Watch Out for Warranties

WATCH OUT FOR WARRANTIES
By John Coombs, Enterprise Fleet Management

Controlling maintenance and repair costs for a fleet of vehicles is a challenge for any business.  In addition to trying to secure the most economical, timely and high-quality repairs, it is important to avoid paying for unnecessary repairs or those that may already be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. 

Being familiar with the warranty coverage for every vehicle in your fleet not only helps to maximize driving performance, it can make a difference in determining whether certain repairs qualify as warranty work and where the vehicle is sent for repairs.  Unfortunately, warranty information, which is usually included in the vehicle owner’s manual, is too often stored away in the glove box until there’s a problem – when it may be too late.

Manufacturer’s warranties usually cover everything except normal wear-and-tear items like tires, brake pads and filters.  In addition, vehicle neglect or abuse, as well as failure to complete and maintain detailed records of regularly scheduled maintenance can jeopardize the warranty.

Warranty coverage can vary by manufacturer, as well as by year and model.  For example, although most warranties run three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first, other warranty coverage can be four years or 50,000 miles, or more.  A good place to begin to understand warranties is by becoming more familiar with some of the definitions and coverage breakdowns:

Basic Warranty – Limited to a specified length of time or mileage, such as “12 months or 12,000 miles, which ever comes first,” the warranty covers the costs of most repairs or adjustment a vehicle might need because of defects in materials or workmanship.

Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty – For most makes, this warranty covers a majority of the vehicle’s components with the exception of maintenance and wear items such as brake pads, alignments and fluid replacement services.

Powertrain Warranty – Covered components generally include everything from the engine and  transmission-transaxle-transfer case to front-wheel and rear-wheel drive assemblies.  However, this coverage can be voided if the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance is not completed.

Air-Conditioning Warranty – The sealed portion of the factory installed air-conditioning system may carry its own warranty under the basic warranty or bumper-to-bumper coverage.  Parts covered usually include the compressor, condenser, evaporator core, orifice tube, accumulator, all A/C lines and O-rings.

In addition to the above, other warranties may cover emissions and safety components, sheet metal corrosion and rust-through.  Additional provisions sometimes are made for roadside assistance, towing for mechanical breakdown, and transportation assistance if a vehicle is inoperable and must be kept overnight for any warranty repairs. 

Most manufacturer warranties have separate mileage and time parameters for different parts of the vehicle.  This can mean that the same vehicle has a “bumper to bumper” or full warranty for one time or mileage period, while the powertrain or rust-through protection and emissions system may be covered for a longer time period.
 
The bottom line is that while all manufacturers offer warranties, there can be wide variations in coverage.  Being familiar with the vehicle’s warranty will not only save you money when a repair has to be made, it can end up saving you time by being able to schedule the repair when it is most convenient for your business. 

A comparison chart of various manufacturers’ warranties is available at www.efeets.com by clicking on the link under the Contents section for the “Vehicle Fleet Preview Guide.”

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John Coombs is Business Development Manager for Enterprise Fleet Management in New England and can be reached at 781-727-2800.  He is supported by an experienced team of veteran mechanics and accredited Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) technicians to serve the fleet maintenance needs of businesses with mid-size fleets.  In addition to maintenance management programs, Enterprise’s services include vehicle acquisition, fuel management and insurance programs, as well as vehicle registration, reporting and remarketing.  Visit the company’s web site at www.efleets.com or call toll free 1-877-23-FLEET.