by Ray Shefska | Last updated Apr 24, 2023 | Extended Warranty Reviews, Manufacturer Extended Warranty Reviews
Cadillac is the authority in providing a smooth, luxurious ride. However, even well-crafted cars can have issues. Opting for a vehicle service contract, otherwise known as an extended warranty, can help you to prevent a massive repair bill if something happens to your vehicle. If you’re thinking about buying a dealer warranty, read through our Cadillac extended warranty review first!
We’re about to review the Cadillac extended warranty program, including the term lengths, the levels of coverage, and the administration of the warranty.
The Highlights:
- The Cadillac extended protection plan is administered by AMT Warranty Corp., a company with extraordinarily little public information.
- A third-party warranty will allow you to choose between more repair shops than a Cadillac extended warranty does.
- You’ll have your choice of two tiers and four term lengths, so you can customize your coverage.
- You must take your car to a Cadillac dealership for repairs.
Is It Worth Getting a Cadillac Extended Warranty?
There are two levels of coverage offered with a Cadillac extended warranty. Both plans provide extensive coverage. However, neither plan will cover any issues related to negligence, wear and tear, or abuse. For a repair to be covered under the Cadillac vehicle service contract, it must stem from a defect in manufacturing.
The two levels for plans are:
- Platinum: This level is exclusion-based, meaning that everything is covered except for what they specifically exclude. You can view their complete exclusion list on page 5 of their sample contract. The contract mainly covers various scenarios in which repairs will not be covered and typically excludes parts that will wear out over time.
- Silver: This level is inclusion-based, meaning that everything specifically mentioned is covered. If it’s not listed, it’s not covered. The complete inclusion list is located on pages 4 and 5 of their sample contract. There are thousands of included components, like the engine, transmission transfer case, drive axle, brakes, and the air conditioning system.
A Cadillac extended protection plan has several term lengths to choose from:
- 24 months / 24,000 miles
- 36 months / 36,000 miles
- 48 months / 48,000 miles
- 60 months / 60,000 miles
You have plenty of ways to customize your extended warranty between the two options and the four term lengths.
Cadillac also offers other perks to tempt you towards using with their services, such as roadside assistance and trip interruption coverage. While these perks are nice, we don’t think they should sway you one way or the other. You should choose your warranty based on the cost, what’s covered, and how many repair facilities you can use.
It’s imperative that we highlight that a company called AMT WARRANTY CORP provides the warranty. There is little publicly available information about this company. Cadillac has partnered with them for their extended warranty instead of administering the warranty themselves. We only discovered this by analyzing the sample contract; they don’t make this information clear on their website.
If you’re near a Cadillac dealership and want your car repaired with genuine Cadillac parts, we think their extended warranty is worth it. Otherwise, you might be better off going for a true third-party warranty.
Cadillac Factory Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty
The main difference between a Cadillac vehicle service contract and a third-party warranty is the number of options for where you can take your car for repairs. With a third-party warranty, you can repair your car almost anywhere. Each third-party vendor has its own requirements, but typically, if they’re licensed through a reputable association, you can take your car there.
Conversely, you need to take your car to a Cadillac dealership if you opt for a Cadillac extended warranty. The perk of doing this is that genuine Cadillac parts will always be used instead of aftermarket parts that will likely be used with other repair shops.
We should highlight why we aren’t talking about prices in our Cadillac extended warranty review. We’ve talked about extended warranties before and pointed out that quotes vary based on the individual car in question. Any extended warranty vendor will come up with a quote based on your VIN and mileage. That’s why you need to obtain several quotes from different providers and compare the costs and coverage.
What is Covered Under a Certified Pre-Owned Cadillac Extended Warranty?
Cadillac does not mention any special coverage for certified pre-owned vehicles anywhere on their website or within the sample contract. We assume this means that you have the same warranty options for a new or used car, but we don’t want to state that as fact.
You should talk to the dealership before buying a warranty for your certified pre-owned Cadillac to make sure that there isn’t any added or reduced coverage for used cars.
