Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Can I use my own garage for repairs?

Yes, you can, preferably not a main dealer and if you do know a local independent garage try using the Good Garage Scheme on the internet or A1 Approved can find one for you.

You can use a main dealer if you wish as long as you are prepared to pay the difference in the charges compared to a local independent garage.

Do I have to pay the garage myself and then claim back the costs from you?

No. We can pay the garage directly for the authorised sum with our debit card over the telephone before you collect your car.

If they do not accept card payments over the telephone we can pay them with an immediate bank transfer. All we ask is that the garage email or fax us their invoice first.

No other warranty company offers this level of service.

What happens if I need to make a claim.

In the event of a failure you must follow the claims procedure in the book.

Does my warranty cover for worn out components?

No, it does not. No warranty can cover for worn or wearing components on a used car. The warranty is not a reconditioning tool to replace things as they wear on your car, rather it will cover for components that have actually physically broken or have a permanent electronic defect. Even a brand new car warranty will not pay for normal wear and tear.

Do I need to get my vehicle serviced?

Yes, You do. At the correct times/mileages in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations after you take delivery of the vehicle. A1 Approved are not interested in the service history prior to you purchasing it. The service does not have to be completed by a main dealer unless you want to maintain a full dealer history, but please ensure that you retain the relevant receipts as proof.

Does my warranty cover diagnostic charges?

The warranty does not cover plug in diagnostic charges as there are no set times for doing this. What might take one garage ten minutes to diagnose may take another two hours so these costs cannot be built into the warranty costs. A1 Approved do however, cover physical dismantling charges in the event of a valid claim subject to the warranty maximum claim limit.

Will I have to pay anything?

When your claim is authorised this will be for a specific sum of money agreed with your repairing garage. You may have to pay any warranty excess and /or for the components that are not covered under the warranty, plus any amount over and above the claim limit of your warranty.

GOLD COMPONENT COVER

The following components are protected against mechanical failure. Please note that if a part is not specifically listed it is therefore not covered.

Engine

Rocker assembly, inlet and exhaust valves, valve guides and springs (excluding burnt valves and decokes), cylinder head (excluding cracks and overheating damage), head gasket, balance shaft, push rods, camshaft and cam
followers, timing gears, chains and tensioner (excluding stretched and/or noisy chains), oil pump, pistons and rings, cylinder bores, gudgeon pins, con rods and bearings, crank shaft and bearings, crankshaft and camshaft oil
seals, inlet and exhaust manifolds (excluding carbon build up), flywheel and ring gear (except dual mass flywheels with excess play), sensors, switches & solenoids including turbo speed sensor, lambda sensor, oil pressure switch, camshaft sensor, crankshaft sensor, oil cooler. Excluding all rubber / plastic components such as pipes, housings & hoses.

Gearbox - Manual

All internal failures of gears, shafts, synchromesh hubs, selectors, seals and bushes, bearings, transfer box.

Gearbox - Automatics

All internal failures of gears, oil pump, seals, shafts, bushes, clutch pack (excluding worn frictional material), bearings, governors, servos, torque convertor, drive plate, valve block, modulator valve and megatronic units (excluding blocked solenoids).

Continuous Variable Transmissions – CTX/CVT

All internal failures of clutches, planetary gears, reductions gears, shafts, variable pulleys, thrust link drives, internal seals, bushes and bearings. Excluding worn frictional material or parts that have come to the end of their normal serviceable life expectancy.

Drive System (front/rear)

Crown wheel and pinion, half shafts, half shaft oil seals, bearings, planet gears, bevel gears, rear external drive shafts, constant velocity joints, 4 wheel drive units excluding fluid operated differential units. Excluding beam axle and bearings, radius arm and bearings, rubber gaiters, drive flange, together with all other parts not listed.

Brakes

Master cylinder, wheel cylinders, brake calipers (excluding seized calipers), servo, brake pumps, brake limiter valve, ABS computer/sensors/pumps.

Steering

Rack and pinion, steering box, idler box, power steering rack/ram and pump, pressure pipes, reservoir, steering column.

Cooling System

Water pump, thermostat, heater matrix, electric fan motor/sensor, viscous fan coupling, radiator, air conditioning pump, condenser, evaporator, magnetic clutch and valves, expansion valve, pressure and temperature sensors.

Propshaft

Propshaft, universal joints and bearings.

Fuel System

Mechanical/electrical fuel pump, stepper motor, injection pump, air flow sensor, pressure sensor, temperature sensor, fuel cut off valves, fuel gauge (when purchased separately), fuel pressure regulator, oxygen sensors, throttle position sensors, fuel lift pump.

Front/Rear Suspension

Shock absorbers, coil springs (except corrosion), upper and lower wishbones, swivel joints, McPherson struts (excluding top mounts), suspension arms, anti-roll bar, self-levelling units and reservoir, pump & regulator valves, seals, displacer, hydropneumatics system. Excluding weeping shock absorbers, excess play or items that have not actually failed or are corroded.

Wheel Bearings

Front and rear wheel bearings, but excluding hubs and worn or rough bearings.

Clutch

Centre plate, pressure plate, thrust bearing, clutch fork, cable, master cylinder, slave cylinder. Excluding worn frictional material or parts that have come to the end of their normal serviceable life expectancy.

Electrics

Starter / solenoid, alternator, coil, electronic ignition module, front and rear window / headlamp wiper motors, heater fan motor, indicator interrupter unit, electric window motor, sun roof motor, instrumentation gauges where purchased separately, centralised locking solenoids / pumps, water / oil mixture sensor, parking sensors (front and rear but excluding painting), tyre pressure monitoring sensors, headlight switch, electric window motor switches, sun roof motor switch, relays, sensors, horn, cruise control system.
(Front and Rear heated screens and elements are excluded from cover). If Your Vehicle has a convertible roof the roof motor, sensors and switch will be covered but not the folding mechanism / arms or the roof material.

Casings

Cylinder block, gearbox, and axle if they have been damaged by a mechanical breakdown of one of the above parts.

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