Endurance Vs. CARCHEX Extended Warranty Comparison

When we talk about extended warranty coverage between Endurance vs. CARCHEX, we are really talking about vehicle service contracts. Technically, the manufacturer is the only entity that can offer a true warranty extension. However, third-party vehicle service contracts can cover the same things and allow drivers to visit a wider network of repair shops. That’s why they’re also commonly referred to as extended warranties.

Endurance is a reliable extended car warranty company that has been around since 2006. The main thing that sets it apart from a number of top providers is that it is a direct warranty provider.  That means Endurance sells and administers all its own plans. If you choose to buy a plan from Endurance, you’ll work with the same company through the purchase and claims processes.

Drivers can go to any repair shop certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE^®), and Endurance plans are sold in every state but California. 

Like many extended warranty companies, Endurance has received complaints about sending mailers that resemble factory warranty or official documents to advertise its services. This led the BBB to look into the matter. An update as recent as April 30, 2020, says that Endurance has worked with the BBB, and current mailers are acceptable. Unfortunately, this is common practice in the extended warranty world, but it’s good to see that Endurance has worked with the BBB to fix the situation.

CARCHEX is another big name in the extended auto warranty world. CARCHEX has been giving drivers peace of mind since 1999. The company is endorsed by leaders like Kelley Blue Book, CARFAX, and Edmunds.com, and it also gets many positive reviews from customers online. CARCHEX can cover drivers in any state in the U.S. including California.

CARCHEX has an A+ rating from the BBB. CARCHEX’s BBB page only has about 170 complaints, which is very low compared to how many customers it has. Administrators used by CARCHEX also have high ratings from the BBB. In addition to CARCHEX warranties, the company also sells vehicle inspections that you can use when you’re buying a used car.

Overall, CARCHEX has a positive reputation in the extended car warranty industry.

Endurance and CARCHEX both have comprehensive choices for coverage, so it can be difficult to choose between the two. Let’s take a closer look at each company’s plans and benefits.

Coverage With Endurance

Endurance offers six main coverage plans. The highest plan is a bumper-to-bumper-style contract similar to a manufacturer’s warranty. At the low end is a basic powertrain plan that covers the guts of the car. Here’s an overview of all six Endurance plan options:

• Supreme: This bumper-to-bumper plan covers almost any mechanical or electrical component on the car (except for a few exclusions).
• Superior: This plan covers components on all major systems of the car and is the highest level of stated-component coverage.
• Secure Plus: This plan has a shorter waiting period than other plans of 30 days and 1,000 miles. It’s an affordable option to cover a handful of basic systems like the powertrain, turbocharger, air conditioning, brakes, and steering.
• Select Premier: This powertrain plus plan covers the engine, drivetrain, transmission, air conditioning, electrical, cooling, and fuel systems.
• Secure: The most affordable Endurance plan covers the engine, drivetrain, transmission, and turbocharger.
• EnduranceAdvantage^TM: These plans cover car repairs as well as regular maintenance like oil changes and tire rotations.

Endurance can cover vehicles up to 200,000 miles. That sounds like a lot, but if you drive a Toyota or Honda, you might need more coverage.

Let’s also talk a little bit about exclusions. If you’re new to extended warranties, you might assume that a part is covered if it’s listed under the coverage section of the contract. That makes sense, but there are actually many situations that would exclude a part from coverage. 

Here are a few example exclusions common to both Endurance and CARCHEX:

• Damage from lack of maintenance
• Damage from misuse, accidents, or environmental events
• Regular wear and tear
• Regular maintenance 
• Cosmetic items
• Degraded performance without an actual failure or breakdown
• Pre-existing conditions

With every vehicle protection plan from this company, you will receive 1 year of free Endurance Elite Benefits, such as: 

• Key fob replacement
• Tire repair/replacement
• 24/7 roadside assistance
• Collision discount
• Total loss protection

Coverage With CARCHEX

CARCHEX offers five main coverage options. As with Endurance, CARCHEX plans are accepted at any ASE-Certified repair shop. Depending on your vehicle, you can find plans from CARCHEX that cover up to 250,000 miles. CARCHEX accepts vehicles up to 20 years old as well. 

