What is VW Extended Warranty and is it worth it?

Here we will consider whether VW extended warranty is worth it when buying a VW in the UK.

VW extended warranty can be purchased as an add on service that will extend your Volkwagen warranty past the termination of the standard warranty period which is usually 60,000 miles or three years, whichever is sooner.

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Many prospective buyers of VW’s are therefore faced with the decision of whether the extra expense is worth the money and what are the chances of it paying off?

Reasons to take out a VW extended warranty

The following reasons are considerations that VW buyers will be asking themselves when deciding if the extended cover is worth the extra cost for them:

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  • If they plan on keeping the vehicle for longer than the standard 3-year warranty period.
  • VW extended warranty can be transferred to new owners by completing an advice slip that you can find in your VW warranty handbook. There is a small fee (currently around £17.50)
  • If they want to sell the vehicle for a slightly higher price in year 4 or 5 it can be a great selling point.
  • For high mileage VW drivers, the standard warranty expires after 24 months if they hit 60,000 miles. Many buyers therefore opt to extend the warranty for the extra 3rd year that otherwise would be excluded.
  • You can only extend your VW warranty with Volkswagen if you are planning to service your vehicle with a VW dealership and it has to be within 2,000 miles of the required service intervals to qualify. If you want to service it elsewhere, the extended warranty is not worth it for you.
  • Extended warranty can offer you piece of mind, if you don’t like unexpected repair bills then the VW Warranty is more likely to be worth it for you.
  • Extended warranty also covers drivers abroad for up to 60 days. If you do a lot of European driving, then it is a worthwhile investment alongside your breakdown recovery. *Note* that Volkswagen Assistance is only valid in the UK even if you extend your warranty period.
  • Unlike the standard VW warranty conditions, there are no mileage limitations! This makes the extended cover most attractive to high milers.

Reasons that VW warranty may not be worth it for you

There are certainly a few reasons why many drivers choose not to take up the extended warranty offer in the UK. Here are a few of them:

  • If you are planning to sell your VW before the end of the standard warranty, then it simply isn’t worth the extra cost.
  • The same applies for leases. If your VW will be going back to a lease company then there is no point in your personally taking out the extra cover. Some lease operators however do frequently take up the offer as it boosts their resale value at the end of contract.
  • Maybe you like a small amount of risk in your life! As with any insurance there is a small gamble. You may pay to extend the VW warranty and never actually claim which makes the cover seem a waste of money and totally not worth it. But what if you have a full on engine failure… Pro’s and con’s with measured risks to consider!
  • The VW is renowned for its reliability. Those keeping up to date with their service plan may feel that it is unlikely that a warranty repair will crop up. I tend to agree with this theory for tried and tested models. I would be more cautious on new models (IE the T-Roc) or recent significant facelifts as they tend to have more bugs to iron out.
  • The VW extended warranty excludes quite a lot of things. Have a careful read through the Terms and conditions (HERE) to see for yourself.
  • The extra cost involved is hard to swallow when you have just spent 20k + on a new vehicle.

So, is it worth it or not?

Ultimately the VW extended warranty and whether it is worth it comes down to personal circumstance and your personal appetite for risk. It is fair to say that more VW owners choose not to take it out than those that take it up for various reasons, so it is not for everyone.

It is worth pointing out as well that your options are not just limited to VW specific extended warranty! There are businesses out there that offer the service on all makes and models and prices and terms and conditions are certainly competitive.

Editors tip

If you fit into this category, I would recommend at least considering extending your warranty (either with VW or an alternative provider).

  1. You are keeping the vehicle longer than 3 years
  2. You are a high mileage user
  3. You like to budget and hate unexpected repair bills
  4. You consider yourself risk averse

Do I have extended warranty?

No, I have never opted for it. Over the years I have owned three VW Golf, a T-roc, a Tiguan, and I am on my 5th VW Transporter.

I have never had a warranty repair carried out on a VW. Perhaps I have been lucky, however I have never ever missed a service.

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