Warranty Woes

[Roobarb]

So I have a couple of items I want to have attended to under warranty, my car was registered on 19 July 2021 so the warranty in the UK should expire on the 18 July 2024, however Lotus have refused any consideration of a warranty claim as they say this expired on the 30 September 2023. This isn't the anniversary of the build date, or the delivery date to the original dealer (according to the WayBackMachine they listed the car before the September) and the original dealer confirms the new at registration date as per the invoice is correct.

All my paperwork original dealer invoice, DVLA letters confirming the registration number allocation and Registration document all confirm the July 2021 date, but Lotus are standing by the date on the system.

Who at Lotus looks after warranty claims here in the UK as the claims handlers in Holland are obviously unable to apply any variation as to what the computer says.

 

Update ***Have logged the issue with UK Lotus Customer Care - who confirmed 36 months from registration date***

Edited March 5 by Roobarb

[Bibs]

Glad to hear it. If you have any further issues please do let me know and I can escalate it to the right people. 

[Roobarb]

Many Thanks @Bibs they are just investigating hoping to hear tomorrow but depending on the update may yet need your assistance........

[Roobarb]

So we are sorted but not with the outcome I was looking for - seems the original dealer registered the warranty start in the previous September (not something they informed me of when I spoke to them yesterday despite them going away to investigate) to it being road registered in the July as they marked it as a demo (presumably on trade plates) so the warranty has expired ☹️ - seems there's no goodwill available for this one but if you don't ask.......

So if you have a late registered car maybe one to look at and see when your warranty will expire. It seems warranty begins if the car has covered 50 miles (irrespective of any ownership or road licensing), if a dealer keeps a car for a year, or it gets registered.

 

[C8RKH]

I'd be at the dealer under misrepresentation and sale of goods act.

From what you have said you were first owner when you registered it?

Or did you buy it knowing it had been pre-registered by the dealer? If the latter, you'd have likely got a good chunk off the "new" price surely which should cover the warranty work?

[Roobarb]

No I'm the second owner (and have a warranty from the dealer I bought from for major failures) but I wonder if the original owner knew about it as they moved the car on around the expiry date - it would just have been good to get some minor items sorted not at my expense. But to be clear the warranty started before the car was registered or the first owner bought it and it got registered (in fact nine months earlier 😮) so nothing to do with a dealer doing a pre-reg - it's just the Lotus T&C's for new car warranty don't rely wholly on the registration date which I think is what mere mortals like me just assume ☺️

[pete]

Not just lotus. All manufacturers do it. 

[C8RKH]

9 hours ago, pete said:

Not just lotus. All manufacturers do it. 

First I've heard that a new car manufacture warranty does not start when car is first registered.

I know for a fact my Sport 410 sat for a year with Silverstone when I bought it "new" and the warranty started the day it was first registered for me.

[pete]

Had it with a transit I leased , bought in February but warranty had started in September before, never did get on explanation 

[Phaeton91]

Yes this sounds pretty crappy.  I can’t escape the thought that it’s a manufacturers warranty and not a dealers warranty. If it was built in September and not sold until let’s say a year later, why would that be that down to the manufacturer?

Hopefully, the issues you have are more niggly than serious.

[Roobarb]

Yes its a little disappointing but it is only niggly bits  - HVAC panel lights and the diffuser is showing signs of corrosion - all of which can be addressed but would have been nicer for me to have someone else pay......☺️