XM Warranty - Renew or Not?

rg · Post by rg » 08 Nov 2003, 01:51

Folks,
Twelve months of uneventful life with a '97 Citroen XM have elapsed. What a wonderful machine!
I resent having to pay £250.00++ for a renewed warranty, which means I would need to have my oil changed by the local indie.
But I do fear something very expensive going bang or just ("silence") on my '97 2.5. Steering ram? ECU? HP pump?
But, there again, the definitions of "mechanical failure" made by Warranty Holdings are restricted to things actually breaking. Snapping, falling in half. So they may weasel out of any potential claim.
So, to renew or not renew?
Thoughts, anyone?
rg

Homer · Post by **Homer** » 08 Nov 2003, 03:13

Having read through the small print of one of those warranties [|)] (the name sounds familiar as well) I would say put the money in the bank.
It's a gamble either way, but with a little DIY knowledge there aren't many things which can't be fixed for under £250.
The obvious thing would be the cambelt breaking. But the chances of that happening are slim as long as you've had it replaced when it should have been. And they probably won't pay out if you havn't.

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 08 Nov 2003, 04:34

In the trade out here, these used to be known as "Toilet paper warranties"
I'll leave you to figure out why.[:D][}:)]
Alan S

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 08 Nov 2003, 06:11

Warranty Holdings warranties are not worth having. They will worm their way out of any sizeable claims, and request that you pay for an engineers report to prove its a mechanical failure.
There criteria for suitable engineers is ridiculous, and anyone who fits their bill will want paying more than the cost of the repairs.
A mate of mine had one of their warranties on a 306 when the clutch started sticking heavily. They tried the fair wear and tear argument (on a 2yr old car with 18,000 miles) and then said they'd pay subject to the engineers report. He rang the firm they suggested who said the report would be £250+VAT!

rg · Post by rg » 08 Nov 2003, 14:06

Thanks, all, for responses.
I am not sure that I concur with most stuff being fixable for less than £250. HP pump? ECU? Injector pump? ££££££££££££!!!!

(
Opinions are polarised.
See http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/ ... =2&t=17470
Has anyone had experience of www.easycover.com?
Blueboy - are you fit and well now after your encounter with "the foglamp brigade"? (so good that stupid drivers now identify themselves day and night...)
rg

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 08 Nov 2003, 15:08

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

Thanks, all, for responses.
I am not sure that I concur with most stuff being fixable for less than £250. HP pump? ECU? Injector pump? ££££££££££££!!!!

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rg
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I don't see your point.
Unless you're the unluckiest person on the planet, you're not going to have any or all of these go in any one year and for the record, I've owned hydraulic Cits since 1984 & in that time I replaced one pump (with a secondhand one off a donor car) which was this year only as a convenience rather than a necessity due to heavy PS at idle, never an ECU and the last diesel I had covered over 500,000 klms and the injector pump was perfect when I sold the car.
Biggest cost factor with these cars are usually dodgy repairers ripping off owners and in any case, the way most of these pretend warranties work is "take the cash then find as many loopholes possible to prevent payouts." Pump would be 'wear & tear' injector pump the same and ECU "possible power spike" so you really are making a donation rather than covering for faults.
If warranties covered against dodgy repairers there may be some value in it but any Insurance company that covered that aspect would be broke in a week.
Alan S

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 08 Nov 2003, 23:33

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

Blueboy - are you fit and well now after your encounter with "the foglamp brigade"? (so good that stupid drivers now identify themselves day and night...)
rg
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
To give a one word answer, no.
My left leg numb 70% of the time, and tingles and has shooting pains the other 30% of the time. I have twice fallen flat on my backside and the feeling in my foot has gone suddenly.
I've seen a specialist surgeon who sent me to a physio he reccomended. I've been about 10 times now (£80 a time, for about half an hour!). He's worked wonders in getting rid of my backache and stiffness, but there underlying problem is that my 4 and 5 discs have slipped and trapped the nerve. The general inflammation and muscle damage in the area could also be causing this.
The surgeon said that it really needs to be left for at least three months and see where I'm at then. It may improve and clear up itself. If its still the same, I'll need another scan and he'll consider operating. It's a big op though, my Dad's had it done twice (once by this bloke) and although the nerve pain stops immediately, it takes about 4 months for your lower back to heal up properly so you can bend down and lift etc. There is also the issue of the bill for about £12,000 to get it done, but if needs must I'll find it.
So at the moment, I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I've only been in my current job 4 weeks before the accident, they are paying me as I'm doing some selling from my desk at home, but if I'm not back fit for the new year then they'll more than likely let me go [:(!]
Anyway enough of my troubles.
Have a look at Warranty Direct on the internet for a warranty. They are considered the best of a bad bunch, the motoring press seem to rate them.

rg · Post by rg » 08 Nov 2003, 23:44

Sad to hear this Blueboy. I have to do the occasional bit of serious manual handling in my job. I am self-employed. If my body packs up, I can't earn, so all this is quite sobering. Any scope on the PAI clause on the insurance?
I had disc problems for two years as a student, and it was serious stuff..you have my sincere sympathies. Get well very soon.
rg

Homer · Post by **Homer** » 09 Nov 2003, 01:08

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

I am not sure that I concur with most stuff being fixable for less than £250. HP pump? ECU? Injector pump? ££££££££££££!!!!

(
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Would any of those would cost more than £250? And the chances of having more than one of those fail in ten years, never mind one year are very very slim.
I have run hydraulic Citroens for nearly 14 years, some of the time I have had two, my parents have also had a BX and a few GS's and I have never experienced a hydraulic pump fail. In fact, with proper care the hydraulics are the most reliable parts. In any case, failure would most certainly be due to wear and tear. I have replaced one ABS ECU, using a second hand part it cost £150 (Cit quoted around £400 if I remember correctly) and that was over five years ago. That and an £80 radiator are the only repairs which I might</> have made a succesful warranty claim on. (although I think those warranties only cover engine and transmission anyway)
I doubt you will find anyone on this board who regularly spends over £250 a year on repairs due to failed components. i.e. not wear and tear.
If you just take the last five years, I would have paid over a thousand pounds on warranty and even using genuine, new, Citroen parts I would have 'saved' less than half of that. Taking into account the previous nine years I might have been able to claim back another couple of hundred at most.
So, in my opinion the money would be better off in a savings account, earning interest, until something does go wrong. And save yourself the hassle of having to argue the definition of 'fair wear and tear' with an insurance company.
It's much the same scam with electrical goods. I recently bought a DVD player for around £50, they wanted to sell me an extended warranty for £25. It came with a 12 month warranty anyway and the way prices are going I'll be able to pick up a better model for less than the warranty in six months.
Ask yourself, if these warranties are worth having then where is the profit for the insurance company?