You may have heard of extended warranty companies in the past, or perhaps your local dealership recommended an extended car warranty when you purchased your vehicle. If you are not familiar with extended car warranties, then it can be easy to fall into a trap or get poor coverage.
Once your factory warranty expires, an extended auto warranty can save you a large chunk of cash in the event of a mechanical breakdown. We researched the best extended car warranty companies and reviewed their protection plans and service to give you our take on the pros and cons of each.
Read the results of our research below and compare quotes between our top picks. At minimum we recommend getting 3 price estimates, since costs will vary by your location, vehicle, and more.
| Best Provider | Best for High-Mileage Cars | Most Affordable |
| Endurance | CARCHEX | CarShield |
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| Editor’s Rating: | Editor’s Rating: | Editor’s Rating: |
| ★★★★★ | ★★★★½ | ★★★★½ |
| Get Quote | Get Quote | Get Quote |
| (877) 374-1840 | (866) 254-0205 | (800) 563-2761 |
Table of Contents
- #1 Best Provider: Endurance
- #2 Best for High-Mileage Cars: CARCHEX
- #3 Most Affordable: CarShield
- #4 Best Long-Term Financing: Protect My Car
- Runner-Up: autopom!
- Runner-Up: Liberty Bell Auto Protect
#1 Best Provider: Endurance
Endurance Warranty Services, LLC has 13 years of experience – fewer than many competitors – but it has already built a strong reputation for customer service. As a direct provider of extended car warranties, Endurance takes care of customers from beginning to end.
| Pros | Cons |
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Coverage
The most obvious distinction between Endurance and other third-party auto warranty companies is it is the direct administrator of its plans. Other companies market plans administered by a separate company.
Endurance offers five, transferable/cancelable plans to fit your individual needs:
- Supreme: Exclusionary coverage
- Superior: Highest component-stated coverage
- Secure Plus: Shortest waiting period (30 days/1,000 miles rather than the company’s usual 60-day waiting period)
- Secure: Basic, affordable powertrain coverage
- Select Premiere: For high-mileage vehicles (up to 200,000 miles)
In addition to roadside assistance, contracts include the one-year Endurance Elite Membership service, which offers perks like merchant discounts, a personal concierge and ID theft services.
Price
You may find that Endurance does not offer the same competitive prices available from an extended car warranty company that markets plans from multiple competitors. However, higher prices and higher deductibles ($100 on average) is a good value for the level of service and coverage.
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Best Provider
Editor’s Rating: ★★★★★ |
Industry leader that offers no-interest payments of 12-24 mo. |
Claims and Repairs
Endurance takes the confusion out of the claims process by handling claims and covering repairs itself. There is no middleman as you’d find with most other third-party companies.
Endurance also allows customers to seek repairs from any licensed mechanic or your dealership. The company will even make recommendations for repairs for parts not covered.
Customer Satisfaction
Endurance is currently not rated or accredited by the BBB, but customers rate customer service positively on the BBB site. One customer specifically praises the company’s reliable coverage:
“My past experience has been great. The dealers hate when I show them this card. The insurance does cover engine, transmission and catalytic converter and anything electronic.”
Other customers praise Endurance for its responsiveness and polite customer service representatives.
Read our head-to-head comparison of Endurance vs. CARCHEX.
#2 Best for High-Mileage Cars: CARCHEX
CARCHEX has been in the car warranty industry for more than 20 years. The company’s motto is “Customer experience above all,” and it boasts a high customer satisfaction rating on the BBB and other review sites.
| Pros | Cons |
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Coverage
CARCHEX markets plans backed by insurance carriers with A and A+ ratings.
Plans range from five to 10 years. They are transferable and can be canceled at any time.
Whether you’re looking for a basic powertrain warranty or a bumper-to-bumper warranty, CARCHEX offers five coverage levels: Titanium, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. The Titanium plan offers exclusionary coverage, but paint, interiors and other cosmetic components are not covered. Roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement and trip interruption benefits are included in most contracts.
Plans cover new vehicles and used vehicles over 150,000 miles, but do not expect your Porsche or exotic vehicle to have very many coverage options. Though, we were impressed that some cars can be covered until they’re 25 years old or have 250,000 miles.
