Lexus Extended Warranty Review

Lexus is one of the top names that come to mind when auto enthusiasts talk about a reliable yet luxurious vehicle. Even though they produce quality cars, mistakes can still happen. An extended warranty can help provide extra protection in case of a manufacturer’s defect. But should you buy your warranty through Lexus? Find out in our Lexus extended warranty review.

We’re about to go over Lexus’s extended warranty offering. We’ll discuss coverage tiers, certified pre-owned options, and compare the warranties to third-party options.

The Highlights:

• We recommend the Lexus extended protection programs due to the flexibility of options and clearly stated coverage
• Lexus offers three plans for new and used cars, and one plan for certified pre-owned cars
• All repairs must be completed at a Lexus dealership
• All plans include perks such as roadside assistance and trip interruption coverage

Is It Worth Getting a Lexus Extended Warranty?

We need to discuss what’s included in a Lexus extended warranty before we can analyze if it’s worth buying one.

Lexus offers three tiers of plans to consider:

1. Lexus Extra Care Powertrain. This program provides coverage for the engine, transmission, front and wheel-drive systems, and more. It is the lowest level program available.
2. Lexus Extra Care Gold. You’ll have extensive coverage for most main systems of your vehicle, including what’s covered by the Extra Care Powertrain program.
3. Lexus Extra Care Platinum. At the highest level available, this program covers most components in your vehicle.

Each of the above plans is available on new and used Lexus’s. For a used vehicle to be eligible, it must be within 9 model years and under 125,000 miles. Additionally, used vehicle plans can only be purchased when the vehicle is sold.  

There’s also another level of coverage exclusively for Lexus certified pre-owned vehicles:

• Lexus Extra Care L/Certified Plan. This one and only option provides protection for major components in your vehicle. All L/Certified (which is their term for CPO) vehicles are eligible. The warranty may be purchased at any time prior to the expiration of the 2-year warranty that comes with all L/Certified vehicles.  

If you’d like to know exactly which components are covered with each tier, Lexus has put together a comprehensive coverage map on their website.

New and used vehicles have a $0 or $100 disappearing deductible per repair visit. A disappearing deductible means that the deductible will be waived if your car is repaired at the same dealership that sold the extended warranty.

Every Lexus extended protection plan includes a number of helpful perks, such as:

• 24/7 roadside assistance within the continental U.S. and Canada for the entire duration of your agreement, providing coverage for towing, flat tires, battery jump starts, and fuel delivery services
• Substitute transportation when your vehicle is being worked on, up to $50 per day for a maximum of five days
• Trip interruption protection, providing for $100 per day for food and lodging if a breakdown occurs more than 150 miles from your home

Every Lexus extended warranty can be transferred at no cost. This greatly increases your resale value should you decide to sell your car.

Notice how we aren’t talking about prices in our Lexus extended warranty review? That’s because, as discussed in a previous post, every Lexus vehicle service contract has a unique price based on your VIN and mileage. Unfortunately, this means you need to obtain quotes in order to price shop.

So, is a Lexus extended warranty worth it? We think it looks like a comprehensive set of programs that is worth getting a quote for. If the price is right, it might be worth your money to have your vehicle warrantied by Lexus.

Lexus Factory Extended Warranty vs. Third-Party Extended Warranty

All third-party extended warranty providers do their best to mirror the coverage available by automakers’ warranties. While there is still some difference in coverage, you’ll discover that many of them cover the same components.

There is one crucial difference, though: where you can have your vehicle repaired. A Lexus extended warranty calls for having your repairs completed at a participating Lexus dealership. On the other hand, most third-party extended warranties allow you to take your vehicle to any repair shop that is licensed by ASE or AAA.

Does this matter? That depends largely on your distance from a Lexus dealership. We think it’s worthwhile to have your Lexus repaired by specialized technicians and using Lexus genuine parts. However, if the dealership is too far away, it might not be worth it.

What is Covered Under a Pre-Owned Lexus Extended Warranty?

If you’ve purchased a Lexus certified pre-owned vehicle, you have an entirely unique extended warranty available, which we discussed above. It has the same coverage as the warranty that comes standard with a certified pre-owned vehicle.

There is no deductible for repairs. You’ll also receive all of the perks we discussed that come with the other programs. You may purchase your extended warranty at any point during the two-year warranty that comes with your CPO vehicle.

Do We Recommend a Lexus Vehicle Service Contract?

Where do we land at the end of our Lexus extended warranty review? We do recommend the Lexus vehicle service contract. Lexus offers a wide variety of programs to suit anyone’s needs. We also like how they even make special mention of coverage for used vehicles, which is unusual.

Overall, we think it’s worth obtaining a quote for a Lexus extended warranty. You should also obtain a few quotes from third-party warranty vendors to compare prices and coverage conditions before making your decision.

If you’re looking for another option, we offer vehicle service contracts via our third-party vendor. Our vendor has upfront pricing and clear coverage. We’ll even provide a free consultation phone call to help you decide which warranty is right for you, even if you don’t select our option. Contact us today to schedule your consultation and request a quote.