An extended auto warranty is a service contract that provides coverage for certain vehicle repairs, often mechanical failures, once your original manufacturer’s warranty expires.1 That said, it’s important to understand whether you need an extended warranty. These warranties are often expensive and have limited coverage, and you may never need to use them.
The cost of an extended auto warranty can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, according to the Federal Trade Commission.2 Your exact warranty cost will depend on the type of warranty you buy and factors like your car’s age, mileage, make, and model.
Here’s what you should know about extended warranty costs.
As the name suggests, a comprehensive extended warranty is the most comprehensive type of extended auto warranty that you can buy. Also called a bumper-to-bumper warranty, it protects your whole vehicle, rather than just its essential parts.
A comprehensive extended warranty covers everything from your engine and transmission to your air conditioning and infotainment system.
But most comprehensive warranties won’t cover certain things that break due to wear and tear, such as tires, brake pads, and wiper blades. What exactly your comprehensive warranty covers depends on your warranty provider.3
You might want to choose a comprehensive warranty if you value peace of mind or if you have a vehicle that’s notoriously expensive to repair. But if you have a reliable vehicle that has widely available parts for repair, you may want to invest your money elsewhere. Comprehensive warranties can be expensive, and it may make more sense to save your money in some cases.
Below, you can compare average comprehensive warranty costs from two of the best warranty providers. The table doesn’t include all comprehensive extended warranty providers, as some don’t offer online quotes.
A mid-tier extended warranty, also known as a stated-component warranty, is a middle-of-the-road extended auto warranty. It covers everything that a powertrain warranty covers, but not everything that a comprehensive warranty does. As such, they typically also fall between powertrain and comprehensive warranties when it comes to pricing.
Coverage varies by warranty company, but most mid-tier warranties cover things like your transmission, engine, and various electrical components. But these warranties don’t cover as much as comprehensive warranties do, particularly when it comes to electrical components and interior features, like infotainment and navigation systems.
You might opt for a mid-tier warranty if you want extensive protection but don’t want to pay for the cost of a comprehensive plan. Mid-tier warranties provide a good amount of coverage for a reasonable price, making them a good option for car owners who can’t decide between a powertrain and a comprehensive warranty.
Compare average mid-tier extended warranty costs from several providers below.
A powertrain extended warranty is the most basic type of warranty, covering only your vehicle’s most essential components. In most cases, this includes its engine, transmission, drivetrain, axles, and gearbox. These are also the most expensive components to fix on any car, so protecting them can save you a good amount of money in the event of a repair.
Powertrain warranties won’t cover everything that makes your car go, though. They typically won’t cover things like batteries and drive belts.4 Make sure you know exactly what your powertrain warranty will cover before buying one.
A powertrain warranty might make sense for you if you want basic but affordable coverage for your car’s most critical and expensive components.
Compare the average costs of powertrain warranties from two providers below.
Several key factors can affect the cost of your extended warranty. Here are some of the most significant factors warranty providers consider when determining the cost of your coverage:
Whether an extended car warranty is worth it depends entirely on your vehicle, budget, and risk tolerance. If you have an older vehicle with high mileage or one that’s unreliable or hard to fix, a warranty could be worth the price. It may cost you money each month, but it can potentially save you from thousands of dollars in repairs.
You should also carefully weigh your risk tolerance and financial situation. If you’re confident that you can shell out thousands of dollars in the event of a repair, you probably don’t need a warranty or its monthly payments. But if a single thousand-dollar repair would cause you to have to make difficult budgeting decisions, a warranty might be worthwhile.
You can save money on an extended warranty in several ways. If you decide that a warranty is the right choice for you, learn more below about how you can keep costs down.
Don’t just buy the first extended auto warranty that you find. You should consider multiple warranties. Compare coverages, prices, customer reviews, and any other factors you think are relevant. Consider warranties from third parties, dealerships, and automakers. Shopping around and comparing warranties is the best way to find the most affordable one that’s right for you.
Vehicle dealerships often mark up their extended warranties, but you can typically negotiate the price down, similarly to how you would negotiate for the car itself. Remember that the dealer wants to sell you the warranty, so you have some leverage to negotiate. Ask the dealer for discounts or show them quotes from other providers to encourage them to lower the cost.
Make sure to pick a deductible amount that makes sense for you. The higher your deductible amount, the lower your warranty costs will be, as you’ll be on the hook for more expenses out of pocket in the event of a repair. To lower your warranty costs as much as possible, choose the highest deductible amount you can afford.
Don’t waste money tacking on extra coverages that companies often offer with extended warranties. Choose only the coverage that you really need. Your car insurance policy or a credit card perk may even cover some of the add-ons your warranty company offers. Keeping your warranty trim will help keep costs down.
The following information can help answer your remaining questions about extended auto warranties.
An extended auto warranty can cost anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars in total. But rates vary widely based on numerous factors, such as your vehicle’s age, mileage, make, and model. Based on the quotes we pulled, warranty costs commonly range from $70 to $100 per month, depending on your vehicle’s unique factors.
It can be worth it, depending on a few factors. If you have an older vehicle, one with low reliability ratings, or one that’s expensive to repair, an extended warranty can protect you from costly repairs.
A 100,000-mile warranty will likely cost more than $100 per month, but costs vary widely. One car may be older and have more mileage than another, and costs also vary based on make and model. Your exact rate will depend on your car’s qualities.
Extended warranty prices vary so much because many factors influence costs. Your coverage level and your car’s age, mileage, make, and model all have an effect on your extended warranty price.
To find accurate prices of extended auto warranties, we requested quotes from top auto warranty companies. Our sample vehicles were a 2025 Ford F-150 pickup truck with 2,500 miles and a 2019 Nissan Altima with 65,000 miles.
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