When you buy a new car, one of the biggest benefits is the factory warranty that comes with it. This warranty is provided by the manufacturer and is meant to protect you from expensive repairs that can happen through no fault of your own.

Things like design flaws and issues at the factory can all turn into expensive problems, and with a new car, you are covered by the factory warranty. Once that warranty is up, though, you will be financially responsible for any repairs that have to be done on the vehicle.

If you want to continue protecting yourself and your vehicle after the factory warranty has expired, an extended warranty from a third-party provider is your best option. An extended warranty, which is more accurately called a vehicle service contract (VSC), can function the same as the factory warranty and protect you from all kinds of costly repairs. If you are going to make the most of a VSC, it is important to get it from the right provider.

Two leading VSC providers, Endurance and Continental Warranty, are great choices. Knowing how these two companies stack up and compare will help you make the best decision and keep your car running for many years.

Company Profiles: Endurance and Continental Warranty, Inc.

Endurance Warranty Services

For over 18 years, Endurance has provided drivers all over the United States with top-notch coverage and a wide range of extra perks and benefits. Endurance has plans for vehicles of all kinds and drivers with every type of budget. Choose from an existing plan, or customize your own coverage. Endurance can keep your vehicle on the road and give you the peace of mind you need whenever you are behind the wheel.

Endurance is also well-known for its award-winning customer service and accessibility. With a customer service team on-call and a mobile app that allows you to access your plan 24 hours a day, you will never be without the help you need. Plus, Endurance offers perks and benefits with every plan, such as 24/7 roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement, and travel interruption costs. Every Endurance customer can also access exclusive Elite Benefits for a small activation fee. This includes extra services like tire repair or replacement, key fob replacement, $1,000 toward total loss protection, and more.

One of the areas that sets Endurance apart from other providers is the inclusion of mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI) for California residents. Because of strict guidelines in the state, VSCs are not available, but MBI acts as an insurance policy to help cover the cost of repairs due to mechanical breakdowns.

Continental Warranty

Continental Warranty is based in Delaware and has provided vehicle service contracts to customers for 35 years. Continental coverage plans are only available through dealerships and come with pre-owned vehicles across the United States.

On top of extended coverage, Continental also offers other protection products like GAP coverage, windshield and chip protection, and paintless dent repair. Continental Warranty offers no extra perks or benefits with coverage plans, but these extra products can help you protect your vehicle and keep it running and looking its best.

Comparing Coverage Options: Endurance vs Continental Warranty

Endurance

Endurance offers different types of customized coverage for various drivers, automobiles, and budgets. These are some of the main coverage plans you can choose from:

• Supreme – The Supreme plan is a great option for those who want some of the best protection available on the third-party market. This plan covers nearly every part of your vehicle, including the cooling system, electrical components, seals, gaskets, and tech features that other providers don’t include in coverage plans.
• Supreme for Highline Vehicles – If you own a high-end luxury car, you know how difficult it can be to get the protection you need. The Supreme for Highline plan covers vehicles made by major luxury brands like Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Alfa Romeo, as long as they have fewer than 80,000 miles on the odometer and are less than eight years old.
• Superior – Knowing that most of your vehicle is covered is essential, and the Superior plan offers vital component coverage on the most common parts that break down over time, including the engine, transmission, A/C, and more.
• Select Premier – Getting coverage for a car with many miles on the odometer can be difficult. The Select Premier plan is specifically designed for high-mileage vehicles and covers cars other providers won’t.
• Secure Plus – The most essential components on your vehicle are also the most expensive to repair, and the Secure Plus plan offers affordable coverage designed for older cars and their basic components. These include the engine, transmission, and drive axle.
• Secure – If you want protection for your vehicle and are working with a fairly strict budget, the Secure plan is your best option. This economic plan covers the most crucial components of your vehicle’s powertrain to help you keep your car running.
• Advantage – Advantage offers comprehensive coverage and up to $3,500 in annual or routine maintenance costs, such as oil changes and oil filters. This can save you a lot of money over the years while also giving you the highest level of protection in the short term.

Continental Warranty

Like Endurance, Continental Warranty has different options available for coverage. Depending on your needs, one of these choices will be best for you and your car. Coverage plans include:

• Continental Powertrain – This basic coverage plan protects your vehicle’s most essential components, such as the engine and transmission.
• Continental Plus – The Continental Plus plan covers all the same components as the Powertrain plan, with the addition of some extra parts that are just as crucial to the operation of the vehicle.
• Continental Gold – If you want the same coverage you would get with the Powertrain or Plus plans, with some additional extra coverage, the Continental Gold plan is the right choice. Extra covered components include the front suspension, electrical, HVAC, steering components, and more.
• Ultra Care Vehicle Service Contract – It is important to remember that your car is made of more than just solid mechanical components. The Ultra Care Vehicle Service Contract protects all the components included in the other plans with the addition of the seals, gaskets, and computer module systems.
• Ultra Care Exclusionary Vehicle Service Contract – If you are looking for a coverage plan as close to the original factory warranty as possible, the Ultra Care Exclusionary Vehicle Service Contract is your best option. Aside from a small list of exclusions, this plan covers nearly every component of your vehicle.

