How to Find the Best Extended Warranty for Your Vehicle (and Where to Start)

While these warranties can be useful, they don’t really kick in unless there is something wrong that’s due to a manufacturing or material defect. In other words, unless something breaks, you probably don’t have to think about the manufacturer’s warranty until it expires.

So, is extending or getting a new car warranty worth the cost? If so, what options do you have to get more coverage? These are the questions we’re going to explore so you will know how to get the best extra coverage.

Uproar.car will cover your car for less, protecting you against expensive repairs from bumper to bumper. With a focus on customer care and no middleman to complicate repairs and claims, you’ll get easy coverage you can actually use. The plan even pays for itself — Uproar.car’s warranty coverage gives you exclusive access to discounts, auto concierge service, and a 100 percent online claims process. And with clear, upfront price quotes, you’ll know exactly what to expect when it comes to the cost. It should also be noted, however, that this coverage does not extend to some luxury vehicles, cars over 120,000 miles, and cars more than 10 years old.

There are plenty of opinions on the necessity of car warranties, especially factory warranties. Many vehicle owners swear they are just scams designed to drain your wallet more than a vehicle purchase does. 

Anyone who has encountered one of the rare but costly defects a factory warranty covers, however, knows that it is possible to save a lot of money on the right conditions. The real question is whether you are likely to experience these conditions or not.

Car warranties are a bit of a gamble. You put some money down (by purchasing a warranty) betting that something may happen to your vehicle. While you don’t want something to happen to it, you will at least get some value out of the deal from the cost-saving coverage the warranty provides. 

In this way, a car warranty is a tradeoff: You spend some money ahead of time to potentially save more money later on when you are facing expensive repair costs at the local repair shop.

Car warranties aren’t required to drive a vehicle on the roads. Most new vehicles have some kind of limited manufacturer warranty auto protection, but once it runs out, you aren’t required to get a new one or to extend the old. As long as you have the minimum insurance coverage legally required to drive a vehicle, you are good to go.

That said, extended warranties do have the potential to save you money on repairs and to give you extra perks (like roadside assistance, trip-interruption protection, free towing, free oil changes, or rental car reimbursement) factory warranties and auto insurance don’t provide. So, this potential may be worth exploring your extended warranty options a bit more.

On paper, extended car warranties are just like any other kind of warranty. They are a guarantee of sorts: if something goes wrong with the vehicle, someone (other than yourself) will help pay for the repairs. 

In reality, however, extended auto warranties are somewhat more complicated because they apply in certain situations. The good news is they typically cover more situations than standard factory warranties.

Since a factory car warranty only covers manufacturing defects, they are fairly limited in how often they kick in. Extended warranties, however, can have a broader scope, depending on the plan. This is where the advantage of third-party warranty companies comes in.

Unlike automaker extended warranties that have limited plans, most third-party options provide many different plans for you to consider or that your vehicle may qualify for. 

Extended warranties are actually vehicle service contracts: agreements between the car owner and warranty provider for when the warranty will apply. Different plans represent different agreements on what types of vehicles can qualify, what components will be covered and when, and how long the agreement will last. 

If you are sold on the idea that an extended car warranty is the best choice for your vehicle, it’s time to start shopping. It doesn’t take much effort or time to find potential plans if you start the right way. Things can take longer, however, if you don’t know where to start or how to proceed once you have found a potential plan.

The most logical place to start is with your vehicle. Before you even begin to look at different providers and plans, think about what your vehicle needs. How old is it? Does it have a history of needing repairs or is it fairly reliable? 

These questions will help you define the scope of the coverage you may need. If it’s getting up there in age or has a habit of breaking down, you may need more comprehensive coverage.

Beyond the vehicle, the next step is to consider different providers. Some providers are better, more reputable, and more reliable than others. A provider’s reputation with other customers, for example, will give you an idea of what others think or experience with the service. The provider’s broker vs. admin status may also help. 

If the provider acts as its own administrator, this means it sells its own plans instead of selling another company’s coverages. This can be a benefit to you, since there is one source to go to when questions or problems arise.

The other important component to check out with providers is the range of plans they offer. How many plans does the provider actually offer? Are there plans that will fit your vehicle’s needs? When looking at different extended warranty options, be sure to consider the following:

Here at TheDrive, we get to work with a lot of different providers and research even more. Since we’re car enthusiasts, we like to know our precious rides have the best extended warranties possibilities. If you are looking for some good options to consider, here are some of our favorites.

There can be a lot of pressure when searching for an extended car warranty. If you feel a sense of urgency, it’s helpful to start before the factory warranty expires. If this isn’t possible or you are searching for an extended warranty for a used car, don’t despair. The process of finding a good car warranty isn’t difficult. 

The first thing you must do, however, is forget the notion that there is a best extended car warranty out there. There is no single best extended car warranty available to all vehicles that will give you a good peace of mind. Ultimately, the right choice comes down to your specific needs, budget, and vehicle. 

As long as you consider all of these things ahead of time, do your research on different providers, and take the time to think about the different coverage options available to you, it’s more than possible to find the right provider and plan.

Uproar.car will cover your car for less, protecting you against expensive repairs from bumper to bumper. With a focus on customer care and no middleman to complicate repairs and claims, you’ll get easy coverage you can actually use. The plan even pays for itself — Uproar.car’s warranty coverage gives you exclusive access to discounts, auto concierge service, and a 100 percent online claims process. And with clear, upfront price quotes, you’ll know exactly what to expect when it comes to the cost. It should also be noted, however, that this coverage does not extend to some luxury vehicles, cars over 120,000 miles, and cars more than 10 years old.