Known as the “largest automaker by worldwide sales”, VW is in a class of its own. The People’s Car is a true example of the excellence of German engineering and their prices often reflect this fact. Every car should be considered an investment, and when the cars are as pricey as VW’s, you should adequately protect that investment to the fullest.
You have the obvious methods, which include timely maintenance, optimizing performance, using fuel and oils of quality standard, and, most importantly, diligent driving. While all these measures contribute to the smooth running of your car, they will not provide any added longevity. Wear and tear eventually catches up and father time remains unbeaten as critical components of your car can begin to cause issues. Repairs for these issues cost a small fortune and sometimes even a significant fraction of what you originally paid for the car itself.
Why Extended Warranty?
Extended warranty is one method of ensuring that you are protected from these exorbitant repair costs and that you truly get value for your money. There is no denying that there already will be a manufacturer’s warranty. The value you can get from paying a little extra on top for an extended warranty will far exceed the value you get for the original price of the car with the manufacturer’s warranty.
This article will examine the features of the manufacturer and extended warranty and demonstrate how you truly get more value for your dollar and secure your investment.
VW’s default manufacture warranty
VW offers “New Vehicle Limited Warranty” on every Volkswagen vehicle sold in the United States. This warranty provides coverage for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. It should be noted that a significant bit more was offered by VW for cars that were sold during 2002-2008, where the coverage ranged for 4 years or 50,000 miles. This is a standard practice in the industry, to the point where it might as well be considered a legal obligation towards consumers.
The New Vehicle Warranty provides coverage for the complete vehicle, bumper to bumper, including tires. You have access to VW dealerships in several places. Cosmetic wear and tear aren’t covered unless the erosion was caused by a defect of the car. All repairs falling under the warranty will be free to correct any defects. To be fair, VW’s manufacturer warranty does go slightly beyond its competition by offering 24-hour roadside assistance.
Volkswagen Extended Warranty
The VW Extended Warranty comes in 4 options, all of which offer significantly more than the manufacturer warranty, and cost a lot cheaper than the repair bills for any critical components. The most basic option is called the “Powertrain Limited Warranty” which protects your car for 5 years, or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. As far as parts are concerned, three critical assemblies will be protected under the warranty, the Engine, Transmission, and Transaxle/Drive Axle. The warranty covers parts and labour costs for mechanical failures and the parts are covered even if failure is due to wear and tear!
The next three tiers are called the Silver Plan, Gold Plan, and Gold Extended Plan. Silver adds on to the Powertrain Warranty by offering coverage for Steering, Brakes, Air Conditioning, Front Suspension, and Electrical Systems. Gold adds on to both Powertrain and Silver by offering coverage for ABS parts, 30 plus additional electrical components, oil pan, the water pump pulley. Finally, Gold Extended adds on to all three by covering most major systems of the car, which could be practically be considered as full coverage.
Additional Value
The extended warranty covers fluid and oil replacement associated with repairs as well. Furthermore, because the extended warranty is fully transferable, it increases your car’s resale value significantly. You have the option to go on a payment plan, interest-free, which makes it more affordable.
If your vehicle breaks down and you are more than 100 miles from your home, you’re entitled to reimbursement for meals, lodging, and transportation, for up to $75 per day, to a cap of $375 per occurrence. You will need to call the VW helpline to notify them before you can claim the entitlement. Additionally, there is a towing reimbursement capped at $75. You can call VW’s 24-hour helpline and have towing services arranged instead, which will also be covered at the same cap. Car rental reimbursement is on a flat rate/repair time, capped at $35 per day, and $350, 10-day maximum.
It should be noted that you would have access to over 5,000 VW Service Centers around the country under the extended warranty. You even get to enjoy extra benefits if you visit the dealership where you bought the car. As you can see, the level of convenience alone offers a lot more value for your dollar. The many benefits speak loudly to this fact and from a purely commercial and economic standpoint, the extended warranty offers immense value.
Conclusion
As you can see from the above, the level of coverage and protection ensures you are safe from any unexpected repair costs for a longer period of time. While the manufacturer’s warranty may seem generous, statistically most issues related to critical components pop up after the prescribed mileage and time threshold. That fact alone renders the manufacturer warranty trivial and inadequate in the long run.
Then there is the convenience factor of having access to every service center in the country, freeing of you of having to worry about finding a reliable and skilled mechanic. Your stress levels will be in check preemptively as you would be protected from repair costs, which can soar in the thousands for critical components, and that’s not even counting the labor cost.
Your car’s resale value also goes up with an extended warranty, as it automatically means the car has been worked on only by authorized VW personnel. The statistics even reflect this, as cars under warranty have been recorded as being better maintained than cars that are not.
With so many benefits, the answer should be obvious. Opt for an extended warranty when you’re purchasing your new VW, and protect your investment, while getting the most value for your money!
Article Submitted By Community Writer