Do We Recommend a Cadillac Vehicle Service Contract?
So what’s the ultimate finding from our Cadillac extended warranty review? It’s hard to recommend a service when they don’t explicitly state who is administering their warranty. The fact that they sneak in the administration in the fine print of their contract rubs us the wrong way.
While the extended warranty itself looks great, we can’t get over the sneaky warranty administration. If the company in charge of the administration had more publicly available information, we might give this a pass. However, it’s a company that we can’t find much information on, so we cannot recommend the Cadillac extended warranty.
If you’re looking for another option, we offer vehicle service contracts through our reputable vendors. We offer transparent pricing and coverage, so you’ll always know exactly what you’re getting. We even offer free consultation calls to help you on the right options for you. Contact us today to get set up with your warranty today!
by Ray Shefska | Last updated Apr 24, 2023 | Extended Warranty Reviews, Manufacturer Extended Warranty Reviews
Buick has a reputation for building solid, reliable vehicles. Even with that reputation, breakdowns still happen. Having an extended warranty helps to protect you from massive repair bills. If you’re thinking about a dealer warranty, take a look at our Buick extended warranty review first!
We’re about to cover everything you need to know about the Buick extended warranty, including service plans, coverage, and potential drawbacks.
The Highlights:
- The Buick extended warranty is administered by AMT Warranty Corp., a company with extraordinarily little public information.
- There are two tiers of plans and four term lengths to choose from.
- You’ll be restricted to taking your car to a Buick dealership for covered repairs.
- A third-party warranty will give you more options on where you can take your vehicle for repairs.
Is It Worth Getting a Buick Extended Warranty?
Our Buick extended warranty review wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t talk about the coverage options. Buick offers two levels of coverage, Platinum and Silver. They each provide extensive coverage, but both plans only cover issues related to manufacturer defects. Anything related to abuse, misuse, negligence, or standard wear and tear will not be covered.
Let’s dive a little deeper into these plans:
- Platinum coverage is an exclusion-based warranty, meaning they’ll cover any component that is not listed in the exclusions list. This list is quite thorough, and you can view it on page 5 of their sample contract. Most components in your vehicle will be covered, as the exclusions list mainly deals with scenarios in which repairs will not be covered, such as vandalism or theft.
- Silver coverage is an inclusion-based warranty, meaning that they’ll cover any component that has stated coverage. You can view the complete list on page 4 of their sample contract. The major highlights are coverage for the engine, transmission, steering, electrical, brakes, and air conditioner.
A Buick vehicle service contract has several term length options:
- 24 months / 24,000 miles
- 36 months / 36,000 miles
- 48 months / 48,000 miles
- 60 months / 60,000 miles
Between the two levels of plans and four term lengths, you can customize the level of coverage that you’re after.
There are other perks as well, such as rental car coverage, towing, and road service. They even offer trip interruption coverage for situations in which your car breaks down when you’re more than 100 miles away from home.
We need to highlight that these warranties are administered by AMT Warranty Corp, as dictated in the service contract. This means that even though Buick is selling them as their own warranties, someone else administrates the plans. This gives us an uneasy feeling, especially because this is only disclosed in the fine print in the sample contract.
Overall, we think the Buick extended warranty is worth it if you’re located near a Buick dealership. Otherwise, you might be better off with a third-party extended warranty.
Buick Factory Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty
The core difference between a Buick extended protection plan, and a third-party extended warranty is flexibility in where your car is fixed. Even though the Buick vehicle service contract is technically administered by a third-party, they still require that you take your car to a Buick dealership for repairs.
The benefit of taking your car to a dealership is that all repairs will be done with genuine Buick parts, instead of the aftermarket parts that will likely be used at another repair shop.
However, if the nearest Buick dealership is quite far away, it might be better to go for a third-party warranty so that you can take your vehicle to your favorite mechanic.
