subject: Warranties And Speed Cameras [print this page] You hear a lot these days of 5 year warranties, 7 year warranties and even lifetime warranties. Whats that well known saying? If something seems too good to be true then it almost certainly is, and thats proving very true for these warranties given out by vehicle manufacturers. As always its so important to read the small print as you will be surprised to find out what isnt included. Usually its all the things you would expect to be included which arent, after all, these manufacturers arent daft and theyre never going to give away anything for nothing, however thy have become brilliant at making it seem that way.
Firstly this week is the case of the warranty provider going bust. What you have to remember, and its easy to forget, is that the warranty is provided by the garage, not by the manufacturer. If that garage was to go bust then your warranty is worth nothing at all. A car owner bought his Jaguar with 57000 miles on the clock with a three month warranty. Just as it was running out he extended it for another 12 months for the cost of 240.
This, he thought, turned out to be a good decision as within those 12 months the engine management light came on as an engine sensor had failed to a cost of 272. He telephoned the garage only to find out they has ceased trading, making his warranty null and void. There is nothing he can do about it.
Another man from Devon bought himself a Fiat 500. When just over a year old the car developed a water leak. As it was still fully under its warranty he wasnt overly concerned. But to his and everyone elses surprise, if you buy a Fiat, leaks are only covered in the warranty for up to a year. It makes you wonder if they already know they are liable to leak. He was advised he would have to book it into the body shop for 80 an hour! They make up the rules as they go and get away with it scot free. Everyone should remember these stories and not buy their cars. Theyd then learn one day that the customer is still king.
All fixed speed cameras in the West Midlands are to be switched off in a cost cutting measure, showing perhaps that cameras are not as much as a money grabber as people thought. In 2010 the government stopped providing funding to local authorities for fixed speed cameras and the consequences are beginning to show. Although good news for most, I think this is could have terrible consequences for road safety unless the Police in the area start to clamp down a bit more themselves.
Talking about speed cameras, a mix-up on the M42 has seen thousands of cases of motorists being wrongly fined after variable speed limits werent actually displayed on the overhead displays. 96% of speeding cases during that time have now been dropped to the relief of everyone involved.
