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Why won't my warranty cover clutch damage on my Saab convertible?

I am 80 years old. I bought a new Saab convertible in November 2011, three months before they folded, leaving me with no warranty. I am a DT reader of many years and you recommended Warranty Direct. WD was pleased to give me cover and if I paid up front for three years there and then I would get it cheaper and have confidence there would be no heavy bills. So they then took £840 from my bank account. I felt confident they were really looking after me.

Last week my shoe came off and was locked under the clutch. I could smell burning and drove to a safe place to stop. The car would not re start and the clutch had burnt out affecting the flywheel, and they accused me of driving a long way with a slipping clutch, which was not true, and refused my claim. I now have a bill about £1400. I feel I was mis-sold this warranty.

Asked on 6 July 2013 by AF, Stevenage.

Answered by Honest John
Sorry. If I feel a claim is legitimate I will refer it to the MD of WD, but you admit you damaged the clutch through your shoe coming off. A clutch is not normally covered by warranty anyway because a driver could destroy one in 15 minutes. Volkswagen only covers a clutch for six months or 6000 miles in its original factory new car warranty. You are trying to claim that you could not have damaged the clutch as much as you did, but the facts speak for themselves. Had this been a legitimate claim for a non-wearing part, WD would have paid up.

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