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Toyota Extended Warranty Review
Toyota is known for producing extraordinarily reliable vehicles that will last a lifetime. Even with that reputation, if you’re especially risk averse, there can be good reason to purchase an extended warranty on a Toyota vehicle. A Toyota extended warranty will provide years of peace of mind beyond the original manufacturer’s new car warranty, and for that reason we think they are worth considering. Learn more in our Toyota extended warranty review.
We’re going to dive into the Toyota extended warranty program. We’ll be going over the different levels of coverage, certified pre-owned options, and make our ultimate recommendations.
The Highlights:
- We do recommend the Toyota extended protection plans due to the ability to tailor your plan to suit your individual needs
- Toyota offers one plan for certified pre-owned vehicles, and three plans for new and used vehicles
- All levels of plans include benefits such as roadside assistance
- Repairs must be completed at a Toyota dealership
Is It Worth Getting a Toyota Extended Warranty?
Before we directly state whether or not it’s worth getting a Toyota extended warranty, we first need to examine what’s included in the warranty program.
There are three tiers of plans available to new and used Toyotas:
- Powertrain protection. As the base-level program, this plan provides coverage for the core systems of your vehicle, such as the engine, transmission, and drivetrain.
- Gold protection. This plan provides excellent coverage for most of the systems in your Toyota. It adds to the coverage of the Powertrain protection plan.
- Platinum protection. The highest tier plan covers almost everything in your vehicle, including what’s covered in the above two plans.
To see an extensive list of what’s covered by each plan, we recommend taking a look at the website Toyota put together to explain plan coverage.
New vehicles are eligible for a Toyota extended protection plan within the first three years and 36,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Used vehicles are eligible for a Toyota extended warranty as long as they are within nine prior model years and have fewer than 150,000 miles. Take note that the extended warranty for used cars must be purchased when the car is sold.
Toyota also offers a single plan for their certified pre-owned cars, which they call Toyota Certified Used Vehicles. The plan for CPO vehicles is:
● Toyota Certified protection. This single plan for CPO vehicles covers most components in your vehicle. In order to be eligible for this plan, the car must be within six model years and be under 85,000 miles. You can buy the certified pre-owned plan at any point within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles.
New and used vehicles have a $0 or $100 deductible, which you’ll select when you set up the plan. The $100 deductible is waived if you have repairs completed at the same facility that sold you the car.
Toyota also includes a few useful benefits:
- Rental car coverage for covered repairs, up to $50 per day for up to five days
- 24/7 roadside assistance, with coverage for flat tires, fuel delivery, battery jump starts, and towing to a Toyota dealership
- Trip interruption coverage, providing for $100 per day for lodging and food if a breakdown happens when you’re more than 150 miles away from home
All Toyota vehicle service contracts can be transferred to a new party at any time with no fee. We appreciate this policy as it increases your resale value.
We aren’t discussing the prices of any of these plans in our Toyota extended warranty review because prices are based on VIN and mileage, as we mentioned in an earlier post. You’ll need to obtain a quote to see what the extended warranty will cost you. To get a quote you can contact your local Toyota dealership. Please remember that dealerships typically markup these products 200-300%, and you can (and should) negotiate with them on the price.
Is the Toyota extended warranty worth it? It’s an extremely comprehensive program with flexible coverage that you can tailor to fit your needs. We think it’s worth asking for a quote and comparing it to other options (like what we have to offer here at CarEdge). If the price is right, it might be the way to go.
Toyota Factory Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty
Most third-party extended warranty providers do their best to copy the coverage made available by car manufacturers. This is done to stay competitive. While there may be slight differences in component coverage, they will mostly be the same.
However, one thing will be dramatically different: your repair options. With a Toyota extended warranty, your car must be repaired at a Toyota dealership. With a third-party extended warranty, you have your choice of any auto shop that is licensed by ASE or AAA, which includes any and all Toyota dealerships.
Toyota Factory Extended Warranty from CarEdge
After months of interviewing different administrators, we decided to partner with AUL corporation to sell their Toyota extended warranties. For CarEdge members only we are able to offer transparent pricing, and complimentary consultation calls to determine if buying a Toyota extended warranty makes sense for you.
