We show added costs, too.
If a plan costs more in your calculator example, the result says so. The premium, deductibles and assumed uncovered costs stay in the total.
See the cost breakdown →Honesty is the best policy.
See what an extended car warranty really costs.
An extended car warranty sold separately is a vehicle service contract. It costs extra and has its own coverage limits, exclusions and cancellation terms. A factory warranty comes with a new vehicle. FTC explanation.
A warranty can cost more than paying for repairs yourself. Choose your car to compare an average-based repair budget with the full plan price and costs you would still pay.
Check costs for my car Compare quotes on Chaiz
We receive a referral fee from Chaiz for successful referrals. This does not affect your price or either company's editorial policy. How we are paid.Pre-existing problems are excluded. Purchases through Chaiz are unavailable to California residents. California options.
Terms and sources
Chaiz says most providers require both 30 days and 1,000 miles before claims are eligible, with some exceptions. Check the contract's start date, exclusions, cancellation and refund terms. Chaiz is a marketplace; the contract provider handles claims.State information · Waiting period and exclusions · State availability. Checked October 18, 2026.No email or phone number needed for the calculator. Estimates are planning examples, not a prediction of your next repair.
See our recommendations for your situation →
Quotes open on Chaiz, our affiliate partner. Cars and eligible light vehicles only; direct purchase is not available in California. A new plan generally won't cover an existing problem.
The premium is only part of the bill.Deductibles, exclusions and payout limits can leave you with costs even when you have a plan.
Our editorial promise
What does “honest” mean here?
You can check the evidence.
Follow the repair benchmarks, public vehicle records and assumptions behind our comparisons. Complaint counts are not the odds of your car breaking down.
Explore the research →You can see how we are paid.
We may earn a commission if you buy through Chaiz. That relationship does not change the calculator's answer or the contract terms we flag.
Read our affiliate disclosure →Start with your question
Compare plans, estimate costs or check a provider.
Choose coverage
Which warranty fits me?
Our recommendations by situation, with the tradeoffs that could change the answer.
Find your best fit →Run the numbersIs it worth the money?
Compare repair costs with the full plan price for your car and the years you choose.
Open the cost calculator →Check the companyWho would I be buying from?
Read about coverage, exclusions and the company responsible for your claim.
Read company reviews →Our picks by situation
Warranty options for different vehicles and budgets.
Check why we recommend each option and what could rule it out before comparing eligible quotes. These picks use published terms, not first-hand claims tests.
Older or high-mileage car
Compare Omega, Express and Endurance
All three are listed by Chaiz, our affiliate partner. Check the exact tier's age, mileage and payout limits.
See the recommendation and tradeoffs →Buying a used carCheck existing and manufacturer coverage first
Avoid paying twice for protection already included with the car.
See the recommendation and tradeoffs →Keeping the price downCompare full contract prices
Compare Express Enhanced Powertrain with another eligible quote and your own repair fund.
See the recommendation and tradeoffs →Luxury vehicleCompare the manufacturer route with independent coverage
Check the repair network, labor allowance and coverage for the equipment on your car.
See the recommendation and tradeoffs →Hybrid or electric carFind the battery coverage gap first
Hybrid-component coverage is not the same as traction-battery coverage.
See the recommendation and tradeoffs →Broad protectionCompare exclusionary agreements
Endurance Supreme and eligible Omega Exclusionary coverage are starting points, not universal winners.
See the recommendation and tradeoffs →Our company reviews
Which company is worth a closer look?
Four provider profiles reviewed October 18, 2026. This is not an exhaustive market ranking.
These four providers are listed through Chaiz, our affiliate partner. We receive a referral fee for successful referrals. The profiles do not compare every provider in the market.
Vehicle-specific quote required
Endurance
Owners of older or higher-mileage cars who want the provider to handle claims too.
Read our review →Vehicle-specific quote required
Omega Auto Care
Drivers of high-mileage cars looking mainly for powertrain coverage.
Read our review →Vehicle-specific quote required
Express Service Protection
Shoppers comparing the parts lists in powertrain-plus or named-component plans.
Read our review →Vehicle-specific quote required
ServiceContract.com
Drivers who need coverage for rideshare, commercial use, a branded title or certain modifications.
Read our review →Ready to compare eligible plans?
Compare prices for the same car, mileage and coverage level on Chaiz, our affiliate partner. Read the sample agreement before choosing a plan.
Compare plans and prices on Chaiz
We receive a referral fee from Chaiz for successful referrals. This does not affect your price or either company's editorial policy. How we are paid.Pre-existing problems are excluded. Purchases through Chaiz are unavailable to California residents. California options.
Terms and sources
Chaiz says most providers require both 30 days and 1,000 miles before claims are eligible, with some exceptions. Check the contract's start date, exclusions, cancellation and refund terms. Chaiz is a marketplace; the contract provider handles claims.State information · Waiting period and exclusions · State availability. Checked October 18, 2026.Before the warning light
Check coverage before a problem starts.
