Do I Need An Extended Warranty For My Car?

By Brock Timberman

It's a fear that most of us live with. At any moment the check engine light in your car or truck can come on. The sinking feeling that happens at that moment is indescribable. Thoughts go rushing through your head. Will it be under a thousand dollars or over three thousand dollars? It used to be that a person could work on their vehicle. There was plenty of room under the hood, and parts were readily available. As you know, this is not the case anymore. All modern vehicles are equipped with a computer system and things are so compact under the hood, that changing the battery can require removing the radiator? What is a person to do? When purchasing a vehicle, this makes the manufactures warranty extremely important. Another thing to consider is an after market warranty obtained from a third party. Let's take a look at auto warranties.

You can't go through a day without hearing the term bumper to bumper warranty. What does this mean? There can be a lot of variations. Bumper to bumper warranties usually cover major repairs and things like squeaks and noises that are unexplainable. Many warranties offer free towing, roadside assistance, free gasoline, car rental reimbursement. There are common exclusions that one should be aware of. Exhaust system issues, wiper blades, break pads, rotors, and windshield wiper blades are common things that are excluded. Also, if negligence or abuse is detected this will oftentimes negate a warranty.

Some warranties require that all the routine maintenance be done at the dealer. This is handy, because you are forced to spend your money with them while they supposedly keep track of your car's well being. Most new cars come with at least a 3 year 36,000 mile warranty. 10 year warranties and 100,000 mile warranties are not unheard of. How do the companies stack up against each other? Let's take a look at auto warranties and figure out which ones are the best.

Most of the major auto manufacturers offer very similar warranties. You will hear the term power train warranty as well as bumper to bumper. A power train warranty is a marketing tool that was used to entice buyers into purchasing vehicles. At one time a 10 year power train warranty was considered a good deal. Now, companies like Chrysler are offering lifetime power train warranties. When purchasing a new vehicle, check out each warranty offered and read the fine print. Find out exactly how this will work in relationship to your vehicle.

Eventually however, the manufactures warranty will go out. Different parts of the warranty may expire at different times. Third party warranties can be the way to go. Like anything else, your options are endless. Let's look at a few companies that offer these types of warranties.

With literally thousand of warranties available with unlimited coverage options, it is best to do as much research as possible and find the one that works best for you. If you are purchasing a new vehicle, you may want to get more coverage immediately. If a used vehicle is more up your alley, you can get a warranty on that at almost any time. Do a lot of reading a research online. Find out what mechanical problems your particular car is prone to, and choose the best warranty for your vehicle, because bumper to bumper warranty never means the same thing to everyone.

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