Now you're saying "Hey! That's not fair!" you have to keep this in mind; why should the manufacturer or dealer offer any help to customers that are not loyal customers when needed maintenance is performed? If you go to an independent or chain repair shop, or even do it yourself, what does the dealer or manufacturer owe you? The dealer and manufacturer can't control the quality of the parts used and work done when you have your vehicle serviced elsewhere. In addition, remember that the treatment you receive as a customer has a great deal to do with you being a loyal customer to the dealer and the manufacturer.

In all my shops, it's the customer who purchased the vehicle from us or who were regular customers that got preferential treatment. Again you say "Not fair!" Well the regular customer is what pays the bills, not the guy who wants to find out what's wrong with his car and then goes home to do the work himself or who comes in with an oil change coupon and takes the 27 point inspection sheet to the parts store. Fair or not, if you treat me right, I will treat you right.

Okay, its been decided you are eligible for AWA coverage. Now a decision has to be made regarding to what extent the dealer and/or manufacturer will go for you. It is rare, but not unheard of, that the Dealer or manufacturer will cover the whole bill, leaving you with not having to pay for anything. However, it is more likely that you, the manufacturer and the dealer will split the costs. In cases of smaller repair bills, either you and the Dealer or you and the manufacturer will split the bill. The higher the bill is, the more likely of a three way split.

In many cases the split may not be 50/50 of the parts and labor. However, in most cases, it is the customer who will pay the same or less than the Dealer or manufacturer. In many cases the customer will pay for parts with the dealer covering the labor costs, often the more expensive of the two. Ultimately it is the Dealer who decides the terms of the split and what it involves. It is the customer who comes out with the better deal.

It should be evident that Dealer loyalty has a big influence on the AWA and it is the faithful, Dealer oriented customer who will get the greatest benefit of the AWA. You will have to ask for this help, but it is well worth the time it takes to ask for it. Worst-case scenario, they say no.

Now that you know there is a possibility of a secret warranty exists, aren't you feeling a less unlucky?