If you are considering getting extended protection on your Toyota we highly recommend you get a free quote from CarEdge that you can use to negotiate with the dealership. And, if you do buy from CarEdge you can know that you purchased a third party Toyota extended warranty that has been vetted by us.
What is Covered Under a Pre-Owned Toyota Extended Warranty?
All Toyota certified pre-owned vehicles are eligible for a unique vehicle service contract, which we discussed above. The coverage under this program is similar to the warranty that comes with a certified pre-owned vehicle. We appreciate how there is no deductible for repairs.
Do We Recommend a Toyota Vehicle Service Contract?
What’s the final decision from our Toyota extended warranty review? We do recommend the Toyota vehicle service contract. There is a wide selection of programs made available, with specific coverage for used and certified pre-owned vehicles. We think it’s worth getting a quote from Toyota if your vehicle is still eligible for any of their warranties.
If you’d like another option, we offer vehicle service contracts through our third-party partner. They have clear coverage and upfront pricing for all of their VSCs. We’ll even get on the phone with you for a consultation call to help you pick the best warranty for you, even if it’s not ours. Get in touch with us today to request a quote and schedule your call.
Volvo Extended Warranty Review
Volvo has a reputation for manufacturing high quality, sporty vehicles. While they certainly produce great cars, mistakes in manufacturing can still happen. That’s why we always suggest purchasing an extended warranty so that you’re protected from an expensive repair bill if something happens. But should you get it from Volvo directly? Learn more in our in-depth Volvo extended warranty review.
Today, we’re going to go through the Volvo extended warranty program. We’ll discuss the levels of coverage they offer, the fine print details, and give you our ultimate recommendation.
The Highlights:
- Volvo offers three coverage plans and your choice of term lengths.
- All repairs must be completed at a Volvo dealership.
- Some benefits are included, like towing coverage and trip interruption coverage.
- We recommend the Volvo warranty, due to their great coverage and flexible term lengths.
Is It Worth Getting a Volvo Extended Warranty?
Before we can talk about whether a Volvo extended warranty is worth purchasing, we first need to examine what’s included in the warranty itself.
The Volvo extended warranty has three levels of coverage:
Powertrain Coverage Plan
As the lowest plan available, this plan covers the powertrain systems. That includes the engine, transmission, and drive axle. There is also limited additional coverage for hybrid and electric vehicles.
Gold Coverage Plan
This plan builds upon the Powertrain Coverage Plan by adding a number of major systems. Coverage includes steering, brakes, cooling, electrical, suspension, and air conditioning systems.
Platinum Coverage Plan
This plan is an exclusionary coverage plan. That means that any component is covered unless it is specifically listed as an exclusion. You can view the complete exclusion list on their sales brochure.
You’ll have your pick of term lengths when purchasing your Volvo warranty, with the maximum option being an additional six years or 120,000 miles.
All repairs must be completed at a Volvo dealership. This is standard practice for automaker warranties. It can sometimes be a drawback, but it also means that your car will always be worked on by Volvo-trained technicians and repairs will be completed with genuine Volvo parts. These perks can be important, as aftermarket parts are not always as reliable as genuine parts.
Each of the three plans offered come with some excellent benefits, which include:
- Rental reimbursement of up to $40 per day for up to 10 days
- Towing reimbursement of up to $100 per incident
- Travel coverage for covered breakdowns that occur more than 100 miles away from your home, with coverage up to $100 per day and up to $500 per occurrence
- All fluids are covered when used for a covered repair
The Volvo extended protection plan is fully transferable, which improves your resale value if you decide to sell your car down the road. Volvo does not state whether there is a fee for transferring the warranty or not.
There is no coverage for any issues related to misuse, abuse, or neglect. Neglect is defined to include the failure to add necessary fluids to the vehicle, such as coolant or oil. Additionally, there is no coverage for something that is already covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. All of these “fine print” terms are standard practice.
Why aren’t we talking about prices in our Volvo extended warranty review? As mentioned in an earlier post about vehicle service contracts, prices will vary based on the VIN and mileage of the vehicle in question. As such, the quote you receive will be different from another customer’s quote, even if you have the same car.
