Three-year warranty

hswift · Post by **hswift** » 26 Sep 2003, 03:09

The service booklet on my newly acquired, year-old C5 says that the manufacturer's warranty is one year and the next two years are covered by the dealers. It also says that the extra two years' cover are subject to signing a formal warranty agreement. Has anyone out there ever been asked to sign such an agreement or do the dealers do the warranty work in this period on the nod, assuming of course that the service book is up to date with all those main dealer stamps? For what it's worth, the main dealer who sold me the car said the warranty just runs on and I have to do nothing to formalise it.

Post by **Jon** » 26 Sep 2003, 03:30

Yes, the dealer is correct, we have a 3 year warranty on the same basis on our Berlingo and I've never signed anything. In addition we bought our car from a dealer in Poole but have had the warranty stuff done at the dealer in Swindon, they just invoice the supplying dealer.
The thing to watch is that the Service book is stamped by a Citroen dealer, the last time I tried to claim under warranty for a fault involving an Injector, they tried to knock it back on thr grounds that the 10k service was carried out at an Independent and not a Dealer. As the 10K is only an oil and filter change and a Genuine Citroen filter and Total oil was used, there was no reason to query this.
They have now booked the car in to check the pulse injector, and to reset the Fault Codes after some debate.

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 26 Sep 2003, 03:51

What was the debate?
Naming him publicly...[:D][:D][B)][B)]
Alan S [}:)][}:)]

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 26 Sep 2003, 05:37

I've had a brand new Citroen's every year since 2001 now and each time I was asked to sign a form by the dealer to get the additional warranty. Sometime in 2002 Citroen changed from 1 year manufacturers + 2 yrs dealer provided to 2yr mfr + 1 year dealer.
This form states in big letters that the warranty is subject to having the vehicle serviced by a Authorised Citroen Main Dealer within the correct intervals, ie within 1000 miles or 1 month of the date the service is required. According to the Service Manager at the dealership I now use for service, Citroen have clamped right down on it now and will not pay any claims where the service record is not absolutely 100%.
As an aside, what does the "Dealer Provided" bit actually mean? Surely the dealers don't foot the bill themselves. The prices I've been buying them for I don't think the dealers have enough out of them to foot the bill for an engine that goes pop after 2yrs 11 months.

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 26 Sep 2003, 06:48

I'm pretty sure you'll find that it's universally accepted that you get what you pay for and when you get total dealer service, boy do you pay!!
Out here they have extended warranties on all kinds of vehicles & my guess would be that the deal would come, like our extended warranty on used cars with a built in premium. One of my sons was looking at a Jap car, I asked how much it added to the price & $1500 went straight off the ticket price, which seeing as it was only a $6500 car to begin with, was a big percentage.
Out here we have a forum of French Cars and as Citroen only represent I think it's 0.2% of the Aussie car market, we don't have a big presence, but Peugeot which are far more popular do and as has begun to happen with Cits of late, more mainstream owners (as opposed to enthusiasts) are beginning to show up on the forums asking questions.
What has become obvious is that the prices some of these guys have been quoted or have paid would nearly frighten Bill Gates[:0] Routine services costing in excess of A$2000 are not all that uncommon and when you advise to DIY or go elsewhere the response is always "but that would void my warranty."
At those prices, the question needs to be asked...so how is that a disadvantage? In my opinion, if a $300 service is going to be charged out at $2000 the gamble on the reliability of the car & the incentive to do the upkeep when required then becomes the owners responsibility & not the dealers roulette wheel.
With modern cars, I still believe that whilst we still can have access to independent parts suppliers and repairers, that it must be a much better option than paying through the nose for what is often only dodgy service and relying that in the advent of something major, same dodgy operator won't find some way of dudding you out of the warranty claim. If a majority of people use the "extended warranty" system, it's only a matter of time before the dealer network has a monopoly when they force the independents out of business, and then watch the costs soar.
Alan S

reffro · Post by **reffro** » 26 Sep 2003, 16:42

To answer your question Blueboy the reason for the Manufacturer/Dealer spilt is simple. The Manufacturers are bound by EU rules to give a minimum 2yr warranty on all vehicles they sell in the EU. Anything above that is a bonus.
Dealer warranties are the same as the extended warranties you bought in the past when the you only got 1yr warranties on most new cars, they are not as comprehensive as manufacturer warranties, but they don't advertise that bit. They were hyped/marketed as 3yr warranties, as it was used to counter the growing import market. If car makers offered a 3yr manufacturer warranty then all the imports would be covered by that same warranty, as manufacturer warranties have to be transferrable from country to country. But by offering the split 3yr warranty the manufacturers get around that, as they make the condition on the extra yrs, that the car has to be supplied new in the UK and serviced at the franchise to keep the warranty.
They are called dealer warranties as the 'dealer' is supposed to be providing and covering the cost of the extension to the manufacturers warranty, but this isn't true, again its just marketing. In reality of course its the manfacturer who covers the costs and pays for the repairs. This also keeps the dealers happy as they make more money out of fleecing service customers than they do in selling cars nowadays.

