Buying a brand new car? never bought one before? Finding the expenses tallying up already? Let’s get the biggest question out of the way straight away, do you need mechanical breakdown insurance from the outset, the answer is a definite NO. OK, yes you do but any new car from a showroom should come with manufacturers warranty for at least the first three years.
What does this do? It ties you into the garage for service, it’s a safety net for you but also a recurring revenue stream for the garage that sold you the car. Usually the terms and conditions of the in house mechanical breakdown insurance will state that you need to take your car in for a check up after every 10,000 miles, so you could be in and out three or four times a year depending on mileage.
That’s where the comparisons needs to be made, the small print, the terms and conditions, the value of work carried out and how much would end up being free of charge and part of the service. For instance if it costs a minimum £360 each service check up which covers all electronic faults, maintenance and oil change and when compared to an independent non model specialist works out to be the better deal then you’re on to a winner.
However if the mechanical breakdown insurance is double that of an independent garage, perhaps a warranty elsewhere would be best. Mechanical breakdown insurance comes into its own on older second hand models, do you need it?
Yes and no, as the electronics in a car become more and more advanced and intelligent the yes gets bigger and bigger, as it’s no longer a case of a nut being loose when computerised systems fail to work when ignition is flipped.
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