is www.autoprotect.net

http://www.autoprotect.net/images/uploads/pro-file/AP178_StandardPremier_New_final.pdf  this is the policy

[jmblack]

I've looked into these before and decided against it, mainly down to my concern about what wasn't covered. My mechanical knowledge is limited, and I found it difficult to assess the value of a policy as I couldn't assess the risk I wasn't covered for.

Looked before as well at the SAAB extended warranty but it seemed very expensive. This either meant it was bad value, or the cheaper ones had poor cover, and I couldn't really make a judgement.

[Max Headroom]

Thanks for that information Jim - I really must take a look at these deals as my S/H warranty will expire while I'm out in the Gulf in the next two months and I just want the peace-of-mind.

I look after my car well, but I don't have huge funds set aside for a drama which could leave me very short, so it may be prudent to consider taking up such a warranty

[Norfolk Jim]

That's why I did it really. I know we have to expect certain things going wrong like my clutch may be on the way out and I know for sure that and any associated bits are definitely covered.

I can put up with small niggles here and there but things such as clutch, injectors and diesel pump are expensive and this warranty covers them - I made it quite clear to them that it must. They actually came back with the remark that they didn't class Saabs as being a risk anyway!!!!! The chap laughed and said Volvo's and BMW's were more of a risk to them.

They do ask you to confirm servicing history and MOT's etc and that servicing should comply with manufacturers schedules - no problem there then. It's only £269 so what do you really have to loose? If you only have one problem such as say ABS sensor going wrong that would be more than the premium to start with.

[Audax]

A warranty is OK if you know what you're letting yourself in for. So often people come and wave their warranty at me and have failed to notice an excess on the policy, or that it will only contribute a %age towards parts over a certain age/mileage, that there is a limit on the hourly rate that the warranty will pay that is very often way lower than you can get anyone to do the work for, it excludes diagnostics (which for something like an electrical problem can be the largest part of the bill), it excludes any fluids and oils etc.

Many people also get upset when they find out that we expect them to pay the entire bill and recover the money from the warranty company, we also give them an estimate for the job and explain that we expect them to pay for the entire job but we will speak to the warranty company for them up to a maximum of 1 hour of our time (we make them aware of this before we even see the car), any more time we spend dealing with the warranty company they have to pay us for. We had to introduce this policy due to how many warranty companies will try and fleece the customer (and they fleece the garage too as some keep you on hold for 20 minutes @10p/minute before answering calls) and we were spending too much time dealing with them. Anyhow, I can't recall which warranty companies are OK, I recall that the AA are very strict to their word on their policies (which is fair enough) and are easy to deal with but the others I just don't recall but they vary wildly and even different calls handlers in the same company will treat a problem differently.

I hate dealing with warranties btw as very often both the customer and warranty company will end up in dispute and take it out on me. 

[Max Headroom]

Thanks Audax - this is all good info but moreover, it's very interesting to hear an opinion from a different perspective such as yours.

[sgould]

Read the small print on the Warranty Direct site.  Especially, as Audax says, what the excess is, and what the proportion of the work they pay for,  As the car gets older and/or the mileage gets higher, you pay more.  I had a warranty for one year after the three year warranty ran out, but I didn't need it and I didn't renew.  I saved the money and financed repairs myself. 

There is also the question of delay.  If you need the car every day and it breaks down  You don't want it sitting in a garage while the warranty company and the dealer send reports to eachother.

[TomPaine]

Aye. I had WD for a year or two and I have to say they were entirely reasonable, paying out for - as I recall - wheel bearings on one occasion (not negligible from a main dealer, as many will know), and a new SID on another. But you really do need the dealer to be prepared to fight your corner: I remember hearing a trusted mechanic on the phone to WD, with the policy in front of him, carefully and repeatedly using the exact terms ("trip computer") which were covered under the policy in order to get authorisation. Any third-party warranty - ie as opposed to just taking a newly purchased under-warranty car back to a dealer and saying, "fix it" - is a hassle and adds to the stress of any breakdown.

As Audax says dealers always get caught in the crossfire between expectant punter and reluctant company.

[Max Headroom]

Yes I can see how that might happen, Tom. Many thanks for taking the time with your input about this

[Norfolk Jim]

I have carefully read mine before purchasing it and it's quite the opposite to what Audax has said. I have a limit per claim of £1000inc labour parts and VAT with no excess's to pay. Either I can pay the bill or they'll deal directly. The mileage and age of the car has no bearing on it unless it is due to general wear and tear which is the same on any warranty.

When I bought the car originally the garage said its the only warranty company he trades with who sticks to their word and he actually said he avoided WD.

Mine does clearly state it only covers diagnostics that relating to set up of any parts that need mating / calibrating to the vehicle - which makes sense.

This is a mechanical warranty to fix sudden failure and also includes for recovery (although I have Flux Rescue for that anyway).

I terms of labour costs they quote that they will only pay out for labour time as shown in Glasses guide for replacement of that part - fair enough, that makes sense to me.

I am not one of those people who does it just for sake of it and always except what people say is always right. I ALWAYS read the small print and exclusions and ask questions.

As an example my sons car was being MOT'd yesterday at Halfords (never again). They took just over 2 hours to get a fail on steering rack gaiter! They quoted my son £120 labour cost (£60 per hour) plus part of £40 so about £160. He knows every inch of the car and asked why 2 hours and explained what they needed to do - they said complicated job on Jap imports - he needed car so agreed under protest. I called Honda dealer (who just happen to be opposite side of road) They said part was £35 inc VAT and Honda allow 0.8 hours labour (£100 per hour) so would be £115 and laughed when I explained. Called son and he said they'd one it in 40 mins but still wanted £120 plus parts and would not give him the old gaiter. I called VOSA to report them and called Halford head Office. Cost immediately reduced by half! VOSA going to do spot checks on them now. VOSA very good and easy to deal with. They said the tester should have finished really within an hour and no excuse to make it 2 hours 15 mins!