CARCHEX Warranty
Expert Take
Our CARCHEX review experts like that CARCHEX provides solutions for cars out of their factory warranty for up to 10 years. CARCHEX is so confident in its product that it even encourages consumers to shop around and negotiate prices.
Pros
- Offers a $400 new-customer discount
- Has a no-haggle, low-price everyday guarantee
- Provides transparency with coverage details
Cons
- Doesn’t offer online quotes
- Is more expensive than other providers
- Doesn’t match dealership mechanics’ rates
Vault’s Viewpoint on CARCHEX Warranty
CARCHEX makes our list of the best car warranty companies of 2024 because it has some of the longest contract terms and coverage that extends up to 250,000 miles on the vehicle. This means that you need to start the CARCHEX extended warranty contract before reaching the odometer limit to get coverage on your vehicle.
One of the features that we like about CARCHEX is that each contract comes with roadside assistance, towing, rental car and trip interruption benefits, which gives you an allowance for hotel and meals when your vehicle breaks down within so many miles away from home. Other benefits included with roadside assistance are lockout services, fuel deliveries and battery jump-starts. Not every car warranty company offers these benefits.
CARCHEX customizes quotes for each contract to the vehicle’s year, make and model with the vehicle identification number (VIN) and odometer reading. You’ll also need to provide your name, ZIP code, email address, and phone number to generate the quote. All contracts have a 30-day and 1,000-mile waiting period at the start of the warranty. During this time, you’re unable to make a claim on the contract and must meet both conditions before coverage starts.
One of the best extended warranties for cars over 100,000 miles, CARCHEX is best for used car owners with vehicles that fall outside the factory warranty (usually five years and 60,000 miles). Those looking to get bumper-to-bumper protection that mimics a factory warranty will want the Titanium coverage option.
About CARCHEX Warranty
With CARCHEX, you have five contract options for coverage. The basic Powertrain coverage is good for up to seven years. This covers the most common and expensive repairs, such as the engine, drive train, transmission, fuel pump, transfer case and drive axles. Coverage moves up with each contract type until you get to Titanium coverage, which is like a factory warranty, excluding named items. This plan lasts for up to 10 years.
Our experts like that CARCHEX has over 20 years of industry experience. However, what concerns us is the user rating. Our research on Trustpilot shows that CARCHEX gets a 2.3-star Poor rating with more than 1,500 reviews. This doesn’t equate to a high customer satisfaction rating over a substantial number of reviews.
CARCHEX started in 2003, providing prepurchase vehicle inspections. This was the foundation for its extended vehicle protection contracts, which began the following year. The experience as an inspector first helps CARCHEX better assess vehicle repairs and needs.
| Starting Price | $1,250 |
| Number of Plans | 5 |
| Online Quotes | Yes |
| Fees | Deductibles can range from $0-$500 |
Who Is CARCHEX Warranty Best For?
If you’re wondering if a CARCHEX extended warranty is worth it, CARCHEX is a good vehicle warranty company for used car drivers who seek protection against expensive car repairs for their high-mileage vehicles. Its sweet spot is for cars with at least 60,000 odometer miles that are out of the factory warranty.
However, like most extended warranty companies, CARCHEX isn’t for someone who already has a problem with their car. As mentioned, the warranty doesn’t cover immediate repairs because there is a 30-day, 1,000-mile waiting period. You also shouldn’t expect CARCHEX to cover preexisting conditions.
Who Should Consider an Alternative to CARCHEX Warranty?
Just as CARCHEX recommends, our experts recommend shopping around for a warranty. Most of the best used car warranty companies have similar coverage options. With that understanding, you want to shop around for the best price and service for your vehicle. Check out the service ratings on websites such as Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau to see what real customers have to say about their contracts.
When comparing companies, you’ll notice that most car warranty companies receive many complaints. This is because customers get frustrated with exclusions they were unaware of or didn’t understand at the time of purchase. Read through the comments to get an idea of where problems occur and ask the sales representative questions when shopping around for quotes. If you can find a CARCHEX competitor with a better price for the same coverage, we recommend going with the competitor.
How Does CARCHEX Warranty Stack Up to Its Competitors?
If you want to know how CARCHEX fares against the competition, we’ve done some of the homework for you. You’ll still want to compare pricing for your vehicle and try to negotiate a better deal, but here’s the gist of the differences between them.
CARCHEX Warranty vs. Endurance Warranty
Endurance Warranty rates as the overall best warranty company in Newsweek Vault’s best car warranty companies list. It offers robust protection with some extra features you won’t find with other companies.
Endurance has six coverage plans available, but only three appear on its website. This means that you’ll have one more option for coverage compared to CARCHEX’s five. While Endurance sometimes has new customer promotions, CARCHEX offers a $400 discount regularly to new customers. Both companies offer 24/7 roadside assistance, which includes help when you run out of gas, need a tow or require lockout services.
