There are a lot of different kinds of companies that offer extended car warranties. Some are reputable, honest businesses. But some scammers are sneaky and shady, and call you all the time. There are a lot of good reasons to buy an extended warranty, but it can be hard to figure out who the good companies are.
How CarShield Works
This well-known company offers service protection plans for your car that don’t cost much. Most of the time, we call these kinds of programs “extended warranties.” CarShield has insurance plans for both new and used cars at prices that are very reasonable. They also have plans for older cars with a lot of miles on them. A CarShield plan to protect your car costs between $99.99 and $129.99 per month, on average. We looked into CarShield and found some good things that we think people who buy CarShield will want to know about. We also saw a few warning signs.
Our Take
We did a lot of research and found a few things about CarShield that make us want to take a step back and tell you to be careful. A lot of their reviews and ratings aren’t good. But they have great prices and continue to be a very popular choice in the industry. Before you sign anything, we suggest that anyone who wants to buy an extended warranty or vehicle service contract do as much research as possible, read reviews and ratings, and look over the contract carefully.
Pros & Cons
- The price is set at one fee per month. It includes towing and roadside assistance.
- Help is available in Spanish.
- Coverage for an unlimited number of miles and years.
- Poor ratings on some review sites.
- Warning from the Better Business Bureau.
- CarShield’s own Contact Page warns of long wait times to talk to an agent.
What is the Extended Warranty from CarShield?
For a set fee each month, CarShield will pay for covered repairs to your car. With each monthly payment, your plan is kept going. This makes leaving the plan easy, but if you don’t pay the monthly premium, you risk being kicked out of the plan.
In theory, CarShield has four plans, but in practice, all three plans cost the same. Depending on your policy, the cost will usually be between $99.99 and $129.99 per month. We talked to a CarShield customer service rep, who told us that the company doesn’t actually write new contracts for the lower-tier plans.
How much does a CarShield warranty cost?
Plan prices for CarShield range from $99.99 to $129.99 per month. This is for a very simple plan with no extras. Your price will depend a lot on how old your car is, how many miles it has been driven, and other things that are unique to you.
What Does a CarShield Warranty Pay for?
CarShield has different levels of coverage, but as we’ve already said, you shouldn’t worry about anything but the top plan since they all cost the same. CarShield says that its Diamond protection plan “covers everything,” from problems with the engine or transmission to problems with the starter or fuel pump.
This plan is similar to the bumper-to-bumper plan that your car’s manufacturer offers, but it is not the same. Some things that aren’t included are:
- Brake rotors and drums
- Shock absorbers and struts
- Convertible tops
- Fiberglass top
- Glass
- Throttle body assemblies
- Headlights
- Rubber trims and moldings
- Tires • Sunroofs
- GPS systems
- CD players
Most of the things CarShield doesn’t cover are things that wear out or have a limited lifespan, but not all. Before you agree to the plan, make sure you read and understand section B of their Sample Contract.
What’s Great About CarShield
When we looked into CarShiled’s business model, we found some interesting parts. One good thing we found out about CarShield is that it steers its customers away from contracts that only offer limited protection. If you push the CarShield people on the phone, they will offer you a slightly cheaper price for a policy that doesn’t cover as much as it should. But when we talked to the company, they were very clear about the things that could go wrong with a policy that might or might not help you if your car breaks down.
Another unique thing about how CarShield does business is that it takes payments once a month. Instead of giving you a single price upfront, which could be a big number, the company offers to pay for all the repairs your car needs as long as you pay the monthly contract premium.
The policy from CarShield also has almost all of the breakdown benefits that come with a AAA policy. We like AAA, and it has more to offer than just roadside assistance. But not everyone joins and keeps their membership. As part of the monthly fee for a CarShield policy, you get roadside assistance and more.
What CarShield plan should I get?
All of CarShield’s plans come with a number of extra perks that you should know about before you buy:
- Roadside Assistance: includes changing a flat tire, towing, jumpstarting, unlocking, delivering gas when you’re locked out, and service anywhere in the US, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each breakdown includes $125 in coverage and up to $500 in services over the life of the plan.
- Rental Car Coverage: If your car breaks down, the CarShield plan will pay up to $40 per day and $280 per incident for a replacement car.
- Trip Interruption: If you’re on a road trip and your car breaks down, the CarShield plan will pay up to $150 for lodging and food, or $50 per day.
How to Get a CarShield Quote
CarShield makes it easy to get an estimate for car insurance. It’s easy to get a quote as long as you have all the information you need. You’ll need information like the year, mileage, make, and model of your car. On the CarShield website, you can get a quote that is just for you. You can get a quote faster if you call the company at 1-800-424-8321 and talk to a real person. You can also get an app for your phone from the company.