So is a Volvo extended protection plan worth it? We believe that it is. There’s nothing particularly special about the Volvo extended warranty, but that’s not a bad thing. It means that they provide the level of coverage, term lengths, and benefits that we should expect from all automakers. It’s worth getting a quote from Volvo to see if the price they give you works with your budget.
Volvo Factory Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty
Third-party extended warranty providers tend to copy the coverage that’s available with automakers’ extended warranties. As such, if you shop around, you’ll see that the coverage is pretty similar across direct and indirect extended warranties.
There is one vital difference, however…where you can have your car repaired. With a Volvo extended warranty, all repairs must be completed at a participating Volvo dealership. While this does mean that you’ll have genuine parts used in your repairs, getting a broken-down vehicle to a dealership might prove troublesome.
On the other hand, most third-party warranties will let you have your vehicle repaired at any repair shop that is licensed by ASE or AAA.
What is Covered Under a Pre-Owned Volvo Extended Warranty?
Unfortunately, Volvo does not make any special mention of Volvo CPO vehicles in any of their available information about extended warranties. This might mean that they are covered, but it could also mean that they’re ineligible. As such, you’ll need to contact a Volvo dealership to determine if your CPO is eligible for a Volvo warranty.
Do We Recommend a Volvo Vehicle Service Contract?
Where do we land on our Volvo extended warranty review? We do recommend a Volvo vehicle service contract. There is nothing special about their VSC offering, but that’s perfectly fine. Their coverage is excellent, and their term lengths are flexible. All of the other terms of the Volvo vehicle service contract are to be expected. We think that it’s worth getting a quote for a Volvo extended warranty.
If you’re looking for another option, we’ve partnered with a third-party provider of vehicle service contracts. Our partner provides excellent coverage with transparent pricing. We even include a consultation call to help you decide which option is right for you, even if you don’t pick our partner. Reach out to us today to schedule a call or request a quote.
GMC Extended Warranty Review
GMC produces sturdy, reliable automobiles. That being said, even the best cars can still have manufacturer’s defects that occur from time to time. Having an extended warranty can help to provide additional coverage when these issues occur. While we never advise buying an extended warranty from a dealership when you’re buying your car, they are still worth having and can be purchased after you leave the dealership. But is the warranty from GMC worth it? Find out in our GMC extended warranty review!
Today, we’re going to analyze the GMC extended warranty. We’ll discuss what is included with the warranty, who provides administration services for the warranty, and compare the warranty from GMC to third-party options.
The Highlights:
- The GMC warranty is actually provided through a company called AMT Warranty Corp., which is only revealed in the fine print of the service contract.
- The GMC warranty provides flexible term lengths.
- There are actually two plans available, although only one is discussed on their website.
- Repairs can only be done at participating dealerships.
Is It Worth Getting a GMC Extended Warranty?
We couldn’t say if it was worth getting a GMC extended protection plan without first discussing what is covered under it. Known as the Platinum protection Plan, this GMC vehicle service contract has flexible term lengths and great coverage.
The GMC extended warranty program is actually administered by AMT Warranty Corp. This organization has little public information out there, so we can’t evaluate them fully. We only discovered this relationship by examining the fine print in the sample contract.
You may choose any of the below terms for your GMC vehicle service contract:
- 24 months or 24,000 miles
- 36 months or 36,000 miles
- 48 months or 48,000 miles
- 60 months or 60,000 miles
As far as what’s covered under the GMC vehicle service contract, they boast coverage for over 1,000 components in their Platinum protection Plan. Even though they don’t discuss it on their website, the sample contract that they make available also discusses a silver plan. The Platinum Plan will cover everything that is not on the exclusion portion of the sample contract, while the silver plan will only cover what is specifically listed.
Both plans provide coverage for:
- Most engine components
- Transmission components
- Transfer case
- Steering components
- Electrical components
- Braking systems
- Air conditioning systems
While both plans provide coverage for all of the listed systems, the Platinum Plan covers more components within each system.
There is no coverage for any issues that are related to misuse, abuse, or neglect. The GMC vehicle service contract only provides coverage for manufacturer’s defects, which is standard for all vehicle service contracts.
