Mercedes, Fiat follow EU lead by introducing 24 month car warranty period

Mercedes and Fiat have become the first car manufacturers to respond to a European Union (EU) proposal that the period of warranty for new cars should be extended from 12 to 24 months. According to Wojciech Drzewiecki from Poland's leading automotive market research company Samar, "In view of the changing regulations and the need to adjust Polish law to the law effective in the EU, it is likely that in Poland, too, all manufacturers will have to extend the period to two years." The 24-month guarantees offered by Mercedes and Fiat have no limitations on mileage, unlike the three-year warranties currently provided by some Japanese and Korean car-makers, which are valid only for vehicles with less than 100,000 kilometers on the clock. The new regulation is likely to come into force across the EU on January 1, 2002. (Zycie, p. 11) M.T.