Our vehicles are our pride and joy, but they definitely don’t come cheap. With the cost of car ownership on the rise, it makes sense you’d want to reduce that figure. If you’ve conducted any online searches, you’ve probably come across numerous auto repair shop warranties and their providers.
Investing in vehicle protection can indeed save you some serious money, but first, you need to know what you’re signing up for. So what is an auto repair shop warranty, and how do you get one for your car?
Every vehicle rolls off the production line with what’s known as a factory warranty. This is effectively the manufacturer’s promise to repair any faults that might occur within a predetermined number of years owned/miles driven.
When the factory warranty expires, any subsequent repairs are your responsibility – which means the bills too. You can sign up for an extended warranty via your manufacturer/dealership while your factory warranty is still in effect, but these are usually expensive, and the coverage is limited.
Suppose you missed the opportunity to extend your warranty or own a used vehicle with no factory warranty on it. In these cases, you can purchase a vehicle service contract via a third-party provider. These providers are incentivized to offer better coverage at better prices. They also often throw in great perks, like 24/7 roadside assistance, rental car coverage, and more.
As for what an auto repair shop warranty covers, the short answer is component failure as a result of general wear and tear. Usually, an auto repair shop warranty falls under one of three brackets:
Exclusionary: The highest level of coverage available, covering pretty much everything between your bumpers besides a list of excluded components.
There are a lot of vehicle service contract providers out there, and some are more reputable than others. Investing in a protection plan is a big commitment, so it pays to research the best options before you put pen to paper.
Our reviews page has the latest info on the best auto repair shop warranty providers, but here are three we can vouch for:
Our #1 choice for vehicle service contracts, Endurance, is the direct administrator of their plans, cutting out the middleman for a much smoother experience. They also offer some of the best perks in the business, which puts them miles ahead of the competition.
CarShield is well known across America thanks to their memorable ad campaigns featuring Ice T. Their customer service is excellent, and they have a substantial range of plans. Still, unfortunately, they’re a reseller rather than a direct administrator.
Olive is a digital-first provider, making them more tech-savvy than many competitors. They score highly in a lot of areas, but because they don’t cover some things that a lot of major providers do, they come third in our rankings.
Getting an extended warranty for your vehicle is pretty straightforward. To make it even easier, we have an entire guide dedicated to it.
It is just a process of comparing providers, deciding on one that can deliver the coverage you need, and contacting them to discuss becoming a customer. Depending on the flexibility of your chosen provider, you can often negotiate terms, prices, and perks to your liking.
Most protection plans are offered annually and can be renewed or renegotiated once this period is up. Make sure to choose a provider you trust and a comprehensive plan that covers all possible bases. When the alternative is emptying your bank account on repair bills, you really can’t have too much coverage!
Like anything, if you’re new to the world of extended warranties, it helps to have someone guide you through the process. And if that sounds like something you’d be interested in, you’re in just the right place.
We’ve spent years becoming experts in the industry and gathering all the information you need, creating one of the web’s best resources for anyone in the market for vehicle protection. Take a look around for reviews of America’s top providers and a step-by-step warranty buying guide. Or, if you’d like to continue reading, check out our warranty-related news and resources for more articles like this one.
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