Here are the five main coverage levels with CARCHEX: 

• Titanium: This plan is similar to a factory warranty and covers most mechanical or electrical items on the vehicle.
• Platinum: This level covers hundreds of parts on all major systems of the vehicle.
• Gold: This mid-level plan is a good option for vehicles with more than 60,000 miles, and it covers most major systems.
• Silver: This plan covers the powertrain plus air conditioning, basic electrical, and the fuel system.
• Bronze: This plan just covers the powertrain–including the engine, transmission, drive axle, and water pump.

Additional benefits from CARCHEX include roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement, and trip interruption reimbursement.

Unlike Endurance, CARCHEX sells plans that other companies administer. The advantage of this arrangement is that there are multiple contracts under each coverage type, which ultimately gives you more options for customization and price points. The disadvantage is that there is a middleman during the claims process.

Before we get into specifics, we should mention that extended warranty prices are affected by make, model, and mileage of the vehicle. Most companies provide a payment plan option, but some might require you to pay the full price upfront.

Cost Of Endurance

We received a couple of quotes from Endurance as part of our research, but you’ll probably find different prices when you get a new or used car warranty quote.

The prices below are for a Honda Civic with 30,000 miles and a Subaru Outback with 88,000 miles. We chose a $100 deductible for all plans, though Endurance offers multiple deductible options between $0 and $200. A higher deductible means a lower price, and vice versa.

Compared to other quotes we received from top providers, these are average prices. A Supreme plan for the Civic costs about $2,850 total, while the same plan (for a shorter term length) costs $3,390 for the Outback. That’s because the Outback has many more miles, and Endurance expects to pay more for its repairs. 

With Endurance, you can cancel a plan within 30 days for a full refund. After that, you’ll get a prorated refund that accounts for time, mileage, and repairs. If you sell your car, you can transfer the contract to a subsequent owner for $50. That can add a bit of resale value to your car.

Cost Of CARCHEX

Like Endurance, CARCHEX also allows full refunds within 30 days and transfers for a $50 fee. Compared to Endurance, the CARCHEX quotes we received were slightly more affordable per year of coverage. We also selected a $100 deductible for each of these quotes. Here’s a summary:

Endurance has an above average rating from customers on the BBB, which is just over 3.1 stars. The company also has a rating of “Excellent” with 4.4 stars from Trustpilot. There are a few negative reviews and complaints, but they account for a small fraction of customers. Complaints talk about some claims not being paid and long customer service waiting times.

On the other hand, many positive Endurance warranty reviews mention helpful representatives, paid repairs, and easy cancellations. Endurance does have a 30-day guarantee, so you should take that time to read through your contract carefully.

To check out coverage from Endurance and get a free quote, click below.

CARCHEX has a 3.0-star rating from over 1,400 reviews on Trustpilot. There’s a mix of reviews, but nearly 75 percent of customers give the company an “Excellent” rating. A number of negative reviews on Trustpilot mention claims not being paid.

CARCHEX responds to all of these complaints. In many cases, the 30-day and 1,000-mile waiting period had not been met, or the part was simply not covered under contract. It’s always important to read every word of the contract so you know what’s covered.

Positive CARCHEX reviews mention staff who are courteous and take the time to explain the pros and cons of their warranties. A number of reviews also mention CARCHEX representatives going above and beyond to make sure a repair is covered.

To get a free quote from CARCHEX and see what’s available to you, click below.

Both Endurance and CARCHEX are reliable companies. After researching and comparing multiple providers, we think Endurance offers the best coverage overall, while CARCHEX is the best option for high-mileage vehicles.

The biggest difference between the two companies is that Endurance is a direct warranty provider, and CARCHEX sells plans backed by other companies. Also, you might want to take advantage of the extra mileage offered by CARCHEX. But both of these companies are great options for extended car warranties.