Aston Martin extends warranties till June-end, car service norms relaxed

Aston Martin is working closely with its dealer network to help customers worldwide during the unprecedented lockdown conditions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The British sports carmaker is taking steps to extend all new vehicle warranties that are due to expire to June 30, 2020. The list also includes vehicles whose warranties have expired since March 14 or, in the case of China, since the beginning of the year. China was the first to impose lockdown to prevent the pandemic from spreading further, hence the carmaker decided to give a longer rope to its Chinese customers.

Aston Martin has also assured its customers that warranty coverage will not stand invalidated even if someone misses a specified service interval. Aston Martin has a condition in its Owner’s Guide stating that failure to adhere to specified service intervals may invalidate warranty coverage. Due to the current crisis the company decided to waive it until restrictions change and dealer operations resume.

Aston Martin owners whose cars require a vehicle service during the coronavirus lockdown have been assured that warranty cover will be unaffected, and all cars serviced within three months or 2,000 miles (whichever is earlier) of the in-car service indicator will be protected in full by any applicable Aston Martin warranty.

Andy West, Director of Client Services at Aston Martin, said: “For all of us, the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdown has been, and will continue to be, a very trying time.

“While issues such as car maintenance and warranty cover are, quite rightly, not top of mind for many we want to let our customers know that in partnership with our global dealer network we are doing all we can to support them, and their sports cars, through this period and will be looking forward to helping them get back behind the wheel of their beloved Aston Martin sports cars when it is safe and appropriate to do so."

Aston Martin said on Thursday it plans to restart its St Athan factory in south Wales on May 5 and will also resume operations at Gaydon later, after the coronavirus-led shutdowns forced the luxury car maker to suspend production at both sites.

The luxury car maker said a majority of its employees are currently furloughed, and those who continue to be laid off from May 1 will get 80% of their base salaries from next month.