GMC also provides a number of benefits that come with every extended warranty:
- Rental coverage of up to $40 per day for a total of $280 for breakdowns that result in covered repairs
- 24/7 roadside assistance, including lockouts, spare tire changes (you provide the spare), fuel delivery, and battery jump-starts
- Trip interruption coverage for up to $200 per day for up to four days if issues occur while you are more than 100 miles away from your home
While we think the above perks are nice, we don’t think they should persuade you into buying a GMC extended warranty. The main factors you should consider are coverage and cost for the warranty.
As we’ve mentioned in a previous post about vehicle service contracts, the price of a VSC will always be unique from car to car, which is why we haven’t talked about prices in our GMC extended warranty review. The final price is based on your VIN and total mileage. That’s why you need to obtain several quotes to decide which provider is worth considering.
So is a GMC extended warranty worth it? We don’t like that the warranty is actually provided by AMT Warranty Corp., a company that has almost no information available. However, we think it’s worth getting a quote from GMC, since they do offer excellent coverage. If the price is right, it might be worth it.
GMC Factory Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty
There are a seemingly endless number of providers for third-party extended warranties out there. Speaking in generalities, these companies usually attempt to mimic the coverage provided by the automaker’s extended warranties.
However, there is one vital difference between the GMC warranty and a third-party warranty…where you can have the vehicle repaired. With a GMC extended warranty, you are required to have your repairs done at a participating GMC dealership. You might be reimbursed in special situations in which you can’t get the vehicle to a dealership, but you’ll have to file a claim in these cases.
With a third-party extended warranty, you can have the vehicle repaired almost anywhere. As long as a reputable association, such as the ASE or AAA, licenses the shop you can take your vehicle there.
What is Covered Under a Pre-Owned GMC Extended Warranty?
We examined the sample contract, sales page, and FAQ and could not find any mention of special considerations for a certified pre-owned GMC. This means that you’ll need to contact GMC directly, either at their headquarters or any dealership, and ask if your CPO is covered. You might have special coverage available, or you might not be eligible at all.
Do We Recommend a GMC Vehicle Service Contract?
What is the final opinion of our GMC extended warranty review? We cannot recommend the GMC extended protection program. We can’t move past the fact that the warranty is actually administered by a secretive third-party company through some barely-disclosed agreement. If we didn’t examine the sample contract, we wouldn’t have even known.
However, if this fact doesn’t bother you, it’s likely worth getting a quote from GMC. They have excellent coverage and flexible coverage terms. If you do go this route, keep in mind that you can only have your car repaired at a GMC dealership.
If you’re looking for another option, we offer vehicle service contracts through our reputable providers. We have transparent pricing and clear coverage standards. To make matters easier, we even offer free consultation calls to discuss all of your options (even if our option isn’t the best fit for you!). Contact us today to set up your free consultation or to request a quote.
Ford Extended Warranty Review
Ford likes to market itself as a tough, durable automaker. While some Ford fans will back this up, Fords can still have problems. That’s where a Ford extended protection plan, also known as an extended warranty, comes into play. These types of plans provide added coverage for your vehicle. But are they worth it? Find out in our Ford extended warranty review!
We’re about to examine the Ford extended warranty program. We’ll discuss the different tiers of coverage that they offer, other conditions that apply to their warranty, and compare their plan to third-party options.
The Highlights:
- Warranties are managed by the Ford Motor Service Company, not the Ford Motor Company, but the warranty is “backed by Ford.”
- Four levels of plans are available with a wide selection of mileage limitations.
- All the plans in the Ford extended warranty program have a $100 deductible.
Is It Worth Getting a Ford Extended Warranty?
Before deciding whether a Ford extended warranty is worth your hard-earned cash, let’s examine what is included in their warranty.
A Ford extended warranty is technically managed by the Ford Motor Service Company, although they say the warranty is “100% backed by Ford.”
Ford offer four different types of plans to choose from:
- PowetrainCARE: As the lowest level of coverage available, this warranty includes most drivetrain components, including the engine and transmission.
- BaseCARE: This plan includes everything in the above plan, with the addition of coverage for brakes, some electrical systems, and the front suspension.
- ExtraCARE: This mid-tier plan covers everything in the above two plans, in addition to the instrument panel, power seat motors, and speed control.
