What’s a good cost for a car warranty, and where should you get a quote? In this article, we at the Guides Auto team will compare car warranty quotes from the best extended car warranty companies and give you tips for saving money.
According to quotes we’ve compared from many extended car warranty companies, the average car warranty costs $3,215. This includes bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties. However, costs vary greatly depending on the length of the plan, vehicle condition and company. Choosing a lower deductible can also increase the cost and vice versa.
Below, we’ll break down car warranty quotes between different types of warranties and from different providers.
We’ve compared vehicle service contract quotes from a variety of the best extended warranty companies. The average total cost for a bumper-to-bumper plan is $2,700.
The car warranty quotes below apply to a 2020 Toyota Corolla with 30,000 miles. Most also include $100 deductibles.
*autopom! has a $0 deductible for the quote above.
According to the car warranty quotes we’ve received, the average cost for a powertrain extended warranty is $3,921. The car warranty quotes below apply to a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox with 90,000 miles.
These quotes also cost more than the bumper-to-bumper plans above because they’re designed for an older vehicle that has more miles. The 2016 Equinox is more likely to need repairs during the warranty plan than the 2020 Corolla above.
In general, car warranty quotes are more expensive for older cars than newer vehicles. Cars that have high average repair costs also have higher warranty costs.
*autopom! has a $0 deductible for the quote above.
It’s fairly simple to get an extended car warranty quote online or over the phone. You can also get quotes from dealers if you’re shopping for a vehicle in person. To get a quote online, be prepared to give the following information on your car and yourself:
You’ll come across many types of extended warranties when shopping around, but two common types are bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties.
Some examples of bumper warranties include Endurance’s Supreme plan, Carchex’s Titanium plan and CarShield’s Diamond plan. CarShield’s Silver plan and Carchex’s Bronze plan are powertrain warranties.
There’s a wide range between powertrain coverage and bumper-to-bumper plans, too. Powertrain-plus or mid-level plans include the powertrain along with components and systems like air conditioning, electrical, steering, suspension, fuel systems and more. When you get car warranty quotes online, you’ll often qualify for two or three service plans.
Your insurance company may offer mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI), which is similar to an extended warranty. It covers repair bills for a variety of breakdowns. However, car insurance companies don’t usually offer the same variety of coverage that a vehicle warranty company does. You may also have a limited number of repair facilities to choose from.
There are a few different ways you can purchase an extended car warranty. You can usually get one from your car’s manufacturer, a used car dealership or a third-party warranty company.
Read the fine print of the plan before making a purchase. Ask the representative for a sample contract and look it over, carefully noting all of the exclusions.
It’s important that you know the covered repairs in your contract to avoid surprises, because one of the most common extended warranty issues is when the customer expects a certain part or breakdown to be covered when it isn’t.
In the worst cases, some customers are even promised coverage that their plan doesn’t include. Remember that the written contract is binding and is the last word on what is and isn’t covered.
You’ve probably heard that you can roll the cost of an extended warranty into your auto loan if you’re shopping around from dealerships. While this can be convenient, it’s not always a good idea unless you have a very low interest rate or choose a short loan term, in our opinion.
You’ll pay interest on the extended car warranty cost when you include it in your auto loan. With a low rate, you may not notice the difference. The same goes if you can pay your car off in 36 months to pay less in interest. But if you have a 60-month loan, any interest rate over 5% can substantially increase the cost of your warranty.
Below, you can see how much a $2,000 extended warranty costs after financing it for 60 months with a range of interest rates.
Rolling a car warranty into your loan can become expensive if you have a high interest rate. Even though your monthly warranty payment is lower when financing over 60 months compared to purchasing a plan separately, you could end up paying more in the end. Loans for used cars typically have higher interest rates than new car loans, so keep that in mind.
Our advice is to avoid rolling a warranty into your auto loan, especially if you have an interest rate above 5%. You can still get a warranty plan from a dealer but pay for it up front instead.
Getting the best price on a car warranty takes a bit of work. If you just accept the first quote you receive, you might not get the best rate. We recommend comparing a few different companies when you shop around.
Many providers are often open to negotiation if you say you’re shopping around and have other quotes available. Get other quotes even if you plan on buying a warranty from a specific place. You’ll have negotiating power if you find a cheaper plan from an online provider.
As you shop around, be prepared with information about your vehicle. Avoid rolling an extended warranty into your auto loan if possible, unless you have a very low interest rate. Finally, compare free quotes from multiple companies to find the best extended car warranty option for you.
There are many reputable extended car warranty companies offering car warranty quotes online. Our top two picks are Endurance and Carchex.
Endurance offers six different levels of coverage and affordable monthly payments between $88 and $172. Drivers can get coverage similar to a manufacturer’s warranty or just cover the basics with a powertrain warranty. The Advantage plan also covers scheduled maintenance like oil changes and tire rotations.
Endurance offers standard perks like rental car reimbursement and towing, plus extra benefits with its Endurance Elite program.
Keep reading: Endurance warranty review
Carchex is a popular extended warranty company with a solid reputation. The provider features five different vehicle protection plans that cover all the bases, while offering benefits like roadside assistance and trip interruption.
Keep reading: Carchex review
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best extended car warranty companies. We collected data on dozens of auto warranty providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the companies that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
Our credentials:
*Data accurate at time of publication.
