Is a Chevrolet Extended Warranty Worth Buying?

Disclosure: This content was produced by an independent editorial party for the purposes of educating our customers, and is not influenced by the other business operations of CARCHEX.

An extended car warranty is protection from the vehicle manufacturer against mechanical breakdowns. This term is sometimes incorrectly used to describe coverage from third-party providers, which offer similar protection plans called vehicle service contracts. CARCHEX is a vehicle service contract provider.

Chevrolet cars usually outlive their factory warranties, which means that owners are often unprotected against expensive auto repair bills. A Chevrolet extended warranty is a good investment and can help you save time and money on costly repairs.

To learn more about Chevrolet extended warranty plans, read on. Our experts will also cover the benefits of a third-party vehicle service contract so you can decide which is the better choice for you.

Drivers have the option to purchase a Chevy extended warranty to increase coverage after the factory warranty expires. You can get a Platinum, Silver, or Powertrain Protection Plan any time before the factory warranty period of 3 years/36,000 miles expires. You can buy a plan from a dealership in person. Some dealers may sell them online, as well.

The Chevy extended warranty can extend coverage up to 8 years/100,000 miles. This period begins at the car’s in-service date. So, you can get an extra 5 years/63,000 miles of coverage compared to the factory warranty.

Here are the three plans you can choose from:

• Platinum: Bumper-to-bumper plan that covers any breakdown except for exclusions
• Silver: Mid-level plan that covers many major systems
• Powertrain: Covers the engine, transmission, and drivetrain

Chevy Extended Warranty Plan Comparison

Below, you can compare each Chevrolet extended warranty plan.

Chevy Extended Warranty Benefits

Every Chevy Protection Plan comes with:

• Roadside assistance
• Trip interruption
• Rental car coverage

You can cancel a plan within 30 days for a full refund. After that, you’ll get a prorated refund based on any claims paid and the current mileage. You can also transfer a Chevy extended warranty to the next owner of your vehicle for a $50 fee.

Your Chevrolet comes with different types of warranty coverage from the factory. The manufacturer-backed Chevy warranty includes:

Bumper-to-Bumper Limited Warranty

Chevy offers bumper-to-bumper protection for three years or 36,000 miles. This basic coverage option covers most parts between your bumpers, as well as defects in glass, seating fabric, interior trim, and more.

Powertrain Limited Warranty

Before 2016, Chevrolet offered a five-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. For model years 2016 and later, the Chevy powertrain warranty lasts five years or 60,000 miles.

This powertrain warranty covers the engine, transmission, and drivetrain. Also, coverage is completely transferable to new owners at no charge. Powertrain warranties do not cover as many components as bumper-to-bumper coverage, but they typically last a lot longer.

Unfortunately, not everything is covered by powertrain and bumper-to-bumper warranties. Before you consider a Chevrolet extended warranty, it’s important to know what isn’t covered. Chevrolet’s factory warranty does not cover the following:

• Damage from truck bed liners
• Damage resulting from accidents, misuse, or alterations
• Issues caused by environmental elements, chemical treatments, or aftermarket products like sealants
• Damage from “insufficient or improper maintenance”
• Routine maintenance like oil changes or tire rotations
• Issues resulting from an accident
• Problems resulting from using the wrong fuel grade
• Components like third-party electronics (DVD players, wireless headphones, etc.)

It’s also important to note that anything not original to the vehicle or any part that is not an authorized Chevy part is not covered by this auto warranty.

When your manufacturer’s warranty doesn’t cover all of your vehicle’s parts, it can be challenging to afford necessary repairs. Take a look at a few common Chevrolet repair estimates provided by RepairPal:

With a Chevrolet extended warranty, you have extra protection for repairs and damages that can be extremely expensive.

Research shows that the average age of the cars on our roadways is at a record-high of 12.6 years in 2024—or more than twice that of the standard powertrain warranty offered by Chevrolet. This means that most Chevy drivers won’t have coverage once their factory warranty expires.

A factory extended warranty isn’t your only option for repair coverage. Third-party companies like CARCHEX offer vehicle service contracts that can cover many of the same components. You can often find more coverage options and longer plans from third-party companies.

As an alternative to a Chevy extended warranty, you can look to a third-party company like CARCHEX for an extended vehicle service contract. CARCHEX offers multiple plans that allow you to customize your vehicle’s coverage.

You can choose plans that cover just the basics like your engine, drive axle, and transmission, or coverage for things like air conditioning and high-tech components.

• Titanium: High-level coverage for many systems like the engine, transmission, drive axle, high-tech, air conditioning, electrical, steering, suspension, and brakes
• Platinum: Covering the powertrain plus brakes, high tech electronics, suspension, fuel system, and more
• Powertrain Plus: Covers nine main systems including the air conditioning, cooling system, fuel system, and electrical
• Powertrain: Covers the engine, transmission, drive axle, turbocharger, transfer unit, and cooling system
• Extra Care: Covers components outside the powertrain system like the steering, suspension, brakes, fuel system, audio, and air conditioning

In addition to affordable coverage options, CARCHEX offers:

• A 24/7/365 Direct Quote Engine: Our innovative system allows customers to speak with a Vehicle Protection Plan specialist and simultaneously view the same online coverage information as they see. Customers can perform product comparisons, view contracts, and access warranty benefits and features while speaking to an expert.
• Many Repair Shops: A CARCHEX concierge can help you find a licensed repair shop in your area including independent shops and dealerships.
• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: We offer a risk-free, 30-Day Money–Back Guarantee period with each protection plan. If you are not satisfied with the contract you have purchased, you can contact CARCHEX within 30 days for a full refund.*
• Peace of Mind Benefits: CARCHEX offers benefits such as emergency roadside assistance, rental car and towing benefits, and trip interruption services.
• Commitment to Service: We value customer experience above all and ensure that our customers’ needs are being met on a daily basis. We have a 99.9% customer satisfaction rate due to our decade-long commitment to excellent customer service.

CARCHEX makes it easy to find repair coverage at an affordable price. We work with the top providers in the business to ensure that you get excellent coverage at the right price.

Our protection specialists can answer any questions you may have about our plans and will provide guidance to help you find the best coverage for your car.

Sources:

Consumer Reports: http://www.consumerreports.org/car-reliability/car-brands-reliability-how-they-stack-up/

Automotive News: http://www.autonews.com/article/20150312/RETAIL/150319950/gm-to-cut-chevy-gmc-powertrain-warranty-to-60000-miles-from-100000

USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/07/29/new-car-sales-soaring-but-cars-getting-older-too/30821191/

IHS Markit: https://news.ihsmarkit.com/prviewer/release_only/slug/automotive-average-age-cars-and-light-trucks-us-rises-again-2019-118-years-ihs-markit-

RepairPal: https://repairpal.com/problems/chevrolet

RepairPal: https://repairpal.com/chevrolet

Chevrolet: https://www.chevrolet.com/protection/protection-plan

*Refund methods vary by state. See extended service plan for complete details, including refunds, exclusions, and limitations.