Is the Audi Extended Warranty Worth Your Money? | Autance

What IS Included

Like most extended warranties, Audi’s extra coverage is somewhat of an upgrade over the standard manufacturer’s warranty. This means there’s more component coverage and extra perks you’ll get when extending the warranty. Best of all, you get a few different levels to choose from when buying a warranty.

The overall extended coverage lasts up to 10 years or 120,000 miles.

Component Plans

The majority of an extended Audi warranty is made up of the component coverage that offers repairs and replacements for faulty parts. The extent of the coverage depends on the particular plan you choose to purchase when extending the warranty. These levels are:

• Powertrain: This is a basic extension of the company’s standard powertrain warranty that comes with all new Audi vehicles. The warranty plan focuses on important components like the engine, transmission, drive axles, and electrical components. 
• Gold: The middle-tier plan of Audi’s extended warranty encompasses everything the powertrain level offers and expands the coverage to include specific components like the fuel, electrical, climate control, and suspension systems.
• Platinum: On the upper side, the platinum level is the most comprehensive coverage available. In fact, it’s primarily an exclusionary plan, leaving out just a few components and conditions.

The cost of each plan increases with each level, so choosing the right one ultimately comes down to the size of the coverage you need. 

Additional Perks

There are a number of extra perks Audi offers in addition to the primary component coverage. Many of these perks are shared with Audi’s standard factory warranties, but the longer coverage periods make them more useful as a vehicle ages in time and distance, especially if you hit an unexpected issue on the road.

This is where the 24-hour roadside assistance program comes into play. Offering $100 reimbursement for things like towing, the reimbursement makes it more affordable to deal with unexpected breakdowns and other issues while vacationing or driving the daily routes. 

In addition to the roadside program, Audi offers a reimbursement of $35 per day (up to 10 days) for car rentals. For vacations, there is trip interruption coverage of $200 per day for up to five days at a time. 

What’s NOT Included

While the Audi vehicle service contract offers a lot of beneficial coverage on the primary components of its vehicles, there are some notable limitations that can reduce the value you will experience. This means the car warranty won’t cover all components in all circumstances.

Part Exclusions

The most obvious limitations of the extended coverage depend on the component level you choose. For example, choosing the basic powertrain coverage leaves out a lot of smaller components, so it isn’t as comprehensive as the higher tiers. 

It’s possible to reduce the amount of excluded components your specific extended warranty has, but this will cost you extrAs a result, it’s important to find the right balance between repair cost and coverage depending on your budget and your vehicle’s needs. 

Issue Exclusions

One limitation many new warranty purchasers aren’t aware of is the scope of the warranty itself. Regardless of which vehicle service plan you buy, the extended warranty won’t cover all repairs and mechanical breakdowns your vehicle may encounter. 

None of the plans, for example, cover components that the standard factory warranty covers while it’s still in effect. While this doesn’t matter in most cases, you may experience some overlap limitations if you buy the extended warranty before the standard coverage actually expires.

Certain issue causes are also not covered. Much like the standard factory warranty, the extended coverage is focused primarily on factory defects. There needs to be an issue caused by faulty materials or poor workmanship. This rules out issues related to accidents, weather, or other incidentals. 

The Good

The way Audi has structured its extended warranty program is the biggest draw of this coverage. Some automakers simply offer a basic extension that matches the standard powertrain or bumper-to-bumper warranty. Audi’s version, however, gives you a few more customization options. 

The ability to choose between different component plans, for example, makes it easy to find the right coverage for your vehicle and your budget. The fact that all of the extra perks, like the roadside assistance program, are included regardless of the plan, extends the money-saving value to you even more. 

The roadside assistance and trip interruption programs also extend the usefulness of factory warranty, almost to the point of a vehicle’s natural service life. In other words, the extended warranty makes it easier to keep the standard roadside assistance and trip interruption for up to a decade after the factory warranty expires.

The Bad

Unfortunately, the fact that the extended warranty only covers factory defects makes it less useful than many third-party providers. The factory needs to be at fault to save money on repairs, so more common issues due to incidentals or normal wear and tear will still cost you out-of-pocket in most cases.

Most third-party warranty options have larger scopes since they aren’t offered by the factory. While they may not cover basic maintenance, it is possible to find coverage that includes collisions and accidents, whether it’s from a third-party warranty or an auto repair insurance plan.

Finally, the extra perks have a few notable limitations as well. The $100 offered for towing reimbursement may not be enough to get your vehicle back to an Audi dealer or repair facility if you break down far from home. Similarly, the trip interruption and car rental reimbursements are on the short side in terms of how long you can use them.

Takeaway Value

The Audi extended warranty program is certainly something to consider if you want to increase the coverage you have on your vehicle, particularly after the factory coverage expires. Between the different component protection plans and the continuation of extra perks, there’s some good money-saving potential to consider the Audi extended warranty in addition to third-party options.