A Look at CarChex’s Extended Warranty Plans

Customer reviews of the company are great, and it prides itself on providing excellent customer service. Not only that, to get a free quote or even a policy is as easy as it can possibly be.

Of course, anyone can tell you that a product is good. You know, as a consumer, that you can’t just take our word for it. So, we’re going to bring you along as we take an in-depth look at what CarChex offers. We’ll talk about what we like, as well as what we don’t. That way, you can make an informed decision on whether its product is worth your hard-earned money.

One of the great things about CarChex is that it offers a number of Vehicle Protection Plans, or extended warranties, to choose from. Some limitations may apply depending on the vehicle you’re working with, but you should still have access to more than a single option. Obviously, that’s good news, as that allows you to pick an extended warranty program that best suits your needs instead of being forced into working with a single option.  

Having choices is always good, and CarChex takes things a step further by allowing one to make add-ons to each car warranty so that they truly can walk away with what best suits their needs. There are so many options because CarChex is actually a broker that sells plans from outside administrators. So, to be fair, your warranty isn’t actually from CarChex, which is something to be aware of.

Of course, to help offset any concerns one may have with that, CarChex offers perks to loyal and new customers. Almost every car warranty through CarChex comes with extra perks such as rental car reimbursement, roadside assistance, and free towing to a nearby auto repair facility for extra peace of mind.

With a wide range of extended vehicle protection plans comes a wide range of prices. Seeing as CarChex is one of those brands that lets you pick a policy then customize it, it’s really hard to pinpoint pricing, especially when you consider that they offer almost any vehicle plans, which will also impact your pricing. 

But according to customer reviews and a little bit of our own research, we can say that a typical CarChex plan lands somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,500 for a five-year contract. With the industry average being around $1,200 to $1,800, CarChex falls right in line with other competitors in terms of affordability.

CarChex also alleviates the burden of the cost of its extended warranty plans, and you don’t have to pay it off in one lump sum. There are monthly payment options available to customers, and the company accepts most major credit cards with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Thankfully, there are also very few issues with payments when working with an approved repair shop.

The first thing that CarChex catches our attention with is its outstanding popularity. In a day and age where so many shifty companies take advantage of people, it's awesome to see one stand above the rest with a relatively high amount of positive customer reviews. It also works with a number of reputable partners, which undoubtedly contributes to the likelihood of a positive experience. 

Compared to smaller brokers, CarChex also has the advantage of offering a lot of options to customers. The five-level coverage model the company uses simplifies the vehicle protection plan options almost too much—it's almost impossible not to find an extended warranty through CarChex that doesn't work for you.

The large coverage lineup also allows CarChex to work with administrators based in more restrictive states like California. Between this and the easy application process for potential customers, it's easy to see why the company is such a large presence among warranty providers.

Also, vehicle protection isn't the only thing CarChex helps you with, as is the case with other warranty providers. It will help you find vehicle inspections, auto financing, and even auto insurance.

Is CarChex perfect? No. While its Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating is not the worst we’ve seen, it’s far from 5 stars. A Major drawback of working with such a large company is the confusion that’s bound to occur.

When scouring through the poor customer service and inaccurate plan statements, and enforcement complaints that exist here, it’s important to note that CarChex is, in fact, a broker. That means that even the folks there do their job perfectly, the administrator of your warranty may not. That factor also means that, as the consumer, you need to be ready to jump through more hoops and do plenty of homework.

While it can be strenuous to resolve any issues, it’s not likely that CarChex will burn you on your extended warranty. In extreme cases where customer service has deemed that a refund is necessary (especially after the 30-day money-back guarantee), the company does an excellent job of honoring most requests. With that said, there have been a few issues with customers receiving the repair or refund reimbursement. Ultimately, these drawbacks are to be expected from such a large company and aren’t much of a concern given CarChex’s overall reputation. 

Virtually any typical vehicle is eligible for a CarChex vehicle protection plan. Older vehicles, for example, have plenty of coverage options up to around the 125,000-mile mark. The company doesn’t have any plans for vintage or exotic vehicles.

The price of CarChex’s extended warranties vary depending on factors like the age and condition of the car, your driving history, and the specific plan. The average cost is around $1,200 to $1,500.

Yes. New or slightly-used vehicles can all have an extended car warranty from virtually any provider. 

CarChex has something to offer nearly everyone, so the company is at least worth a look if you’re in the market for an extended warranty. The ultimate value of a CarChex warranty depends on many factors, like the age and condition of your vehicle, but the wide range of plans makes it easier to find something useful to you.

Bottom line: The company’s plan lineup is the biggest draw for CarChex, especially compared to some auto insurance providers. It’s easy to understand and comprehensive enough to fit most vehicles new or old and protect yourself from expensive repairs. You may not be saving much money over any competitors, but the amount of personalization is worth the average cost of a plan.

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