Extended Warranties Explained

With the rising costs of equipment and inflation still high, farmers and contractors now, more than ever are looking at the total cost of ownership when purchasing new equipment. Considering the costs for servicing, repairs and breakdown callouts upfront is extremely helpful for budgeting, giving you full transparency of the operating costs and predictable maintenance schedules.

Service plans and extended warranties are widely available - both from the manufacturer and third-party insurers - but can often be complex and a minefield to fully understand. Nigel Summerfield, Rea Valley Tractors Customer Support Manager talks us through the basics.

What’s included in a standard manufacturer’s warranty?

12 months’ is normally a base standard for manufacturers warranty, and that includes cover against manufacturing defects or assembly faults.

New Holland tractors come with a three-year / 3000 hours warranty*

How do extended warranties work?

Extended warranties provide longer protection for equipment over and above the standard manufacturers guarantee, normally covering mechanical and electrical breakdown and the repair or replacement of components if they fail. However wearing parts such as tyres and brakes are often excluded.

Under its RVT Shield brand, Rea Valley Tractors offer a range of extended warranties and maintenance plans designed to give you peace of mind and protect you against unforeseen expenses.

Why would I need a maintenance plan, over one-off servicing?

To help spread the cost. A routine maintenance plan allows you to fix your service costs for the duration of your plan, giving you the ability to pay for your servicing monthly, quarterly or at an interval to suit your cashflow.

With parts and oil prices fluctuating, we are seeing a demand for planned preventive maintenance with customers looking to fix their

SCARIFLEX R6S5 6M GRASS HARROW

• 1 row of 60cm levelling blades

• Height adjustable gauge wheels (to alter aggressiveness of the paddles)

• 5 rows of adjustable pitch 8mm tines

• Fully galvanised frame

• Hydraulic folding to 2.47m transport width

• Suspended headstock for improved ground following

WAS £9,500

£8,100 NOW operational costs. It can help alert you to an early warning of any potential problems that could result in costly repairs and unnecessary downtime. Having a maintenance agreement in place also helps preserve resale value, as its reassuring to know the equipment has a full-service history maintained by dealer-trained skilled technicians using genuine OEM parts. Failure to maintain your equipment under manufacturers guidelines can invalidate your warranty, so investing in a regular maintenance plan will keep you compliant.

Can I extend my 12 months manufacturer’s warranty? And is there a time limit on this?

You can purchase a manufacturer extended warranty at the point of sale, with the added benefit of including the cost in your finance package.

Alternatively, you can take out an extended warranty at any time in the first 12 months of ownership, with both JCB and New Holland equipment.

What options do I have when my extended warranty finishes?

You can purchase an RVT Shield warranty up to a further two years or 2000 hours, providing the equipment has done less than 5000 hours, and is less than five years old. Alternatively with JCB Machine Care, you can extend your warranty up to five years or 10,000 hours**. Or you can run your equipment without a warranty

Can I only take out a maintenance plan when I buy new?

No, a maintenance plan can be purchased at any time. Our team can help you establish a planned maintenance programme to suit your usage and manufacturers recommendations.

If you would like to discuss warranties or maintenance plans, or if you have any questions we haven’t covered above, please contact Nigel Summerfield on 07850 602735 or email nigelsummerfield@ reavalleytractors.com