What's going to happen if your friend's car get problems after 25 months ?!!
There's no "if" about it!!! WHEN the manufacturer's agent stops patching it up to get it through the warranty-period.
I'd suggest that 98%of Range Rovers are bought for ego/style...NOT for their "off- road workhorse" capabilities.
I think this Heli has enough time on it to give credibility to it's construction and it's manufacturer's financial stability.
Parts ARE a major cost....by excluding the labour-element, the Factory can ACCURATELY factor-in their warranty costs. Known fact, distributors WILL extract the urine on warranty labour, if they get the chance.
True example from the Motoring world .-
Changing a clutch in a BMC transverse-engine 1800 was an engine/trans. out job.....book time ~12 hours.......remove battery and tray, disconnect exhaust and a few bits and bobs ,unfasten engine mountings and tilt the clutch end up...you could then whizz it out ,replace with new "warranty " item , drop engine back down and drive out after 3 hours labour all in!
It was only the huge number of "faulty" clutch returns, where no fault was found, that bought this "scam" to light.
SOMEONE HAS TO PAY FOR WARRANTIES.....Add it on to the purchase-price?....there are already many here wanting a Bentley for Ford money,
so, IMHO, Guimbal has hedged their bets by excluding the factor over which they have no control and priced the product accordingly.
An aquaintance flew a Schweitzer for a couple of years and then "upgraded" to a R44....it didn't last long, he survived when it bit him.
If you're that concerned about a warranty, a LLoyds Underwriter will happily take your money, give you "peace of mind" and you'll fly a more modern, safer, economical Heli.
I neither own or fly a Rotary Wing (unless you count R.C. models
)
So, I've no dog in this fight. It's just common-sense really and what counts is the TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP.
I'd venture to suggest the depreciation figures quoted early-on in the thread, are wildly pessimistic.....An end of life Robbo needs a huge rebuild.....Cabri of same age, given the same care and attention...probably 10% of the expense....this must surely reflect in the resale value of the guimbal. (and no worries about main blades peeling open! )