When purchasing a vehicle, you may be offered CarGuard extended warranty. But what exactly is this warranty, and is it worth the asking price?
Check out our review below to see our thoughts on CarGuard warranty and whether or not we would recommend it for your next vehicle purchase!
Contents
What is CarGuard’s extended warranty?
Carguard’s warranty is a vehicle protection plan that will cover repair costs on the covered vehicle. You will need to pay slightly more for the extended version, but it will offer you a greater level of repair coverage.
As with most auto warranty plans, you will need to discuss your vehicle and select a contract that is best suited to your car model.
CarGuard offers a range of warranty tiers, so it’s always recommended to consider what coverage you truly need.
What does CarGuard extended warranty cover?
Your CarGuard auto warranty will cover a range of repairs, depending on the warranty tier you choose. The top-tier warranty will cover most repairs you will ever need for your vehicle.
With CarGuard warranty, you can also expect to receive 24/7 roadside assistance, towing, and even a rental car to minimize trip interruption while repairs are being made.
All CarGuard insurance plans have limits of liability of $12,500 or actual cash value, depending on which value is higher. The main difference between tiers is the mileage of your vehicle, with their basic Powertrain plan offering coverage for vehicles with a mileage greater than 125K.
CarGuard extended warranty price
The exact price of your warranty will depend on a range of factors such as vehicle type and age. As there is no set cost, you will want to ensure that you discuss your options, as some vehicle protection plans can be fairly expensive.
You can choose a flat rate warranty for $12,500, but this isn’t recommended. Flat plans will not take your vehicle into consideration, so you may be paying more than you need to.
When discussing the price of your car’s protection plan, you should always try to negotiate a lower cost. There will almost always be some wiggle room in the price they quote, so you could save yourself some cash with a little haggling.
How to buy an extended car warranty?
Generally, when you purchase a new vehicle, you will be offered some form of car warranty. For CarGuard warranty, you may need to get in touch with your car dealership to discuss potential vehicle service contracts.
You can also get in touch directly with a CarGuard admin through one of their many call centers. Here you can discuss potential vehicle protection plans and discuss which option is within your budget.
Things you need
When applying for a car warranty, you will want a few documents at hand to speed up the application process. These are:
- Any documents regarding vehicle ownership
- Details regarding your vehicles such as make, mileage, and age
- Any personal details needed, such as name, age, and address
- Your banking details (or chosen payment method).
Step 1 – Review your coverage
Before you consider investing in a new vehicle service contract, you will want to review your coverage. You may already be covered for repairs, so you may not need to invest in a new warranty plan.
You should also check when your pre-existing manufacturer’s warranty expires. If the date is coming up soon, it may be time to renew your warranty plan.
Step 2 – Enter your information
When applying for any protection plans, including CarGuard, you will need to enter personal information. This will include personal details as well as details regarding the vehicle you are looking to purchase an auto warranty for.
The price of your vehicle service contract is commonly associated with the age, mileage, and make of your vehicle.
Make an exact note of these details so you don’t need to rush around when applying for auto-warranty. Having the required documents at hand can truly speed up the application process.
Step 3 – Complete billing
After your personal and vehicular information has been inputted, you will need to enter your payment details. The exact details required will depend on your chosen payment method.
Always double-check the price you have been quoted and consider whether or not it is within your budget.
We would highly recommend discussing payment options with your chosen warranty provider. You may find a deal that works better for you than paying a heft up-front bill.
Step 4 – Coverage begins
Once your payment has been processed, your car coverage will begin. With Carguard, this will include any trips to a repair shop and extra bonuses such as roadside assistance and a rental vehicle during repairs.
Make a note of when your warranty ends, so if you need to apply in the future, you can ensure that you aren’t driving your vehicle without repair coverage.
CarGuard extended warranty claims process
What you should have
When you file your CarGuard claim, you will want a few documents ready as they are asked for during the claim process. These are:
- Proof that your repair facility is ASE-certified
- A copy of your warranty (photocopy or original document)
- An estimated cost for the repairs needed.
Step 1 – Get your claim approved
Before any repairs take place, you will want to ensure you get your claim approved. You don’t want to be suddenly met with a hefty bill due to your repair claim falling through.
Always check what your vehicle service contract covers before you enter the repair shop.
Your chosen repair shop will need to contact CarGuard Administration directly to begin the claim process. This is done by contacting them directly from the repair site on (888) 907-0870. It is not possible to make a claim yourself directly.
Step 2 – Get towed if necessary or drive to the nearest ASE-certified repair facility
If your vehicle cannot be safely driven, then you may need to look into getting your car towed. CarGuard warranties do include vehicle towing in their service contract, so it’s worth getting in touch with them when needed.
However, if you can still drive your vehicle, then we would recommend driving to your nearest ASE-certified repair facility. This will ensure that any repairs needed are made as soon as possible!
Step 3 – Authorization
After your claim has been approved by CarGuard Administration, they will authorize any repairs that are needed. Before it is approved, CarGuard will review the repair’s estimated cost to ensure that it is within your chosen warranty plan.
Step 4 – Payment
CarGuard Administration will look into potential payment plans with your chosen repair service. You will only need to pay a deductible if you need one. CarGuard will cover the entire repair costs.
CarGuard customer reviews
Reviews for CarGuard’s warranty plans tend to be fairly positive, 4.3 stars on Trustpilot, with most customers being happy with the services provided. It is generally seen as a trustworthy source for warranty:
It is also consistently praised for its affordability:
However, keep in mind that a few CarGuard customers aren’t happy with the service provided. A regular complaint regards the reliability of the warranty. Some users say it hasn’t covered repair jobs that were stated before purchase, and some people even claim they feel scammed:
When comparing reviews, always check how many reviews a user has uploaded. The more reviews a user has, then generally, the more genuine their reviews tend to be!
Other CarGuard products
Alongside their warranties, CarGuard Administration also offers a few short-term repair coverage plans. Their Pre-paid Maintenance Plan offers you three oil changes, battery replacement, cooling system maintenance, and brake pad repairs.
CarGuard Administration does not offer any physical products such as security devices for your car as they specialize in auto-warranties.
So, is CarGuard legit? (Our Verdict)
CarGuard Admin warranty does have fairly high review scores on Trustpilot, but both Yelp and BBB customers have regularly run into issues with CarGuard Administration.
Multiple customers have felt scammed by CarGuard in the past, so before you invest, consider organizing a conversation with their upper management team. You will also want to keep a copy of any signed contracts in case you run into any issues.
Overall we would struggle to fully recommend a CarGuard Administration warranty due to the negative reviews found on a range of sites.
CarGuard car extended warranty alternatives
There are a few CarGuard alternatives out there if you are looking to invest in a vehicle service contract. We would recommend checking out both Matrix and Royal warranties as these are both extremely popular options!
You should also consider getting in touch with your chosen car dealership as they may offer you a selection of auto warranties suited to your vehicle.
Before you settle on a single plan, we would always recommend taking your time to compare quotes and vehicle service contracts. This will ensure that you find the best plan for your vehicle’s needs.
