Hopefully the manufacturer isn't so fickle about their warranty, as 3rd party warranties.
Although saying that, I have tried unsuccessfully twice on 2 cars to get a claim from BMW for their 10 year paint warranty. Both times the measured the paint thickness and claimed that it have been repainted. Despite both these cars being bought used, to the best of my knowledge based on my extensive pre-purchase checks, neither had been repainted. I've yet to hear on anyone who have managed a successful paint claim from BMW.
Anyway I'll get back on track about 3rd party warranties.
I bought a used Peugeot 306 many moons ago and it came with a 2 year 3rd party warranty from the
dealer through a company called Warranty Holdings LTD. These were just a bunch of crooks as the following sad tale will demonstrate.
First incident.
The diesel filter housing started to leak fuel from near the intake pipe stub. Checked the policy, and yep it was covered. Rang the warranty company. They accepted it was covered and instructed me to get it to a
garage for a engineers report so they could approve payment. I did so. The report said that the hosing / inlet pipe wasn't cracked but had somehow become porous. The warranty was refused as it was covered for failure on the filter housing, but not for porosity of such. They wouldn't listen to my pleading for reasonability, and I had to foot the bill.
Second incident.
The heater matrix failed and let coolant leak into the passenger footwell. The AA attended and bypassed the heater matrix such that the car could still be used, although without a heater (it was winter too to add to the woe). Then sometime later, the blower motor burned out due to suspected water ingress from the leaking heater matrix. Again I checked the warranty and it was covered. Rang the warranty company. They requested the
service records (receipts). I duly provided these. The claim was refused as the car had gone about 100 miles over for it's oil
service (as the
garage I use couldn't fit it in), and their limit was 50 miles. The
garage tried to explain that the heater matrix / blower motor is not linked to the engine oil and neither are
service items, and not changing the oil would have had zero bearing on either failing. To be fair to the
garage they tried arguing with them for best part of an hour, but they wouldn't budge. I also tried for several hours arguing with them to no avail. So I had to foot the bill again (£600 odd). Whilst on the phone I very angrily told them to listen to me tearing the warranty up as it was ***** useless.
So be aware if you every get offered a warranty from this lot, and run for the hills.