In our review of the industry’s best extended car warranty companies, both CarShield and Endurance ranked in our top three providers. In this head-to-head comparison, we’ll take a look at CarShield vs. Endurance by looking into coverage options, plan costs, and customer satisfaction to help you decide which provider may be the better fit for you.
If you’re interested in comparing how much an extended warranty from either provider would cost for your vehicle, click below to get free, personalized quotes.
In this article:
Overview Of CarShield And Endurance
CarShield has been brokering extended car warranties since 2005 and is headquartered in Saint Peters, Missouri. CarShield offers five comprehensive plans to choose from with coverage terms up to 200,000 miles. It’s also one of the only top-rated providers to sell specialty coverage for ATVs and motorcycles. This provider has the best extended car warranty for drivers on a budget thanks to its low monthly financing options.
Endurance provides the most comprehensive warranty on the market and has been in business since 2006. This company is based in Northbrook, Illinois. Unlike CarShield, Endurance is not a broker – it underwrites its own vehicle service contracts. The most notable aspect about Endurance extended warranties is that each contract comes with a free year of enrollment in the Endurance Elite Membership program, which provides access to the best benefits in the industry.
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Coverage
When comparing CarShield vs. Endurance coverage, you’ll see that both providers offer five auto coverage plans that can last up to 200,000 miles.
| CarShield | Endurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Auto Coverage Levels | 5 | 5 |
| Highest Mileage Limit | 200,000 miles | 200,000 miles |
| Coverage Waiting Period | 30 days and 1,000 miles | 30 days and 1,000 miles |
| Online Sample Contracts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Roadside Assistance | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rental Car Reimbursement | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trip Interruption Coverage | ✓ | |
| High-Mileage Vehicle Plan | ✓ | |
| High-Tech Specialty Plan | ✓ | |
| Motorcycle and ATV Plan | ✓ |
Both companies coverage lineups include basic powertrain plans, mid-tier plans, and full bumper-to-bumper warranties. However, each provider also offers a unique specialty plan.
Endurance’s Select Premier plan is specially designed to meet the needs of high-mileage vehicles, while CarShield’s Aluminum coverage is tailored to high-tech vehicles with many advanced electrical features. CarShield also has a sixth coverage option for motorcycles and ATVs.
CarShield offers five coverage plans for cars:
- Diamond: Exclusionary, bumper-to-bumper warranty for newer vehicles
- Platinum: Highest level of inclusionary coverage for parts like the engine, transmission, cooling system, steering, electrical, and more
- Gold: Enhanced powertrain coverage for the engine, transmission, starter, power window motor, and more
- Silver: Basic powertrain plan that covers lubricated engine parts, the drive axle, water pump, and transmission
- Aluminum: Specialty plan for luxury vehicles and cars with high-tech systems that covers power steering, cruise control, gauges, instrument clusters, LCD screens, GPS, and more
Every CarShield plan comes with added benefits including:
- 24/7 roadside assistance: This benefit provides help with roadside services as well as towing if your vehicle becomes inoperable.
- Substitute transportation: If your vehicle is in the shop and is scheduled for more than four hours of labor, a rental vehicle can be reimbursed up to $40 per day.
- Trip interruption coverage: If your vehicle breaks down more than 100 miles from your home and must be left at a repair facility overnight, this provides meal and lodging coverage up to $50 per day for a maximum of three days.
Endurance offers five levels of coverage:
- Supreme: Comprehensive bumper-to-bumper plan with a very short list of exclusions
- Superior: Highest level of stated-component coverage, including most major vehicle system components
- Secure Plus: Mid-level stated-component plan that’s more extensive than the lower-tier Select Premier and Secure plans, covering steering components
- Select Premier: Designed for high-mileage vehicles, covering powertrain components as well as the cooling system, electrical components, and fuel delivery components
- Secure: Most basic and affordable Endurance warranty, which provides drivers with powertrain protection to cover the engine, drivetrain, and transmission
Endurance has the best benefits package in the industry. Customers get rental car coverage, 24/7 roadside assistance, and trip interruption coverage for the duration of their contracts, and for their first year of coverage, drivers also get free enrollment into the Endurance Elite Membership program. This program offers the following perks:
- Tire repairs and replacements
- Key fob replacement
- Identity theft recovery services
- Up to $5,000 in repair financing loans
- $250 in vouchers to use on shopping and entertainment
- Personal concierge service
After your first year of coverage, you can re-enroll into the Endurance Elite Membership program for a fee.
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Cost
Our automotive research team reached out to CarShield and Endurance to find out which company offers a better deal on coverage.
We got bumper-to-bumper warranty quotes from both companies for a 2016 Honda CR-V with 45,000 miles. Each plan came with a $100 deductible. Here’s what CarShield and Endurance offered in terms of pricing:
| Term Length | Financing Terms | Down Payment | Total Cost | Cost Per Year of Coverage |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CarShield Diamond | 4 years/125,000 miles | $85.62 per month for 21 months | $295.00 | $1,993.02 | $498.26 |
| Endurance Supreme | 5 years/100,000 miles | $84.21 per month for 36 months | $181.45 | $3,213.01 | $642.60 |
In our experience, CarShield has more affordable rates for car warranties than Endurance. Although monthly payments are similar, CarShield’s bumper-to-bumper coverage costs nearly $150 less per year of coverage than Endurance’s comparable extended warranty.
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Customer Service
Neither Endurance nor CarShield has an A rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), but Endurance scored better in terms of customer reviews on its BBB page. The company currently holds a 3.7- out of 5.0-star rating, while CarShield has a 1.4- out of 5.0-star rating. However, both CarShield and Endurance have received high marks on customer review sites like Trustpilot, currently holding 4.1- and 4.2-star ratings, respectively.
Positive customer service reviews of CarShield report ease canceling coverage and excellent customer service. Negative reviews report issues with advertising, including unsolicited phone calls and mailers.
Endurance customer reviews shed light on helpful customer service agents and long-term customer satisfaction. But some customers also report receiving unsolicited mailers and hit-or-miss customer service.
Our Take On CarShield And Endurance
When it comes to CarShield vs. Endurance, Endurance wins for overall industry standing, transparency, and customer service. However, CarShield beats Endurance when it comes to pricing. Both are strong choices for extended car warranty coverage.
| CarShield | Endurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Industry Standing | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Coverage | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Cost | 5.0 | 4.5 |
| Transparency | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Customer Service | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Motor1 Rating | 4.5 | 5.0 |
The best way to decide between the two auto warranty companies is to reach out and get quotes for yourself. This way, you can see which provider offers the best coverage at the right price for you.