VEHICLE wholelife costs are in danger of being ignored and could rise as fleets continue to debate whether to demand three-year warranties from major manufacturers. Wholelife costs are crucial to the warranty discussion and Fleet Cost Management claims that introducing three-year warranties could result in increasing list prices with wholelife costs rising as a result.

FCM's executive director of sales John Britcliffe said: 'The fundamental question about three-year warranties is whether they will ultimately reduce wholelife costs on the vehicles to which they are applied. Warranties are not a panacea to maintenance and repair issues. The problem with them is that they are not free. Someone pays for them - and manufacturers are not a bottomless pit of funds.'

While three-year warranties are provided by Japanese and German manufacturers leading fleet manufacturers such as Ford, Vauxhall, Rover, Peugeot, Renault and Citroen have fought against such a move. Nevertheless, fleets which have asked for three-year warranties have received them, although the leading manufacturers have invariably reduced fleet discounts as a result. And those manufacturers have consistently said any out of warranty claims from fleets would be viewed sympathetically.