Mitsubishi drops 10 year powertrain warranty

Bossxr8 · 26-09-2012, 11:31 AM

News - Mitsubishi Mitsubishi drops 10-year powertrain warranty

Low take-up of 10-year Diamond Advantage warranty leads Mitsubishi to rethink cover
25 September 2012
By HAITHAM RAZAGUI
MITSUBISHI Motors Australia (MMAL) will drop its market-leading 10-year powertrain cover from the Diamond Advantage warranty and capped-price servicing plan as of October 1.

As part of a wider Diamond Advantage rethink, the inclusive roadside assist package will be reduced from three years to one year for customers who opt to service their car outside the Mitsubishi dealer network.

The company is citing low take-up of the no-cost 10-year warranty, which is restricted to the vehicle’s original purchaser and expires if it is driven more than 160,000 kilometres.

MMAL corporate communications manager Caitlin Beale told GoAuto that just 1.5 per cent of customers had taken up the 10-year powertrain warranty in the eight years since it was established.

She said existing customers and those who purchased their vehicles before October 1 were unaffected by the change, but that cost savings from not having to administer the warranty were being passed on to new customers, who will receive the standard five-year warranty.

“What it will do is bring that saving down into the price point of our vehicles and help every customer, not the 1.5 per cent it helps at the moment... we want to give value to all the customers that drive our cars .”

Ms Beale confirmed that price reductions will be applied to 2013 model year vehicles as they arrive on the market.

Price cuts already announced include the facelifted ASX, MY13 Lancer and MY13 Lancer Evolution launched last month, with savings of up to $8900 on the Evo, a maximum of $8000 slashed from the ASX and entry to a base-specification Lancer becoming $1700 less expensive.

GoAuto understands some of MMAL’s capped price servicing prices may increase as the schedule is boosted to include extra items like pollen filters.

Ms Beale said numerous options for re-jigging the Diamond Advantage plan were considered, but the decision to drop the 10-year cover was arrived at because few customers were keeping their cars for longer than three or five years and many of those who did had exceeded the 160,000km limit.

The Diamond Advantage warranty begins with a standard three-year/130,000km policy that can be extended to five years (still with a limit of 130,000km) if the vehicle has been serviced in accordance with Mitsubishi’s official schedule and the owner has notified their dealer of their intention to take up the additional cover during the final six months of the original three-year period.

Considering it only applied to the first owner and was only valid to 160,000km anyway its no wonder the take up rate was so small.

XWGT · 26-09-2012, 11:32 AM

The 10 year power train warranty almost saw me buy a Pajero over the Prado as its a long term car....shame to see it go.

TC200six · 26-09-2012, 11:38 AM

I'd be unsure if I would even be willing to keep a new car for 10 years. A whole decade is a long time and unforeseeable situations can come and go which may force me into selling for whatever reasons.

Bossxr8 · 26-09-2012, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC200six

I'd be unsure if I would even be willing to keep a new car for 10 years. A whole decade is a long time and unforeseeable situations can come and go which may force me into selling for whatever reasons.

I highly doubt many people would keep a car for 10 years either, hence one reason take up was so low.

Fiesta_Man69 · 26-09-2012, 01:02 PM

At least the option was there...

EgoFG · 26-09-2012, 01:14 PM

Personally, I am a 10 year keeper

10 Years on My EFII, and another planned 10 5 on my BFII.

Um ... am I the only one ?

blueoval · 26-09-2012, 01:15 PM

shame to see it go. But I can see the reasons for MMAL to not offer it anymore with those statistics.

If Ford offered a 10yr warranty on the Falcon I would have considered a new one for sure.

Road_Warrior · 26-09-2012, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EgoFG

Personally, I am a 10 year keeper

10 Years on My EFII, and another planned 10 5 on my BFII.

Um ... am I the only one ?

Nope

6 years for my BA and I'll be keeping it until its got nothing left to give.

The next (new or demo) family car we buy will be a 10 year keeper as well.

Not everybody needs or wants to "keep up with the Joneses" and with good old fashioned maintenance and care and attention modern cars will last just as well as old ones.

Quicksand · 26-09-2012, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EgoFG

Personally, I am a 10 year keeper

10 Years on My EFII, and another planned 10 5 on my BFII.

Um ... am I the only one ?

Probably; i was advised by someone in the car industry that the average car ownership period was about 3 years. That has certainly been the case for myself, but that figure is probably slanted heavily by Gen X/Y (i.e. the category i fit into). In saying this, most of the reason for selling my cars was because i was too scared to keep a Ford when it was out of warranty, based on my experiences with their products. If they offered a 5 year warranty i probably would have kept them for longer.

Even if that figure is wrong by several years though, its still nowhere near the 10 year special being offered. At no cost i would probably just tick the box, however its curious to see a manufacturer encouraging an owner to keep their car for longer...as opposed to buying a new one.

