Extended Warranty

[geoffbland]

I've put together some notes about the extended warranties available for the Emira from various posts on this forum and from my reading of the terms and conditions of each. If I've got anything wrong let me know and I'll update this.

Lotus
Cost:
£1199 - 1 year
£2259 - 2 years
Repairs at a Lotus approved shop.
Lotus Assist can be added for an extra £100 a year
Can be transferred to a new owner

No limit to number of claims.
No single claim limit - but combined claims cannot be more than value of the car.
Modified cars covered but only where modification has not contributed to the issue.
Europe covered for 60 days.
Any track use of the car will invalidate warranty.

Provided by Car Care Plan

Terms and conditions can be provided by most Lotus dealers or are listed here.


Oakmere
Cost:
£985 - 1 year
£2,535 - 3 years (£845pa)
Covers main dealer rates to £140.
Can be transferred to a new owner

No limit to number of claims.
Single claim limit - £5,000
No details of European cover???
Any timed or race use of the car will invalidate warranty - probably including track days???
Modified cars are not covered unless agreed before the warranty starts.

Provided by AutoProtect

Terms and conditions can be provided by Oakmere or are listed here.


Jon Seal Sportscars
Cost:
£999 - for main dealer rates, 1 year
£899 - for independent dealer rates, 1 year
Additional years cost an extra £849
Can be transferred to a new owner

No limit to number of claims.
Single claim limit - £7,000 (underwriting warranty to £5,000 and Jon Seal Sportscars will cover the remainder up to £7,000)
Lightly modified cars are covered (like cat delete, valve controller or replacement springs).
Europe covered for 30 days.
Track use is covered.

Provided by V6 Performance Warranties, underwritten by WSG

Terms and conditions here : https://www.v6pw.co.uk/pages/full-terms



None of the warranties cover paint or bodywork.
None of the warranties cover interior trim, seats etc.
All warranties require that you service your car at the correct intervals and have proof of this.
All warranties exclude certain items, such as wiring, airbags, lights, batteries, fluids etc. to a certain extent, too many details to list here, so check each policy for the details.
All warranties come with some kind of breakdown cover to recover the car to a nearby garage and provide a courtesy car to some extent. But none of the warranties really provide adequate cover that they could replace dedicated breakdown cover and travel insurance - again check each policy for details.

 

[Ralph2025]

My concern with some of the aftermarket policies (Palmers, Jon Seal, Bell & Colvill etc.) isn’t really the headline cover, it’s whether a real-world claim would actually be straightforward to get approved. Most of them rely on quite tightly defined component lists and exclusions like software faults, wiring, connectors, or “wear and tear”, which makes it hard to imagine how some of the common modern car failures would actually fit within the wording.

With a car like the Emira where many issues are electronic modules, calibration or integration faults, I struggle to picture a scenario where those policies would clearly pay out without debate. That’s why the unlimited claim value and manufacturer, backed structure of the Lotus/Car Care Plan warranty appeals to me more, even if the wording still contains the usual exclusions.

 

[912Matt]

Just tried to set up extended warranty through Silverstone, but been told I need to book car in for £150+ ‘multi point inspection’. Had assumed would be like Porsche and could simply extend existing warranty when it ended, provided the car has been serviced within the official dealer network. It’s a 4 hour round trip for me, so incredibly inconvenient.

 

[Ralph2025]

Just tried to set up extended warranty through Silverstone, but been told I need to book car in for £150+ ‘multi point inspection’. Had assumed would be like Porsche and could simply extend existing warranty when it ended, provided the car has been serviced within the official dealer network. It’s a 4 hour round trip for me, so incredibly inconvenient.

Is the car out of factory warranty?

 

[912Matt]

No, not yet, couple of weeks left, hence looking to sort out today

 

[Ralph2025]

Yeah if you're in your last month of warranty they ask for the car to be inspected first. I had an end of warranty check at lotus Guildford which was free, although they don't sell that warranty so not sure that would help

 

[912Matt]

Thanks Ralph, great comms from Lotus again, would have been nice to have been made aware a couple of weeks ago They don’t make it easy do they

 

[912Matt]

Anyone know what John Seal process involves - do they require inspection, or just apply common sense?

 

[Beachbum]

Anyone know what John Seal process involves - do they require inspection, or just apply common sense?

Calling @geoffbland

 

[vision]

I was offered the policy last week after my end of warranty B service. Reading through the lotus document It basically excludes many of the things that could go wrong. I am an April 2023 car, not had any paint issues and is fully serviced by lotus. I am really careful when I wash it and try not to drive in the rain? I know its absolutely bonkers but the paint issues are water related. I suppose Im lucky as I am an early car so should any paint for the next 2 years. I have been told that if you are loyal to official servicing routes etc, in the event of a issue they will look after you favourable!!

