The Benefits Of Getting An Extended Warranty For Your Vehicle

You’re just about to sign the dotted line on your brand new vehicle, but there’s a question hanging in the air: What about an extended warranty? While many car brands do offer a strong warranty on all the vehicles in their portfolios, it’s important to explore the limits of the warranties that come with your new car — and where an extended warranty comes in to help.

The Basics

When purchasing a car from the dealership, you’ll probably find that new vehicles come with a warranty. For example, all Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep and RAM vehicles are protected by three years or 36,000 miles of “bumper-to-bumper” coverage, and five years or 60,000 miles of powertrain coverage and roadside assistance from the factory.

Powertrain warranties cover the engine, transmission, transaxle, differential, transfer case and most of the other major components that make the vehicle go down the road. For five years or 60,000 miles, all of those components are covered.

The bumper-to-bumper warranty covers things that the powertrain warranty doesn’t. If your exterior door handle failed, for example, that would be covered by the bumper-to-bumper warranty. That warranty protects the vehicle for less time and fewer miles than the powertrain warranty. A bumper-to-bumper warranty also doesn’t cover wear items, such as brake pads and rotors, windshield wipers and tires.

Why bother with an extended warranty?

So with all this warranty coverage, what’s the point of buying an extended warranty? The first and most obvious reason is the ability to extend your warranty protection beyond the established time and mileage limits from the dealership. Say, for example, you drive your vehicle quite a bit. If something breaks down, your vehicle will be out of warranty if you’ve driven past the original powertrain warranty’s mileage limit, even if there’s still time left on the warranty. With car repairs getting more and more expensive with the increasingly high-tech nature of vehicles’ computers and other systems, it can be quite pricey for your car to be out of warranty.

As an added value, extended warranty plans also offer additional protection that you may not have thought about. Additional protections, such as a “Sign-and-Go” roadside assistance program that includes towing, a flat tire change, a battery jump-start, emergency refueling up to two gallons and lockout service are peace of mind when you’re out on the highway late at night.

If your trip is interrupted, an extended warranty also provides trip interruption protection, which pays up to $1,000 for lodging, meals and transportation expenses if you experience a component failure over 100 miles from home.

Extended warranties can even be a selling feature if you don’t plan on keeping your vehicle for the maximum eight years or 125,000 provided by the coverage. For a nominal warranty transfer fee — typically $50 — you’re allowed a one-time transfer to the next owner, providing them the same coverage that you enjoyed when the vehicle was yours.

A new car is the second most expensive purchase you’re likely to ever make. As vehicles get more and more complex, replacement cost of these components continue to rise. Extended warranty coverage provides you with peace of mind that goes well beyond the coverage provided by your original warranty.

Chrysler Warranty Direct was started to help current owners of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brand vehicles find the right extended, factory-backed warranty coverage at the absolute lowest cost without compromising quality. For more information or to get a free instant quote on your vehicle, visit our website.