View Full Version : SEAT Warranty - An alternative.
Having owned new SEAT's for the last 2 years, I have become increasingly disollutioned with the worth and value of the SEAT 3 year/60k warranty, or in the case of my Alhambra, 3 years/unlimited mileage.
To maintain the SEAT warranty, SEAT main dealer scheduled servicing and stamping of the service book is required for your car. This is done at very expensive main dealer servicing labour rates and the use of genuine SEAT parts, again top priced.
It seems to me that a cheaper alternative in the long run would to be the purchase of an independent warranty allowing bona fide VAT reg'd garages to service your car at reasonable rates and utilising equally good quality pattern parts.
Eg - a SEAT dealer oil change service costs c. £80/90! Small garage price is £30/40.
Eg - a SEAT dealer 60k service with cambelt change costs nearly £500. Small garage price is £300/330.
These differences in servicing costs are compounded as an owners annual mileage increases. A high milers SEAT warranty could be exceeded within 12/18 months (Mosser!).
Add into the equation that the SEAT warranty is solely reliant on the availability and use of genuine SEAT/VAG parts often results in delays, especially highlighted now with the VAG parts depot move fiasco.
With an independent warranty, I would of been back on the road within 2 days from the breakdown, as a "pattern" drive shaft was available to me within 24 hours via courier.
It is my certain view that if I buy another SEAT Alhambra, I will buy an independent warranty and not be beholden to £90 oil changes and £500 cam belt change/60k services and a sole source of replacement parts for use under the warranty.
These points I've put forward do not equate economically for low mileage owners where a yearly service is all that's necessary.
:cheers:
not having a warranty for a while has eased the cost of running mine ,but if the small garage carry out the service to seat spec then surely this wouldn't harm yer warranty would it?also it sounds like the alhumbra is a bugger to run anyway costs me about 60 quid for a cambelt change:cheers:
Where are you getting your warranty from Brian?,
My last car had an unlimited mileage, unlimited claim value 3 year extended warranty and it cost me £750, have you found anywhere better than that?
It was a company called warranty holdings
Mosser,
I haven't looked into independent warranties for my current Alhambra, yet.
I've made a note of Warranty Holdings, cheers m8.
:cheers:
The best wills and intentions offered by SEAT Cheshunt in rectifying my car quickly under SEAT warranty is being rendered futile when the necessary parts are unavailable to them due to the VAG parts depot fiasco.
The driveshafts are on way/arrived from Germany. :mad:
:cheers:
Well, i am not allowed another Seat for my next car thanks to the lack of parts for my car!, My boss is really annoyed that Seat couldnt supply a part for my car for 5 weeks and thinks it is unacceptable, he was all for selling it as soon as i ge the part and getting me a V6 vectra instead, but i managed to persuade him to let me keep my Leon for now
cars registered after 1st Nov 2002 get 2 yrs unlimited warranty. Dont know if the third year (Seat UK reg cars only) is also unlimited.
Press release is here:-
http://media.seat.es/en/comunicados2001/garantia.html
So far I've been lucky,,,no probs
Andy
New SEAT's from SEAT UK come with the factory 2 year unlimited millage warranty, which is "topped up" in the UK to 3 years or 60,000 miles.
IMHO this is crap and should be "topped up" to 3 year unlimited millage warranty, as Skoda UK have done.
Personally I'd rather pay the European price and pass on the 3rd year warranty (which may people won't be able to use as it's restricted millage).
I have emailled SEAT UK about this, but so far have had no reply, perhaps if more people email them they will pay attention.
You may be interested in the following reply I had to the message I sent to SEAT UK about UK pricing and spec, you will see they think the 3 year 60,000 extended warranty is the main reason for the increased price in the UK.
From: Richard Shaw [R.Shaw@navigatorcm.com]; on behalf of; SEAT Customer Care [customercare@seatcars.co.uk]
Mr A Farkouh
Your ref: SEAT Leon Cupra
Code: MC/sb
Our ref: 201201/*47576el
Date: 27/12/01
Dear Mr Farkouh
Thank you for your e-mail dated 19th December 2001, concerning the SEAT Leon
Cupra. We were delighted to learn of your interest in this vehicle and
trust that you will be more than pleased with your new SEAT.
We do appreciate your comments, however, it is important to consider when
looking at the overall cost of a car that SEAT vehicles - sold through our
UK dealers - include 3 years/60,000 mile warranty and SEAT Assistance
through the AA. In addition to the assistance being available throughout
the UK, it can also be used whilst visiting other western European countries
and is therefore a valuable service which provides peace of mind, for owners
travelling those extra miles.
The specification of our vehicles is based on market research and is
specially imported for the UK market.
We trust that our response clarifies matters for you. Should you wish to
speak to us further regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to call
our Freephone Customer Care Line 0500 222222, quoting our reference* above
during our office hours of 8.45am - 5.45pm Monday to Friday.
Yours sincerely
sb
for Gordon Sutcliffe
Customer Care Controller
SEAT UK
From: alex@farkouh.net [SMTP:alex@farkouh.net]
Sent: 19 December 2001 19:50
Name: Alex
Surname :Farkouh
Telephone: 07973xxxxxx
Email: alex@farkouh.net <mailto:alex@farkouh.net>
Comments: I have just ordered a new Seat Leon Cupra from one of your UK main
dealers, for delivery next month. This car is being purchased as my new
company car and so I was forced (by my company) to source the car from a UK
main dealer. Now I am rather unhappy about having to source a Seat from the
UK as if I import the same car from the EU I can get a higher specification
vehicle than is available here in the UK for about 25% off the UK list
price, which I find to be really stupid (especially the fact that we have a
lower spec available here in the UK, what happened to ESP?). If this car was
my own not the companies I would not have purchased it through official UK
channels and would have imported it (as many other people I know have done
recently). Just thought I'd let you know my thought as in the long run
having your local supply channels bypassed is not really the way to go and I
really can't see any clued up private customers playing 25% extra for the
same kit, but I guess you are relying on corporates not wanting to grey
import. Regards Alex
Well i would much rather pass on the AA cover and stay with the 2 year unlimited mileage warranty,
Who does their market research? monkeys??!!
sometimes I really wonder about Seat UK
So the first two years are unlimited, but the third isnt#
Jo Bloggs buys a cupra has a warranty claim at 70,000 miles after 22 months and no probs.
John Smith buys a cupra and has the same fault at 65000 miles after 30 months and has to pay up
Seems a bit mad to me.
Glad I saved my £4k because if I'd bought the car in the UK, I wouldnt have been able to use the 3rd year (30k pa) and the AA cover I already have,,,,,plus the fact I'm not that keen on paying more for a lower spec !
I wish i'd imported my car now too, cos i want the 2 year unlimited mileage warranty now, my next car will be an import now!
Charlie Wood
19-02-2002, 11:40
I'm on my 5th SEAT now since the VAG takeover, 2 beezas, 2 Toledos and now my Leon. One week before the unlimited 3 year warranty on my Toledo 2L Sport expired, a circlip came loose in the gearbox. New box was fitted speedily and with no fuss at a total cost to SEAT of over 2 grand, that said I'm happy to go with the 2 year unlimited Pan European warranty and trouser the savings on my imported Leon.