An extended warranty is a great way to avoid costly repair bills. While it’s not usually worth buying at the dealership, we still suggest that you think about adding an extended warranty to your new or certified pre-owned car. Should you buy the one from Chrysler? Find out in our Chrysler extended warranty review!
Today, we’re going to review the Chrysler extended warranty program. We’ll discuss the level of coverage offered, compare it to third-party options, and make our ultimate recommendation.
The Highlights:
- The Chrysler vehicle service contract is offered and managed by Mopar.
- Plans are extremely customizable, with four levels of coverage to choose from and a pool of mileage options.
- There are imitations on where you can take your car for repairs, while third-party vendors tend to offer more options.
- We recommend the Chrysler extended warranty because of the levels of customization available and the transparency of their partnership with Mopar.
Is It Worth Getting a Chrysler Extended Warranty?
Before we can say if the Chrysler extended protection plan is worth getting, we need to discuss what’s involved in the program.
Mopar has four levels of coverage to choose from:
- Powertrain Care Plus: As the name suggests, this plan covers everything involved with the powertrain, including the engine, transmission, and driveline. This is the lowest level of Chrysler’s extended warranty coverage.
- Added Care: This level includes everything in Powertrain Care Plus, but also adds brakes, engine cooling, and electrical systems to its coverage.
- Added Care Plus: This plan includes everything in the above plans, adding rear suspension, luxury group features, instrumentation, and expanded electrical coverage.
- Maximum Care: They sell this program with the slogan “if it’s mechanical, it’s covered.” The coverage list includes everything in the above plans, with the addition of body mechanisms, safety systems, and manual interior elements.
None of the Chrysler extended warranty plans offer coverage for maintenance services, like oil changes or air filters. They also do not cover the body, paint, or any wear-and-tear items (brake pads, rotors, belts, and windshield wipers).
If you want to dive deeper into the features of any of these plans, you can view Mopar’s breakdown on page 5 of their extended warranty sales brochure.
As far as term lengths go, you can choose your mileage coverage in intervals. Plans are available for 12,000 miles, 15,000 miles, or even unlimited mileage. You can also pick the number of years that you want coverage for.
On top of their coverage, they offer a handful of useful perks:
- Rental car allowance up to $35 per day, with a $175 maximum
- 24/7 roadside assistance, including towing, battery jumps, and flat tire changes (you supply the spare)
- $1,000 trip interruption coverage to pay for meals, lodging, and rental cars for all covered mechanical failures that occur more than 100 miles away from your home
- Warranties are fully transferable, but there is a $50 transfer fee applied
We like perks as much as the next car owner, but we don’t think perks should be a substantial reason to choose an extended warranty.
Take note that we aren’t discussing pricing in our Chrysler extended warranty review. As we’ve discussed earlier, pricing for vehicle service contracts varies from car to car and is based on your VIN and mileage. You’ll need to obtain quotes from any warranty company that you’re interested in to compare prices.
Coverage begins when you buy the plan. Keep this in mind to avoid overlapping with your existing manufacturer’s warranty.
So is a Chrysler extended warranty worth it? We think that due to the highly customizable array of warranties that you can choose from, it’s well worth getting a quote. For the right price, the Chrysler vehicle service contract might be worth it.
Chrysler Factory Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty
Even though the warranty is offered and managed by Mopar, which is a third party, it’s not treated like a third-party warranty. It’s more of a partnership between Chrysler and Mopar. The primary thing to note is that all repairs must be done at a Chrysler dealership.
Mopar does say that your repairs might be covered if you have issues when you are far from a Chrysler dealership. The process looks a bit complex, as you or the shop will have to contact Mopar for authorization before repairs start. Once done, you’ll have to submit a request for reimbursement. This means that you will be paying out of pocket and that there’s a chance that your reimbursement request could be denied.
On the other hand, a true third-party extended warranty will allow you to have your repairs completed at any number of shops around the country. Most third-party warranties ask you to take your car to a repair shop that is licensed by a reputable association, such as ASE, AAA, or RepairPal. If the shop is licensed, you can have your work done there. In most cases, the warranty company will also pay for the repairs over the phone instead of paying by yourself and then waiting for reimbursement.
What is Covered Under a Pre-Owned Chrysler Extended Warranty?
If you buy a Chrysler pre-owned vehicle, you have the option of covering it with a Chrysler extended protection plan through Mopar. However, you will only have the Maximum Care and Added Care Plus options available to you, which we discussed above.
Mopar also offers GAP insurance for certified pre-owned vehicles, which might be worth it depending on your situation. You’ll have to do some math to determine if you should purchase GAP insurance.
Do We Recommend a Chrysler Vehicle Service Contract?
What’s the final verdict of our Chrysler extended warranty review? We do recommend the Chrysler extended warranty. They are upfront and honest about who is offering and managing the warranty, instead of hiding it in the fine print of the contract like other automakers we’ve seen.
Their levels of coverage and customization allow you to craft a plan that works for your financial situation. The only downside comes from the limitations on where you can take your car for repairs.
If you’re looking for another option, we offer vehicle service contracts through our third-party vendors. Our pricing is transparent, and coverage is clearly laid out. We even offer free consultations to help you decide which warranty to select. Contact us today to set up a time to talk about coverage!
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