I’ve just purchased a new Yamaha outboard motor. If I have it serviced by a Yamaha mechanic, the warranty is 2 years. If it is serviced by a Yamaha Dealer it is 4 years.
I thought there had been a similar situation with motor vehicles whereby provided the servicing was by a licensed mechanic and not the Motor Dealers, the warranty still was good.
I’d be grateful for some advice please.
Thanks
John Blakey
Member ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxx (removed member number for account security by @grahroll)
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The community might need some further details of the conditions attached to the dealer servicing warranty.
Is the Yamaha warranty 2 years?
Motor vehicles and some other goods can come with a conditional longer warranty. IE the extended warranty offer in addition to the basic importer/manufacturer warranty.
I’m not suggesting that a 4 year warranty may not apply even if serviced independently of the dealer. It’s a little unclear without a full copy of what each offer you are referring to contains.
I noted from Yamaha
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The internet has many interesting things filed here and there, this one from Yamaha to the ACCC regarding their warranty plans (as they were in 2007)
https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/public-registers/documents/D07%2B45846.pdf
Fast forward to more modern times and Yamaha has your rights clearly stated on their web page as @mark_m posted above.
Basically, you can use any mechanic who provides equivalent service. While the basic warranty is 2 years regardless of who does the service, it appears the “dealer Service 4 year” warranty is essentially a premium offer rather than a condition of the basic warranty and may have additional requirements for validity as Yamaha sees it.
FWIW I recently bought a new hydronic boiler that has a similar extended warranty if one purchased a package with it including a uniqe product specific thermostat, filter, and additive; and has it serviced before each 2 years expires - mentioned to show your Yamaha situation is not unique.
I am not qualified to provide legal advice and am not doing so but it appears if one has rigorously followed the “dealer maintenance schedules” using an independent mechanic you could make claims under the Australian Consumer Law citing that it should make no difference who did identical servicing, and the motor should have been fault free for the same time frame.
One aspect is while operating in the T&C of a written warranty honest companies usually respond, but when the ACL has to be called upon it can often be at much higher personal effort to make one’s case.
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It also worth noting, that in addition to any manufacturer warranty, the Consumer Guarantee under the Australian Consumer Law still applies.
It appears that Yamaha believe their outboards should last 4 years without major defects (I suspect there will be use conditions such as fair wear and tear excluded), and one may be able to argue a case that the consumer guarantee applies for the 3rd and 4th years as a minimum.
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