Check coverage while your car is running well. Compare the plan's full price with the repairs it covers, and find out what you would still owe on a claim. A new plan generally won't pay for a problem you already have.
Check existing manufacturer coverage and recall eligibility before considering a new service contract.Warranty value by vehicle
Would a warranty be worth it for your car?
2017
Ford Escape
2,698 complaint reports · 4 vehicle recall campaigns
Check repairs and coverage →2018Ram 2500
2,605 complaint reports · 9 vehicle recall campaigns
Check repairs and coverage →2016Ford Explorer
2,482 complaint reports · 14 vehicle recall campaigns
Check repairs and coverage →2018Ford F-150
2,318 complaint reports · 18 vehicle recall campaigns
Check repairs and coverage →2018Honda CR-V
2,158 complaint reports · 5 vehicle recall campaigns
Check repairs and coverage →2018Honda Accord
2,007 complaint reports · 6 vehicle recall campaigns
Check repairs and coverage →2018Jeep Wrangler
1,827 complaint reports · 14 vehicle recall campaigns
Check repairs and coverage →2015Jeep Cherokee
1,789 complaint reports · 11 vehicle recall campaigns
Check repairs and coverage →2016Ford Fusion
1,722 complaint reports · 13 vehicle recall campaigns
Check repairs and coverage →2016Honda Pilot
1,714 complaint reports · 8 vehicle recall campaigns
Check repairs and coverage →2016Hyundai Tucson
1,624 complaint reports · 5 vehicle recall campaigns
Check repairs and coverage →2017Chrysler Pacifica
1,611 complaint reports · 17 vehicle recall campaigns
Check repairs and coverage →We feature 2015–2021 model-years with substantial matched records, ordered by complaint count and limited to one year per model. NHTSA snapshot: 2026-10-18. Counts reflect reports and campaigns, not failure rates; vehicle sales and time on the road differ. Missing model-name matches are unavailable, not zero.
Repair costs near you
Local labor costs can change warranty value
The same job can cost more in one city than another. These 12 examples come from 50 modeled US metros. Check a plan's labor allowance against your own shop's quote.
Explore all cities →Know the possible costs
Parts estimates for major repairs
Labor, diagnosis, taxes and fees are additional. Open a repair to see the source and modeled total.
EV traction battery replacement$7,000 to $25,000 partsEV drive unit replacement$3,000 to $14,000 partsEngine replacement or major internal repair$4,000 to $12,000 partsTransmission replacementabout $5,110 partsHybrid high voltage battery replacementabout $4,434 partsEV onboard charger replacement$1,000 to $6,000 partsTransfer case replacement$1,300 to $5,500 partsSupercharger assembly replacementabout $2,789 parts
Auto warranty research
Understand the offer before you buy
After checking the costs for your car, use these guides to compare providers and understand the coverage and contract terms.
Compare car warranty plans
Providers, costs, vehicle fit and contract checks
Open guide →Auto warranty company reviews
Prices, coverage and how claims work
Open guide →Extended auto warranty
Costs, coverage levels and break-even scenarios
Open guide →Best auto warranty by need
Our recommendations and tradeoffs for six situations
Open guide →Used car warranty
Coverage checks for older and higher-mileage cars
Open guide →Car repair insurance
Mechanical breakdown insurance versus service contracts
Open guide →Auto warranty cost
Price drivers and break-even math
Open guide →Auto warranty companies
Who handles claims and pays for repairs
Open guide →Vehicle service contracts
Deductibles, exclusions, caps and contract terms
Open guide →Powertrain warranty
Engine, transmission and drive-system coverage
Open guide →Is an extended warranty worth it?
Compare average-based repair costs, premiums and potential savings
Open guide →Read the assumptions
The answer is allowed to be “don't buy.”
A plan may help with a large covered bill even if it costs more in the average-based comparison. Test an approved claim, a denied claim and no repair at all. The full premium stays in each example.
Read the methodologyNew visual research
What could a covered repair still cost you?
Explore the labor allowance, eligible bill and payout limits behind an approved claim. Original charts, conclusions and data are available to download.
Labor-allowance experiment
The bill beyond the labor allowance
An approved repair can still leave a labor shortfall. In our fixed eight-hour scenario, a hypothetical $150 hourly allowance leaves gaps in 17 of 50 metro models, reaching $366.16 before any deductible.
Read the sources and download the data →Contract-math experiment
The repair bill needed to break even
With a $2,500 full-term premium and a $100 deductible, one repair breaks even at $2,600 if the entire bill is eligible. If only half the bill is eligible, the threshold rises to $5,200. Payout caps can make it unreachable.
Read the sources and download the data →Cost-library audit
The evidence behind a repair estimate
30 repair categories have verified national benchmarks and 14 retain planning assumptions. Unverified model-specific ranges have been removed.
Read the sources and download the data →