I’ve just picked up my new (to me) car and was considering an aftermarket warranty because it’s 3ltr twin turbo diesel engine so a few more bits to go wrong!

I was considering ‘Go Car Ultimate’ and ‘Warrantywise’.

Go Car is considerably cheaper, basically £366 for 24 months cover versus £465 at Warrantywise for only 12 months.

Policy details are pretty much the same, it probably just comes down to which is more likely to be fair to deal with if something did happen.

Anyone have experience of these two or suggestions for alternatives?

Thanks!

what do the terms say each covers …. considering the price difference id expect there to be a huge difference in the level of coverage.

how old is the car ?

just cause it has twin turbos shouldnt make it any more likely to go tits up spendy unless you neglect it.

for the love of god let the turbos cool before switching it off..

if it was me id bank the cash and just maintain it propperly only one persons making money off warrenties.

The terms are pretty similar, I’m going to review each in detail tonight and ask specific questions to the providers based upon the most likely failure scenarios.

Car is 2008, BMW 335d. The car has built in pump system for the turbos after you turn it off.

When I looked into them before the general view seemed to be they’re not worth it as all too often they get out of paying due to some clause or other. Some for sure pay out but even ones that people had posted up having had a pay out others had posted up saying their claim was refused so I had zero faith in any of them being reliable.

Good rule of thumb for these policies: if it’s cheap relative to the cost and likelihood of a part failing on your car then there will be some exclusion and they won’t pay out.

I don’t see the point so long as you can afford to fix something yourself if it goes wrong – you might make your money back on one policy, but over a lifetime you’re just giving money to the insurance companies. If you can’t afford to fix something if it goes wrong, then maybe you’ve bought the wrong car, or should consider whether car ownership is really for you.

not only are they not worth the paper they are written on, both the garages I tend to use regularly refuse to deal with warranty direct etc.

Unless you’re ragging it right up until you switch the engine off, the turbos will cool down sufficiently.

“If you can’t afford to fix something if it goes wrong, then maybe you’ve bought the wrong car, or should consider whether car ownership is really for you”

What an odd thing to say!

Judging by the feedback on here and from much internet searching there are only bad reviews! But then people rarely share their good experiences on the web.

Hmm.

Hi

I’ve got a warranty direct policy (main dealer repairs). Only had one thing go wrong (glow plug relay) and it was repaired with no fuss. You have to really watch the clauses though.

I’d probably put a warranty on the car for the first year – see how you get on and then think about no renewing if the car seems reliable.

However as long as you haven’t bought a lemon, on average you will save money without a warranty.

Hi Tony,
Hopefully I haven’t bought a lemon! I look after my cars meticulously and will change engine oil every 6000 miles etc.
Still, any part can fail at any time regardless of maintenance.

With Go Car, they’re offering a zero % interest, 20% deposit then 9 monthly payments of £30 or so for the 24 months cover, so as policies go it’s a pretty good financial package.

for the love of god let the turbos cool before switching it off..

Barely any need to do this on a modern Petrol Turbo car

No need at all to do this on a Diesel.

I had a 6 month warranty thrown in with my used VW Transporter. Because I bought a very clean, low mileage van it qualified for the top-level, gold star, all-inclusive warranty which the salesman assured me would cover me against any mechanical breakdown.

On close inspection of the vehicle specific small print, I am not covered for broken turbos or dual mass flywheels. The two most common and expensive problems I am likely to have.

I did have to claim however, when my horn stopped working! The process was pretty painless.

I never want to lose my horn.

ok neal , please explain this

my experiance comes from heavy plant( mid to late 90s JCB and MF diggers and 1980s land rovers – all diesel)

AFAIK turbos still use oil lubricants in the same way as they did in the 1980s.

quick top hit on google revealed

http://www.turborepair.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=202&Itemid=154

ill continue to let mine idle for 30 seconds thanks – being aware that too much idling is bad. Equally let them warm up before driving hard. – how ever only my non turbo van is newer than the year 2000….

When you’re idling, although the oil is being pumped around the turbo – what’s cooling the oil?

I never bought one in the end but talked to Warranty Direct. All I can advise is haggle as the longer I waited the lower the price became for the same level of cover…

oil in the turbo is a fair bit warmer than that in the sump.

the act of fresh sump oil being pumped round in the oil ways cools the turbo down.

switching the engine off with a hot turbo stops oil flow into the turbo – the oil in the turbo fries and coats your oilways with lovely blocking deposits

ok it might be different if you live on a housing estate in the middle of suburbian hell and are forced to drive your car at 20mph to your drive.

i appreciate its a totally divided down the middle subject – and then we get onto cars like the beemer mentioned above with turbo timers etc.

Check that you’ve the right (documented) service history to qualify, as some require this – plus documents going forward.

ok neal , please explain this

Explanation here. (Myth #7)

http://www.bankspower.com/techarticles/show/30-turbo-diesel-fact-&-fiction

As b r says, make sure you don’t have to get regular services done at the mainstream BMW garage or something. That could easily wipe out any benefit.

fair enough neal – noted my knowledge on that is old school

Ill stick to doing it though. My turbos are 28 year old garrett T2s and are run on an oil film bearing.

if you want a warranty IME go with the dealer approved one. i took it out on my leon as with my luck with cars i fully expect the DSG box to fail. just had 2 top mount bearings and a CV joint replaced without any question, bill would have been £466 so im quids in