Price
CARCHEX uses its buying power to find competitive rates for customers. CARCHEX touts its No-Haggle, Low-Price, Everyday Guarantee™ and offers contracts from a network of administrators. A contract for a 2007 to 2014 Toyota, for example, may cost as little as $56 per month.*
Some plans come with deductibles as low as $0. Payment plans range from six to 24 months.
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Best for High-Mileage Cars
Editor’s Rating: ★★★★½ |
Offers comprehensive service and covers vehicles with over 100,000 miles |
Claims and Repairs
CARCHEX offers considerable flexibility to customers. When it comes time for repairs, customers can choose from more than 30,000 repair facilities, which include major chains, dealerships and smaller, local shops.
Claims are paid directly to the repair facility, so you won’t have to wait to be reimbursed.
Customer Satisfaction
At CARCHEX, the customer is most important. CARCHEX has received a 99.9% customer satisfaction rating, as well as an A+ rating from the BBB. The company is endorsed by CARFAX, Edmunds.com, Kelley Blue Book and experts like Pat Goss of MotorWeek.
Customers often cite representatives’ product knowledge and transparent communication. One customer wrote on Trustpilot:
“This is a good company to do business with. Everyone has good product knowledge and they have really good customer service. I will stick with them even though other companies are always trying to drag me away!”
Some customers, however, dislike the 30-day, 1,000-mile waiting period to use their policy, as well as some back-and-forth passing from department to department. Though, it’s important to consider that a waiting period is standard for most extended car warranty companies.
#3 Most Affordable: CarShield
CarShield is a company commonly seen in radio and television ads. Upon closer review, we found it to be a good and affordable option for drivers.
| Pros | Cons |
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Coverage
CarShield offers fewer coverage tiers than some competitors, but it makes up for this with specialty coverage for high-tech components, such as the navigation and starter, and coverage for motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles.
Coverage ranges from powertrain to bumper-to-bumper coverage through four tiers: New Car Diamond, Platinum, Gold and Silver. Though all plans can be canceled, some coverage plans are not transferable to a new owner. You must inquire about transferability for each plan.
Price
CarShield markets itself as an affordable option for extended car warranties. Plans with low deductibles or no deductible are available.
Customers won’t have to pay for costs other than their deductible. CarShield plan administrators will pay for 100% of the covered repair costs.
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Most Affordable
Editor’s Rating: ★★★★½ |
Affordable plans with great perks, such as roadside assistance |
Claims and Repairs
The CarShield claims process is standard and straightforward. Your mechanic or service provider will contact your claims representative, who will approve repairs and pay the facility directly.
CarShield customers can choose any ASE-certified mechanic for repairs.
Customer Satisfaction
While the BBB currently gives CarShield a low rating, keep in mind that the number of reviews is a small percentage of the company’s customers. In the reviews, customers report high-pressure sales tactics and confusion over what is and is not covered in contracts.
On the other hand, Trustpilot customer reviews indicate a much more positive experience with the auto warranty company. Overall, customers are happy with customer service representatives’ professionalism.
Google shows over 2,600 customer reviews, resulting in 4.4 out of 5.0 stars.
#4 Best Long-Term Financing: Protect My Car
Protect My Car has offered vehicle service contracts (VSCs) for 14 years. Rounding out our four best extended car warranty providers, here are some helpful pros and cons about Protect My Car to help you make a more informed decision about your extended car warranty.
| Pros | Cons |
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Coverage
With Protect My Car, you have the choice between an extended auto warranty and an Ambassador maintenance plan. If you opt for an extended warranty, there are three types of plans – which isn’t as many as our other top providers.
- Supreme: This plan is Protect My Car’s highest level of coverage. However, it’s stated coverage, so it’s not going to cover as many things as a bumper-to-bumper warranty. Most systems are covered though, such as turbochargers and high-tech equipment (optional).
- Select: The Select plan covers everything the Supreme plan covers except for turbochargers and high-tech equipment. It’s also a great option for cars with over 50,000 miles.
- Driveline: This “powertrain plus” plan covers the basic essentials, plus a few major systems like the air conditioning and cooling system. It’s available for cars that have more than 80,000 miles and are between four and 10 years old.
