Recently, I had an interesting email exchange with a dealership client about displaying manufacturer warranty information on the vehicle’s Wisconsin Buyers Guide. Our DigitalDashboard DMS was preventing the dealership from displaying the remaining factory warranty and, by all logic, seemed like it must be a glitch with our system. It turned out the DigitalDashboard was correct and prevented the dealership from doing something they shouldn’t. The conversation also shed light on the nuances of Wisconsin’s regulations and highlighted an important aspect of vehicle sales that dealerships must navigate carefully. Here’s a summary of our discussion and what you need to know about these warranty requirements.
The Challenge
A client reached out because they were having trouble displaying the remaining manufacturer warranty information on a Buyers Guide. The vehicle in question originally came with a 36-month/36,000-mile full manufacturers warranty, which had expired, but still had remaining time and mileage on its 60-month/100,000-mile factory powertrain warranty. Despite entering both warranties correctly into the DMS, the powertrain warranty information would not print on the buyers guide. This didn’t make any sense because the warranty was still in force!
The Clarification
Unfortunately, Wisconsin regulations don’t allow this specific type of warranty to be shown on the Buyers Guide under the manufacturer warranty section. According to the WATDA, only the original full manufacturer’s warranty or an extension of the full manufacturers warranty, with the exact same coverage, can be listed there.
Other warranties, like the powertrain warranty being discussed, need to be disclosed elsewhere, such as in advertising materials or during the sales process. Additionally, the section directly below is reserved for extended service contracts or dealership warranties. It can’t be listed here either!
Key Takeaway
The key takeaway here is that Wisconsin’s regulations are designed to avoid confusion for the customer by restricting the type of warranty information displayed on the Buyers Guide in certain areas. While it might seem logical to include manufacturer powertrain warranties in the manufcturer warranty section, the rules are clear: only the original or extended full manufacturer’s warranty can be listed.
Personally, I feel this section should be updated to allow these types of warranties to be disclosed and completely understand why the dealership would be looking to include such important information!
Moving Forward
Understanding and complying with these regulations is crucial for dealerships to ensure they provide accurate information without misleading customers or running into issues with the DMV. Thankfully, the DigitalDashboard helps wherever possible to keep your dealership compliant. And while it may require additional steps to communicate the full extent of a vehicle’s warranty coverage, it ultimately helps maintain transparency and trust in the sales process.
If you have any questions about how to handle warranty information or other regulatory requirements, don’t hesitate to reach out. Navigating these details can be complex, but we’re here to help you every step of the way.
More Information
If you’re interested in laser printing buyers guides or to learn more about our FREE dealer management software, the DigitalDashboard DMS, click here for more information or contact us at info@dealerdynamics.com.
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