We aren’t discussing prices in our Buick extended warranty review because, as we’ve mentioned before, when discussing vehicle service contracts, prices are highly customized. No two cars will receive the same quote, even with the same coverage from the same company.
What is Covered Under a Certified Pre-Owned Buick Extended Warranty?
Buick does not make any special mention of certified pre-owned Buicks when discussing their warranty. We’ve searched both the sample contract and their extended warranty information page, and there’s no mention of a certified pre-owned extended warranty.
What this likely means is that the same warranties are available for certified pre-owned vehicles with no added or reduced coverage.
We highly suggest that you clarify the type of coverage your CPO vehicle is eligible for when you’re at the dealership buying your car, since they don’t make a clear distinction in coverage.
Do We Recommend a Buick Vehicle Service Contract?
We heavily dislike that the Buick extended protection plans are administered by a secondary company instead of directly through Buick. If this was clearly disclosed on their sales pages, it might not sting as much. Instead, we discovered this by examining the sample contract.
Other than this massive drawback, it seems like a perfectly fine extended warranty. The coverage comes in two tiers, and you have four term lengths to choose from. This makes their warranty offering flexible, which we appreciate.
So what’s the bottom line of our Buick extended warranty review? We cannot recommend the Buick extended warranty program in good conscience. We are put off by the fact that they secretly passed off their warranty administration to a third party and didn’t make this information obvious until you read the fine print in the contract.
If you’re looking for another option for a vehicle service contract, we offer VSCs through our reputable vendors. With our flat-rate markup and transparent pricing, we’d love to help you find the coverage you need. We even offer a free consultation to talk about options to create the right plan for you. Contact us today and we’ll find you a great extended warranty.
by Ray Shefska | Last updated Apr 24, 2023 | Extended Warranty Reviews, Manufacturer Extended Warranty Reviews
BMW is one of the top names that come to mind when people think about luxury vehicles. Their cars are designed to last and to deliver top-of-the-line performance. Still, manufacturer defects can happen, even in these premium cars. If you’re thinking about buying an extended warranty, take a look at our BMW extended warranty review first!
A BMW extended protection plan offers coverage from hefty repair bills that are related to manufacturer’s defects. BMW offers extended warranties that we believe are well worth the cost.
The Highlights:
- BMW offers three distinct levels of coverage, but only the top tier is available for CPO vehicles.
- You have several options for term length and mileage limitations.
- All repairs are completed with genuine parts.
- Third-party vendors will give you better options for choosing your own repair shop.
Is It Worth Getting a BMW Extended Warranty?
Buying a BMW extended warranty is worth it for anyone who plans to keep a vehicle for a longer time than the factory warranty covers. Because of the cost to make repairs on BMWs, having the added protection of an extended warranty will give you peace of mind.
We recommend that you don’t purchase this warranty from the dealership, though. Instead, add it to your car later. There’s no requirement that you must buy it at the time that you’re purchasing the vehicle.
BMW has a sleek warranty that is easy to understand. We love to see simplicity when it comes to warranties, as complex warranty plans often confuse consumers, leading them to make poor choices.
There are three types of BMW extended protection plans. The lower two levels are available for any new or used BMW vehicle. The highest level is also available for new and used BMWs, but it’s also the only option for a certified pre-owned BMW.
Each of the three plans has its own level of coverage:
- Platinum: This top-tier plan offers comprehensive coverage for every major system in your vehicle, including the engine, transmission, electrical, and cooling systems. The only limited coverage is for the interior and exterior of the vehicle.
- Gold: This mid-tier plan has the same coverage as the Platinum plan. However, there is limited coverage for electrical systems and no coverage for the “infotainment” system.
- Powertrain: As the name suggests, this plan only covers components in the drive train, such as the engine, transmission, and transfer case.
Take note that only breakdowns that are related to manufacturers’ defects are covered. If repairs are needed because of misuse, abuse, or negligence, the repairs will not be covered.
