Endurance vs. CARCHEX Extended Warranty [Full Review]

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• Endurance and CARCHEX offer extended warranties for new and pre-owned cars.
• We compare Endurance and CARCHEX and their available extended warranty plans.
• Why buy an extended warranty? An extended warranty can increase resale value and save you thousands of dollars in repair costs.

Should you choose an Endurance or a CARCHEX warranty for your car, and why does it matter?

An extended auto warranty can cover the cost of expensive repairs once the manufacturer’s warranty expires, but choosing the right provider can make all the difference. You want to be sure to select the best extended car warranty for your vehicle. In this guide, we compare Endurance vs. CARCHEX – two of the leading providers of extended warranties – including its coverage, cost, and customer service.

Head-to-Head Comparison: Endurance vs. CARCHEX

As two key players in the industry, Endurance and CARCHEX, have provided vehicle service contracts for over 15 years. Even though both of these companies specialize in extended car warranties services, an Endurance warranty and a CARCHEX warranty are different in terms of coverage and benefits.

Endurance Quick Facts

• Started in 2006
• Coverage up to 8 years or 200,000+ miles
• The official name is Endurance Warranty Services, LLC
• Located at 400 Skokie Boulevard, Suite 105, Northbrook, IL 60062-7937

CARCHEX Quick Facts

• Started in 1999
• Coverage up to 10 years or 250,000 miles
• Located at 118 Shawan Road, Suite 210, Hunt Valley, MD 21030-1318

Here are the highlights of both companies:

Endurance Warranty Overview

Who is Endurance?

• Endurance offers six levels of coverage, from powertrain to exclusionary.
• All Endurance plans come with a free year of Endurance Elite Benefits.
• Endurance handles all claims, so you only communicate with one company.
• Endurance has relatively positive reviews, though it is not accredited by the BBB.

CARCHEX Warranty Overview 

Who is CARCHEX?

• CARCHEX is BBB accredited and has a high satisfaction rate.
• CARCHEX is endorsed by many reputable companies, including Edmunds.com, CARFAX, and Kelley Blue Book.
• CARCHEX offers five coverage levels, from powertrain coverage to CARCHEX’s exclusionary Titanium plan.

Endurance vs. CARCHEX: Coverage

Below, we’ve outlined each of the extended warranty options offered by CARCHEX and Endurance as well their additional perks and exclusions.

Endurance Plans

Endurance offers six coverage plans:

• Secure: The Secure plan covers powertrain components, including the engine, drivetrain, and transmission. It is the most basic and affordable plan.
• Select Premier: This plan is a step up from the Secure plan with additional coverage for cooling system components, fuel delivery systems, and electrical components. This plan is best for high-mileage vehicles and used cars.
• Secure Plus: Slightly more comprehensive than Select Premier, this plan also covers steering components. It has a short waiting period of 30 days or 1,000 miles.
• Superior: With the highest stated component coverage, the Superior Plan covers almost all vehicle system components, except for seals and gaskets.
• Supreme: The Supreme plan is a “bumper-to-bumper” or exclusionary plan, meaning the service contract only lists items that are excluded from coverage. This is the most extensive plan and therefore the most expensive.
• EnduranceAdvantage™: This plan covers mechanical breakdowns as well as maintenance, like oil changes, engine diagnostics, and brake pad replacements.

While Endurance offers coverage up to 200,000+ miles under certain plans, some coverage information and terms are not readily available or easy to find on their website. Though sample contracts are available for each plan, customers may find it difficult to obtain important information.

Additional Benefits

Endurance warranties include additional “coverage” for drivers under their Endurance Elite Benefits, a one-year program that comes with all plans and includes:

• Key locator
• ID theft protection
• Key fob replacement
• Endurance Protect app
• 24/7 roadside assistance
• Up to two annually replaced tires
• Repair finance loans up to $5,000
• Up to $1000 in total loss protection
• Collision discount

Exclusions

Like many extended warranties, Endurance coverage excludes repairs and replacements due to wear and tear, neglect, weather, and accidents.

CARCHEX Plans

With terms ranging from five to 10 years, CARCHEX offers five coverage levels with several plan options under each tier:

• Bronze: Bronze powertrain coverage cuts the cost of repairs on your engine, drivetrain, transmission, and cooling system. This is the most basic and affordable coverage plan.
• Silver: This coverage plan includes the powertrain, fuel delivery system, air conditioning, and electrical components.
• Gold: This plan is best for vehicles with more than 60,000 miles. It covers all components under the Bronze and Silver plans, as well as steering and braking components.
• Platinum: Like Endurance’s Superior plan, this plan is the one with the highest stated component coverage. It also includes coverage for heating/cooling, advanced electrical components, and suspension.
• Titanium: This is CARCHEX’s exclusionary coverage plan, and therefore it is the most comprehensive and expensive option.

In addition to the components stated above, CARCHEX Care Gold, Platinum, and Titanium plans offer seal and gasket coverage.

CARCHEX provides sample contracts online and makes it easy to find terms and information for each contract.

Additional Benefits

CARCHEX offers the following “coverage” for all of its customers:

• Key lock-out service
• Battery jump service
• 24/7 roadside assistance
• Rental car reimbursement
• Towing and wrecker services
• Emergency gas delivery service
• Limited trip interruption reimbursement for hotels, food, etc.

Exclusions

Coverage plans limit repairs and replacements in a similar manner to Endurance. Damages caused by wear and tear, weather, neglect, and accidents are excluded from coverage. In addition, CARCHEX plans do not cover replacements for tires, brake pads, windshield wiper blades, and other routine maintenance items.

