Oskäliga villkor för utvidgade nybilsgarantiers giltighet : I konsumenternas eller konkurrenternas intresse?

Sammanfattning: A buyer of a new car is often offered a various selection of warranties. A warranty can e.g. exist in the form of an extended new car warranty. However, some manufacturers demand that the car has to be serviced by an authorised repairer for the validity of an extended warranty. In the thesis I analyse whether such a contractual term is incompatible with today’s legislation and I argue for when such a term is to be seen as unfair. Contractual terms can, according to Swedish legislation, be forbidden if they are unfair to consumers or to the competitors of the one who states the terms. The term stipulating that a car has to be serviced by an authorised repairer for the continued validity of an extended warranty must also be investigated bearing in mind the block exemption for the car sector, regulation nr 1400/2002. Further, some comparison with Swedish and foreign practise within the subject is made. Briefly, my conclusion is that terms stipulating that a car has to be serviced by an authorised repairer for the continued validity of an extended warranty should be forbidden. The term has a negative effect on the competition within the after-sales market since independent repairers are not given the same possibilities to enter into competition. Furthermore, the term is unfair to the consumers since an independent repairer by means of regulation nr 1400/2002 has the same possibilities and rights to acquire with an authorised repairer equivalent knowledge of how to service a car. Owing to this, the service must be regarded as being of the same quality if performed by an independent repairer.