Does a lifetime warranty exist?

By Lawrence Minnie

The term ‘lifetime warranty’ does exist but it doesn’t necessarily mean what you think it does.

Many parties will offer a lifetime warranty with a vehicle, but it would be best advised to read the fine print as often these types of warranties will exclude certain parts and services.

It is also advisable to check the provisos of the warranty, as performing maintenance at unauthorized centres or fitting non-OEM parts may invalidate the warranty as well.

To be perfectly honest, there is no such thing as a true lifetime warranty on any retailed item, as mass produced products such as appliances have an inevitable failure point during the lifespan. If the consumer takes the time to care for their product, they should never have to invoke the warranty during the life of their product, as a quality item should not break.

Manufacturers will often investigate claims with a fine-toothed comb for any signs that the product was mishandled or misused, as this immediately invalidates the warranty.

If you are offered a lifetime warranty on a vehicle or product, make sure you know the stipulations of the warranty before making any claims.