Pontiac’s Extended Warranty

Despite discontinued manufacturing from General Motors, who says Pontiac owners have to discontinue their car warranties, too?

byJason Collins, Nikola Petrovski|
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Stylish, macho, and the poster child for “driving excitement,” Pontiac was the harbinger of the age of the muscle car. The brand was responsible for household favorites like the GTO, Bonneville, and Firebird—but while Pontiac was king during the heyday of the muscle car, its glory was bound to end sometime.

Parent company General Motors Corporation discontinued manufacturing the brand by the end of 2010 due to financial snafus, rendering existing factory warranties for Pontiac nonexistent. It only makes sense for Pontiac owners today to consider purchasing a Pontiac extended warranty for extra protection. Here is some information that might help you make your decision.

Warranty In-Depth

Because the Pontiac might soon become merely a collector’s classic, vehicle protection from future breakdowns is more important than ever. Costs of parts are skyrocketing by the minute, so you might come across plans from GM dealerships with ridiculously marked-up prices as repair services become less and less available. Make sure you get your money’s worth with these benefits from a reputable third-party provider.

Flexible Coverage Terms

Choosing the best third-party provider for your vehicle protection plan can be challenging, because not all Pontiac owners have the same needs and driving habits. A good provider should be able to offer you flexible packages that match your specific lifestyle and budget. You can choose which parts can be covered for repairs, as well as terms of up to 10 years or 150,000 miles. Ideally, you should try to see which provider can offer you coverage that goes beyond what GMC used to provide.

Coverage can also include repair financing of up to $5,000 in repair loans. You can pay for these in payment installments that won’t break the bank, so you won’t have to worry about putting too much of a strain on your wallet.

Easily Accessible Service Centers

Your prized vehicle might have been king of the road during its glory days, but since the very last Pontiac zoomed out of the GMC factory in 2010, service centers have been slim pickings. Having a Pontiac extended warranty that includes multiple service centers is a huge plus. Accepted by any ASE Certified Mechanic, this extended warranty isn’t just limited to Pontiac Service Centers, which means you can rest easy knowing you can have your car readily serviced without scouring the whole country for anyone who’ll take the job.

The last Pontiac that rode off into the sunset is now a decade old, so owners are now left without a means to guard against breakdowns—and all cars really will break down eventually. Easily accessible service centers from your extended vehicle coverage can definitely save you from any unwanted stress.

Additional Coverage

With 24/7 roadside assistance, you can get up and get moving ASAP if your car breaks down in the middle of a trip. Nobody wants to get stranded with a damaged car with no means to call for help, so accessible roadside assistance you can reach anytime, anywhere, is key. This extended warranty is also fully transferable, making it easier than ever to sell your vehicle or pass it down to the next eager owner in the future.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

What We Like

Fully customizable and transferable, the extended warranty takes your personal preferences and budget into consideration. Not only does it offer you the same coverage from the Pontiac manufacturer warranty, but it can also provide you with so much more than that, depending on the plan you pick. Pontiac vehicles used to have powertrain limited warranty that included the engine, transfer case, transmission/transaxle, and drive systems. On top of this powertrain limited warranty, the extended warranty covers a great deal more, and you can choose which ones you want to have on your plate like a well-stocked buffet.

Under the Pontiac factory warranty, the last batch of vehicles had coverage for up to six years or 60,000 miles. These warranties expired in December 2017. The biggest advantage of an extended warranty is that even though GM-backed support is long gone, you can be ready for any unexpected breakdowns with flexible coverage and costly repairs down the road—literally and figuratively.

What We Don’t Like

Pontiac cars are known for their reliability, but not even an indestructible self-driving black Pontiac Trans Am named KITT can stop the brand from going defunct. Repairs can be ridiculously expensive. On top of that, Pontiac dealerships are no longer readily available to accept your car. The worst part is that if the nearest GM-brand dealership is miles and miles away, you’ll be dealing with stressful headaches not even KITT’s stoic sense of humor can cure.

Additionally, there might be a $0 or $100 deductible to add to this inconvenience, depending on the coverage. Parts are scarce and costly, and not all components are covered. If you want to add more components to your coverage, you need to add heftier and heftier prices on top of your basic plan. Basically, if you’re on a tight budget, you can’t get all of the component coverage inclusions that you want.

Common Repair Costs

Some of the most common issues and repair costs with Pontiac vehicles:

  • Pontiac G6: Steering column replacement ($979-$1,035)
  • Pontiac Bonneville: Mass airflow sensor replacement ($315-$420)
  • Pontiac Grand Prix: Head gasket replacement ($609-$1343)
  • Pontiac Solstice: Alternator replacement ($451-$600)

FAQs

Many providers and dealerships may wow you with all the flashy glamour of package deals and sales-y pitches. However, you need to make sure you understand the ins and outs of any warranty you purchase. Remember to keep your eye on the prize and find the most straightforward answers to your questions and solutions to your needs when you’re shopping for extended auto warranties. Here are some questions you may have.

Q. Which Pontiac models are included in the warranty?

A. The following models qualify for the extended Pontiac warranty: Grand Am/G6, G8, Grand Prix, Sunfire/Sunbird, Solstice, Vibe, Aztek, G3, and Montana.

Q. Can I customize the coverage that I want?

A. Yes. Plans are fully customizable along with flexible payment terms to fit your needs and budget so you have peace of mind.

Q. Is the extended Pontiac warranty transferable?

A. Yes. You can transfer the warranty to the new owner provided it is within 30 days with the applicable transfer fee.

Is Pontiac’s Warranty Worth It?

From “Knight Rider” to “Smokey and the Bandit,” the Pontiac muscle car no doubt made the world fall in love with it in more ways than one. Now that it’s been discontinued by GMC, it’s important to find a comprehensive extended warranty for your car more than ever. As with any defunct model, parts will only be more expensive as the years go by. An extended auto warranty with flexible terms, customizable plans, and 24/7 roadside assistance is not just a sound investment—it’s just good common sense.

More Information

Here are a few more resources you can use:

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