 

[Beachbum]

I was offered the policy last week after my end of warranty B service. Reading through the lotus document It basically excludes many of the things that could go wrong. I am an April 2023 car, not had any paint issues and is fully serviced by lotus. I am really careful when I wash it and try not to drive in the rain? I know its absolutely bonkers but the paint issues are water related. I suppose Im lucky as I am an early car so should any paint for the next 2 years. I have been told that if you are loyal to official servicing routes etc, in the event of a issue they will look after you favourable!!

And again, its a panel issue not a paint issue, so you have 12yrs of Warranty, given your car is a 2023 model

 

[geoffbland]

Anyone know what John Seal process involves - do they require inspection, or just apply common sense?

They just apply common sense - if you have an up-to-date dealership service history they are OK with that.

 

[geoffbland]

I was offered the policy last week after my end of warranty B service. Reading through the lotus document It basically excludes many of the things that could go wrong. I am an April 2023 car, not had any paint issues and is fully serviced by lotus. I am really careful when I wash it and try not to drive in the rain? I know its absolutely bonkers but the paint issues are water related. I suppose Im lucky as I am an early car so should any paint for the next 2 years. I have been told that if you are loyal to official servicing routes etc, in the event of a issue they will look after you favourable!!

None of the warranties available cover paint issues, panel issue or any kind of bodywork. It's not just the Lotus extended warranty that excludes this.
Obviously "if you are loyal to official servicing routes etc, in the event of a issue they will look after you favourable!!" may be something you have been told by a dealership but would probably be forbidden by consumer law at least in the UK.

 

[912Matt]

They just apply common sense - if you have an up-to-date dealership service history they are OK with that.

thanks Geoff, that’s what I was hoping - will give them a call tomorrow

 

[itsnewbsy]

Does anyone have experience with extended warranties in the US?

I have the axiom 4 year warranty that will start after this last year of manufacture warranty which covers a lot of parts but I don’t know much about the process year but I can post paper work if yall wanna see.

 

[SJW]

I just enquired about Lotus extended warranty via car care. Specifically I asked about exclusions for wiring and water ingress. A known problem is the resistor pack failing due to water ingress supposedly fixed by rubber shroud install but have heard reports of shrouds already perishing. Given this is a known manufacturing fault and potential problem area received very disappointing reply as follows

“have confirmed that wiring and connections arenot included in the extended warranty terms and conditions unfortunately, which is the terms provided by Car Care Plan not Lotus UK.”

Given headlights excluded what exactly is the point of the car care plan? Do the other warranty offerings do any better?

 

[avinson85]

Anyone know what John Seal process involves - do they require inspection, or just apply common sense?

Just paid for mine and all they wanted was total miles.

 

[tankski]

I ended up buying a Jon Seal warranty about a month ago. In the paperwork I received it said the claim limit was £5k not £7k. I’ve tried chasing this with Jon to no avail yet.

Has anyone else had this? I am assuming it’s a clerical error but I’m keen to hear if it’s more systemic.

 

[geoffbland]

Has anyone else had this? I am assuming it’s a clerical error but I’m keen to hear if it’s more systemic.

Thanks for pointing this out. I just checked my warranty schedule too - £5000 claim limit shown too. Must be an error as John Seal advertises £7,000 and I spoke to Jon specifically about this. I'll see if I can call him on Monday to check.

 

[schuey100]

I think it is important to realise the Lotus Extended Warranty is a third-party warranty provided by Car Care Plan who provide warranty for many makes of cars - it is not an at all an extension to the Lotus Factory warranty. How close this is in service and cover to the factory cover is not known.

Also as I posted above both Oakmere and Jon Seal cover repairs done by Lotus Dealers (I don't think any charge more than £140/hr the Oakmere limit). I'm not sure where you read otherwise. Jon Seal also provide the option for repairs by independents at a cheaper rate - personally I would prefer repairs at a good independent rather than a dealership. I'm also not sure where you read that they won't be using Lotus parts, as far as I know all the warranties will be.

The unlimited repair cost is a good reason to go for the Lotus/Car Care Plan warranty - it is possible an single claim could cost more that £10,000.

As a car dealer myself, warranty claims are hard work, dealers/independents don’t like claiming on them due to the time involved (your 17th in the queue etc on the phone) and the questions that need to be answered before a claim is submitted are ridiculous. I have the first I4 with only 1100 miles, think I’ll save the money and if it goes wrong just put the money towards it….

 

[schuey100]

I ended up buying a Jon Seal warranty about a month ago. In the paperwork I received it said the claim limit was £5k not £7k. I’ve tried chasing this with Jon to no avail yet.

Has anyone else had this? I am assuming it’s a clerical error but I’m keen to hear if it’s more systemic.

The only thing that will go wrong with that cost is engine/gearbox, look after it and sure it will be fine