As someone who has bought both new and second-hand VW’s (namely a Golf, a T-Roc and a Transporter T6!) an important question that I found myself researching was Do VW Warranties Transfer, and if so how?

From a new VW buyer perspective it is good to know if you will be able to transfer the VW warranty onwards as it will have an impact at point of sale (and may influence the point sale that you choose.

As a second-hand buyer, the benefit is also obvious and it may affect the age of VW that you look to buy. You get that extra piece of mind that you are covered by the VW Warranty for at least a short period whilst in ownership of your used VW.

Introducing the VW Warranty

VW Warranties have been sold under different terms throughout the ranges and over the years so it is worth checking which cover will apply to your vehicle. It also varies by country.

The most common warranty that new VW’s are being sold with (2021 in the UK at least) is an unlimited mile 2 year warranty which then extends to three years so long as you have not exceeded 60,000 in the first two years.

The VW warranty is a pretty good deal as it recognises both high mile users need adequate cover and also rewards the low mile users out there.

VW warranties expire exactly three years from point of vehicle registration (so bear this in mind if you are buying preregistered models).

If you hit 60,000 miles during your third year then this also expires the warrantee.

So do VW Warranties Transfer to new owners?

Yes, is the simple answer. VW Warranties are with the vehicle and not the buyer. You can view the UK terms and conditions directly on the VW website here.

transferring the VW warranty to new owner

Whilst you don’t specifically have to notify VW of the change of ownership (as the VW Warranty follows the car or van regardless), it is something that is worth doing as a matter of course.

The reason for notifying VW of the new ownership is so that you get recall notifications and other correspondence that is applicable to your vehicle. It also makes it easier to book things like services and repairs.

For the first three years it is worth sticking to the VW dealership services as it will keep your warranty work current and also benefit the vehicle residual value.

Can you extend VW Warranties?

Yes, you can, and it is an option that is quite frequently taken. A great video that explains it can be found here.

In summary however you can chose your level of cover which will allow for a £0, £100 or £250 excess depending on premium you pay.

There is no right or wrong with which level of cover you go for here as warranty costs can be as low as £100 but can scale right up into the thousands depending on the issue.

A good example of expensive warranty repair that can rear its head in year 4 and 5 of ownership on the VW Transporter range is caused by the EGR. You can read more on this here.

Do VW warranties transfer abroad?

Yes! The VW brand is world wide and so long as there is a VW dealership in the country you are either travelling or moving to then your warranty goes with you.

This is a popular question for British VW owners that are either exporting the vehicle to/from Ireland but also for those that spend time in France/Spain and Germany.

Claiming warranty abroad

If the repair is within the first 2 years it is slightly more straight forward than being in the 3rd year (as some countries differ in the 3rd year), so long as your VW has its service schedule booklet then the repair in the first 2 years will be carried out free of charge.

If you are in your 3rd year then you will have to pay the repair bill at the dealership you use and then reclaim the cost from the UK VW dealership that sold the vehicle (so make sure your repair invoice is addressed to them)