Engine & gearbox warranty - what is covered?

SusanC10

What is covered by an Engine & Gearbox, Parts & Labour Warranty from a Main Dealer for a Used Car?

Is this a standard warranty for a Used Car ?

If the Timing Belt went within the Warranty period would it be covered ?

Also for the duration of the Warranty (6 months for example) do you have to bring the car back to that specific Main Dealer for servicing etc ? If you bring it to your own mechanic would it void the Warranty ?

Thanks in advance.

Toyotafanboi

in my experience of reading on here an "engine and gearbox" warranty is a polite way or the garage paying lip service to your consumer rights but in reality offering you essentially no cover. "bumper to bumper" or "comprehensive" warranties are the ones you want to be getting.

you're engine and gearbox are covered, internally seems to be the general rule. there's been plenty of people on here denied warranty on starters, alternators, power steering components etc which are attached to the engine but not strictly part of it. then you're clutch is a consumable, brakes are a consumable as per any warranty. your electrics aren't covered, your suspension isn't covered etc etc. really you're only going to get cover if the engine spins a bottom end bearing, throws a con-rod or has some other critical failure like that.

garages usually only offer "engine and gearbox" only when they know they might have difficulty standing over a car.

if the timing belt went during the warranty period, i would expect "engine and gearbox" to cover that if the timing belt was still within its serviceable life, something which you need to ask the salesman before you agree a deal.

now this is not always the case and plenty of garages will go above and beyond to look after a customer, but do tread with caution.
what car are you looking at? have you a link to it? what timeframe is the warranty, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months?

bazz26

There is no "standard" warranty on a used car. It varies depending on the dealer who is offering it.

Timing belts are made of rubber and have a limited life expectancy. If the timing belt fails prematurely during the warranty period, before the manufacturer's recommended mileage/time change interval, then I would expect the repair to be covered under the warranty. It this case the part failed prematurely with no way of knowing.

However if it failed during the warranty period but wasn't changed within the manufacturer's recommended mileage or time intervals then most likely it would not be covered. In that case a part with a limited life expectancy knowly should have been changed but wasn't and failed as a result of it reaching the end of it's life span. The fault there would be with the owner.

OP, if the timing belt is due a change soon then either negotiate to have it changed as part of the sale or negotiate down the price of the car and go away and get it changed yourself.