“Putting your money where your mouth is.” That’s become a pretty big deal for carmakers lately in the form of their warranties as we see an exponential rise in factory warranty periods.

After all, consumers are going to be reluctant to hand over their hard-earned money if the people making said cars aren’t going to stand behind it for a reasonable amount of time once it has left the showroom.

Chery’s launch yesterday tabled a 10-year or 1,000,000 km engine warranty for the first 3,000 customers of the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro or the Chery Omoda 5. That extended warranty is on top of the standard warranty package that comprises a 7-year unlimited mileage warranty with a 5-year free maintenance package (alternate free labour only, not parts).

Also Read: Priced from RM 109k, CKD Chery Omoda 5 launched in Malaysia: 2 variants, 1.5 turbo, full ADAS

Nonetheless, if you’re not one of the first 3,000 customers but would like the 10-year or 1,000,000 km warranty, you can actually purchase the extended warranty for RM 2,000. Essentially, the first 3,000 customers are getting the extended warranty for free.

However, carmakers aren’t going to place themselves in the firing line of inadequate drivers holding the trigger. Of course, there’ll be carefully worded disclaimers and such to protect their interests in the case of executing the warranties.

Also Read: Chery Tiggo 8 Pro launched in Malaysia: priced from RM 160k, 2.0T, 256 PS/390 Nm, Sony audio

Chery's warranty is now the best in the market and to make a fair comparison, we've taken a look at the coverage offered by Chery's chief competition, Proton, in the form of the X50, X70 and presumably the X90 as well.

On paper, the Proton X50 comes with a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty. However, digging a little deeper, it reveals that, “Due to specific nature such as normal wear and tear in operations, the following components are specifically NOT COVERED above 36 months or 60,000 km, whichever occurs first, from the date of first registration for the X50."

Engine

Turbocharger, generator, starter, high-voltage wire, ignition coil, belts, 3-way catalytic converter, sensors, oil seals, rubber parts and bearings

Transmission

Wire & cable, sensor, release bearing, clutch pressure plate, dual mass flywheel and rubber parts

Cooling system

Thermostat, water pump and rubber parts

Chassis and Suspension

Shock absorbers, ball joint, rubber parts, brake disc and exhaust pipe

Electrical system

Cable, sensor, actuator, reversing lamp switch, wiper motor, door lock and hand feeling switch

Body Interior & Exterior

Paint, glass and door regulator

Accessories & Others

Lamps, cigarette lighter, horn and multimedia system (include Disc box, GPS host)

To simplify, what this essentially means is that the most important bits of your Proton is covered for the stated 5-year, unlimited mileage warranty but certain wear and tear items associated to them fall under the 3-year or 60,000km period.

Similarly, Perodua's warranty coverage for its vehicles is as follows. Each new Perodua comes with a 3-year or 100,000 km basic warranty but major components that comprise the driveline get extended coverage for 5-year or 150,000 km.