CARCHEX Extended Car Warranty review

With low prices and flexible options, it's worth checking out CARCHEX for an extended warranty.

Carchex Extended Car Warranty review
(Image: © Carchex)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

CARCHEX offers a good range of flexible and customizable options, and the quote process is relatively straightforward. The company has a solid financial standing and good industry reviews. Although its coverage is average compared to its peers, the range of options and length of warranties make it well worth looking at.

Pros

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    Flexible options

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    Straightforward quote process

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    Affordable prices

Cons

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    Long contracts

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    Some cold-calling to be expected

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CARCHEX has been in the motor insurance industry since 1999, starting in Baltimore and extending to the rest of the United States by 2004. In securing its place among the best extended car warranties, CARCHEX offers what are known as exclusionary contracts, which cover everything except those things specifically listed in the contract – these types of contract are typically less ambiguous than others. Different levels of service are offered, meaning that customers can create a warranty that's suitable for their specific needs. 

CARCHEX requires that any diagnoses or repairs take place within its network of approved mechanics and engineers, but it has some 30,000 approved mechanics across all 50 states. The company also offers auto inspection, auto insurance and financing services, and it's partnered with a number of reputable companies within the industry. 

CARCHEX review: Cost 

  • Quotes compared well compared to competitors
  • CARCHEX came back with quotes around $0.02 per mile
  • A 5% down payment is industry standard

There are many variations to consider when getting quotes for car warranties depending on the specifics of the vehicle and geographic locations. For a high-mileage vehicle with over 150,000 miles already on the clock, and looking at a warranty period of 48 months, the quotes that CARCHEX supplied stood up well to its competitors.

Most companies supplied quotes of around $0.05 per mile, but CARCHEX came back with quotes around $0.02 per mile, making it one of the most affordable options on the market, along with Infinite Auto Protection. A 5% down payment and deductible of $100 are industry standard, and that's what you'll find here. 

CARCHEX review: Products

  • Five levels of coverage offered
  • Further 18 kinds of contract offered within each of those levels
  • A ten-year warranty is the longest available term

There are five levels of coverage offered by CARCHEX, split into Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Titanium, and there are a further 18 kinds of contract offered within each of those levels. Not quite as many as CarShield, which has a massive 37 service plans.

The Bronze package, for instance, covers the major systems on the customer’s vehicle and can cover periods of up to six years, while the Titanium package offers what’s known as “bumper to bumper” coverage and has a very short list of excluded items, similar to factory coverage. 

A ten-year warranty is the longest available term at this level. There’s a sliding scale between these levels, and most customers should be able to find a suitable warranty. If a customer’s vehicle has more than 60,000 miles on the clock, then Gold level and above is perhaps the most sensible option. 

(Image credit: CARCHEX)

CARCHEX review: Key features

Choose your own repair facility
If a vehicle needs a repair or diagnosis, then the customer can choose whichever facility suits them best from the CARCHEX network. Among the 30,000 approved locations are dealerships, local mechanics and national chains such as Firestone and Pep Boys. 

Claims paid directly to the repair facility
Customers don't need to wait for out-of-pocket expenses to be reimbursed. If a claim is covered, the fees will be paid by CARCHEX directly to the repair facility. 

Peace of Mind programs
There's a good range of additional benefits that CARCHEX offers to customers buying an extended warranty, and these can be added to the warranty at good prices. These include roadside assistance, rental car insurance, towing services, and more. 

CARCHEX: User reviews

  • A+ rating from Better Business Bureau
  • 3 star rating on Trustpilot
  • Website provides a smooth quote process

CARCHEX has been in business for over 20 years and has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Trustpilot, a reputable worldwide business review website, gives CARCHEX an average 3 star rating for its services. 

The CARCHEX website was easy and intuitive to use, with the necessary fields for a quote right there on the front page; however, the link to find the service comparison levels was a little more hidden away. 

The quote process was at least as good as, if not smoother than some of its competitors, though getting a quote does give CARCHEX permission to give your information to its partners, so some cold-calling is to be expected. Quotes were received within the hour and were easy to understand. 

One common concern with the contracts sent out by CARCHEX, is that they are relatively long, sometimes up to 16,000 words – so they do take some time to read and understand, but they are clear and detailed. 

Should you choose CARCHEX Extended Car Warranty?

Overall, CARCHEX comes out well with very attractive pricing options, a good range of choices within its levels of coverage, and a simple and efficient quote process. The company has good customer satisfaction levels overall and enjoys a solid reputation within the industry. It's contracts are somewhat longer than the industry standard, but there are no problems in terms of clarity, and the low price quotes make CARCHEX well worth approaching for a quote. 

Paul Oswell

Paul Oswell is a US-based freelance writer for the Guardian, Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Times and more. While working for Top Ten Reviews, Paul has written about a broad range of subjects, but many of these concern money and tax. You'll find his bylines on articles from tax software to payday loans to create your own Will software.