Vauxhall claims UK first with its lifetime warranty

All new Vauxhall cars will now be covered by a ‘lifetime’ warranty up to 100,000 miles.

It means any car registered from August 1 will be covered by the new Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty indefinitely up to a maximum of 100,000 miles.

It covers engine and gearbox, steering system, brake system and electrical equipment (excluding wear and tear) throughout the life of the vehicle up to 100,000 miles, with Vauxhall liable for all materials cost.

Vauxhall managing director Duncan Aldred said: “With the Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty, we are making a strong statement of confidence in the quality of our products and a clear intent to provide the very best customer service in the UK.”

However, the new warranty does not cover vans and will not be transferrable free of charge to second owners.

It means Vauxhall may not benefit from any perceived uplift in residual values that manufacturers associated with longer than standard warranties, if cars are de-fleeted before the original warranty has expired.

Mark Norman, operational development manager at CAP was cautious about the impact of the new warranty: “Until the small print is revealed it is difficult to assess any likely impact on values in general but as it only applies to the first owner it will not make any difference from a forecast residual value perspective.

“The original attempt to launch a ‘lifetime’ warranty, by Volvo in the 1980s, was hampered by there being so many conditions attached it became too complex for end users to see any real benefit.

“This may also apply here, with limited cover, annual dealer inspections and the potential for arguments at dealer level over what constitutes ‘wear and tear’.

“For a guarantee to have maximum impact it needs to be comprehensive and simple and it remains to be seen whether this will be seen in that way.”