Warranty & Guarantee Standards Explained

We require every specialist in our vetted network to provide a written warranty on both the engine unit and the labour. Verbal assurances are not acceptable. If it isn't documented, it isn't a warranty.

5 published warranty standards - every specialist must meet these before joining the network
Written warranty required - on both the engine unit and the labour, with clear terms
Minimum warranty period - typically 12 months on supply and fit, with variations clearly disclosed
Engine provenance required - where the unit came from and to what standard it was rebuilt must be stated
You should never accept less - and we tell you exactly what to ask

Full standards, what to look for, what to avoid, and how our vetting enforces these standards, below.

Five Warranty Standards

Every specialist in our vetted network must meet these five standards before receiving a single enquiry from us.

#	Standard	What It Means
1	Written warranty on supply	The engine unit itself must be covered by a documented warranty, stating the period and what is covered
2	Written warranty on labour	The fitting labour must also be warranted, separately from the unit warranty, with clear terms
3	Minimum warranty period	Typically 12 months on supply and fit; any variation (e.g., 6 months on certain units) must be disclosed in writing [EM-INTERVIEW]
4	Engine provenance documented	Where the unit came from, its mileage, and to what standard it was rebuilt must be stated
5	Complaint process documented	A clear, written process for what happens if a claim is needed, including how to contact the specialist

What to Look For in a Warranty

Not all warranties are created equal. Here's what a good warranty should include:

Unit warranty period - typically 12 months, sometimes longer; expressed in months or miles, whichever comes first
Labour warranty period - often matches the unit warranty; sometimes shorter; should be stated separately
What's covered - internal engine components vs. ancillaries; what is and isn't included
What's excluded - damage from overheating after fitting, incorrect oil, other driver-caused failures; these should be listed
Claims process - who to contact, what documentation is needed, typical response time
Transferability - whether the warranty transfers to a new owner if you sell the vehicle

If a specialist cannot provide a written warranty that addresses these points, they should not be considered. Our specialist vetting process explicitly checks for written warranty documentation before a specialist is added to the network.

Questions You Should Always Ask

We recommend asking these specific questions before committing to any engine replacement:

Is the warranty in writing?

If the answer is anything other than "yes", stop. A verbal assurance is not a warranty.

What is the warranty period?

Ask for the specific period in months and miles for both the unit and the labour. Get it in writing.

What is excluded?

Every warranty has exclusions. The issue is whether they are reasonable and disclosed in advance.

Where did the unit come from?

If they can't state the provenance of the engine, you should not trust it - and neither do we [EM-INTERVIEW].

How do I make a claim?

The process should be stated before you need it, not discovered when you're already frustrated.

What to Avoid

These are red flags we've identified through our enquiry data and verified outcomes:

No written warranty - the single biggest red flag; any specialist who can't put it in writing isn't vetted by us
Warranty not backed by a trading address - a PO box or virtual address is not a workshop; we require a permanent, inspectable address as part of our vetting criteria
Unclear exclusions - if the exclusions are vague or open-ended, assume the worst
No engine provenance - if they can't say where the unit came from, you're buying an unknown quantity
Pressure to proceed without seeing the vehicle - any specialist willing to quote a full replacement without diagnosis should be avoided; it's one of our automatic disqualifiers

How Our Vetting Enforces These Standards

The five warranty standards are not optional. Every specialist in our vetted network must provide evidence of:

Written warranty documentation - reviewed before a specialist receives a single enquiry
Sample warranty terms - we review the actual wording, not a summary
Evidence of having honoured a claim - we ask for examples of how past claims were handled
Ongoing compliance - warranty standards are reviewed as part of our continuous specialist review

Where a specialist's warranty standards deteriorate - for example, by reducing coverage without disclosure - routing is reduced or stopped. Our full editorial standards and data verification processes ensure this remains a published, auditable standard.

What If Something Goes Wrong?

The warranty is your primary protection, but it's not the only one. If a specialist is unwilling to honour a valid warranty claim, we want to know - our verified outcomes process tracks post-job satisfaction and flags patterns of poor behaviour. If you've used a specialist from our network and have a warranty dispute, our how it works page explains what to do.

We don't mediate disputes directly, but we do use outcomes data to inform our vetting decisions. A specialist with a pattern of unresolved warranty complaints is subject to removal from the network. Our corrections log and data verification standards apply to this process as much as to any other data we publish.

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Five Published StandardsWarranty expectations are published, not hidden - so you know what to demand.

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Written Warranty RequiredVerbal assurances aren't enough. If it isn't written, it isn't a warranty.

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Vetting Enforces ItEvery specialist must prove they meet these standards before joining the network.

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Ongoing ReviewStandards are checked continuously, not just at the point of joining.