Warranty First

Repair plans for used vehicle dealerships in the UK

Warranty First is a provider of aftermarket repair and warranty plans aimed at used car dealerships in the UK. Its proposition revolves around the sale of cover that the dealership offers alongside the vehicle, so the company presents itself as a partner that protects the seller's commercial margin and reputation. The company states that its plans are designed according to how dealerships actually sell, and not as a generic warranty product.

Three product families according to powertrain

The catalogue is organised by fuel type and then by vehicle age and mileage. Each family has two levels of cover:

• Journey, for petrol and diesel passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Journey Core accepts any age and mileage and includes engine, gearbox, clutch, cooling, transmission, electrical system, steering and brakes, plus car hire, hotel and diagnosis. Journey covers up to 12 years or 120,000 miles and adds air conditioning, ABS, electronic control units, full electrical system, fuel, ignition, turbo and extended wear and tear. Journey + goes up to 10 years or 100,000 miles and considers manufacturer-fitted parts by default, except those excluded in the plan booklet, with higher contributions for multimedia and diagnosis.
• Drive, specifically designed for HEV, PHEV and MHEV hybrids, without being folded into petrol plans. Drive covers up to 12 years or 120,000 miles and includes regenerative braking, hybrid transmission and basic mechanicals, while the manufacturer retains battery cover while it is valid. Drive + goes up to 10 years or 100,000 miles and directly incorporates battery and electric motor, regardless of the manufacturer's warranty.
• Charge, for electric vehicles, with cover built around electric vehicle components. Charge covers up to 12 years or 120,000 miles and leaves battery and motor to the manufacturer. Charge + reaches up to 10 years or 100,000 miles and includes battery, motor and power delivery system.

The company explains that, while the manufacturer's battery warranty is active, the manufacturer assumes the battery and the plan covers the rest of the vehicle; at the higher levels, cover extends directly to those components on vehicles up to 10 years or 100,000 miles.

How it works for the dealership

Onboarding a dealership is set out in four steps: application and approval with credentials within 48 hours, technical integration with the dealership's systems, training of the sales team with materials and hands-on support, and starting sales with recurring income. The company states that its platform complements the dealership's existing management software and that repair requests are processed in under 90 minutes.

Among the arguments it presents to dealerships are the generation of recurring income from each vehicle sold, with commissions that scale according to volume and performance; a dedicated partner support team that handles repair requests, customer queries and technical issues; plans adaptable to different customer segments and vehicle types; and pricing and cover terms presented as transparent. The company declares that it is regulated by the FCA and has 15 years of experience in the automotive sector.

Repair management

The repair request process is aimed at plan holders, dealerships and repairing garages. The first step is to report the details of the issue via form, phone or email; then the company reviews the information and guides towards a qualified garage for diagnosis; once the repair is approved in accordance with the plan, the work proceeds. The company states that customers can cancel the plan within 14 days and that, after that period, cover continues until the end of the contracted period.

Partner network and ratings

Warranty First states that it has more than 1,000 active dealer partners across the UK and a rating of 4.5 on Trustpilot from repair plan customers. The site includes testimonials from dealerships that highlight the speed of claims resolution, the relationship with their account manager and the integration of the product into their finance and aftermarket offering.