Where Endurance Warranty stands out is in its additional coverage called Elite Benefits. This includes tire replacement for up to four tires per year that get damaged due to road hazards and a key fob replacement benefit of up to a $500 value if you lose or damage your key fob. Endurance Warranty also has a collision discount offering up to $500 per accident to repair any damage to your vehicle in the event of an accident. Additionally, it also offers up to three oil and filter changes, an engine diagnostic exam, alignment check and tire rotation as part of the Prime plan. Our experts also like that Endurance Warranty has a mobile app that helps consumers keep track of their contracts and claims in one easy-to-use place.
Another difference between CARCHEX and Endurance Warranty is the maximum mileage for coverage. CARCHEX limits vehicles to 250,000 miles, while Endurance Warranty has no mileage limit and will renew contracts to extend coverage for vehicles regardless of mileage up to 20 years old.
CARCHEX Warranty vs. CarShield
CarShield is another popular vehicle warranty company. While CARCHEX has five plan options available, CarShield has eight, including plans for specific types of vehicles like motorcycles, ATVs and electric vehicles. This level of coverage helps CarShield protect the specific mechanisms found in these vehicles rather than trying to impart coverage from another plan that may or may not be pertinent to the vehicle’s systems. As with other warranty companies, you’ll receive a quote customized to your vehicle based on the VIN. You’ll want to compare prices to CARCHEX to see if it can offer you better coverage for a lower price.
One thing CarShield doesn’t do is offer a discount when starting the contract. As mentioned, CARCHEX offers a $400 discount for all new contracts. However, both offer free quotes, so there is no reason not to get a quote and compare rates.
CarShield’s Diamond plan is the most similar to CARCHEX’s Titanium coverage. These are the plans closest to the manufacturer’s warranty with bumper-to-bumper protection. The CARCHEX Powertrain coverage is most similar to the CarShield Silver plan. These are basic powertrain coverage contracts covering the engine, transmission and drive axles. If you want the midlevel contracts, compare them side by side to see what you get, as CarShield has more plans, which means more restrictions.
CARCHEX Warranty vs. Omega Auto Care
Omega Auto Care offers three plans to CARCHEX’s five, with the Omega Powertrain Protection plan being most similar to CARCHEX’s Powertrain coverage. As Omega Auto Care’s plan name suggests, this is a basic powertrain plan that covers the engine, transmission and drive axles. Both of these provider’s top plans are exclusionary and list excluded items in the contract.
Where the two differ is in the maximum odometer readings. Omega Auto Care has mileage limits for each plan, with the Exclusionary plan only allowing 100,000 miles. However, CARCHEX’s Powertrain plan allows for up to 250,000 miles.
Omega Auto Care also offers additional benefits. Its top-tiered plan, the Exclusionary plan, allows for emergency repairs capped at two labor hours when you contact the claim department within five days during business hours. This can come in handy when you need to get your car back on the road quickly. Both companies offer 24/7 roadside assistance, towing and lockout services, and like CARCHEX, Omega Auto Care provides an allowance for rental cars when your vehicle is in the shop. However, it limits this to $30 per day.
CARCHEX Warranty vs. American Dream Auto Protect
American Dream Auto Protect keeps things simple with three plans compared to CARCHEX’s five. The Platinum plan is its most comprehensive plan. It’s similar to the CARCHEX Titanium plan, which resembles a manufacturer’s new car warranty. The Platinum plan covers everything from the engine to the navigation system and suspension. American Dream Auto Protect’s Silver plan is most like CARCHEX’s Powertrain plan. Just like CARCHEX, this is a basic powertrain plan that protects against the most common and expensive repairs.
Both companies offer a discount to get started. However, CARCHEX is a better deal with $400 off, while American Dream Auto Protect offers $350 off of a new policy. Additionally, American Dream Auto Protect offers an extra month free when signing up via the online form.
Also just like CARCHEX, American Dream Auto Protect offers 24/7 roadside assistance and rental car coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the CARCHEX Warranty a Rip-Off?
CARCHEX is a reputable warranty company with more than 20 years of experience in protecting vehicles. While some customers feel the company hasn’t lived up to the contract terms, others are pleased with the service when their car needs repairs.
How Much Can CARCHEX Cost?
The cost of a CARCHEX contract varies from car to car. Each contract receives a custom quote based on the vehicle’s year, make, model and mileage. However, you can expect to pay around $1,250 for coverage.
How Old of a Car Will CARCHEX Cover?
CARCHEX contracts can cover vehicles up to 20 years old. Contracts are good for up to 10 years and 250,000 odometer miles.
