Route 66 Extended Warranty Review

Key Takeaways

• Easy Street, Main Street, and First Street are the three warranties offered by Route 66
• You can get a Route 66 warranty for as low as $35 per month
• You have 30 days to cancel your warranty and get a full refund

Route 66 Extended Warranty offers vehicle protection plans (or vehicle service contracts) that drivers can get from financial institutions like credit unions. So, what do Route 66 Extended Warranty reviews say about the company? We’ll explore the provider’s reputation, coverage, and customer reviews to see if a vehicle service contract is a smart purchase.

In our research, we’ve reviewed a number of the best extended warranty companies on the market. Great companies provide consistent service and pay repair shops directly for car repairs. With so many options, it’s important to find the right provider, and you can start by getting a few free quotes from several leading companies below.

We rate Route 66 Warranty 3.8 out of 5.0 stars. Here’s the bottom line. If your credit union offers a Route 66 warranty at a good price, there isn’t any harm in buying a plan. On the other hand, many leading warranty companies offer faster quotes and more coverage options for people who aren’t already connected with a credit union.

As you can see, the company has excellent prices but struggles with coverage.

Route 66 Extended Warranty BBB

Route 66 is part of ASC Warranty, which has an A+ rating from the BBB. Route 66 extended warranty reviews mention professional staff and approved claims. At the same time, some negative reviews mention claims that were denied unexpectedly. It’s also clear from looking at Route 66 warranty reviews on the ASC BBB page that the two companies use the same customer service department.

Positive Route 66 Warranty Reviews

“This company is the real deal… I recently had to have a complete rack and pinion replacement; the cost was over $700. I called Route 66 and the service was outstanding.”
– Mary S., BBB

“I had a big problem with my 2013 Ford Escape SE and I was able to get my claim for reimbursement of my repair cost processed in a very timely manner.”
– Ronald B., BBB

Negative Route 66 Warranty Reviews

“The diagnostic charge was more than the repair Route 66 paid. I have never had to pay for diagnostic charges with my other extended warranties.”
– Jim A., BBB

“After the diagnostic check, the dealer said that I needed a thermostat gasket and to replace the oil centrifuge cover … The thermostat is part of the cooling system and oil is leaking, but because both items are not ‘specifically’ listed, they won’t cover it.”
– Holly B., BBB

That last review brings up an important point. On the contract, you’ll see systems listed in bold, but only particular parts in those systems are covered. For example, only the radiator, fan clutch, water pump, and cooling fan motor are covered under the cooling system.

The cooling system has more parts that are not covered. If you don’t know the contract thoroughly, you’ll be surprised when claims are denied, and that’s not a good thing.

Route 66 Extended Warranty is based in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Route 66 Extended Warranty and U.S. Plus Warranty are both trade names of Auto Services Company, also known as ASC Warranty. When we look at Route 66 Extended Warranty reviews from customers later on, they will come from the ASC Warranty Better Business Bureau (BBB) page.

While it’s a good thing that most customers are happy with their plans, it’s not so easy to shop for a Route 66 extended warranty. If you aren’t already a member of a credit union that offers the plan, you have to email the company directly to get connected with a financial institution in your area.

Since Route 66 Extended Warranty doesn’t sell plans to customers on its website, it doesn’t list coverage options in detail. However, a sales brochure online outlines three plans: Easy Street, Main Street, and First Street.

Route 66 Easy Street Warranty

This is Route 66 Extended Warranty’s bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage option. It covers any part unless specifically excluded by the contract. Here are a few example exclusions:

• Regular or preventative maintenance items
• Exhaust parts
• Audio systems
• Lighting
• Navigation
• Sheet metal and body parts

Easy Street plans are available for vehicles with up to 85,000 miles. The longest term is 8 years/120,000 miles.

Route 66 Main Street Warranty

This type of plan is similar to an enhanced powertrain warranty. It covers parts on the following systems:

• Engine
• Transmission
• Drive axle
• Air conditioning
• Cooling
• Electrical
• Brakes
• Steering
• Front suspension (for vehicles with less than 85,000 miles at purchase)

This is a stated-component contract, so anything that isn’t listed on the contract isn’t covered. The plan is available for vehicles with up to 140,000 miles, and it can cover 36,000 miles beyond that.

