- Written ByJohn Goreham
- 4/16/2024
Edited ByJulie Bausch Lent
If you are a conscientious, well-prepared car owner you might be shopping for a solid extended warranty for your vehicle. In this article, we take a look at two of the most popular extended warranty companies in the industry.
Popular Warranty Providers
Protect My Car vs. CarShield Overview
| Protect My Car | Carshield |
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Should I Get a Protect My Car or CarShield Warranty?
Protect My Car (PMC) had very high ratings from policyholders. PMC maintains some of the best reviews of any company we have researched. CarShield, by contrast has among the lowest. PMC has an A+ BBB rating and CarShield has no rating and instead, a warning. Getting the picture?
Neither provider is perfect. Many PMC policyholders were unhappy with PMC after they needed repairs. However, when we look at the review closely we find things like missing maintenance records, pre-existing known failures, and other such red flags that would disqualify a claim with any company.
If you do move ahead on a plan, we suggest getting one of the top tier plans and making certain that you comply with the requirements of the policy. You have every service receipt since the car was new, right?
Protect My Car Overview
Protect My Car (PMC) has an unusual way of offering plans. The first three, Driveline, Select, and Supreme are inclusive plans that cover certain items that may fail. The Driveline is the basic plan and the Supreme the most inclusive. PMC says that most repairs are 100% covered (read your contract).
In addition, PMC offers three Ambassador plans. These are for very high mileage vehicles with odometer readings over 125,000 miles. The Pro, Elite, and Platinum plans cover your repairs, but with a deductible of up to 50% of the cost to make those needed repairs. Oil changes and tire rotations are included. We feel this is an intriguing spin on what most companies offer.
PMC has unusually-high customer review ratings and a stellar BBB rating.
Pros and Cons
- Positive customer reviews
- Tiered coverage options offer flexibility
- Roadside assistance included with every plan
- Ambassador Maintenance Plans for older cars
- California, Florida, Missouri, Washington, and Oklahoma residents not eligible for coverage
- No offer warranty coverage for vehicles over 13 years old
Read our full review of Protect My Car here.
CarShield Overview
CarShield has been under scrutiny at the BBB for what many are calling deceptive business practices. A few potential customers report bait and switch tactics involving marketing, and some are saying they are not getting what they paid for. On the upside, the company seems to keep its customers happy once they’ve signed up.
Pros and Cons
- Roadside assistance
- Choice of repair shop
- Company pays shops directly
- Issues with customer complaints
- Not all plans include trip interruption reimbursement
- Website information not complete
Read our full review of CarShield Extended Warranty here.
Plan Options - Protect My Car vs. CarShield
| Protect My Car Plans | Overview | Best for.. |
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| Carshield Plans | Overview | Best for.. |
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Warranty Cost - Protect My Car vs. CarShield
Mid-tier Plan Cost
| Protect My Car | Carshield |
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High-end Plan Cost
| Protect My Car | Carshield |
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Protect My Car Extended Warranty Reviews
The following are from BBB:
“Great service over the phone. The associate (N.F.) was cordial, responsive, very friendly and efficiently handled my concern. I sold the vehicle that was covered and the contract was canceled without any problem. After the call, I immediately received an email confirming the cancelation. I will contact PMC again whenever the maintenance schedule lapses on my new 2021 Jeep.”
“Protect My Car was there when my Nissan Versa transmission went out coming back from Disney. After getting over to the side of the highway I called them, had a tow truck out to my location and got to a repair shop. Shortly after PMC called me up ,walked me through the process. After the work was done I went to the shop, paid my deductible and was off to continue my day.”
CarShield Extended Warranty Reviews
The following reviews are from BBB:
“So this is a warning. Never ever sign up for Car Shield!!! I did and remained for two years. Over $100 dollars a month to get maintenance Warranty for a 2017 But when I decided to cancel they would not my request! Unbelievable!!! The representative just refused and continued to question my reason. For 15 mins, argued with him. To my amazement he would not cancel my membership and was belligerent about it! Until I told him I was taping the call. Then he immediately stopped talking and told me he would my request. Do not sign up for Car Shield unless you want it forever because they will not cancel it. Not a good company!”
“Just bought a used BMW 328i in June and a few weeks ago it started vibrating badly at idle. Took back to the dealership and they replaced 2 motor mounts. I paid the $100 deductible and was on my way. CarShield did what they said they would, not sure how if and when the next repair will go but this one was A+”
How to Choose a Warranty Provider for Your Needs?If you are considering an aftermarket extended warranty, be certain you actually need one. If your vehicle is still covered under its original new car warranty, we suggest starting with your brand’s offerings. They tend to be the most highly rated and they also continue coverage you are familiar with. If you bought a certified pre-owned vehicle be sure it isn’t still covered by that warranty.
If you do decide to get an aftermarket warranty be sure you have the full service history of the vehicle in your hand. That means from the very first oil change and everything required by the owners manual up to that point in its life. If you don’t have these records or the work is incomplete, you cannot count on being covered by any plan if you need it.
We suggest considering the top-tier plan. The basic idea is that you are giving yourself peace of mind. If your car is not fully covered, what’s the point?
Read more on the Best Extended Warranty Companies here.
4.5
of 5
CARCHEX is one of the largest, most highly-rated providers of vehicle extended warranties in the market. They have been a trusted name in the business for 20 years.
4.3
of 5
autopom! is well known in the industry for customer service and responsiveness. The company works directly with 2600 certified repair facilities and has a dedicated customer advocacy program.
3.4
of 5
Endurance Extended Car Warranty company is one of the most popular and trusted providers in the business. Endurance coverage is accepted at any dealership and at any ASE-certified mechanic, and features a 30-day money back guarantee.
FAQ
- Is CarShield Better than Protect My Car?
Based on our research, Protect My Car has better customer reviews and BBB rating.
- What is better than CarShield?
Among the plans we researched and found Protect My Car to have higher customer and BBB ratings.
- Is Protect My Car warranty and insurance legit?
Yes, Protect My Car has been in business for 17 years and earns an A+ rating from BBB.
- What is the best auto warranty company?
Among the best auto warranty companies are Endurance, CARCHEX, and Protect My Car. Car Talk has a comprehensive list of such companies and we rank them top to bottom.
- How do I know if my price for an extended warranty is good or not?
Car Talk has example pricing for dozens of extended warranty policies from the best companies offering such services. Check out our 10-Best list for examples.
Editor's note and disclaimer: Car Talk is supported by our fans, readers and listeners. When you click on some of the links on our website, we may receive referral compensation. However, you should know that the recommendations we make are based on our independent editorial review and analyses.
