Auto Warranties and Service Plans: Don’t Pass Up the OEM/Dealer Advantage

If you’re like many car buyers today, you appreciate the added convenience, peace of mind, and value a good warranty, service contract, or maintenance plan can offer. Cars, trucks, and SUVs are equipped with increasingly sophisticated technologies, digital dashboards, electrical systems, and powertrains. The added protection or coverage auto warranties or service plans can offer might be an investment worth exploring.

Troubleshooting and fixing problems is not like the old days, when your Dad, best friend, or neighbor gladly popped open the hood to fix that rattle, filter, or faulty component with ease. And for free. With today’s vehicles, it can be more difficult to get at parts, fluids, and components that you used to be able to easily access, as they now reside underneath or sandwiched between a larger element that you wouldn’t dare try to loosen or remove. 

In this article, we take a look at auto warranties and service plans that come with or are available through the OEM and its dealer network. Learn about coverage and plan options and reach out to a local dealer if you have questions.

Your local dealership also has factory-trained service and repair technicians that stay current on all the latest technologies and powertrains, use genuine OEM parts, and care for your vehicle in OEM-approved, state-of-the-art service and repair facilities.

New Vehicle Warranties

With a new car, you are protected by a manufacturer’s warranty that usually includes a powertrain warranty and a bumper-to-bumper/limited warranty that begins the day you take delivery. Typically, these warranties cover your vehicle for a few years or for a specified amount of miles, whichever comes first.

Samples of new vehicle warranties ― as well as factory-backed extended warranties and service plans that you can purchase directly or through a dealer ― are featured below. 

Light-Duty Trucks

Luxury Electric Vehicle (EV) Sedans

SUVs

Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) and Used Car Warranties

When considering a previously owned vehicle, what matters most to you? Value? Condition? Transparency in terms of how the car was cared for and what it offers? When you search for a used car offered through a dealership, you’ll typically have two options – certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles approved by the OEM(s) the dealer represents or quality used vehicles representing other brands or dealer brands that don’t meet CPO status (e.g., low mileage, newer model years). A CPO vehicle undergoes a rigorous, OEM-specified inspection and meets all their requirements for certification status. Dealers also typically provide access to vehicle history reports, so you can view third-party information about the vehicle you’re interested in.

Extended Warranties

With a new vehicle, your dealer will typically offer an OEM-backed extended warranty at the time of purchase, or you can choose to search options available through third-party providers. OEMs do offer extended warranties, or vehicle service protection, on used vehicles; ask your local dealer about coverage options with the vehicle you’re interested in.

What if you purchase a used vehicle from an individual? Some OEMs, like Ford, will honor any remaining OEM warranty coverage on the vehicle. 

Auto Service Contracts

These are contracts you enter into to have certain service and repair work performed for a specified period of time. Provided by the OEM and available through your dealer, extended service plans or service contracts are typically honored at service and repair centers throughout the OEM’s dealer network. 

What Can Void Auto Warranties?

You’ll need to read the warranty coverage to learn the specifics of what can potentially void the warranty or certain parts of the coverage. Make sure you take care of your vehicle while you own or lease it, to avoid any unwanted issues. Also ensure you keep up with your maintenance schedules and repairs; many service providers share maintenance and repair work to vehicle data reporting services. When it’s time to sell, that data ― or some form of it ― is accessible to future buyers for consideration in their car-buying decision.

Electric Vehicle Battery Warranties

Luckily, battery pack longevity continues to improve and most EV batteries can last 10 years or more. This means you likely won’t have to replace it during your time of ownership. But, like anything, something could go wrong while you have the vehicle that requires repair or replacement.

If you’re comparing EV vehicles, another important consideration is charging time. Some vehicles charge faster than others. For an apples-to-apples comparison, you’ll need to consider all conditions ― like power output capability of your charging site. 

The unit of measure when it comes to electrical power is kilowatts (kW). While performance of a gas-powered vehicle is measured in miles per gallon (MPG), an EV uses kilowatt hours (kWh). Each kilowatt is equivalent to 1.34 horsepower. You can get an idea of EV battery power by using this calculator.

In the United States, high-voltage batteries for EVs come with warranties that last at least eight years or up to 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. Below is a snapshot of what’s currently on the market ― or debuting soon.

Vehicle	Battery Capacity	EV Battery Warranty
Audi e-tron®	82-95 kWh	8 years/100,000 miles
Ford F-150 Lightning	98 kWh	8 years/100,000 miles
Mercedes-Benz EQS	107.8 kWh	10 years/155,000 miles
Tesla Model S	98 kWh	8 years/150,000 miles
GMC Hummer EV (pickup)	200 kWh	Warranty info not yet available
Volvo XC40 Recharge	75 kWh	8 years/100,000 miles
Hyundai IONIQ 5	58-77.4 kWh	8 years/160,000 miles
Kia EV6	77.4 kWh	10 years/100,000 miles

Aronson Advertising works with automotive dealers around the country, providing results-driven digital marketing and traditional marketing services that inform, entertain, influence, and convert customers as they navigate the digital and brick-and-mortar car-buying and automotive service and repair marketplace. Contact us at (847) 297-1700 if we can help you and your business.