WARNING TO ALL VEHICLE BUYERS – BEWARE OF CAR VAPS & FORD NUMBI WHITE RIVER

I’m sharing this to warn others before they go through what we’ve experienced.

We bought a used VW Amarok just over a year ago through Ford Numbi White River, financed by Ford Credit. Because it was a used vehicle, I made sure that a warranty policy through CAR VAPS was included in the deal — for peace of mind in case anything major went wrong.

We were even charged R3,600 for an “inspection” to confirm the vehicle was in good condition and qualified for the CAR VAPS warranty. Based on that, the warranty was approved and activated.

Over the year, I paid out of my own pocket for all the minor repairs and regular services — even did a major service and cambelt replacement immediately after purchase, costing around R18,000.

Now, when the car finally had a major mechanical issue, I submitted a claim to CAR VAPS — only to be told the policy was void because the catalytic converter (CAT) had been removed.

Here’s the problem: That’s how the car was sold to us. CAR VAPS approved the warranty after their own inspection, and the car was clearly in that condition at the time. So how is it that only now, when a big claim arises, the warranty is suddenly invalid?

They were happy to take our money for over a year, give “peace of mind,” and then hide behind technicalities when it matters most. This feels like pure misrepresentation — and possibly collusion between the dealership and CAR VAPS to push useless warranty products that don’t actually pay out.

Now we’re stuck with a R150,000 repair bill and a non-running vehicle, while CAR VAPS offers nothing but a refund of the policy — which doesn’t even begin to cover the damage.

If we’d known this warranty was worthless, we would never have bought the car in the first place.

I strongly urge anyone buying a used car — especially from Ford Numbi White River or any dealer selling CAR VAPS warranties — to think twice. ✅ Get your own independent inspection. ✅ Read the fine print carefully. ✅ Don’t trust the “inspection fee” or “approved warranty” at face value.