Warranty and service requirements.

[RayS]

Can anone clarify the position concerning warranty and service requirments please. The warranty says the van has to be serviced annually by a franchised dealer.

This would be highly inconvenient for me and i am not ahppy with the standard of the dealer workshop.

On other vans I have owned, warranty has been maintained as long as the service was at an Approved Workshop (not necessarliy the dealer) and that "genuine" parts were used, although actual claims under the warranty had to be handled by the franchised dealer.

I seem to remember some years ago the similar situation for cars was tested in the courts and the outcome was that any workshop could do the service and so long as genuine parts were used the warranty remained valid.

Is this so ? are there any sources of definite information ? and would the same law apply to an imported van (imported by the dealer, not privately)

Any guidance much appreciated.

 

[Surfer]

If you read your warranty carefully you will notcie that it covers hardly anything. Basically the warranty is for the structure of the caravan and excludes heating, water pipes hinges etc. A totally worthless warranty.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Ray,

Technically the caravan manufacture does not have to provide any warranty service at all. It is the responsibility of the seller to ensure the product is of merchantable quality and fit for purpose. These rights are enshrined in the consumer laws that we have.

Manufactures may offer some warranty, but this is strictly in addition to your normal legal rights, and it is a gift. As a gift they cam make it conditional, and failure to comply with the restrictions will cuase the gift to be withdrawn.

I too recall that such arrangements were outlawed in the car industry, and whilst on the surface the situation may appear to be the same, I believe there are some significant legal differences in the relationships between caravan dealers as compared to car dealer franchises. These differences may be enough to make the ruling on car warranties unenforceable in the case of caravans and other consumer goods.

I believe it requires a test case to be brought to obtain a court ruling - unless there any commercial solicitors/barristers out there who have the answer already.