What is warranty worth? | GTAMotorcycle.com

What is warranty worth?

nobbie48

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I noticed that with my Hyundai the warranty was voided for several things, one being theft. I don't know what other vehicles have this clause, four wheels or two.

I can understand the manufacturer's position but assuming this is common the question is "If a stolen bike is returned to the owner, theoretically undamaged, and has no warranty is there compensation from the insurer for any future warranty issues?"
 
What I learned about insurance claims the hard way:
If you own a practically brand new vehicle and something serious bad happens to it, you better have enough money to go out and buy a brand new replacement vehicle and then do Not accept your old one in return if it has been significantly damaged.
 
I wonder if Hyundai intended that to be a perpetual clause. That is, maybe the intent was to absolve themselves from any warranty repairs on a stolen vehicle but if it was recovered and returned, it is no longer a stolen vehicle and is eligible for warranty again?

Since the role of insurance is to return you to the state before the incident, if Hyundai kills your warranty, the insurance company should be responsible to pick up the tab for an equivalent third-party warranty. Giving you back a warrantyless vehicle is a substantially different position (although the insurance company may try to argue that this loss should be lumped in with impaired value and not paid).
 
I doubt you would get ANYWHERE, with an insurer, trying to get them to compensate you for "any potential future warranty claims" It would be virtually impossible to quantify a value for that. One vehicle may have a MAJOR future repair for several thousands, while the next one may never make a warranty claim. So how would an insurer "fairly" compensate you for something that may never even occur?

I guess you could try as suggested to get them to kick in for a third party warranty, but most of those aren't worth the paper they are written on. Plus IIRC, Hyundai offers 10 year warranties. So if your vehicle is say 2 years old, there isn't any 8 year third party warranties...
 
interesting question
certainly something to read the fine print on
if ever I have a warranted item stolen and returned
no doubt that it's market value has been reduced if the warranty is void
 
Something to be aware of if you buy a used car still under warranty too. 3rd party ones are usually worthless to begin with, even more so now?
 
I'm curious about the Hyundai thing as I have some intimate knowledge of them on the corporate level. I have never heard of a warranty being voided due to a theft recovery, unless it was branded by your insurance company.

Of course, if the issue happens to be directly related to the theft that's another story
 
Of course, if the issue happens to be directly related to the theft that's another story

That makes the most sense. If something happens directly related to the theft, it is an insurance company problem, not a warranty problem. I cant think of an example where that would apply though that wasnt already picked up by the abuse clause.
 
I can understand Hyundai's stance. The slime that steals isn't likely to care about over revving, off-roading etc.

Obviously if the damage was severe enough the car would be written off but what if something crops up later on a not so bad recovery?

I'm not sure how theft recovery works. Does the vehicle get branded and is therefore unsaleable or saleable at a discounted price or ???
 

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