I looked at a few tractor units last week and this week I’m going to go back for a couple of “second viewings”, and the serious negotiations will start.
I’m prepared to pay the asking price for what I’ve seen so far, so long as I can screw down on the extras.
When I spoke to a main dealership, the warranty included pretty much every major component that was likely to fail from the turbocharger backwards. I’m not going to go with that deal, but do consider a good mechanical warranty essential.
In general terms, what is covered by a “Driveline warranty”? Does this mean engine, gearbox and axle only, or would it normally include the turbocharger, compressor and AdBlue system?
that all depends on the dealer offering the warranty, best ask when negotiating the deal
Harry Monk:
I looked at a few tractor units last week and this week I’m going to go back for a couple of “second viewings”, and the serious negotiations will start.
I’m prepared to pay the asking price for what I’ve seen so far, so long as I can screw down on the extras.
When I spoke to a main dealership, the warranty included pretty much every major component that was likely to fail from the turbocharger backwards. I’m not going to go with that deal, but do consider a good mechanical warranty essential.
In general terms, what is covered by a “Driveline warranty”? Does this mean engine, gearbox and axle only, or would it normally include the turbocharger, compressor and AdBlue system?
Only cover the major components , engine , axle, gearbox, not the other bits… its the other bits that are just as costly… had a steering box leak fluid on a scania I used to run… price £1800 + vat + labour… it was covered luckily by the £1000 warranty I paid for.
you need to bargain hard… buyers market at the mo… do your homework well!
shuttlespanker:
that all depends on the dealer offering the warranty, best ask when negotiating the deal
I know, I’m just looking for some inside info before asking!
To be fair, the salesman I chatted to last Thursday seemed completely on the level, and wasn’t pushy at all.
routier:
. had a steering box leak fluid on a scania I used to run… price £1800 + vat + labour…
One thing I will say is that I could repair a steering box leak, or replace an alternator/starter motor myself, I wouldn’t hold myself up as an expert but I can do some spanner work. Scania will charge £1,800 for a repair which you could do yourself by making a new gasket out of a cornflakes packet.
There’s an option which Routier mentioned…Have you thought about an aftermarket warranty Harry?
I know you can buy them for cars as you see them advertised on the trader site but wonder can you get them for a wagon?
you can buy the warranty via the dealer … I bought mine via Keltruck Scania… depends on mileage and year but the £1000 I spent was the best ever… got the steering box done… new ECU unit… and a few other bits…would have cost me over £4k if I hadn’t the warranty
A bloody good spend of a grand then Routier,if there is a good way to spend it outside of wine and women!
Many a gasket has been made from a cornflake packet Harry and found the easiest way to shape…place it on the block and use a ball pein hammer to hit on the edge of the block,the flat end for the straight bits and the ball end for the holes.Oh,and a bit of the hylomar to make sure.
Anyway,I digress.
ShropsBri:
A bloody good spend of a grand then Routier,if there is a good way to spend it outside of wine and women!
Many a gasket has been made from a cornflake packet Harry and found the easiest way to shape…place it on the block and use a ball pein hammer to hit on the edge of the block,the flat end for the straight bits and the ball end for the holes.Oh,and a bit of the hylomar to make sure.
Anyway,I digress.
I’ve never eaten Cornflakes… reckon that’s where I went wrong…
Just a little point to add. I believe most driveline warranties are provided by a 3rd party and not by the dealer selling you the wagon. That’s my experience when I was looking at buying mine.
routier:
I’ve never eaten Cornflakes… reckon that’s where I went wrong…
Nah, you don’t eat them, but in my days of driving Austin Cambridges and Ford Anglias I would often go go to the shop and buy something simply because it came in the right type of cardboard box to make a gasket out of 
Renault Truck used to give a topnotch full driveline warranty with their used trucks.
When I had mine it was “bumper to bumper” but didn’t include the usual wear items like brakes/clutch and electrics
(but did include Alternator/starter) etc.
They replaced an expensive air valve and a complete rear diff on mine without a quibble and cost me sweet FA apart from the downtime.
Was offered a second year@ approx £1100(via 3rd party provider) just before I sold up. 
xfmatt:
Just a little point to add. I believe most driveline warranties are provided by a 3rd party and not by the dealer selling you the wagon. That’s my experience when I was looking at buying mine.
Even some the the manufacturers secondhand warranty schemes are underwritten by outside insurers, I bought a second hand Merc with a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty direct from Merc at Barnsley. All the sign up paperwork was headed with Daimler Chrysler logos, but when all the bumph and voucher book arrived in the post not a three pointed star in sight 
Bought a truck from moody’s before
got it back as always when buying second hand got every filter changed dropped oils etc and do inspection found clutch to be knackered
rang up told take to local main dealer send us the bill and money bacs back to my account
there answer was we want you to buy from us in the future and had no complaints and would def buy from them again
Think alot depends on the dealers know someone else bought from a big truck dealer not moodys and not going to name them 6 weeks later engine on a v8 blew
had to buy replacement engine etc now in hands of a solicitor
So all depends on the dealers how they stand on it
95% of all used warranties are in fact an insurance policy underwritten by a third party.
Any repairs have to be authorised by that company and they can be as picky as hell as to what they will and won’t cover, even down to declining additional labour to get to a faulty part.
Any insurance being sold must be done under FSA rules, so unless it is part of the sale you should go through a quick demands and needs and have the policy and it’s cover/exceptions explained to you (a copy of those should also be available for you to take away prior to purchase)
If it is part of the sale you may not be afforded that luxury, but ask for it, then you can decide the worth yourself.
Also, if you are VAT registered you will be asked to pay the VAT element of any invoice sent to the warranty (insurance) company.
didnt think scanias ever needed anything done to them other than servicing mmmm maybe not then haha 
routier:
Harry Monk:
I looked at a few tractor units last week and this week I’m going to go back for a couple of “second viewings”, and the serious negotiations will start.
I’m prepared to pay the asking price for what I’ve seen so far, so long as I can screw down on the extras.
When I spoke to a main dealership, the warranty included pretty much every major component that was likely to fail from the turbocharger backwards. I’m not going to go with that deal, but do consider a good mechanical warranty essential.
In general terms, what is covered by a “Driveline warranty”? Does this mean engine, gearbox and axle only, or would it normally include the turbocharger, compressor and AdBlue system?
Only cover the major components , engine , axle, gearbox, not the other bits… its the other bits that are just as costly… had a steering box leak fluid on a scania I used to run… price £1800 + vat + labour… it was covered luckily by the £1000 warranty I paid for.
you need to bargain hard… buyers market at the mo… do your homework well!