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[Closed] how to avoid a car warranty shafting?

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Put car in for a service (not at garage bought car from) and turns out need a new injector thingy. Garage say will cost £1k to sort. Car still under warranty but one of these after sales warranties that apparently are not very good. Told that garage I bought it from (ie who administer the warranty) are likely to carry out their own check/diagnostic and then tell me its wear and tear and charge me for the diagnostic. Is there anything I can do to preempt this inevitable shafting? How do you argue against the wear and tear argument?


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 8:53 am
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How old is the car?


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 8:55 am
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2009. Ive had it less than a year. One year warranty.


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 8:57 am
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Milage ?


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 9:01 am
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Type of car too please. £1k for one injector is incredibly high.


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 9:24 am
 br
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[i]Type of car too please. £1k for one injector is incredibly high. [/i]

Not so...

Have you been using supermarket diesel?

We found when my wife's car needed them that while one or more may have failed because of the labour costs is wasn't that much dearer to replace all four. Also check your low/high pressure fuel pumps as these could've caused the failure.

And how many miles are on the vehicle?


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 9:30 am
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Need to know mileage. But injectors would be highly unlikely to fall under fair wear and tear anyway, because they don't wear out! They break occasionally, which is why there's a warranty. Supermarket diesel will not have an effect on injector life; it's not like it's watered down and it meets required standards. And it's diesel - it's already an oil. The extra "lubricity" and "cleaning agents" found in so-called premium diesel are merely a placebo for suckers.

Don't let them mess around - your contract is with the supplying garage, not the warranty company. Give them a chance to fix it, then write to them once, then fill the small claims paperwork in online. No one would dare use the "supermarket fuel" defence in Court.


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 9:31 am
 Drac
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Have you been using supermarket diesel?

Makes no odds all fuel in the UK has to meet the same standards.


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 9:57 am
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Peugeot 308 SW. Diesel estate. 55000 miles. Thanks for responses.


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 10:09 am
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perhaps injector thingy means pump

My experience is that you want to get the garage who sold you the car behind you. That is assuming that the warranty was bought by the gagrage.

The warranty company doesn't mind pi£$%^^ you off your not a customer. However the original retailer is so they have more leverage.

Guy who sold me my car fort tooth and nail for us and threatened to with draw all business. As a result we got sorted. Cousin had a prop shaft go and was told wear and tear. Original retailer paid for the work and said they would get on with claiming


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 10:48 am
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My experience is that you want to get the garage who sold you the car behind you

This. I wouldn't go getting annoyed at the retailer about this but try to get them to see things from your perspective. It is highly unlikely the retailer sold you a pup and as such would probably try to help you get it sorted with the warranty co.


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 11:36 am
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Same standards but do go look up the damage bioethanol can do .....


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 11:37 am
 br
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[i]Makes no odds all fuel in the UK has to meet the same standards. [/i]

No, it all has to meet a [b]'minimum' [/b]standard...

As said you need to get the pumps checked, because a common reason for injector failure is that they are compensating for inadequate pressure.


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 12:03 pm
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Makes no odds all fuel in the UK has to meet the same standards.

And if there was any evidence that it could cause injector damage or pump failure every diesel car owner in the country would be suing the supermarkets. It's an interesting point, but entirely irrelevant to this discussion.


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 12:35 pm
 br
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[i]And if there was any evidence that it could cause injector damage or pump failure every diesel car owner in the country would be suing the supermarkets. It's an interesting point, but entirely irrelevant to this discussion. [/i]

Except having bought a set of injectors and been advised [b]not[/b] to use supermarket diesel..., I'd say it's entirely relevant to this discussion. 😐


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 4:43 pm
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Which manufactures/dealers/warrantor's would stipulate not using 'supermarket diesel'?


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 5:49 pm
 hora
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Op you need to speak to the warranty company. They will most likely nominate one of their approved garages to do the work. Not someone unknown to them.

Otherwise expect a fight.

1K is ridiculous.


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 6:04 pm
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Rediculous for what exactly ? Presuming injectors and a 4 cylinder diesel then 250 quid each isnt unreasonable for injectors - possible to get them refurbed cheaper though.

If its the pump depending model you can have em rebuilt for less - around 400 quid.


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 6:06 pm
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No idea which , but not using supermarket diesel unless unavoidable has stood me in good stead for many years and i run old and supposedly unreliable vehicles......- one is known to have a fragile hp fuel pump.


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 6:07 pm
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Why would they be near the injection system if they were only servicing as injection system is not normally serviced ?


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 7:42 pm
 br
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[i]Why would they be near the injection system if they were only servicing as injection system is not normally serviced ? [/i]

Maybe it wasn't running well and they put a diagnostic on it?


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 7:44 pm
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a service is no just change the oil and filters and throw the car out - as many dealers these days do.

a service is ensure the car is running correctly.

having an old school mechanic is worth its weight in gold - he would never knowingly give back a car that was in bad shape without telling you - and given its his job to know when a cars in bad shape i tend to listen.


 
Posted : 05/05/2013 7:46 pm
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I used to deal with claims for the biggest aftermarket warranty provider in the uk. Most of these warranties are pretty rubbish but can be excellent, it largely depends on the dealers relationship with the warranty company. A real point of contention used to establish wear and tear or failure is this....sudden mechanical failure, well that's a claim. gradual deterioration , well that's not. Unless specifically excluded in your policy as a service item your ok I would say. One minute it worked, the next it didn't, i.e. sudden mechanical failure....good luck


 
Posted : 06/05/2013 3:58 pm
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by way of update. they (warranty company) didn't get me on the wear and tear instead I was 3k over the mileage when I should have had a service by. regardless of fault having nothing to do with the service, I was in breach of contract. I have no argument - manual says service every 12.5k or 2 yrs and then in small print at bottom of page 'or whichever is the sooner'. I missed that bit. is there an argument re fault nothing to do with service or am I pretty much on a hiding to nothing?


 
Posted : 17/05/2013 6:12 pm
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I don't think you have a leg to stand on. Sorry. Someone else had a similar experience recently with a Manufacturer's warranty.


 
Posted : 17/05/2013 6:19 pm

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