BY Mabuyane Mabuza
As we celebrated Women’s Day, I was struck by how critical women’s decision making is when it comes to buying cars. In fact, women are said to influence 85% of vehicle purchasing decisions and buy up to 65% of new vehicles. This information is according to CDK Global, an international player in the automative space. Yet the language used in contracts is not human friendly, let alone appealing to busy women.
One such word that seems to confuse a lot of people is manufacturer’s warranty. The word warranty seems to be an enigma of all motoring-related terms. It is never really discussed openly. People assume everyone knows and fully understands it and its function.
Contract with the automaker
Car experts describe it as a contract between the motorist and the automaker. And as you know a bridge of contract could render any contract null and void or at least parts of it.
Our job here at XploreZA is not just to tackle the nice topics on the latest car launches, but also the uncomfortable ones so we can empower you. This is in our quest for us to bring all the information you need to survive this complex world of automobile.
Do you remember the most important car advice you have ever received?
Well, I got mine from an elderly gentleman driver at the newspaper I worked for back in the day when I was a young journalist. He said I should not fit wheels too large for my car. Ntate Stanley, the gentleman driver, was patient with me – then a rookie. He said cars function better in their original factory state. Of course, I came to understand this advice later as I evolved into a more experienced driver and my technical language had increased.
Unintended consequences
Often times I have seen people modify their cars to a point of “disaster” all in the name of making them “look good”. The big wheels, the dropped suspension and many other things. But as the saying goes “every action has a consequence”.
The unintended consequence of adding modifications to your car is that you risk losing your car warranty. Many a car manufacturers prefer their cars to be left in their original state. Please first check with your warranty’s terms and conditions before you take the route of modifications. There are many other reasons that could render your car warranty void including general abuse of the vehicle and neglect.
If there is one thing you can do for yourself this Women’s month that will help you sleep better at night, just take out that warranty book that’s been sitting in your cabby holder for years and diligently go through it. The sad reality is that it is one book that only gets taken out when things are already falling apart. Reading through your warranty book only when faced with the problem could simply mean you are probably too late. Well, that is in the case of problems that you may have unknowingly contributed to. You see why they say knowledge is power?
Here are some of the things to avoid doing for your warranty to remain intact:
- Skipping your scheduled service
- Using unregistered or unqualified “mechanics”
- General abuse of the car such as using the car for what it was not intended for.
- And of course, damage caused by modifications or occurring during modification process.
