Having confidence in your car is important. If you know that your vehicle is in good shape, you can rest easy every time you hit the road and feel secure knowing that you won’t have problems or end up breaking down on the side of the highway. In order to have that security, you need to keep your vehicle in great shape and make repairs as soon as a problem arises. One issue with that, though, is that it isn’t always financially possible to take your car to the shop right away. That is why having a protection plan can be such a weight off your shoulders and help you get the repairs you need as soon as they come up.

When you buy a new or used car, it will come with a factory warranty that the manufacturer provides. This is to protect you from problems with the car’s design or issues during the production process. Generally, these manufacturer warranties last anywhere between three years or 36,000 miles and five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. Once that factory warranty is up, you will be solely responsible for any repairs that have to be made to your vehicle, no matter what the cause is.

If you want to continue protecting your vehicle after the factory warranty is over, an extended warranty, which is more accurately called a vehicle service contract (VSC) or auto protection plan, is a great option. There are all kinds of third-party providers that offer VSCs, and it can be difficult to know which one will be right for you and your car.

Two providers on the market, Endurance and First Mile Warranty, are great places to start. Learning how each of them compares and how their coverage options and services stack up will help you make the best choice for your specific needs and the needs of your vehicle.

Provider Overviews

Endurance Warranty

Based in Illinois, Endurance has been offering vehicle service contracts since 2006 with a focus on customer service and customizable coverage. With a wide range of plans covering everything from older high-mileage vehicles to top-tier luxury cars, Endurance has something for nearly every driver. Plus, Endurance is a direct provider of coverage for most of its plans, meaning you only deal with the customer service team at the company when you purchase your plan. There is no middleman and no hoops to jump through when you get your coverage or when you have a repair done.

First Mile Warranty

First Mile Warranty is an arm of Total Warranty Services, which offers various automotive protection products. First Mile Warranty provides service contracts that can be purchased through the dealership where you buy your vehicle and rolled into your payment plan. The company has several different tiers of extended car warranties protecting different components and areas of your vehicle, depending on what you need most.

Options for Warranty Coverage

Endurance Plans

Endurance offers a wide range of coverage plans to suit nearly any need. Endurance plans are also customizable, so you can be sure that you are getting the ideal protection for your particular car and its most vulnerable components. The plans Endurance offers include:

• Supreme – When you want the very best coverage on the market, the Supreme plan is going to be your best option. This plan even covers components that aren’t typically included in VSCs, such as the cooling system, electrical components, seals, gaskets, and tech features.
• Supreme for Highline Vehicles – It can be a challenge to find coverage for high-end luxury vehicles, and many providers exclude them from their eligible cars. The Supreme for Highline Vehicles plan covers cars made by major luxury brands like Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Alfa Romeo, as long as they have fewer than 80,000 miles and are less than eight years old.
• Superior – Protecting vital components of your vehicle should be the main goal whenever you look for a VSC. The Superior plan covers important parts of your car like the engine, transmission, A/C, and more.
• Select Premier – If your car has quite a few miles on the odometer, it can be hard to find a provider that offers coverage for it. The Select Premier plan, though, covers high-mileage cars, so you can get the protection you need.
• Secure Plus – When you want essential coverage plus a little extra, the Secure Plus plan is a great option. It covers crucial parts like the engine, transmission, and drive axle so you can rest easy knowing that the most important parts of your car are protected.
• Secure – If you are working with a strict budget, the Secure plan can help you get the coverage you need. This economical plan covers the parts of your car that are the most important, as well as the most expensive to repair.
• Advantage – The Advantage plan offers incredibly comprehensive protection plus up to $3,500 in annual maintenance costs, like oil changes and oil filters. This ensures that you save money over the years while also protecting your car in the short term.

First Mile Extended Warranties

First Mile Warranty has a few different coverage options. Depending on the level of protection you want and your budget, one of these plans will be better for you than the others. The plans include:

• Powertrain – The Powertrain plan includes coverage for the most basic components of your vehicle. This includes things like the engine block, crankshaft, and fuel pump.
• Gold – The Gold plan covers all the same components as the Powertrain plan with a few extras, such as the engine mounts and the oil pan. This can be helpful if you want complete protection for your powertrain system.
• Gold Plus – In addition to all the components covered by the Gold plan, the Gold Plus plan comes with coverage for the cooling system. This is essential if you want to keep your engine in good shape and ensure that it doesn’t develop problems from excessive heat.
• Platinum – First Mile Warranty’s Platinum plan is the most comprehensive coverage the company offers. It includes all the powertrain coverage you get from the other plans as well as extra protection for things like the onboard computer and sensors, the navigation system, and the cruise control.

