HELPDESK: MICHAEL McALEERanswers to your motoring queries
From TOC:
On UK television Toyota are trumpeting that there is now a five-year warranty on their cars but it’s still three years in this country. When I asked my local Toyota dealer about this he claimed that the actual warranty in the UK was still three years, but that Toyota were adding a two year warranty from some warranty firms and that it was not as inclusive as Toyota’s own cover here.
Additional warranties have long been added by national importers or distributors as part of their local marketing campaigns. Given the difficult times that Toyota faced over the recalls, it’s understandable that they would add some extra incentives in such a key market.
Unfortunately, it seems that there are no such plans here. According to a spokesman for Toyota Ireland: “Our research shows that a three-year warranty and our Eurocare three-year 24- hour roadside assistance meet the expectations of our customers.” He also clarified that the extra warranty is only applicable to the UK market.
While Toyota might be reticent about extending their cover, there is no doubting that the industry is carefully watching the public reaction to extended warranties by the Korean brands.
Kia’s seven-year warranty has caught the public’s attention here and Hyundai has followed suit by offering a five-year unlimited mileage warranty on its new iX35. It’s likely to extend the offer to other new models.
Warranty cover can serve as a reassurance to potential buyers, particularly when they may be uncertain about their long-term finances and don’t want to worry about major parts replacement or problems during the early years of ownership.It’s this peace of mind that attracts many buyers to opt for a new car in the first place.
In the meantime there are several firms offering extended cover independently or through dealers. However, you need to read the documentation very carefully to be sure that significant and costly parts are not omitted from these deals.
From P Larkin:
I’m thinking of upgrading my car from a 1.2 Renault Clio to a Toyota Auris. I only do between 100 - 150 kms a week and was thinking of the new 1.33-litre petrol engine, which only incurs road tax of €156. Do you think I should consider the 1.4 diesel option? My current car has air conditioning, alloy wheels and steering wheel controls so I wouldn’t consider a car that didn’t have these features as standard.
The Auris is slightly bigger than the Clio so you are stepping up in terms of space and price.
Of the two, the petrol is the better buy for you as both fall into the same tax band and you don’t do enough mileage to be able to recoup the extra in price for the diesel over the first three years of ownership.
You will need to opt for the Luna version to get the features you want as standard, so you are looking at a price of €20,615.
Send your queries to Motors Helpdesk, The Irish Times, Tara Street, Dublin 2, or e-mail motorshelp@irishtimes.com