We should highlight that you don’t need to buy an extended warranty when you’re buying your car. You can add it on later. Different automakers have stipulations on when such coverage can be added, so make sure to check with BMW on their specific limitations.
When it comes to the length of your warranty, BMW has surprisingly flexible options. You can purchase coverage for lengths ranging from four years to seven years. This is slightly more complicated for certified pre-owned vehicles, which we’ll discuss in detail later. You’ll also be able to choose your mileage limitation, either 75,000 or 100,000 miles.
BMW Factory Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty
Flexibility on where you can have repairs completed is the primary difference between a BMW extended warranty and a third-party extended warranty. All repairs covered by your BMW extended warranty must be completed at an authorized dealer. Meanwhile, third-party providers typically allow you to have repairs completed at any licensed repair shop.
Another key difference in coverage happens in the parts used for your repairs. BMW extended warranties call for using BMW genuine parts, whereas a repair shop will most likely use aftermarket parts. This is an important thing to consider when thinking about which option will be right for you.
We’ve previously discussed that extended warranty pricing varies from car to car, which is why we won’t talk about costs in our BMW extended warranty review. The pricing is based on your mileage and VIN. You’ll need to obtain several quotes and compare specific coverage to make an informed decision.
What is Covered Under a Certified Pre-Owned BMW Extended Warranty?
The certified pre-owned BMW extended warranty coverage is part of the Platinum plan discussed above. However, the term length varies based on the type of CPO that you’re purchasing.
This can be complicated, so let’s break it down based on the CPO offerings that BMW has:
- CPO: Term length of 1-2 years, your choice
- CPO Elite: Only 1 year of coverage is available
- CPO Wrap: Your choice of 3 or 4 years of coverage
- CPO Wrap Elite: Term length of 2 to 4 years
That might be a lot to wrap your head around, which is why we wanted to make sure to mention it in our BMW extended warranty review! Essentially, just keep in mind that your term length options will vary based on the CPO type that you end up purchasing.
Do We Recommend a BMW Vehicle Service Contract?
A BMW vehicle service contract will provide the coverage you need to give you peace of mind. We think that this makes extended warranties worthwhile for anyone who plans to keep their vehicle after the factory warranty expires.
As for the BMW vehicle service contract options, the coverage is quite thorough for the top two plans. The powertrain plan, which will be less expensive, doesn’t have extensive coverage, but it will still protect you from potentially expensive repairs.
So what’s the bottom line from our BMW extended warranty review? We recommend the BMW extended warranty program. They have three clear options with explicitly stated coverage. Repairs will be made using genuine BMW parts, which we greatly appreciate.
If you are looking for another option, contact us today. We offer vehicle service contracts through our partner vendors. We provide transparent pricing and an explicitly stated markup. We even offer free consultations to help you decide if our options are right for you.
by Ray Shefska | Last updated Apr 24, 2023 | Extended Warranty Reviews, Manufacturer Extended Warranty Reviews
Purchasing an Acura vehicle service contract provides a longer and more comprehensive warranty than what comes with your vehicle.
Opting for an extended warranty is typically a good idea, but you still need to purchase the correct plan for what you need. If you plan on only having the car for a few years, you probably don’t need an extended warranty at all. If you want to own it for decades, an extended warranty is almost required.
Today, we’re going to cover the Acura extended warranty. We’ll discuss if it’s worth it overall, compare it to other options, and make our ultimate recommendation.
TLDR:
- Acura’s extended protection plan has four options, with two of them limited to certified pre-owned vehicles
- The main benefit of a third party extended warranty is that you have a wider network of repair shops, while Acura warranties require service from an authorized dealership
- All of Acura’s extended warranties provide excellent coverage, including all major systems and most components
- We recommend Acura’s extended warranties, but choosing a third-party program will be better for some people
Is It Worth Getting an Acura Extended Warranty?
We always suggest that any car buyer consider an extended warranty. While buying them at the dealership is not usually the best way to buy, buying one after the fact is often well worth it. An Acura vehicle service contract can help prevent a costly repair bill. But is this the right warranty for your circumstances? Let’s dive into our Acura extended warranty review.