Reputations for Customer Service

Endurance Reviews

One of the things that makes Endurance stand out from other providers on the market is the company’s reputation for excellent customer service. Endurance’s award-winning customer service team is its crown jewel, and many of the high-star reviews on Consumer Affairs specifically highlight the excellent customer service that clients have received. Whether these customers need help filing a claim or want any other information regarding their plan, the team has been able to get them the answers they need. This kind of dedication to customer satisfaction can make the stressful process of a car breakdown much easier and give you the confidence you need when the time comes to get a repair done.

First Mile Warranty Reviews

First Mile Warranty’s reputation for customer service is not as stellar as it could be. As of this writing, the company has a 1.5/5-star rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, with complaints stemming from things not being covered or customers not getting the answers they needed. Some of these concerns have even come from the repair shops that have done work on cars with First Mile Warranty plans, with many of them not being able to get reimbursed for parts or labor. These miscommunications and issues may be due to the fact that First Mile Warranty issues VSCs at the dealership, which means that there are more hoops to jump through when the time comes to make a repair.

How Is the Claims Process?

Endurance Warranty Claims

Endurance aims to make the claims process as simple as possible. When an issue arises with your vehicle, all you have to do is take it to the certified repair shop of your choice, present your Endurance contract to the service manager, and they will take care of everything else. As long as the repair is covered under your plan, all you will have to do is pay the deductible if you have one and wait to get your vehicle repaired. If you have any questions or issues throughout the process, the customer service team is on hand to work with you and find a solution so you can get your vehicle repaired and get back out on the road.

First Mile Warranty Claims

First Mile Warranty’s claims process is a little more ambiguous than other providers. Since the company only provides extended warranties through dealerships, you will generally get your repairs done at the authorized service center at the dealer. If you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop outside of the dealer’s network, you will need to file a claim after the repair has been done. Due to the number of complaints from customers who have had their claims denied, though, it will almost certainly be a safer bet to get your repairs done at the same dealer where you bought your plan.

Extra Benefits and Perks

Endurance Benefits

Endurance plans come standard with a wide range of extra perks and benefits. These include things like 24/7 roadside assistance, rental car coverage, and trip interruption coverage. For a small activation fee, Endurance customers can also get one year of an extra set of perks called Elite Benefits. This plan comes with tire repair or replacement, key fob replacement, $1,000 toward total loss protection, and more.* Endurance plans are also transferable, which makes them a great addition if you are planning on selling your car in the future and want to include an incentive to attract potential buyers.

First Mile Benefits

Plans from First Mile Warranty also come with a large set of extra benefits, such as rental car coverage, towing, and travel protection. One of the unique things that First Mile Warranty offers is fluid coverage. This extra perk includes the cost of any fluids such as oil, grease, some air conditioner gases, and lubricants as long as they are necessary for repair. First Mile Warranty plans are also transferable and come with different options for deductibles, from $0 to $200.

Get the Best Coverage and Service With Endurance

When you need the best coverage available on the market, Endurance is here for you. We offer fully customizable plans, a large collection of extra perks and benefits, and a customer service team that consistently delivers the best experience for clients all over the country.

Plus, Endurance covers vehicles that other providers won’t, such as Canadian Gray Market cars, vehicles with a rebuilt or salvage title, and cars used for commercial purposes like rideshare or delivery. With that kind of comprehensive coverage, you can drive with confidence every time you get behind the wheel.

If you want the best protection you can find, get in touch with an Endurance plan advisor at (800) 253-8203 for a FREE quote. You can also shop online to see your price right away and make the right decision.

You can also get more information on everything automotive-related, including other provider comparisons like CarShield and CARCHEX, repair facility reviews, mechanical breakdown insurance, FAQs, and more on the Endurance Warranty blog.