Van broken down 6 days out of warranty

Percy87

Hi all,

just after some advice really - my van (ford transit Connect) broke down on Tuesday, it was towed to a Ford dealership who have just advised its 6 days out of warranty and they will require £800 to strip it down to investigate what the problem is? Not to repair it, that’s just to find out the issue.

I’m assuming the issue is something to do with the gear box and clutch as it kept slipping out of gear when driving which is why I had to stop and get the AA out as not safe to drive, and actually the AA mentioned when they arrived that they have constant issues with this van and gearbox.

So I’m looking at around £2000 bill if it is the gearbox I’d guess! 

£800 just to diagnose the issue just seems excessive when it’s 6 days out of warranty? Is there anything I can do or any rights? The van is 18 plate with 30,000 miles on the clock so not excessive wear and tear I don’t think.

is there any kind of covid extension I could argue on the warranty   

ssparks2003

Though it felt like time has stood still for the last year, sadly there is no free extension. At best there will be good will, and as a lot of companies has felt the pinch over the last year they may be less inclined to give you a number of hours free labour which might show the fault was down to your poor driving. 

Undervalued

Percy87 said:

Hi all,

just after some advice really - my van (ford transit Connect) broke down on Tuesday, it was towed to a Ford dealership who have just advised its 6 days out of warranty and they will require £800 to strip it down to investigate what the problem is? Not to repair it, that’s just to find out the issue.

I’m assuming the issue is something to do with the gear box and clutch as it kept slipping out of gear when driving which is why I had to stop and get the AA out as not safe to drive, and actually the AA mentioned when they arrived that they have constant issues with this van and gearbox.

So I’m looking at around £2000 bill if it is the gearbox I’d guess! 

£800 just to diagnose the issue just seems excessive when it’s 6 days out of warranty? Is there anything I can do or any rights? The van is 18 plate with 30,000 miles on the clock so not excessive wear and tear I don’t think.

is there any kind of covid extension I could argue on the warranty   

A warranty is a contractual arrangement over and above your statutory rights. Its terms are whatever they are.

In effect it is an insurance policy that you bought with the vehicle (either included in the price or as on optional extra).

If your house burnt down six days after your insurance had expired would you expect them to pay because it has expired by "only a few days"?

You might have some statutory rights if you could argue that the fault was inherent but, with a van, I assume this was a business purchase? If so, as a business to business purchase many consumer rights would not apply.

Hasbeen

Percy87 said:

Hi all,

just after some advice really - my van (ford transit Connect) broke down on Tuesday, it was towed to a Ford dealership who have just advised its 6 days out of warranty and they will require £800 to strip it down to investigate what the problem is? Not to repair it, that’s just to find out the issue.

I’m assuming the issue is something to do with the gear box and clutch as it kept slipping out of gear when driving which is why I had to stop and get the AA out as not safe to drive, and actually the AA mentioned when they arrived that they have constant issues with this van and gearbox.

So I’m looking at around £2000 bill if it is the gearbox I’d guess! 

£800 just to diagnose the issue just seems excessive when it’s 6 days out of warranty? Is there anything I can do or any rights? The van is 18 plate with 30,000 miles on the clock so not excessive wear and tear I don’t think.

is there any kind of covid extension I could argue on the warranty   

Its out of Warranty. Period. There will be no extension because of Covid.


£800 to diagnose has nothing to do with an expired warranty. It is what dealerships charge.


Rather than a very expensive Ford dealership, it perhaps would have been better taking it to a local independent garage?


And depending if requiring new clutch or gear box  replacement? Perhaps a reconditioned or one from breakers yard would be cheaper?

[Deleted User]

A warranty is just that, to cover a specific time period, unfortunately because yours has finished you can’t expect covid to be used as an excuse. 

daveyjp

If the van has full main dealer service history push for goodwill by expressing your disappointment.

Percy87

That covid part was a joke, hence the laughing face but obviously got missed on some people. 

My point was more that it’s a common fault with the van and being only 6 days out of warranty that it’s a bit excessive to be charging £800 to look at

@Hasbeen  Yes obviously a local garage would be cheaper but Ford assist picked it up and towed it to the local ford, it broke down in Southampton and I am in London so bit hard to find a local garage - I called 6 garages and none had space or were closed so couldn’t really do much!

thanks @daveyjp that was more what I was asking 

Percy87

And just to note I have spoken to my friend who has had the same problem and he argued it and they paid for it all as it’s a common fault with the vans, but thanks for all your explanations of what a warranty is - definitely didn’t understand the definition before you felt the need to explain it