Acura offers what they call Acura Care. It’s a group of four levels of warranties:
1. New Vehicle Coverage
2. Pre-Owned Vehicle Coverage
3. Certified Additional Coverage
4. Powertrain Coverage (Pre-owned vehicles only)
Acura Factory Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty
Should you go for a warranty directly from the manufacturer or opt for a third-party vehicle service contract?
You may notice that we aren’t going to talk about pricing in this Acura extended warranty review. If you’re concerned about pricing, you’ll have to obtain several quotes and compare the cost and coverage. Vehicle service contracts are priced individually based on the car (including the VIN and the mileage). This means that neither Acura nor third party companies will post a price on their website.
What is Covered Under a Certified Pre-Owned Acura Extended Warranty?
An Acura certified pre-owned extended warranty has much of the same coverage as their other warranties. The New Vehicle, Pre-Owned Vehicle, and Certified Additional Coverage cover many the same components:
- Acura Genuine Accessories, including navigation systems and audio systems
- Heating/cooling systems
- Chassis, including suspension, steering, and brake systems
- Electronics, including computers and electrical systems
- Drivetrain, including engine and transmission
The above is not an exhaustive list of what is covered. It’s what Acura lists as a sample of their coverage. Acura does not publicize an exhaustive list of what is covered under their Acura extended protection.
The Powertrain Coverage, which is only available to pre-owned vehicles, covers:
- Seals, gaskets, and fluids
- Drive axle, front and rear
- Transmission
- Engine
Acura Care also provides 24/7 roadside assistance and rental care reimbursement for the duration of the warranty. They provide trip interruption benefits as well, which provides $100 per day for up to 3 days if you have covered repairs, as long as you’re more than 100 miles away from home.
What is Covered Under a Third-Party Acura Warranty?
A third-party vehicle service contract is an extended warranty provided by any company other than Acura. There are dozens of reputable companies that you can choose from when shopping around for a third-party Acura warranty.
The coverage will vary based on the program you select. It might cover the same or more components as the Acura extended warranty, or it might cover fewer. It’s important to understand what is covered by the program you’re considering before you sign any contracts. Simply ask the salesperson, and they should provide you with a document that explains coverage and exclusions.
The primary benefit of going for a third-party warranty over a direct warranty is flexibility. Third-party warranty providers have a much wider network of repair shops that you can use for covered repairs. Acura, and most other automakers, require that repairs are completed at an authorized dealership.
Do We Recommend an Acura Vehicle Service Contract?
If you compare a third-party warranty to Acura extended protection, you’ll notice two major differences:
1. Acura provides more perks, such as roadside assistance and trip interruption coverage
2. Third-party warranties have a wider network of covered repair shops
You’ll have to decide which factor is more important to you. We like having repairs done at the dealership when possible since they’ll use genuine parts, as aftermarket parts often have serious issues. That’s a strong positive to any Acura extended warranty.
On the other side of the coin, having more options for covered repair shops is worthwhile, especially if you aren’t near an Acura dealership.
So here the main point of our Acura extended warranty review: While we like the Acura extended warranty program, going for a third-party warranty might be better for your situation.
by Ray Shefska | Last updated Apr 24, 2023 | Extended Warranty Reviews, Manufacturer Extended Warranty Reviews
Audi is one of the top names in luxury vehicles, so it makes sense that you might want to protect your investment with an Audi extended warranty.
We’re about to cover everything you need to know about the extended warranty offer from Audi, including the different levels of service provided and a comparison to similar third-party options.
The Highlights:
- Audi offers three types of protection, with one of those types having three sub-types.
- Their certified pre-owned extended warranty seems thorough, but not enough information is made available about what’s covered.
- Third-party extended warranty options offer more flexibility on shops where you can have your work done.
Is It Worth Getting an Audi Extended Warranty?
