Johannesburg - Chery shocked the motoring world this week with the announcement that it would offer a one million kilometre engine warranty on its new Tiggo 4 Pro, which is the first product to be officially launched since the Chinese brand announced its local comeback earlier this year.
This kind of warranty is unprecedented in South Africa, with the most impressive plans to date being Hyundai’s seven-year/200 000km powertrain coverage and Kia’s five-year unlimited kilometre general warranty.
But Chery’s million kilometre warranty comes with a few conditions. Not only must the owner cover the million kays within 10 years, but the engine warranty only applies to the first owner of the vehicle.
Here’s how Chery explains it:
“The warranty has two elements. A standard 5-year/150 000km factory warranty applies to all new Tiggo 4 Pro models sold. This warranty remains with the vehicle.
“The second, a free extension for another 5 years and a massive 850 000km focussed on the engine, is added automatically at the end of the first warranty, provided that the vehicle is still owned by the original owner.”
There is another condition, in that in order to keep the vehicle under warranty, the owner must service and repair it at an official Chery dealership, using original Chery parts and components.
So there you have it. If you want a car that you can keep for 10 years and put a lot of mileage on (listen up reps) then Chery’s warranty will offer you fantastic peace of mind. Keeping in mind, however, that most people will only cover 200 000 to 300 000km in a decade.
Chery’s warranty is not good news if you plan to buy the vehicle second hand however, although the standard five-year/150 000km warranty will still apply even after a change of ownership. Chery owners can also look forward to a five-year, unlimited kilometre roadside assistance plan provided in partnership with the Automobile Association.
“We have invested heavily in our own capabilities and now employ over 5500 people in our Research and Development department that now develops everything from traditional petrol engines to all-electric powertrains, hydrogen systems and even aeronautical engines,” said Chery South Africa GM Tony Liu. “It is with this in mind that we are supremely confident in offering this decade-long, 1-million-kilometre engine warranty”.
Chery currently has 30 dealers located throughout South Africa, with plans in place to expand the footprint at a later date.