GM's Super Warranty

Comprehensive Coverage Validates Dramatic Improvements in GM Quality, Durability

What a great show of confidence for new car buyers: General Motors offers the best warranty of any full-line automaker, with coverage of 100,000 miles or five years across its entire 2007 car and light-duty truck lineup in the United States and Canada. This reflects GM’s success in dramatically improving the quality and durability of its vehicles. Just a few months ago, everyone thought GM was “on the ropes”, but as recently as last month, among the domestics, only GM had sales increases. Why is this story on Best Stuff? We review many cars, and GM’s quality over the past few years has been greatly improving---we take notice, but sometimes the public doesn’t. It takes years to build a “quality” reputation and lately GM has been hard at work doing just that.

I think CEO Rick Wagoner is out to prove to the naysayers that GM is back. Is it to little, too late? I don’t think so. This bold, new move reflects GM’s belief in the quality of their products, and I am curious to see if buyers respond. To me it certainly beats “Employee Pricing” or “Cash Back” offerings. Folks, this is even better: It’s called peace of mind. Nobody wants to be hit with expensive, major repairs just after their 24,000 (or 36,000 mile) warranty expires. GM’s new warranty coverage is a fully transferable five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty with no deductible. GM is also expanding its roadside assistance and courtesy transportation programs to match the powertrain warranty term.

In a telephone interview Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner told us “We’ve been telling everyone how strong GM’s cars and trucks are in terms of value, design, quality and durability. Now we’re going to back it up! This latest step in our North America turnaround plan reflects the confidence we have in the quality of our cars and trucks. It’s the result of years of hard work by our employees, suppliers and dealers. For those who haven’t driven a GM car or truck in a while, this is our way of saying, ‘Come on back and see what we’ve done.’ “The bottom line is that GM now has the best coverage in the industry,”

The new warranty will apply retroactively to 2007 GM cars and trucks already sold. For non-powertrain components, GM’s ongoing “Bumper-to-Bumper” New Vehicle Limited Warranty remains in effect.

Wagoner said the moves were the result of GM’s successful decade-long effort to dramatically improve the quality of its cars and trucks. Pretty strong words; but now may be the perfect time to check out a new GM product.

John Lentz