Our Audi extended warranty review wouldn’t be complete without checking out their coverage. The value of an Audi extended warranty will vary from person to person. If you plan on keeping your car for decades to come, then it might be worth it. However, if you like to trade in vehicles every few years, you should probably skip the Audi extended protection program.
Audi has three types of vehicle service contracts for you to choose from:
- Audi Pure Protection: The umbrella label of Audi Pure Protection includes three additional sub-types, also known as Platinum, Gold, and Powertrain. The difference between these plans is primarily found in the components that are covered. Platinum covers almost everything on the vehicle, Gold covers most major systems, and Powertrain only covers the powertrain system. Audi does not include a complete list of what’s covered under these plans, so make sure that you read through your contract before agreeing to anything. You deserve to know what’s covered and what’s not.
- Certified Pre-Owned Service Protection: We will dive into this warranty in detail later, but for now, you should know that this warranty already comes with any certified pre-owned vehicle from Audi. The Audi extended warranty for CPO vehicles adds on two years with unlimited miles to what you’re already getting under their base coverage.
- Term Protection: This specialized type of protection specifically covers parts and labor on all components that might wear out during the duration of the warranty, which extends for six years or 72,000 miles (whichever occurs first). The cost of this warranty includes wheel alignment, in addition to replacements for headlamps, belts and hoses, batteries, brake pads, bulbs, and fuses.
We need to highlight that two of these plans run concurrently with your factory warranty: Term Protection and Audi Pure Protection. That means that you’ll only use these warranties for the first few years if something breaks that is not covered by your factory warranty but is covered by the extended warranty.
So is the Audi vehicle service contract worth signing? The term protection option is likely worth it for everyone, assuming that you remember to use it when it comes time to replace the covered parts. The other two programs are only worth it if you’re going to be keeping your vehicle for quite a bit longer than the factory warranty covers.
Audi Factory Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty
There are plenty of third-party extended warranty providers to choose from, but they all have one distinct advantage over Audi extended protection plans: Flexibility.
Third-party vendors allow you to take your vehicle to almost any repair shop, provided that they are licensed by a reputable association. Conversely, an Audi extended warranty requires that all repairs be done at an authorized dealership.
If you live near an Audi dealership, this might not be a big deal. However, if the closest Audi dealership is on the other side of town or the other side of your state, it might be a deal breaker. You’ll need to consider what works best for you.
You may have noticed that we aren’t mentioning prices in this Audi extended warranty review. When it comes to pricing, we’ve previously broken down how the cost of a vehicle service contract varies based on the VIN and mileage of the car in question. You’ll need to obtain several quotes to compare coverage before deciding which warranty is best for you.
What is Covered Under a Certified Pre-Owned Audi Extended Warranty?
The certified pre-owned Audi extended warranty coverage is based on exclusions. Most breakdowns that are related to a manufacturer’s defect will be covered, except for:
- Mechanical breakdowns covered by the existing manufacturer’s warranty
- Mechanical breakdowns caused by collisions, weather conditions, accidents, or vandalism
- Mechanical breakdowns caused by a lack of maintenance or pre-existing conditions
Their website directs you to contact a dealership for a detailed list of covered components. They do not provide this list from their website.
Do We Recommend an Audi Vehicle Service Contract?
Perhaps the biggest drawback of the Audi vehicle service contract is the lack of detailed information given to consumers upfront. The only information they make available on their website is a sale-focused page and legal statements to cover themselves for liability purposes. We’d like to see a document that dives deeply into what is covered on each of their warranty offerings.
So what is the outcome of our Audi extended warranty review? Overall, we are neutral toward the Audi extended protection plans. We cannot give them a confident recommendation based on the information they publicly provide.
If you’re looking for more options, we also offer vehicle service contracts through our partner. We offer transparent pricing and coverage options. Your costs are based upon your VIN and mileage, and we have a flat rate markup. We also offer a free consultation to discuss your options. Reach out to us today if you’re interested in the ways that we can help you stay protected on the roads.
