After your manufacturer’s warranty expires, an unexpected repair cost can put you in a financial predicament, especially if you have an expensive vehicle. However, you might want to consider an extended warranty for used cars which could leave you with the peace of mind that the cost of repairs is covered should you experience a fault on the road.
It’s not always simple to choose the right used car warranty coverage. Like all insurance, you could pay an expensive premium for comprehensive coverage that you may never need to make a warranty claim on, or pay the lowest premium possible and risk it with limited component cover. To try to help you with this decision, we created affordable and generous warranty coverage that’s available for cars up to 16 years or 150,000 miles. Learn about our standard car warranty policy in our guide below.
Vehicle warranties cover the repair cost (replacement parts and labour) of mechanical or electrical failures, usually with the exception of gradual wear & tear or lack of routine maintenance. Named component cover varies from provider to provider and will depend on the type of package you choose. Some comprehensive packages may offer diagnostics, wear & tear cover or emergency support for when you’re away from home.
The types of warranties you’ll encounter are manufacturer or factory warranties (covering a new car during the initial ownership period) and extended warranties (which cover your car after the factory warranty ends). Both types cover unexpected electrical and mechanical failures. Generally, car warranties cover the following components, depending on the cause of failure:
Every policy will have its own list of excluded components, and warranty coverage will vary. Ensure you research what your policy covers and what it doesn’t, or you could be caught out with expensive repair and labour costs.
Find out what is included in our extended car warranty coverage here.
We created ALA car warranty to provide exceptional value for money and generous electrical and major component cover. Our levels of cover are available for a wide range of drivers, so you shouldn’t have to worry about whether you can get extended warranty on your pre-loved motor.
Our silver extended car warranty policies can cover vehicles up to 16 years of age with a maximum of 150,000 miles on the clock. Electric vehicles are also covered under this policy, so if your manufacturer warranty has expired, you don’t need to worry.
Whilst our Silver package is our most basic level of cover, you still benefit from the following features by choosing ALA car warranty:
● Best-value car warranty on the market
● Trusted Insurer: regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, rated 5 stars on Defaqto and 4.9 stars on Trustpilot
● Contribution towards replacement vehicle hire costs
● Continental cover (EU)
● Hybrid vehicle cover on all policies
● Van warranty available on all packages – excluding hire and reward
The following lists the mechanical and electrical components covered under Silver warranties. If you can’t find the cover you need, consult our extended car warranty coverage information page here.
● Electrics: Alternator, starter motor, indicator relay, front & rear windscreen wiper motor, front & rear windscreen washer motor, ignition coil, electric window motor and switch, central locking motor, sun roof motor and switch and electrical fuel pump.
● Engine: Cylinder head, crankshaft, bearings, oil pump, con-rods, pistons, piston rings, camshaft and cam followers, cylinder head gasket.
● Brakes: Brake master cylinder, ABS wheel speed sensors
● Steering & Suspension: Steering rack and pinion, steering box, PAS pump and idler, and upper and lower wishbones (excluding bushes). Wheel bearings and coil springs are covered on vehicles that are up to six years old or with 70,000 miles on the clock, whichever comes first.
● Drive System: Drive shafts, universal joints and couplings, constant velocity joints and half shafts & bearings.
● Front & rear-wheel drive: Drive shafts, constant velocity joints, manual gearbox, automatic and CVT transmissions.
● Fuel system: Throttle body, throttle position sensor, airflow meter, injectors, oxygen sensor, map sensor
● Front and Rear Wheel Drive: Universal joints & couplings, drive shafts, constant velocity joints for failure.
● Cooling system: Coolant temperature sensor, water pump, viscous fan coupling.
ALA Insurance comes out on top for value-for-money compared to Motoreasy, RAC Warranty, Warranty Direct, Dynamo and the AA. Your next decision is which package to choose. ALA offers three levels of car warranty, starting with our named component Silver policy. Find even more component coverage with our Gold Warranty and get comprehensive protection with our Platinum Warranty.
Although extended car warranty is not a legal requirement, it can still lower the average repair bill significantly, protecting you from unexpected costs during your warranty period. Compare ALA warranty coverage, or read about choosing the right level of extended warranty.
General exclusions include repair of cosmetic damage or a failure resulting from negligence, collision, weather & wear & tear. We can’t cover vehicles older than 16 years or 150,000 miles, or those used for hire or reward purposes. Read a full list of excluded components in the Silver warranty policy wording, or read more about what extended warranty doesn’t cover.
The make, model, age and mileage of your vehicle will affect your Warranty quote, however, policies are affordable. An average 12-month Silver policy can cost between £200 and £300 per year; 2 and 3-year policies are more cost-effective. Premiums can be paid in full or, with a small additional cost, you can split the cost into ten monthly payments if you prefer.
We’re proud to have a rating of 4.9 on Trustpilot which means our customers trust us to have their back. However, there are certain things to bear in mind to understand your cover and ensure it remains valid:
Yes, you can transfer your extended car warranty policy within 14 days of the change of ownership, provided no claims are in progress. There will be an admin fee of £35.
Once your manufacturer warranty expires, you are eligible for an extended warranty policy at ALA, as long as your vehicle meets the requirements.
Extended car warranty policies for leased or financed vehicles work the same way as any other vehicle; you can purchase your policy at any time, providing the manufacturer warranty has expired and you meet the relevant requirements. You must state whether your car is financed or leased when building your bespoke quote.
You can compare warranty providers based on the factors that are most important to you, such as cost, customer service, range of coverage options and covered components
At ALA, we do not provide manufacturer-specific extended car warranties, as all brands are treated the same during our quoting process. When building your quote, you must provide your registration number which will let us know what make and model your car is, but this won’t necessarily affect the price of the warranty.
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