Franco Cozzo · 26-09-2012, 01:29 PM

I'll be turning over my Focus when I'm off my Ps, so I doubt i'd keep a car past 100,000km.

pursuit2359 · 26-09-2012, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EgoFG

Personally, I am a 10 year keeper

10 Years on My EFII, and another planned 10 5 on my BFII.

Um ... am I the only one ?

I hear you. I had my first car for 9 years before it died and I had it wrecked. I find the process of buying a car quite frustrating - doing research, comparing listings, calling sellers, inspecting and then driving cars, negotiating price...

I'd intended to get a newer Falcon, but ended up with an EL because I was happy with the condition of the car at its price. Atm, I'd rather spend some money fixing things up than go through the hassle of being another car and selling my current one.

XWGT · 26-09-2012, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC200six

I'd be unsure if I would even be willing to keep a new car for 10 years. A whole decade is a long time and unforeseeable situations can come and go which may force me into selling for whatever reasons.

True. However you only have to keep it for 3 years and you have surparsed the Toyota warranty. Years 3 - 10 are a gift.

**DFB FGXR6** · 26-09-2012, 05:38 PM

The Mitusbishi 5/10 warranty was introduced when the company was having issues with customer confidence with the regards to local assembly. It was a bait to lure in customers amounst all of the media scare and help mend the reputation of the company. Shame to see it go, but it seemed to achieve its goal.

SumoDog68 · 26-09-2012, 05:53 PM

Not sure about only 1.5% of custormers taking up 10 year powertrain warranty - it would cost them nothing in that case and it was great sign of confidance in drivetrain integrity.
So it hasnt cost them a lot and it was great for marketing purposes - why get rid of it ? Their explanation does not add up.
Many a Pajero sold thanks to 5/10...

AU Mont · 26-09-2012, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

Their explanation does not add up.

common sense would come to that conclusion.

obviously costing them alot more money than they thought......... what manufacturer in their right mind warrants a drivetrain for 10 years anyway

Fiesta_Man69 · 26-09-2012, 06:29 PM

Kia/Hyundai in Europe offer 7 yr warranty, regardless of owner...

AU Mont · 26-09-2012, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiesta_Man69

Kia/Hyundai in Europe offer 7 yr warranty, regardless of owner...

thats because it cost $1.20 in labour and materials to produce another rice burner

zilo · 26-09-2012, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

The Mitusbishi 5/10 warranty was introduced when the company was having issues with customer confidence with the regards to local assembly. It was a bait to lure in customers amounst all of the media scare and help mend the reputation of the company. Shame to see it go, but it seemed to achieve its goal.

Sorry mate, it had nothing to do with Mitsubishi australia manufacturing.

it was a global policy.

here is the current US warranty statement.

https://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMNA/...te/warranty.do

Ford_The_Win · 26-09-2012, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EgoFG

Personally, I am a 10 year keeper

10 Years on My EFII, and another planned 10 5 on my BFII.

Um ... am I the only one ?

Nup, cars are money pits and I intend to get every last bit of use out of mine, plus a bit extra. Buying a car is probably one of the most painful processes to go through so better the devil you know than the devil you don't as far as I'm concerned. As much as I would love a car that actually handles and stops, I won't retire my EL until it is well and truly dead.

dave351cid · 27-09-2012, 12:40 AM

had my BA for a bit over 9 years and hope to get atleast another 5 or 10 out of it.

saber · 27-09-2012, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EgoFG

Personally, I am a 10 year keeper

10 Years on My EFII, and another planned 10 5 on my BFII.

Um ... am I the only one ?

I slot into this category as well!

My 06 BFII Egas sedan is running like a champ at the moment. Purchased back in Dec 08, and with only 108XXXkm on the clock currently, she has plenty of life in her yet!

Would only get rid of her if:

• Circumstances change and I absolutely need another vehicle. Due to starting a family (which doesn’t look remotely likely in the short term!) or I need a ute for work purposes.
• LPG gets so dear that it isn’t worth running. Probably doesn’t affect me as I cover on average 10000km per year.

Would rather save the cash on purchasing another car, and use it to buy a property…

**DFB FGXR6** · 27-09-2012, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ugg

Sorry mate, it had nothing to do with Mitsubishi australia manufacturing.

it was a global policy.

here is the current US warranty statement.

https://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMNA/...te/warranty.do

Woops, my bad. But the system worked in australia though, giving customers confidence to buy the brands products at time when the company was coming off some hard times.

EDManual · 28-09-2012, 10:41 AM

I have a 10 year warranty triton, but it will be over the 160k km in just 1 and a half years!

Radtek · 02-10-2012, 01:12 PM

I have had my NP Pajero now for 9 years 110,000km and no issues. Just as well as I brought before the 10 year drivetrain warranty came in.

I hope my FG lasts as well as the Paj.

Streets · 02-10-2012, 02:06 PM

Had my daily XF for 9 years now and it's 26 years old overall. I've brought it back from near-death a couple of times but I'm thinking that next time it packs it in it will go into storage to be looked at fondly and maybe restored someday. Then I will probably buy an even older car with less dicky plastic **** in it.