Should You Buy a Lincoln Extended Warranty?

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Lincoln, the luxury offshoot of Ford, offers extended coverage for vehicles well past their factory warranty term limits. But what exactly does a Lincoln extended warranty entail?

In this article, we dive into Lincoln’s extended warranty options and whether they are a good choice for drivers. If you’re not sold on Lincoln plans, third-party providers are a great alternative. We’ve reviewed the best extended warranty companies and compare Lincoln to our top picks below. 

To find out how much you would pay for your Lincoln, get a few free quotes from our top recommended third-party providers.

Best Provider	Best for High-Mileage Cars	Most Affordable
Endurance	CARCHEX	CarShield
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:

• Do You Need Extended Warranty Coverage?
• Lincoln Extended Warranty Overview
• What’s Not Included in the Lincoln Extended Warranty
• Additional Benefits of the Lincoln Extended Warranty
• Why Consider a Third-Party Extended Warranty?
• How Much Does a Lincoln Extended Warranty Cost?
• Conclusion: Is a Lincoln Extended Warranty Worth It?
• Our Recommended Extended Warranty Providers

Do You Need Extended Warranty Coverage?

All new vehicles come with a standard factory warranty that protects drivers against paying for damages due to defects in materials or workmanship. But, this coverage doesn’t last forever. Once your new vehicle limited warranty expires, you have two options: pay for repairs out of pocket, or purchase an extended auto warranty.

To know whether Lincoln extended warranty coverage is a good option for you, you’ll want to look at your vehicle’s reliability and repair costs. RepairPal gave Lincoln a 3.0 out of 5.0 reliability rating, which puts it in the “above average” rating category but ranks it 24th out of 32 car manufacturers.

However, Lincoln ranked fifth out of 31 brands in the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Initial Quality Study℠, which measured problems experienced by vehicle buyers during the first 90 days of ownership. In J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study™, which measured the number of problems owners experience with three-year-old vehicles, Lincoln placed seventh out of 32.

RepairPal estimates Lincoln annual repair costs to be $879, which is slightly higher than the $652 average among all manufacturer models. However, it’s not as high as many luxury automakers’ averages, which is probably due to Lincoln sharing powertrains, parts and technologies with Ford vehicles.

Here are a few common repairs and average costs for Lincoln vehicles, according to RepairPal:

Lincoln New Vehicle Limited Warranty

While Lincoln’s factory warranty isn’t the best on the market, it’s a pretty solid coverage plan that can take care of your vehicle until you need a Lincoln extended warranty. In fact, in our comparison of manufacturer warranties, we ranked it in the top 10 out of 32 brands.

Coverage term limits are as follows:

The new vehicle limited warranty also comes with 24-hour roadside assistance, which covers towing to a Lincoln dealer within 100 miles, flat tire changes, battery jump-starts, lockout assistance, fuel delivery and winching services.

Lincoln Certified Pre-Owned Coverage

Lincoln certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles come with a comprehensive-coverage warranty that includes parts and components for your vehicle’s engine, brakes, air conditioning, cooling/heating, emissions, transmission, steering, electrical, suspension, safety and more.

The CPO warranty carries a standard deductible of $100, and it covers your vehicle for 6 years or 100,000 miles from the vehicle’s in-service date.

Lincoln’s CPO warranty also comes with 24-hour roadside assistance and a few additional perks that aren’t included in factory coverage, including:

• Trip interruption coverage: Up to $500 for up to three days of lodging, meals and other expenses if a covered breakdown occurs more than 100 miles from your home
• Destination expense assistance: Up to $75 for emergency transportation to your immediate destination after a covered breakdown occurs
• Rental car reimbursement: Up to $45 per day for up to five days

Lincoln Extended Warranty Overview

The Lincoln Protect Extended Service Plan (ESP) offers drivers four levels of coverage:

• PremiumCARE: Lincoln’s most comprehensive plan, PremiumCARE covers thousands of key components for your vehicle’s engine, transmission, steering, brakes, front suspension, electrical and more. This plan covers defects in materials and workmanship, plus all high-tech items, including windows, locks and GPS. 
• ExtraCARE: This plan covers 113 components that affect your vehicle’s drivability and overall performance, including steering, brakes, electrical and some high-tech parts. 
• BaseCARE: A limited coverage plan, BaseCARE covers 84 components for your vehicle’s powertrain, electrical, air conditioning and more.
• PowertrainCARE: Lincoln’s most basic plan, PowertrainCARE covers 29 critical engine and transmission components.

