CARCHEX vs. Endurance

What is the difference between CARCHEX and Endurance?

Before breaking down the details, here are the highlights from our CARCHEX and Endurance comparison.

CARCHEX stands out for its coverage of older, high-mileage vehicles, its generous rideshare and rental car reimbursement policies, and its industry reputation. The company is one of the longest-serving warranty providers in the country and has partnered with auto companies like Carfax and Edmunds.

Endurance stands out for its stellar customer service – most notably its efficient claims handling, its maintenance package options and its online quote tool. We also got a cheaper quote from Endurance for every vehicle in our secret shopper study.

CARCHEX vs. Endurance: How to decide

There are many factors that can make CARCHEX a better choice for you than Endurance or vice versa. However, we did find that each one tends to be a good fit for certain car owners:

• CARCHEX is best if you own an older vehicle with lots of miles.
• Endurance is best if good customer service is a priority for you.

Our take on CARCHEX

Our take on Endurance

CARCHEX vs. Endurance availability

CARCHEX is available in all 50 states, including California (which has strict laws surrounding extended car warranties). Endurance is also available in California, but the company’s plans are sold as mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI) in the state.

CARCHEX covers vehicles with up to 250,000 miles, while Endurance has no stated mileage cap. However, Endurance has an age limit of 20 years for the vehicles it will cover. CARCHEX covers vehicles up to 25 years old.

CARCHEX vs. Endurance coverage

CARCHEX offers five levels of coverage, while Endurance has six. Both have standard powertrain and bumper-to-bumper options, but there are slight differences in the specific parts each plan covers.

CARCHEX extended warranty coverage

Here’s a short breakdown of CARCHEX’s available plans:

• Titanium: An exclusionary, bumper-to-bumper plan that covers all but a few components, which are named specifically in your warranty contract.
• Platinum: Named-component coverage for more than 700 parts on your vehicle across most of its systems.
• Powertrain: Basic coverage for only your vehicle’s most essential systems, such as the engine, drive axle(s) and transmission.
• Powertrain Plus: Covers more than 300 parts in major systems like your engine, transmission, drive axle(s), cooling system, fuel system, electronics and air conditioning.
• Extra Care: Add-on coverage for more than 300 parts that aren’t typically covered by your car’s factory powertrain warranty, such as your brakes, electronics and infotainment system.

Endurance extended warranty coverage

Endurance offers six vehicle protection plans:

• Supreme: The most comprehensive level of coverage from Endurance is a bumper-to-bumper exclusionary warranty that covers nearly all of the components in your vehicle.
• Superior: Mid-level coverage for more than 300 components in your vehicle’s major systems.
• Secure: A powertrain-only warranty plan that only covers the engine, transmission, drive axle(s) and other vital components.
• Secure Plus: Adds coverage for your air conditioning and braking systems to basic powertrain coverage.
• Select Premier: Similar to the Secure Plus plan, but specifically for vehicles with more than 150,000 miles.
• Advantage: Combines Supreme coverage with up to $3,500 in coverage for annual maintenance costs.

Direct provider vs. warranty broker

One of the biggest differences between CARCHEX and Endurance is that CARCHEX is a broker while Endurance is (usually) a direct provider. In other words, CARCHEX sells warranties from another company (including American Auto Shield), while Endurance primarily administers the coverage plans it sells.

We asked Endurance what difference choosing a broker versus a direct provider makes to car owners.

“When you buy through a broker, there may be another company you have to call for claims, another you’ll have to call for financing and more. With Endurance, we do all that for you,” a rep told us.

Then we asked CARCHEX to comment on how buying from a broker might impact the customer experience.

“American Auto Shield underwrites the policies and makes the payment. So when you make a claim with us, we negotiate with American Auto Shield and they tell us how much they’re willing to pay out. But CARCHEX is still your main point of contact throughout,” a company representative said.

This distinction is an issue for some CARCHEX customers, so it’s worth being aware of. (Some consumer reviews also suggest that Endurance handles claims more quickly.)

CARCHEX vs. Endurance cost

To compare costs, we collected quotes on exclusionary plans for a few vehicles with expired factory warranties. We want to note that CARCHEX gave us quotes based on a $200 deductible, while Endurance’s plans had a $100 deductible (with the exception of the Porsche warranty).

Both providers said this was the only deductible option for this vehicle and plan combination.

CARCHEX vs. Endurance policies

Neither CARCHEX nor Endurance requires you to have a vehicle inspection to qualify for warranty protection. A pre-purchase inspection might still be a good idea, though, if you’re looking for coverage on a car you’re thinking of buying. Getting an inspection helps you establish a record of what was (and wasn’t) a preexisting condition when you bought the warranty and possibly prevent claim denial later.