- PremiumCARE: As the top tier plan, this warranty covers everything in the above plans and adds coverage for the rear suspension, safety systems, and audio systems.
Mileage coverage starts at 12,000 and goes up to 15,0000 miles or 25,000 miles. Term lengths range from three years to eight years. It’s all up to you what kind of coverage you’d like.
All of the plans discussed above carry a $100 deductible for covered repairs. This differs from policies offered by other automakers, which don’t tend to have deductibles.
All warranties are transferable with a $75 fee. While it might seem unpleasant to have to pay additional fees, it will likely boost the resale value of your vehicle if you can transfer over your warranty to the next owner when you go to sell the car.
Notice that we’re not discussing prices in our Ford extended warranty review. As we’ve covered in earlier posts, prices for extended warranties always vary from vehicle to vehicle. The price given will be based on your VIN and mileage. We always suggest that you obtain quotes from several companies before you make a purchase so that you can compare prices and coverage.
The Ford Motor Service Company offers a handful of perks to try to persuade you into becoming a customer, including:
- 24/7 roadside assistance, covering lockouts, fuel delivery, and battery jump-start services
- Travel interruption coverage up to $1,000 within the first 5 days of a trip that is interrupted due to a covered breakdown
- PremiumCARE includes key services, as well, meaning that any lost or damaged keys will be replaced at no cost
While these things are nice, we don’t think that perks should sway you one way or another. Perks should be thought of as an added bonus, not a major factor in your decision.
Ford Factory Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty
Most third-party extended warranties try to mimic the automaker’s coverage. This means that you’ll likely find similar coverage available from other companies. The big difference between an automaker’s warranty and a true third-party warranty is where you can take the car for repairs.
With the Ford extended protection program, all repairs must be done at a Ford or Lincoln dealership. The benefit to this policy is that you’ll use technicians who trained to work on Ford vehicles and all repairs will be completed using genuine Ford parts.
On the other hand, third-party extended warranties will support repairs done through a much wider network of auto repair facilities. Many third-party warranties will allow you to have your car repaired at any shop that is licensed by a reputable association, such as ASE or AAA.
It comes down to your preferences. If you live near a Ford dealership, then it might not be an issue to take your car into the dealership for repairs. If the nearest Ford dealership is far away, it might be well worth having the option to take your car anywhere you’d like for repairs. You don’t have to buy the warranty when you’re buying a car, so take your time to compare your different options.
What is Covered Under a Pre-Owned Ford Extended Warranty?
Ford does not make any special mention of a specific Ford certified pre-owned extended warranty. We scoured their sales pages, brochures, and sample contracts. We assume that this means that a certified pre-owned vehicle can be covered with a Ford vehicle service contract. However, we can’t say that with any certainty.
You’ll need to ask the dealership or the Ford Motor Service Company about coverage for a certified pre-owned vehicle before signing any contracts. Doing this makes sure that you don’t miss out on any additional coverage that might be available.
Do We Recommend a Ford Vehicle Service Contract?
What’s our final verdict from our Ford extended warranty review? We recommend buying a Ford vehicle service contract. It’s managed by a company that we assume is a subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company, and the warranties are said to be “backed by Ford.” We like the coverage options that they offer and the flexibility in mileage and term lengths. Ultimately, depending on your financial situation and coverage needs, the Ford warranty program might be a great choice for you.
If you’re looking for some additional options, we offer vehicle service contracts through our reputable vendors. We have clearly stated coverage and transparent pricing. We can even jump on a consultation call with you to review all of your options for warranty coverage. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
Fiat Extended Warranty Review
Fiat crafts luxury vehicles with the level of precision we’ve come to expect. However, even in the best assembly lines, mistakes can happen and manufacturer’s defects can occur. That is when a Fiat extended warranty can help to protect you from expensive repairs. But is it worth buying? Find out in our Fiat extended warranty review!
We’ll be discussing the Fiat extended warranty program today. We’ll go over Fiat’s coverage, their perks, and what we think about their program.
The Highlights:
- We recommend the Fiat extended warranty program because of the degree of customization available in their plans.
- All Fiat extended protection plans are offered by Mopar, a partnership that is fully disclosed in contracts.