Post by **RichardW** » 26 Sep 2003, 17:40

Isn't it also the case now that with then ending of the Car makers' block exemption to anti competition laws you don't have to have it serviced at the main dealer? I suspect this will only relate to the 2 yr part of the makers warranty, and to get the 3rd year at the dealer you will need to have dealer servicing. Mind you the saving on dealer rates will probably pay for all but the most severe failure that the warranty probably wouldn't cover anyway!
Richard

Post by **Jon** » 26 Sep 2003, 17:55

Thats a good point Richard. The ending of Block Exemption surely means that the vehicle can be serviced at an Independent garage provided that the service schedule is the same as in the Service Book, and that OE parts are used.

Dave Bamber · Post by **Dave Bamber** » 26 Sep 2003, 18:13

"Mind you the saving on dealer rates will probably pay for all but the most severe failure that the warranty probably wouldn't cover anyway!"
That was my thinking as well Richard. Servicing on the Berlingo is running at £140 a pop and I'm looking at 2 services a year. 4 years ownership, thats going to cost me at least £1100. Well it would if I played their game..............[;)]

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 26 Sep 2003, 20:35

To be honest a standard 12,500 mile service on the C5 comes to about £125. I'll probably get through 2 a year. In the scope of motoring expenses £250 a year for servicing isn't massive compared to over £1600 in fuel duty!
I've found a brilliant Citroen dealership now who I travel out of the way to get the car serviced there. They don't rip people off - you can tell this by the number of old BX's that still have their work done there. I've even seen a couple of old CX's on the ramps when I've called in.

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 26 Sep 2003, 23:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by blueboy2001

To be honest a standard 12,500 mile service on the C5 comes to about £125.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Is that a fact, Blueboy? My daughter has just paid £175 for the 12500 service on her Xsara HDI.

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 27 Sep 2003, 01:24

Thats what I paid 4 weeks ago, costs are directly dependant on the dealers labour rate. The one I use is the cheapest at £40 p/h, some charge up to twice that!

pwatson · Post by **pwatson** » 27 Sep 2003, 16:57

"I've found a brilliant Citroen dealership now who I travel out of the way to get the car serviced there. They don't rip people off - you can tell this by the number of old BX's that still have their work done there. I've even seen a couple of old CX's on the ramps when I've called in."
Name that dealer!

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 27 Sep 2003, 18:00

Here's one that Anders posted on another thread that just about explains how they can finance "extended warranties"
"'91 Peug 605. Failed MOT on HC value 450.
Had slightly uneven idle too.
Estimated Peug garage work (after testing the car) :
no idle problem detected
HC value confirmed too high approx 450
*> new valve stem oil seals approx £700-800
*> new cat converter approx £700
*> no guarantee this work cures the problem.
- the problem ??
2 months earlier this car had a headgasket change - the head was stored on a workbench - with plugs still fitted.
The owner decided to grown over the car while testing the basics at home - started on the plugs - one plug had a gap clearance of 0.1mm.
Corrected - idle went dead-stable again and owner rushed for re-MOT - HC value now 40 - passed MOT !
Submitted by the owner on the Swedish Akuten Citroen Q & A "
I don't think this guys name is the one you wanted Phil, unless of course you want to be sure you never use him.....by accident!![:p][:p]
Alan S [}:)]

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 27 Sep 2003, 23:53

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pwatson

"I've found a brilliant Citroen dealership now who I travel out of the way to get the car serviced there. They don't rip people off - you can tell this by the number of old BX's that still have their work done there. I've even seen a couple of old CX's on the ramps when I've called in."
Name that dealer!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
J & A Rigbye Citroen, Eccleston, Nr. Chorley
Tel: 01257 451648
http://www.rigbye.citroen.co.uk
They have held the Citroen Masters of Quality Award every year since the scheme was started, its easy to see why when you visit the place. Last 2 years they have finished top of the customer satisfaction table of all the dealers in the country.