Just So You Know: As-Is Warranties

Imagine this. You walk into a used car dealership and find a real gem. It’s a sleek-looking sedan with incredibly low mileage. The dealer informs you that it was owned by a little old lady who only used it to drive to church. And the price is fantastic! Sounds like a steal. The only catch is that the car comes with an as-is warranty. And sure enough, just 10 minutes after you drive it off the lot, the car stops dead in its tracks and won’t start up again. The car—your mechanic informs you—is dead.

Normally, you would march right back into the dealership and try to get your money back. But in this case, there’s nothing you can do. You bought the car with an as-is warranty, and you have no legitimate claim against the dealership.

What Is an As-Is Warranty

An as-is warranty is just what it sounds like. You are purchasing a product exactly as it is, hidden defects and all. It might seem like you got duped, but there was no trickery involved here. A seller has the responsibility to be honest about what they are selling. And a buyer—that’s you—has the responsibility to know what they are purchasing.

An as-is warranty is the seller’s way of telling you that they aren’t making any promises or guarantees. You are getting that vehicle or other product in the condition it is in right now. Now it’s your responsibility to make sure that you want to purchase that item in its current condition. 

To continue with the example of a vehicle, if you plan to purchase it as-is, we recommend asking if you can take it to an off-site mechanic first. Let the mechanic do a careful inspection before you buy. You may find that the car is in excellent condition. More likely, you will find out that the car needs some work. But if you go into the purchase knowing exactly what you need to do to fix up your car, you could get a great deal. Sellers can often lower their prices when selling as-is because they don’t have to account for the cost of repairing or replacing defective products.

TrustDALE Warranties

An as-is warranty is always a gamble. The more you know about the product before you buy, the less of a gamble it is. But despite the word warranty, when you buy a product with an as-is warranty, you are assuming full responsibility for any defects. Luckily, you have options when you buy, and if an as-is warranty makes you nervous, there are plenty of alternatives.

When you work with a TrustDALE certified business, you know that Dale has done the research and determined that this is a high-quality company. Dale only certifies businesses that have excellent customer service, competitive pricing, high-quality products or services, and best-in-the-industry warranties. And every TrustDALE certified company is backed by Dale’s $10,000 Make-It-Right™ Guarantee.