- All plans have limitations on the locations that you can take your car for repairs, which may make third-party vendors worth considering for some people.
- Plans are extremely customizable, due to the four tiers of coverage and choice of mileage terms.
Is It Worth Getting a Fiat Extended Warranty?
We can’t talk about whether we think a Fiat vehicle service contract is worth it without talking about what’s in the plan in the first place.
Fiat warranties are offered by a company called Mopar. This is a partnership that is fully disclosed and not hidden, so we don’t hold that against Fiat.
There are four tiers of coverage to choose from:
- Powertrain Care Plus: Your vehicle’s powertrain is the only system covered by this warranty, which includes the engine, driveline, and transmission.
- Added Care: This plan includes everything in the Powertrain Care Plus plan, along with coverage of some electrical systems, brakes, and cooling systems.
- Added Care Plus: This mid-tier plan covers everything in the above levels, along with coverage for instrument panels, electrical systems, and the luxury group of features.
- Maximum Care: With a slogan of “if it’s mechanical, it’s covered,” this plan covers 5,000 components. There is coverage for everything above, with the addition of body mechanisms, safety mechanisms, and manual interior mechanisms.
If you want to dive deeper into the available plans, you can view Mopar’s sales brochure.
Mopar makes it clear that maintenance services and any wear-and-tear items are not covered by the Fiat extended protection plans. This would refer to oil changes and new brake pads, for example.
There are dozens of options for mileage and term length limits on the plans from Mopar. Combined with the four levels of coverage they offer, you can truly customize your plan.
Fiat and Mopar add a few perks to their programs to persuade you to buy:
- A rental car allowance of $35 per day with a maximum of $175 for the duration of covered repairs
- 24/7 roadside assistance, with battery jumps, emergency tows, and flat tire changes (as long as you have a spare)
- $1,000 worth of trip interruption coverage for meals, lodging, and transportation
- All warranties are also fully transferable, although there is a $50 fee to use this benefit.
We don’t think these perks should persuade you into becoming a customer. You need to compare coverage and prices to make your decision; let the perks be added bonuses.
Notice that we aren’t discussing price in our Fiat extended warranty review? That’s because, as mentioned in another post about extended warranties, all extended warranty prices are unique to the car in question. Prices will vary based on the VIN and mileage.
Fiat Factory Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty
Even though Mopar is technically a third-party provider, the agreement between Fiat and Mopar is more of a partnership than anything else. There are other third-party vendors for extended warranties that you can consider instead.
The core difference between a Mopar warranty and a standard third-party warranty is where you can go to repair your vehicle. A third-party warranty will allow you to repair your vehicle at any licensed auto shop. Meanwhile, a Fiat vehicle service contract requires you to have your vehicle repaired at a Fiat dealership.
An exception can be made if your vehicle breaks down far from a Fiat dealership. Mopar will reimburse you for repairs. This requires prior authorization before repairs and then filing for reimbursement after you pay the repair shop.
A third-party warranty might be better if you are far from a Fiat dealership. Compare prices and coverage primarily, but keep this crucial difference in mind.
What is Covered Under a Pre-Owned Fiat Extended Warranty?
Every Fiat certified pre-owned vehicle is eligible for a Fiat extended warranty. Only the Added Care Plus and Maximum Care programs can be purchased for a CPO vehicle.
For those financing a CPO, you can also add GAP insurance to your vehicle through Mopar. Depending on how much equity you’ve put into the vehicle, this might be a worthwhile purchase.
Do We Recommend a Fiat Vehicle Service Contract?
What’s the ultimate conclusion of our Fiat extended warranty review? We recommend Fiat’s extended warranty program. Fiat is transparent about its partnership with Mopar, and we greatly appreciate that.
The main thing we love about Fiat’s program is the wide variety of coverage options. Between the four levels of coverage and a massive selection of term lengths, you can find something that will work for you. The only drawback is the limitation of options on where you can have your vehicle repaired.
If you’re looking for another extended warranty provider, we offer vehicle service contracts through our trusted vendors. We have clearly defined coverage and transparent pricing. We’ll even hop on the phone with you to discuss all your warranty options so that you can pick the one that fits you best. Contact us today to schedule your consultation call.