The Protect My Car Ambassador maintenance plans are a hybrid between prepaid maintenance and an extended warranty. Repairs are covered, but only up to a certain percentage. You also get some free maintenance, like three oil changes and two tire rotations per year.
You similarly have three plan options here: Ambassador Elite, Ambassador Pro and Ambassador Platinum. Almost any car can be covered by an Ambassador plan. That makes it a good option for older cars.
Price
Protect My Car has payment terms from 36 to 48 months, so plans can be affordable on a monthly basis. The deductible is generally $100 for visits to the repair shop. If you’re not sure about your decision to purchase an extended car warranty, it’s good to know that Protect My Car offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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Best Long-Term Financing
Editor’s Rating: ★★★★½ |
Long-standing provider with flexible payment terms and some discounts |
Claims and Repairs
The first step when you experience a breakdown is to take your car into an ASE-certified repair shop. Then, call Protect My Car’s claims department to start the claim. The repair shop will need authorization from Protect My Car before doing any work.
After the repairs are completed, Protect My Car will reimburse you or pay the repair shop directly, minus the $100 deductible. For Ambassador plans, Protect My Car will pay 25% or 50% of the repair, depending on the contract.
Customer Satisfaction
If fast and helpful service is your main priority, then this auto warranty company is a great fit for you. Protect My Car has a 3.7-star rating on Trustpilot and has a high number of positive reviews on the BBB. It’s not rated by the BBB at this time.
Many vehicle owners commend the claims process, with one customer stating on the BBB website:
“I have been with Protect My Car for the past five years, and they have paid out over $2,500 for my 2013 Nissan Quest. Their customer service support and how they look out for their customers is unlike anything I have encountered before…”
Runner-Up: autopom!
Don’t be fooled by this company’s age. Even though autopom! is only 10 years old, it has some of the highest customer ratings on our list. If you are a California resident, then autopom! is one of the best extended car warranty companies catering to California VSC regulations.
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To get a quote from autopom!, call 888-691-2354 or fill out the form.
Runner-Up: Liberty Bell Auto Protect
Our second and final runner up, Liberty Bell Auto Protect, is a young company with a B+ BBB rating.
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To get a quote from Liberty Bell Auto Protect, call 732-963-0063 or fill out the form.
What to Expect When You Get an Extended Auto Warranty Quote
When you reach out to an extended car warranty company by phone or online, you’ll speak to a member of that provider’s team. Normally, they will ask you questions about your location and car (make, model, year, mileage, etc.). These factors determine what plans you’re eligible for, as well as your price estimate. They should also be able to answer any questions you have about the coverage, claims process or auto warranties in general.
It may be a red flag if you’re not impressed with the customer service on this initial phone call. This is one reason we recommend calling around and getting several quotes. You’ll also be able to compare prices and negotiate for the best extended car warranty price.
What is an Extended Car Warranty?
An extended warranty is not an insurance policy, nor is it a true warranty. In fact, it is a vehicle service contract that, unlike your manufacturer’s warranty, is an optional plan that comes at an additional price. An extended warranty does not cover accidents or normal wear and tear. Instead, it covers repairs and replacements as a result of a defective part.
While you can get an extended warranty from the manufacturer or from your local dealership, purchasing a VSC from a third-party provider can give you more options and flexibility in coverage and price.
What Should You Look For in an Auto Warranty?
Here are a few quick questions to ask as you start shopping for the best auto warranties:
- Who backs the warranty? Is it backed by an insurance company that can ensure claims are paid?
- What are your responsibilities? What kind of regular maintenance is required under the contract?
- How are claims handled? Do you have to pay the repair facility up front? Can you choose your own repair facility?
- What is not covered? Will a claim be denied if a covered part is damaged by an uncovered part?
- Are you being pressured to buy? Are you able to compare multiple offers at once?
Consider these questions as you read through our research and buy an extended warranty.
*Data accurate as of May 2017. Average monthly coverage cost is based on the average total price of the vehicle protection plan over a four-year coverage period. Actual monthly payments will vary per plan’s payment policy. Individual pricing is subject to change based on the combination of make, model, year and mileage, as well as coverage level and term length.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock, © Piyawat Nandeenopparit