Pricing Structures: A Critical Consideration

Endurance

Endurance plans are customized to fit the specific needs of you and your vehicle. The most basic coverage won’t break the bank, allowing you to get protection no matter your budget. One way to get the most out of your coverage is to build it into the overall cost of ownership for the vehicle and take the long-term view. Protecting against expensive repairs will be much cheaper in the long run. Endurance deductibles range from $0 to $500 depending on your plan and your needs when you take your vehicle into the shop and make a claim.

Continental Warranty

Because Continental Warranty only provides coverage through dealerships, the company does not disclose the price of plans. One customer in a review, though, mentioned that their coverage cost $3,000 for a four-year coverage contract. This puts Continental Warranty on the high end of the spectrum regarding price. Your specific plan may be more or less, depending on the coverage level you get and the type of vehicle you are protecting.

Analyzing Customer Reviews and Testimonials

Endurance

One of the main benefits of working with Endurance for your VSC coverage is access to the company’s award-winning customer service team. Many reviews Endurance has received over the years specifically praise the customer service team and their ability to help clients when they need it most and get them the right level of protection. Endurance currently holds a high star rating on Trustpilot, with over 7,000 reviews in total and many reviewers commenting on the top-notch service. Reviewers have also praised the easy claims process and the speed with which their claim was approved so they could get back out on the road.

Continental Warranty

Continental Warranty has a less-than-stellar reputation in online reviews. Many complaints concern customer claims being denied, even when the issues were supposedly included in their contract. In many cases, Continental Warranty only covered half of the repair costs, which was not explained to the customer at the dealership when they purchased the coverage.

The company currently has a 1.5/5-star rating on the Better Business Bureau website, meaning it is most likely a good idea to double-check your contract before you decide to get a protection plan from Continental Warranty.

Service Quality: Endurance and Continental Warranty Head-to-Head

Endurance

When you need a repair for your vehicle, Endurance makes it as easy as possible. All you have to do is take your vehicle to the shop of your choice and show them your Endurance contract, and they will take care of the rest. Since Endurance is a direct provider of most of their plans, there is no middleman between you and your repair. This means that as long as the repair is covered under your plan, there will be no problems. If you have any questions during the process, Endurance’s knowledgeable customer service team is on hand to help at all times.

Continental Warranty

Getting your vehicle repaired with Continental Warranty is also a simple process. When you need to take your vehicle in for repair, you can take it to any shop you prefer. Once there, the shop will diagnose the issue and contact Continental Warranty to ensure it is covered under your coverage. One of the issues that customers have run into is repairs not being covered by their contract for one reason or another. Because of this, it is essential that you know your contract inside and out and that you get an authorization number from Continental Warranty before repairs begin.

Additional Benefits and Features Comparison

Endurance

Endurance plans come with a wide range of standard perks and benefits, no matter what level of coverage you have. These include things like 24/7 roadside assistance, rental car coverage, and travel interruption coverage. Plus, for a small activation fee, you can access Elite Benefits, which include tire repair or replacement, key fob replacement, $1,000 toward total loss protection, and much more. With an Endurance plan, you can rest easy whenever you are behind the wheel because you will be covered for almost any eventuality.

Continental Warranty

Continental Warranty plans do not come with any extra perks or benefits. They offer a fairly wide variety of coverage extras you can buy, though. These include things like a Power Wrap Program, which bolsters your vehicle’s existing warranty, Lifetime Powertrain Protection, and full roadside and towing coverage. If you don’t mind spending the extra money, you can protect your vehicle thoroughly and ensure that you have the protection you need when you are on the road.

Get the Best Coverage on the Market With Endurance

Before you pick an extended auto warranty provider for your vehicle, you must know which ones offer the best service. Endurance auto protection plans and customer service team members make getting your car fixed quickly and easily. If you want comprehensive coverage and a customer service team that always has your back, Endurance will always be your best choice.

Endurance offers a wide variety of customizable plans, the most comprehensive protection on the market, and a friendly, knowledgeable customer service team. With standard benefits and extra perks to help give you confidence and peace of mind on the road, Endurance will help you keep your new or used car running smoothly for many years.

If you’d like protection for your car and your bank account, contact our award-winning customer service department at (800) 253-8203 for a FREE quote. You can also shop online to see your price right away.

Continue reading about all things automotive, including other provider comparisons like CarShield and CARCHEX, repair facility reviews, mechanical breakdown insurance, FAQs, and more on the Endurance Warranty blog.