CARCHEX and Endurance use waiting periods to prevent people from making claims for preexisting conditions. Both companies have a standard waiting period of 30 days or 1,000 miles.

CARCHEX has a higher standard deductible at $200, compared with Endurance’s $100. However, Endurance charges a $500 deductible for most plans covering European luxury vehicles, like Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche.

If you sell your car during your warranty term, both companies let you transfer your warranty to the new owner if you pay a small fee. This is $50 in most states.

CARCHEX vs. Endurance benefits

CARCHEX and Endurance both offer 24/7 roadside assistance, towing and rental car assistance with their plans. There are also some noteworthy differences between the benefits packages both providers include with their plans.

CARCHEX offers the following perks:

• Up to $100 per day in rental car reimbursement (versus Endurance’s $30 max per day)
• Up to $60 per day in rideshare reimbursements if you need an Uber or Lyft while your car is in the shop (Endurance does not offer rideshare coverage)
• Up to $125 per day in trip interruption coverage to pay for meals and lodging if your car breaks down 100-plus miles from home

Endurance offers 12 months of its Elite Benefits package for free with every contract. These benefits include:

• Up to $500 in key fob replacements
• Tire repairs/replacements
• Up to $500 in collision repair assistance

Benefits are one of the clear distinctions between Endurance and CARCHEX. CARCHEX benefits are likely to be more useful for people with older, less reliable vehicles. Endurance benefits are more generally useful to owners of vehicles of all ages.

How people feel about CARCHEX vs. Endurance

At the time of publishing, CARCHEX has a 3.4-star rating from over 4,200 total reviews on ConsumerAffairs. Endurance has a 4.6-star overall rating from over 15,800 reviews.

CARCHEX customer reviews

CARCHEX customers seem overall happy with the sign-up process, but reports of how well CARCHEX handled claims were mixed.

“I bought my wife's car about three years ago and I bought the CARCHEX warranty for it. I did the payments over time. I'm always leery of warranties and what they cover. We did our first claim three years later on a window and it went through seamlessly. Everything worked out,” said Michael, a ConsumerAffairs reviewer in Florida.

“I had a bad experience with Carchex,” reported Barry in South Carolina. “The mechanic was ready and was ready to go but they couldn’t do the work until they get approved. It took Carchex five weeks to get it checked and make an approval.”

Also, many less-than-positive reviews cite a lack of transparency surrounding CARCHEX’s status as a broker, not a direct warranty provider.

“On June 14th I bought the policy from Carchex and paid my first month amount. Next day when I came to know that they are only broker and my policy is been owned by someone else. I raised a cancellation request and from that day (15th June) till date, I have send 7 reminders and I just keep getting same reply as cancellation request will be raised and someone will contact you,” wrote Raghwendra in Illinois. (CARCHEX reported that it had canceled Raghwendra’s plan and provided a full refund a few days later.)

Endurance customer reviews

Endurance, meanwhile, often scores higher marks for claims handling, customer service and overall customer satisfaction.

“I shopped long and hard to get a policy for my 2012 Volvo hardtop convertible. … I have all my service done at my Volvo dealer. There have only been a couple of small claims, but Volvo and Endurance handle it all directly. I don’t have to do anything! Extremely pleased,” wrote David in Massachusetts.

The most common thread we saw across negative Endurance reviews was a lack of paperwork and communication once a policy was paid for, leaving some customers confused.

“I spent almost $4,000 on coverage and I don't have any paperwork to support it. I have nothing in the mail yet. Not even so much as a receipt statement that states the policy has been paid. I paid for it, for five years in cash, and it's been over month,” said Johnathan in Indiana. (Endurance responded to Johnathan’s review, but there was no public follow-up.)

Bottom line: CARCHEX or Endurance?

Both CARCHEX and Endurance have strengths – and weaknesses — that can make one a better fit for your needs than the other. Your decision will also come down to individual factors about the age and condition of your vehicle, along with quotes you receive.

However, here’s our general take on CARCHEX vs. Endurance:

• CARCHEX is probably a better fit for drivers with less reliable vehicles. Its robust rental car and rideshare reimbursements plus trip interruption coverage could save you hundreds on alternative transportation while your car is in the shop for warranty repairs.
• Endurance may be a better fit for car owners who value top-tier customer service. The company is also a great option for people interested in covering maintenance costs for their vehicle along with mechanical repairs.

Make sure to get quotes from both CARCHEX and Endurance to see what they offer. We got cheaper quotes from Endurance in our research, but that may not be the case for you. If neither provider seems like a perfect fit for your needs, you can check out more options on our extended car warranty buyers guide.