Bumper to bumper extended factory warranty for California Ocean

[Hermes]

We purchased a 2017 California Ocean from a camper van dealer in October 2017 we were recommended to purchase a 5 year bumper to bumper warranty for £900 which we did. We received no paperwork relating to the purchase and were informed it would show up on the extended warranty database. Having recently seen a discussion about extended warranties on the forum we decided to look into our warranty in more detail. It is proving very difficult to establish where our £900 went and whether we have a warranty covering everything i.e. not just the engine type components but the hydraulic roof, fridge etc. Does anyone else have any experience of purchasing a £900 bumper to bumper 5 year warranty for their California and if so do you know what is covered?

 

[WelshGas]

We purchased a 2017 California Ocean from a camper van dealer in October 2017 we were recommended to purchase a 5 year bumper to bumper warranty for £900 which we did. We received no paperwork relating to the purchase and were informed it would show up on the extended warranty database. Having recently seen a discussion about extended warranties on the forum we decided to look into our warranty in more detail. It is proving very difficult to establish where our £900 went and whether we have a warranty covering everything i.e. not just the engine type components but the hydraulic roof, fridge etc. Does anyone else have any experience of purchasing a £900 bumper to bumper 5 year warranty for their California and if so do you know what is covered?

The Extended Warranty discussions on the Forum relate to the 2 yr Extension to the standard 3 yr VW warranty that an Owner can purchase with a New California from a VW Dealership.

If you did not buy new from a VW Dealership but from a “ Campervan “ Dealer then this is a 3rd Party Warranty which most such Dealers sell as they get a % of the premium.

 

[Hermes]

The Extended Warranty discussions on the Forum relate to the 2 yr Extension to the standard 3 yr VW warranty that an Owner can purchase with a New California from a VW Dealership.

If you did not buy new from a VW Dealership but from a “ Campervan “ Dealer then this is a 3rd Party Warranty which most such Dealers sell as they get a % of the premium.

The Extended Warranty discussions on the Forum relate to the 2 yr Extension to the standard 3 yr VW warranty that an Owner can purchase with a New California from a VW Dealership.

If you did not buy new from a VW Dealership but from a “ Campervan “ Dealer then this is a 3rd Party Warranty which most such Dealers sell as they get a % of the premium.

This is really helpful thank you. Do you have any idea what the warranty we appear to have purchased might cover?

 

[Max-Felix]

Sounds very suspicious and expensive. Especially as your 2017 vehicle will have a proper manufacturer's warranty until 2020. I would look *very* closely at exactly what you have been 'sold'. It would be best to get out of this if you can and take the VW extension after the three years is up. Maybe consider some research/legal advice from CAB etc into your options. At the least though you must have been offered papers to sign, written agreements, small print??

 

[Hermes]

Sounds very suspicious and expensive. Especially as your 2017 vehicle will have a proper manufacturer's warranty until 2020. I would look *very* closely at exactly what you have been 'sold'. It would be best to get out of this if you can and take the VW extension after the three years is up. Maybe consider some research/legal advice from CAB etc into your options. At the least though you must have been offered papers to sign, written agreements, small print??

Thanks for this advice. Unfortunately no in answer to your questions we are however in the process of dealing with all this. We were just interested if anyone else had ever heard of a £900 bumper to bumper warranty and if so what it covers.

 

[Meoncoast]

anyone else had ever heard of a £900 bumper to bumper warranty and if so what it covers.

No. But when we bought our 1st van in 2012 from Dorchester the dealer had a list of products. (extras) all of which were insurances set up by the dealer. There was an extra warranty. tyre insurance alloy, wheel insurance etc etc.

 

[Stoneybroke]

How did you pay the £900 for this warranty?

 

[Hermes]

How did you pay the £900 for this warranty?

We paid the dealer and it appears on our invoice

 

[Stoneybroke]

We paid the dealer and it appears on our invoice

Sorry, I should have made myself clearer... If you used a credit card (or other finance) to pay for the warranty you may have a simple way of resolving this.

What has the dealer said?

 

[Meoncoast]

Another comment./feeling
If your van was bought in 2017 when VW was offering an extra extended full warranty for around £380 for an extra 2 years, I feel it is a little bit of underhanded to offer another warranty for around £900 without explaining fully was available to you.
You £900 warranty may also tie you to your purchasing dealership - great if you are on a road trip.

