What Is a Wear-And-Tear Warranty?

How wear-and-tear warranties work

To be clear, you won’t find something called a “wear-and-tear warranty” available for purchase. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get coverage for parts that break down after years of regular wear. You can also buy plans that specifically cover some wear-and-tear components as part of routine maintenance services. Let’s take a closer look at how that works.

What is wear and tear on a vehicle?

The term “wear and tear” refers to the normal deterioration of components that happens over time with regular usage. The term “wear and tear” refers to the normal deterioration that happens with regular use. Some parts are especially prone to this and are considered wear-and-tear components, such as:

• Batteries
• Brake pads
• Cabin air filters
• Engine air filters
• Oil filters
• Spark plugs
• Tires
• Windshield wipers

Extended car warranties and wear-and-tear coverage

In a way, standard extended warranty coverage can include wear-and-tear damage — not for routine replacements like brake pads, but when a covered part fails after years of use. For example, if your warranty covers suspension parts, a failed control arm bushing caused by regular driving would likely be repaired under the plan.

Prepaid maintenance plans and wear-and-tear coverage

Another option that gives you some coverage for wear-and-tear items is a prepaid maintenance plan. These service plans cover the cost of routine maintenance services according to your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations. That typically includes replacing some wear-and-tear items like brake pads and batteries.

Wear and tear vs. mechanical breakdown

Extended car warranties are designed to cover repairs due to unexpected mechanical breakdowns. That’s why you’ll find a similar product called mechanical breakdown insurance in some states.

Wear-and-tear coverage through prepaid maintenance plans is for scheduled services, while extended warranties cover unexpected breakdowns of certain components. Unlike mechanical breakdowns, regular wear-and-tear replacement services are scheduled and performed at regular intervals.

Wear-and-tear coverage is for planned services, while mechanical breakdown coverage is for unexpected repairs.

These two types of coverage serve different purposes but can complement each other. Extended warranties cover surprise repairs, while prepaid maintenance plans handle scheduled services. Staying on top of maintenance is required to keep an extended warranty valid, so a prepaid plan can help ensure you don’t miss an interval.

Why wear and tear isn’t always covered

Standard auto warranties typically don’t cover wear-and-tear items because they’re guaranteed to need regular replacement. Covering components like tires and brake pads would mean that warranty providers would have expenses they have to pay out on every contract.

Extended warranty companies make money because not all customers end up using the coverage they pay for. Some mechanical breakdowns are more likely than others to happen at certain times, but with other components, there’s no guarantee that breakdowns will happen at all.

Warranty providers don’t cover wear-and-tear items because they’re guaranteed to wear out. If they added this coverage, they’d have to raise contract prices to cover those costs, which would usually end up being more expensive than just paying for the replacements yourself.

Options for wear-and-tear coverage

The closest option for wear-and-tear coverage from a warranty company is a prepaid maintenance plan. These plans cover routine services like oil changes as well as replacements for wear-and-tear parts such as brake pads, filters and wiper blades.

Where to buy a wear-and-tear warranty

Many automakers offer prepaid maintenance packages that cover routine services and replacements for wear-and-tear parts. These plans usually require you to go to a dealership but guarantee that replacement components will be original equipment manufacturer parts.

A few extended auto warranty providers also offer wear-and-tear coverage via prepaid maintenance plans.

» COMPARE: Top-rated auto warranty companies

What to consider before buying

Getting a prepaid maintenance package to cover the cost of replacing wear-and-tear components can be a smart move for many drivers. However, these plans aren’t always worth what you spend on them.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding whether or not to buy wear-and-tear coverage:

• Cost: Does the prepaid maintenance package provide a discount on scheduled services compared to paying individually?
• Coverage: Does the plan cover all scheduled maintenance services recommended by your manufacturer, or are there still wear-and-tear items you’ll need to replace at your own expense?
• Personal finances: Would it be easier for you to pay for a prepaid maintenance package in regular monthly installments than to keep the cost of scheduled services saved up for when you need them?
• Service centers: Does your dealership usually have long wait times for appointments? Do you have a local independent mechanic you like to work with instead?

» LEARN: Extended car warranty advantages and disadvantages

Calculating wear and tear on a vehicle

Wear and tear affects both the cost of an extended car warranty and your vehicle’s total ownership costs. The impact of wear and tear on your vehicle’s value is called depreciation — the drop in market value as your car ages and is used. And while more wear and tear on your vehicle means it’s worth less money, it also typically means that you’ll have to pay more for an extended warranty since the vehicle is more likely to break down.

The cost of wear and tear on your vehicle includes the cost of repairs, maintenance expenses and the depreciation of your car’s value. That’s why it’s best to calculate the impact of wear-and-tear items on a per-mile basis.

Wear and tear cost per mile

In the following table, you’ll find cost-per-mile averages for wear and tear on nine popular types of vehicles. This cost combines the average depreciation costs and average maintenance costs using data from a 2024 AAA study called Your Driving Costs.

To calculate the impact of wear and tear on your particular car, multiply the number of miles you drive by the per-mile wear-and-tear cost figure for your vehicle type.