What do you reckon???

[SteveH]

I know its a rhetorical question (and also under discussion in the ownership section), but I am torn between 1 Year of Old-Semi-Official Audi Warranty (via Mondial) for £1582 and 2 Years of Warranty from Wayside Audi (via Europ Assist) for £799.

Thats half the price, for twice the duration of cover. Yet the level of cover under the contractual bit is practically identical.

It would be an easier decision to make if the Audi warranty was actually an "official" Audi warranty, as even though its twice the price (or 4x if you consider it only lasts a year). At least you would have greater confidence that they would actually pay out, long term customer service etc etc instead of fighting with an insurance company whose only interest is resisting from paying out. Although a bitter pill, the double price option would have some merit in that instance.

Or do I wait for this new-official Audi warranty that is now due on 11th September (my warranty expires mid-sept) so it will be a very tight deadline!

Thought you fellow RS6 owners could HHHEEELLLLPPPP!!???

[MartynC]

Reminds me a bit of the lager advert 'reassuringly expensive'. It's a difficult one but the if contract wording is the same I'd go for the better apparent value one.................cheaper I mean. Could be worth asking your local dealer service department what they think of the two choices based on their experince.

Good Luck, MartynC

[BigMo]

same banana - the cheaper one - more money for mods!

[installer69]

Steve,
are the claim limits the same? ie. if the gearbox goes, will both warranties cover the full cost? Do they both cover associated damage? ie. if the gearbox siezed and locked up the tranny causing the tyres to shred would they pay for the tyres? Is there a claim limit?

I will be in the same situation come February so am very interested.

I worked in the motor trade for quite a few years and have sold various warranty makes and pretty much every one of them had a get out clause.

The classic was if an engine failed we would have to strip down the engine - at the customer's cost if the failed item was a wear and tear affair and not component failure. How many garages want that job combined with a potential car hogging a bay whilst the owner and warranty company argue for 3 months!!

And let's face it, when you get to 4 years and 40 odd thousand miles, a lot of failures could be put down to wear and tear. Who is to say how long a component's life is. The warranty company is judge and jury unless you want to start paying out for an independant engineer to inspect.

You can see why people buy new cars when they get to 3 years.

[bobjebb]

I have the original warranty on mine until september 2007 being a 54 car, then a two year Listers own, which I presume is the same as your Wayside one. I was told at the time it was just as comprehensive as the official Audi warranty. Having said that, IF I sell the car some time over the next year or so, I might consider asking to trade their 2 year cover for 1 year of the new Audi one , purely for resale (same as the old Audi stamp versus independent servicing quandry) At which point I'll be told to get stuffed, so I'll stick with what I've got.

Anyway, to answer your question, I'd agree, go for the Wayside one. I hear they are mod friendly too? I may well switch to them as a dealer of choice if Listers get funny over my remap.

[AntS4]

Bob... which Listers branch do you deal with?

[SteveH]

Cheers all... I was quite impressed by the claims limit as it is the "value of the car" at which point I assume they declare a write off in the same way of accident/theft insurance. Think I will go with the Wayside one (after a final check with my dealer).

[bobjebb]

Ant - Worcester currently.

[ZeroK66]

having had a non-audi warranty I can vouch they are absolutely cr@p. Any excuse to write something off as wear and tear they do. Its just sooo frustrating. When it is an Audi warranty they dont dismiss things as wear and tear. The Audi dealership can put the claim through for you no probs. If its not an audi warranty they have to try contact a third party who can take days to send over an accessor who then says wear and tear anyway... waste of time. Audi warranty all the way for me. I wont ever again bother with a third party warranty. that said my approved used audi warranty really pi55es me off too...

1. wont cover a leaking water washer fluid leak (has to go back to dealer i bought it off... who have since shut)
2. wont cover door adjustment...
3. wont cover cigarette lighter
4. wont cover seat seams splitting
5. wont cover wheel alignment

99% of things they wanted me to send back to the dealer I bought it from. 90% of us buy a used car from a dealership that has the car we want. S & RSs are rare and so we generally source the car from MILES away from us. So I am not sure anymore just how good the Audi warranty is either. But at least they dont reject things as wear and tear.

[DrB]

I phoned and spoke to Europ Assit today, firstly to ask about cover outwith the Wayside group, as I am ion Aberdeen. Certainly there would be no problem, but I would have to get approval from Europ before proceeding with repairs.

I also asked about cover for wear and tear. They do seem to be quite strict. The advisor I spoke to was helpful. He did state it was nothing like an original warranty where you can bring your car in no matter what problem it has.

My original plan of cover with Warranty Direct may well be the best idea, especially as they have upgraded the policy to Platinum, where the policy limit is that of the value of the car.

[SteveH]

Had a pleasant surprise yesterday... dug out the paperwork for my car for the MOT, but I am accidentally a month ahead of myself; MOT and warranty not due until 30th Sept so if Audi pull there finger out(!!!) the new official warranty may actually be for sale in time for my renewal.

[jobg]

As the owner of an independent Bosch Service Agent / Bosch Car Service garage, we refuse to do work for most warranty companies. In my experience, the only one with reasonable customer service and labour rates is Scotsure.
Hence, my RS6 runs on the official Audi warranty by Mondial. Just had the dampers and DRC valves replaced under this warranty. Try getting that from any aftermarket warranty that is not affiliated with OEMs.

Had an experience with Warranty Direct on a customer's car with a failed autobox. We had to strip the box for Warranty Direct to inspect. A few days later the verdict was 'wear and tear, not covered'. Obviously,the customer was delighted that his 4 year old E55 with 50K miles on the clock had a warranty that was useless..........

Just my opinion though...............................

[Wolverine]

Mondial will cover cars only under 5 yrs and must be under 100,000 miles.

So what do you do when the car is over 5 yrs old (I presume most people here won't be doing 100,000 miles) ?

[DrB]

Had an experience with Warranty Direct on a customer's car with a failed autobox. We had to strip the box for Warranty Direct to inspect. A few days later the verdict was 'wear and tear, not covered'.

Warranty Direct DO cover wear and tear. They are the only ones who do - and that is what they promote.

The official Audi Warranty will not cover wear and tear. It is not the same as the Audi you had for the first 3 years. I have had first hand experience of them refusing claims with my last S4. Never had a problem with Warranty Direct.

[DrB]

I finally got conformation in writing of a 'Platinum Warranty Direct' policy to commence at the beginning of November when my Audi warranty expires. Initially they had sold me a gold policy, but it had a maximum claim and total limit of £5000. I phoned them up and explained that that would unlikely to be enough if anything serious happened - after some discussion they agreed to change the policy to a platinum one. The difference is that there is no maximum claim limit or total (well to the value of the car anyway!)

The benefit I see is that in includes everything (excluding consumables like discs pads etc.) and it DOES cover wear and tear, so it SHOULD be more like the Audi warranty you have in the first 3 years. My concern is that with the other policies that they don't cover wear and tear. They therefore could argue any point.

For example (true event) - if the side airbag goes in the driver seat is it wear and tear - someone may see it as that, because you are in out of the driver seat over a 3 year period and these things happen. It was fixed under the original policy but would it be covered under the 'Mondeo' Audi extended warranty or under the Europ Assist.

Mmm I don't know. I would be interested to know who has taken out which extended warranty.

I was quite tempted by the Europ Assist policy but had second thoughts.

Comments please.