Chevy Extended Warranty Pros and Cons

What IS Included

Chevy offers a true extended warranty to maintain the coverage of its factory warranty for longer than the factory coverage limits.

Bumper-to-Bumper Coverage

The extended warranty strictly applies to the company’s bumper-to-bumper coverage that comes with all new cars for extra peace of mind. Since this warranty is the main bulk of the original factory warranty, the extension effectively expands on the most important coverage for five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Like the factory comprehensive warranty, the extended coverage applies to almost all parts on a Chevy vehicle. Drivetrain components, like the engine and drivetrain, are covered along with specialized and entertainment systems, like the navigation and climate control. This coverage, however, does not include parts that are expected to degrade over time.

Additional Services

In addition to the bumper-to-bumper warranty extension, the Chevy extended coverage overlaps with the roadside assistance program the factory warranty offers. In other words, the roadside assistance lasts longer than the factory warranty.

The timing is a bit tricky, but you’ll essentially get two years of roadside assistance once the extended limited warranty kicks in. This service includes help like lockout assistance, emergency towing, fuel delivery, and more.

For an added cost, Chevy owners can also purchase an extra General Motors Protection Plan (GMPP) that acts like a regular vehicle service contract. With two plans available, owners can either choose the extended powertrain coverage (Silver) or the more comprehensive plan (Platinum).

What’s NOT Included

Since the Chevy extended warranty takes a fairly straightforward approach in its setup, there are a few major limitations you should know about before getting the extended coverage.

Powertrain Coverage

With the extended coverage only applying to the factory bumper-to-bumper warranty, there is nothing that actually extends the powertrain warranty unless you buy a separate GMPP. Since the powertrain warranty lasts longer than the bumper-to-bumper coverage, the powertrain coverage will likely still be in effect when the extended warranty kicks in.

Incidental Damage

Almost all factory original and extended warranties are limited in one important aspect: scope. The types of issues these warranties cover are limited to factory defects and mistakes. Basically, there needs to be a problem caused by the factory in order for the warranty to actually apply to the services and repairs needed to fix the issue.

This means you won’t get much help with incidental issues like accidents, bad weather, vandalism, and other unexpected problems that still cost money to fix. The extended warranty won’t apply in these cases, so you’ll most likely be paying out-of-pocket to get the necessary repairs done quickly.

Maintenance

Routine maintenance is helpful for getting a vehicle running. It can also get fairly expensive depending on who is doing the maintenance and how much supplies and parts cost. Unfortunately, the Chevy extended warranty doesn’t really help with these maintenance costs. Instead, owners will have to pay out-of-pocket or do some of the maintenance themselves to save money on labor costs.

The Good

It’s easy to appreciate the simple approach Chevy offers with its basic warranty extension. While other automakers and some third-party warranty providers offer a buffet of coverage options that can quickly get confusing, Chevy eliminates the complication by offering the single warranty extension.

The warranty extension is also no slouch when it comes to effective coverage. The fact that the extended warranty gives you a few extra years of coverage makes it easier to address unexpected defects that may arise after the vehicle has been on the road for a while. The factory comprehensive warranty alone doesn’t offer enough time to cover such issues.

The inclusion of GM’s protection plans also provides a degree of customization potential for customers who need something more than the basic extended warranty. Since these plans act like traditional vehicle service plans, the setup effectively offers the best of both worlds you’ll find with separate providers and automakers.

The Bad

The main limitation of the Chevy extended warranty is the same drawback that plagues any factory warranty: issue scope. Since the warranty only addresses factory defects, you may not find you’re saving as much money as you can with third-party warranties.

The lack of maintenance-saving benefits is a good example of this. The most costly aspect of any vehicle is maintaining it. Wear and tear is far more frequent than factory defects and accidental damage, so you’ll be paying out-of-pocket for maintenance services more frequently as well.

Takeaway Value

While the extended warranty is basic in some ways, Chevy’s unique approach of simplifying the extended warranty while offering additional GMPP options provides something for almost any Chevy owner. If you want basic coverage, just buy the extended warranty. If you want more, purchase a GMPP as well.

The only reason you may want to look elsewhere (i.e. a third-party provider) is if you want more coverage beyond factory defects. Otherwise, the Chevy extended warranty should give you enough coverage to keep your vehicle running.