Be Careful with Warranties The Words can be Confusing

Warranties are intended to help consumers. These are agreements where repairs are covered for a certain amount of time. Warranties ordinarily cover big-ticket items such as washing machines. Automobile warranties are offered at the time of purchase, and a buyer is encouraged to consider purchasing one for their new car. These can cost thousands of dollars, and the buyer must be careful. A warranty is not always what it appears to be.

A warranty is ordinarily suggested at the end of the sales transaction. That person might be agreeing to an auto service contract without realizing it.

So, What is the Difference?

An auto service contract is not a legal warranty. Instead, it is a written commitment to perform certain services or repairs on the car. Therefore, they might be marketed as extended warranties but are not recognized by law as a warranty.

An auto service contract may be something that will extend the length of coverage of an existing warranty or cover the maintenance cost of the vehicle. However, a consumer must remember that they are paying thousands of dollars for services that may be standard operating procedure over the life of ownership.

The language of the contract is not always clear. Aftermarket parts can be just as effective as those made by a car manufacturer. They are cheaper, and aftermarket parts do not necessarily void any warranty. Car dealers know this, but they may try to claim that the part caused the problem that required repairs. The car dealer must prove that, and not everybody knows about that stipulation.

It is also possible that the vehicle already has a manufacturer’s warranty. An unsuspecting consumer may end up buying duplicate coverage. A final thing to remember is that an auto service contract will not cover all repairs and maintenance. Normal wear and tear are not covered.

Buyer beware is essential for a consumer, but it is difficult to do that if an individual is unfamiliar with the terminology of the contract or what is and is not covered. Unethical car dealers rely on a person’s ignorance to make a profit. Employees buying a car would benefit from having somebody look at the document before a lot of money changes hands.

Warranty assistance is a service that group legal plans should offer. Not all of them do, but Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services does. Help with warranties is one of our group legal plan options.

Useful Personal Service

Our assistance is based on a nationwide network of attorneys who deliver pre-paid legal services to group legal plan members. There is a Countrywide attorney in the community of every Countrywide client organization, and our plan members receive priority attention.

We strongly recommend a warranty be reviewed before it is signed. A Countrywide attorney will sift through the document. The plan member is briefed on the content, and our lawyer will answer any questions. The attorney will also write letters and make telephone calls on behalf of the group legal plan member. The intent of the service is to protect a person from unethical practices.

Clients are Respected

Countrywide creates a group legal plan with the client’s help. We discuss our benefit options with a prospective client’s management. The decision-makers select what pre-paid legal services will be in the plan,