Endurance vs. CARCHEX: Cost

While coverage is one factor to compare between Endurance and CARCHEX, the cost is another. When it comes to which provider has cheaper coverage, CARCHEX is slightly more affordable than Endurance.

Endurance Cost

One of the advantages of having an Endurance extended warranty is that all processes are handled by Endurance itself. Unlike some other providers, Endurance doesn’t simply promote plans offered by other companies.

Unfortunately, this means only one contract is available under each level of coverage: an Endurance contract. This can limit your competitive pricing options. Currently, a deductible with Endurance is about $100.

In our research, we found Endurance costs to run about $88 to $140 per month with an initial down payment of one month plus $29. The cost of the monthly payment plan is average, if not slightly above, but not all extended car warranty providers will require a down payment.

By clicking below, you can get a free, personalized quote from Endurance to start comparing its price point to other providers.

CARCHEX Cost

Most CARCHEX warranty plans cost $150 to $170 per month. However, the cost of an extended warranty will depend on the model and year of the car, as well as your current mileage. CARCHEX deductibles can range from $200 to about $250.

Though CARCHEX is not the direct provider, it has a larger number of available contracts to choose from based on the number of reputable providers it markets. Therefore, you have more competitive pricing options.

Endurance vs. CARCHEX: Customer Reviews

Customer reviews can be a helpful resource when it comes to deciding a provider’s overall quality. Below, we’ve outlined each providers’ industry reputation as well as a few customer reviews.

Endurance Warranty Reviews

Endurance has an overall positive reputation among third-party warranty companies, but the company’s BBB (Better Business Bureau) rating is not the highest among its competitors. They have a current BBB rating of A-.

This is what one Endurance customer said on Trustpilot:

“My issues have been resolved with Endurance. Initially the process was stressful, but ultimately they resolved my vehicle’s damages and fully covered the repairs for both parts and labor.”

– Daniel R. 

The majority were pleased with the service, though some customers complained they could not immediately download their policy or had to wait longer periods for reimbursement.

CARCHEX Warranty Reviews

With over 20 years of experience in the industry, CARCHEX has mastered customer service, thanks to their easy claims process, direct payments to licensed repair facilities, and prompt responses from specialists. They are BBB accredited with a current BBB ranking of A+.

Here’s what one CARCHEX customer said about their service on Trustpilot:

“My alternator went out on my 2011 Nissan Maxima. I called CARCHEX to set up a claim within minutes they told me it was covered under warranty. CARCHEX saved me a lot of money!”

– Jackema W. 

The majority of CARCHEX customers were satisfied with their service and the claims process, especially the low pressure to buy.

Is An Extended Car Warranty Really Worth It?

Before you even start comparing providers, you may be wondering about the benefits of having an extended warranty. The answer to this question depends on your vehicle and your driving habits. Is your car an ultra-reliable brand? Do you expect to put more than 100,000 miles on your vehicle? Does your vehicle’s manufacturer offer a shorter warranty than you expected?

Here are a few reasons why an extended warranty is a good option:

• An extended warranty can give you peace of mind.
• Extended warranty companies help you in the event of a breakdown, so you don’t have to negotiate price or repairs with the mechanic on your own.
• Manufacturer warranties don’t last forever. In fact, many only last three years or 36,000 miles. An extended warranty continues your coverage sometimes up to 10 years.
• Vehicles are lasting longer and going greater distances, meaning you may be more likely to need a major, costly repair. A service contract can save you thousands on replacement parts.

There is an added benefit to choosing a third-party warranty company. Edmunds.com explains:

“The only benefit to getting an extended warranty as you purchase a car is the ability to wrap the warranty’s cost into your financing. But unless you’ve shopped in advance and can negotiate a lower price for the extended warranty on the spot, this route could cost you more in the long run.”

Endurance vs. CARCHEX: Our Pick

When it comes to Endurance vs. CARCHEX extended warranties, we believe either company could be a good solution for affordable protection, easy claims procedures, and no-nonsense customer service. The best way to find the right fit for you and your vehicle is to compare quotes between providers.

A Direct Competitor Comparison

When choosing the best extended warranty provider for your specific vehicle, there are several factors you should take into account:

• Competitive prices
• Ease and convenience
• Plan flexibility and customization
• Transparency (understanding the fine print)

Both CARCHEX and Endurance offer high-level service, but it’s the details that matter. It’s a close race, but you can see for yourself with this head-to-head comparison of Endurance vs CARCHEX.

Protect Your Car by Comparing Quotes

Your car isn’t getting any younger. To find the most affordable prices and the best level of coverage for your specific vehicle, we recommend calling CARCHEX, Endurance, and any of the best extended car warranty companies for quotes. A specialist will contact you promptly to discuss coverage options without the pushiness of other warranty companies.

Our Methodology

Our expert review team takes satisfaction in providing accurate and unbiased information. We identified the following rating categories based on consumer survey data and conducted extensive research to formulate rankings of the best extended auto warranty providers.

• Industry Standing: Our team considers Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, availability, and years in business when giving this score.
• Coverage: Because each consumer has unique needs, it’s essential that a car warranty company offers an array of coverage options. We take into account the number of plans offered by each provider, term limits, exclusions, and additional benefits.
• Affordability: A variety of factors influence cost, so it can be difficult to compare quotes between providers. Our team performs ongoing secret shopper analyses for different vehicles, mileages, warranty plans, and locations to give this rating.
• Customer Service: Reputable extended car warranty companies operate with a certain degree of care for consumers. We take into account customer reviews, BBB complaints, and the responsiveness of the customer service team.

*Data accurate at time of publication.