You can see a full list of what each plan covers on Lincoln’s website. Lincoln extended warranty plans cover anywhere from 3 years/36,000 miles to 8 years/150,000 miles, and coverage must be purchased while your vehicle is still under its original factory warranty.

Lincoln also offers a Premium Maintenance Plan, as well as tire, dent and windshield coverages for an additional cost.

What’s Not Included in the Lincoln Extended Warranty

Depending on the plan you choose, Lincoln ESPs will not include coverage for regular maintenance, aftermarket parts, and wear-and-tear parts like brake pads or tires. Don’t let this deter you, as most extended warranties, including those offered by third-party providers, exclude the same components.

One limiting factor of Lincoln extended warranties, however, is that repairs can only be made at authorized Ford or Lincoln dealerships.

Additional Benefits of the Lincoln Extended Warranty

Lincoln Protect coverage is fully transferable to subsequent owners and comes with roadside assistance, which is a standard perk among both manufacturer and third-party providers. 

It also offers additional benefits that you’ll be hard-pressed to find from any other company though, such as pickup and delivery service for 2017 or newer models that need repairs and a complimentary Lincoln rental while your vehicle is in the shop. However, to be eligible for these benefits, your vehicle must still be under its new vehicle limited warranty term.

Why Consider a Third-Party Extended Warranty?

Lincoln offers more extended warranty options than many luxury brands, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best option available. Before you commit to a Lincoln extended warranty, consider these benefits of going with a third-party provider:

• Coverage for older vehicles: Lincoln’s 8-year/125,000-mile term limit is generous, but some of our top-recommended providers offer up to 200,000 or even 250,000 miles of coverage.
• No timeframe for purchasing: There’s no need to purchase an extended auto warranty before your factory warranty expires. With a third-party provider, you can opt for coverage at any point in your vehicle’s life.
• Your choice of repair shops: Instead of having to take your car to a dealership, you can choose from thousands of repair shops when you opt for a third-party vehicle service contract.
• More plan options: Our recommended third-party providers offer more choices when it comes to coverage. CARCHEX, for example, has 16 different contracts, as opposed to Lincoln’s four. Other providers also have additional coverage options to help customize a plan that suits your needs and budget.
• Generally cheaper: Most of the time, a third-party extended warranty ends up being less expensive than what a manufacturer offers.

How Much Does a Lincoln Extended Warranty Cost?

The cost of a Lincoln extended warranty depends on factors like when you purchase the plan, what model vehicle you own and what deductible you select. (The lower your deductible, the higher premium you’ll pay.) Deductible options are $0, $50, $100 and $200, and all deductibles are waived if you get repairs done at the dealership that sold you your plan.

You’ll need to contact your local dealer or fill out a quote form online to get pricing information for a Lincoln extended warranty specific to your vehicle.

Conclusion: Is a Lincoln Extended Warranty Worth It?

Repairs generally become more frequent, severe and costly as your vehicle ages. To prevent yourself from paying hefty, out-of-pocket expenses, we think considering an extended car warranty is worth the cost.

With a number of plan options and a range of deductibles to choose from, a Lincoln extended warranty may be a great option for you. You’ll need to contact a local dealer to get more details on pricing before you decide for sure.

As always, we recommend getting quotes from multiple providers to compare the costs and benefits of different plans before signing on the dotted line. You can start getting quotes from our top recommended providers below.

Our Recommended Extended Warranty Providers

In our review of the best third-party extended car warranty companies, Endurance, CARCHEX and CarShield rose to the top of the pack. When you get free, personalized quotes from all three, you can compare coverage and cost side-by-side.

Best Provider	Best for High-Mileage Cars	Most Affordable
Endurance	CARCHEX	CarShield
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

Our pick for overall Best Provider, Endurance stands out for its positive customer reviews, company awards and direct service model, which means it handles all plans and claims directly without a middleman.

CARCHEX was named Best for High-Mileage Cars. If your Lincoln has seen a lot of road but still has years of life left in it, this might be your best bet, as the company offers plans for vehicles over 15 years old or with more than 100,000 miles. CarShield was our pick for Most Affordable provider, as the company offers month-to-month contracts that can be canceled at any time. If you’re looking for financial flexibility, CarShield is a good choice.