Route 66 First Street Warranty

The First Street plan from Route 66 is a basic powertrain warranty. There is no age or mileage limit to this plan, but there is a $3,000 coverage limit for vehicles not eligible for the other two plans. That limit isn’t very high. The plan covers these systems:

• Engine
• Transmission
• Drive axle
• Cooling (50-percent coverage)
• Electrical (50-percent coverage)

What Route 66 Extended Warranty Doesn’t Cover

Route 66 extended warranties come with more exclusions besides the items listed under the Easy Street plan. Here are a few examples:

• Salvage titles (only covered under First Street plan)
• Tampered odometers
• Alignment and other adjustments
• Damage caused by freezing or overheating
• Lack of maintenance
• Alterations
• Normal wear and tear
• Damage from accidents or the environment

Route 66 Extended Warranty Benefits

Route 66 Extended Warranty plans come with roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement. Roadside assistance is limited to $50 per occurrence and one occurrence per week. It includes:

• Towing
• Flat tire changes
• Fuel delivery
• Lockout service
• Battery jump-starts

Rental car reimbursement only applies for mechanical labor time for a covered repair. It is limited to $50 per day for five days per occurrence. Route 66 Extended Warranty doesn’t reimburse you for food or lodging if you have a breakdown away from home. This is a common benefit in the industry.

Route 66 Extended Warranty prices depend on your car’s make, model, and mileage. The company claims to be one of the cheapest options in the industry. One financial institution claims most Route 66 Extended Warranty plans cost less than $1,250.

Here are some quotes we received for a 2017 Honda CR-V  and a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado:

All service agreements come with $0 deductibles too, so you don’t have to worry about that when picking your car up from the repair facility. However, the company doesn’t cover fluids, sales tax, or filters. That means if the shop adds steering fluid after working on the system, you’ll have to pay for that. It’s best to plan on paying something when you pick up your car even though there isn’t a deductible on covered repairs.

So, how do you get a Route 66 extended warranty plan? Well, you have to find a financial institution that offers the plans. It could be a bank or credit union in your area. You’ll then get a quote in person.

You can take your car to any licensed repair facility for warranty service. You may be required to authorize a teardown diagnosis, which Route 66 will only pay for if the repair is covered under warranty. Next, give the repair shop the number for the Route 66 Extended Warranty claims department. If it’s an extensive repair, you might have to wait for an inspection, as well. Rental car reimbursement does not apply for time spent waiting for the inspection or for parts to be delivered.

You can also transfer your contract to a secondary buyer if you sell your car. That’s a nice feature, which can add value to your car in the eyes of a buyer.

Route 66 Warranty Cancellation

Make sure you read the contract thoroughly before signing anything. Route 66 Extended Warranty gives you 30 days to cancel for a full refund if no claims have been made. After that, you can get a prorated refund that accounts for time, mileage, and repairs minus a $25 fee.

We gave Route 66 Extended Warranty 3.8 out of 5.0 stars in this review. The company has reasonable pricing and reputation but needs more coverage options. If you are not interested in Route 66, check out some competitors below.

Route 66 Extended Warranty Competitors: Top Picks

Extended car warranties can definitely be worth it if you find the right provider. When you have an extended warranty, you don’t have to wait for your next paycheck to go in for an auto repair. You also don’t have to choose what car repairs to have fixed first. Different companies offer different levels of service, so get quotes from multiple providers to find the best option.

Endurance: Best Coverage

Endurance is a direct warranty provider that has been around for 17 years. You don’t have to go into a credit union or bank to get a plan. Instead, you can go to the company’s website and receive a quick quote.

Endurance can cover cars beyond 200,000 miles with six levels of protection. It also offers one year free of Elite Benefits, which includes 24/7 roadside assistance, total loss protection, collision discount, key fob replacement, tire repair/replacement, and the Endurance mobile app. Considering its plans and benefits, we think Endurance offers the best warranty coverage overall.

Read more: Endurance Warranty review

CarShield: Best Monthly Payments

CarShield has also been in business for more than 15 years. You may have already heard about the company on networks like HGTV, CNN, and ESPN. In our provider research, we found that CarShield offered some of the lowest prices of any leading provider. If staying under budget is important to you, CarShield is definitely a good provider to check out.

Read more: CarShield reviews

Our review process aims to deliver consistent and unbiased assessments of extended auto warranty providers. While there are multiple qualities that make a warranty company successful, our review team focuses on those we believe are the most important for consumers:

• Reputation: It’s important that an extended car warranty company is able to meet its claims obligations. Companies with a strong rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) score well in this category. Established providers with a long history of reliable service also receive positive marks.

• Coverage: Our team of experts looks at the number of extended warranty plans available, as well as term limits, exclusions, and added benefits like roadside assistance. Ratings also take into account the availability of maintenance coverage.

• Cost: Cost can be difficult to compare between providers because so many factors impact vehicle service contract pricing. To determine our cost score, we perform a secret shopper analysis for a variety of vehicles and plans and consider available deductibles.

• Transparency: Our team evaluates the availability and transparency of each company’s contracts, as well as whether each provider offers a money-back guarantee.

• Customer Experience: We listen to real customer sales calls and comb through reviews on sites like the BBB to learn about customer experiences. Warranty companies with a low volume of complaints score well in this area. We also consider the availability of mobile apps and chat features.