 

[Stoneybroke]

If the warranty is insurance based, as most third party ones are, then there should be some additional protections.

https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/insurance-and-warranty-schemes

 

[Wongo]

Sounds like misselling to me, contact Trading Standards.

 

[WelshGas]

Most Motorhomes or Campervan conversions might have a 3 year Manufacturers Warranty on the Base Vehicle, if converted from new, but rarely have more than 1 year on the Conversion or Habitat side of things.
If this was a 2017 T6 California and not some misnamed conversion, sold 2nd hand from a Non-VW Campervan Dealer then it might just mean that the Dealer knows very little about a genuine VW California and the fully comprehensive 3 yr VW Warranty from 1st Registration.

That scenario wouldn't surprise me at all. Information about the genuine VW California is poor enough with proper VW Dealerships let alone 2nd Hand Dealers.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I bought a 2017 van last week. I was told you cannot add any further warranties unless purchasing from new and within 3 months of purchase...
I purchased from a Volkswagen dealership.

 

[Hermes]

Sorry, I should have made myself clearer... If you used a credit card (or other finance) to pay for the warranty you may have a simple way of resolving this.

What has the dealer said?

We paid by bank transfer. We are awaiting further information from our dealer.

 

[Stoneybroke]

Time for a formal letter of complaint to the dealer?

 

[Max-Felix]

We paid by bank transfer. We are awaiting further information from our dealer.

Hate to say a bit late now but *always, always, always* pay for a chunk (typically the deposit on a vehicle or similar) of *any* major purchase on plastic:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/s...n-18-9621&utm_campaign=nt-hiya&utm_content=37

 

[Ethel's dad]

Hate to say a bit late now but *always, always, always* pay for a chunk (typically the deposit on a vehicle or similar) of *any* major purchase on plastic:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/s...n-18-9621&utm_campaign=nt-hiya&utm_content=37

Good advice, but as the article says, the maximum purchase price of an item is £30,000 so Cali not covered.

 

[Stoneybroke]

Hate to say a bit late now but *always, always, always* pay for a chunk (typically the deposit on a vehicle or similar) of *any* major purchase on plastic:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/s...n-18-9621&utm_campaign=nt-hiya&utm_content=37

So much easier than a wrangle through the small claims courts.
The protection goes further than just the service or product bought, e.g. with the Monarch airline going defunct, I used Section 75 to get back the cost of the cancelled flights PLUS the extra it cost me for the replacement flights... Result.

There is a £30k limit on S.75 though. Bigger purchases may be covered under a different section where other types of credit is used.

 

[Max-Felix]

Good advice, but as the article says, the maximum purchase price of an item is £30,000 so Cali not covered.

Depends on the purchase price of course (ie used Cali's might be and certainly most cars) but I was really referring to the separate 'warranty' the OP purchased or just posting for anyone buying a phone, washing machine, hatchback, holiday etc...

 

[Ethel's dad]

So much easier than a wrangle through the small claims courts.
The protection goes further than just the service or product bought, e.g. with the Monarch airline going defunct, I used Section 75 to get back the cost of the cancelled flights PLUS the extra it cost me for the replacement flights... Result.

There is a £30k limit on S.75 though. Bigger purchases may be covered under a different section where other types of credit is used.

I wasn't being pedantic, it is really useful advice, just pointing out the limitations.

 

[Max-Felix]

I wasn't being pedantic, it is really useful advice, just pointing out the limitations.

Not at all - good advice too!

 

[Stoneybroke]

Not at all - good advice too!

I wasn't being pedantic, it is really useful advice, just pointing out the limitations.

I know, your post with the £30k appeared whilst I was typing mine!
But I was really referring to the warranty purchase.

For linked credit agreements there is similar protection under S.75A for £30-60k. Complex though to understand what linked credit is...

 

[Borris]

This is really helpful thank you. Do you have any idea what the warranty we appear to have purchased might cover?

Well it won't cover everything, they never do! You need to get a copy of the agreement and read the small print. An extended warrantee is basically an insurance policy. There are usually lots of exclusions and conditions. Some Warrantees are quite good and some aren't worth the paper they are printed on.