Toyota’s Extended Warranty Benefits Frequent Travelers | Autance

What IS Included

Toyota’s vehicle service agreement offers more than the automaker’s bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties when it comes to services and coverage. An extended car warranty is designed to support maintenance and routine part replacements, which comes in handy when the original bumper-to-bumper warranty nears its expiration.

Comprehensive Coverage

The extended service contract can be added any time before a new Toyota vehicle hits the three-year/36,000-mile mark, which is when the basic warranty expires (powertrain coverage lasts for five years or 60,000 miles). Used vehicle service agreement plans are also available. Toyota vehicles are eligible within the current model year plus nine prior model years.

Toyota offers three types of “Extra Care” protection under its extended warranty program: Platinum, Gold, and Powertrain. You can choose a coverage term ranging from three years or 50,000 miles up to 10 years or 125,000 miles, depending on the plan you choose.

All three Extra Care warranty plans offer $0 or $100 disappearing deductible per eligible repair visit. This means the deductible can be waived if the repair is performed by the dealer that sold the vehicle service agreement.

Component Coverage

Toyota’s vehicle service agreement covers an extensive number of components in order to reduce repair costs. While each plan isn’t exactly bumper to bumper, they cover a large chunk of your vehicle when compared to the original factory warranty. Repairs are also handled by a factory-trained technician using only Toyota-approved parts.

All three tiers cover transfer case components in an automatic transmission, the axle assembly, and specific engine parts such as the camshaft, crankshaft, cylinder heads, engine block, exhaust manifolds, oil pump, supercharger, and timing chain. They also cover various parts related to hybrid vehicles and manual transmissions.

The Platinum plan offers the most protection, while the Powertrain offers the least and doesn’t cover items such as air conditioning/heating, brakes, computer and electronics, the cooling system, electrical, the fuel system, steering, and suspension.

Additional Perks

One of the added benefits of Toyota’s extended auto warranty is its 24-hour roadside assistance, which is available 365 days a year in the continental United States and Canada. Assistance is available if you have a flat tire, need a jump start, are locked out of your vehicle, or run out of gas. Towing to the nearest authorized facility is also covered as long as the breakdown is covered by the warranty.

If your vehicle breaks down and you need transportation, Toyota will provide up to $50 per day (Platinum protection) or $35 per day (Gold and Powertrain protection) for a maximum of five days per occurrence. If you’re stuck over 150 miles from home, the automaker will reimburse you up to $100 per day (Platinum protection) or $50 per day (Gold and Powertrain protection) for lodging and meals for a maximum of five days over the lifespan of the contract.

In addition, original owners can transfer the coverage free of cost to a private party. Also, it’s possible to cancel the vehicle service agreement for a full refund within 30 days with a $50 processing fee.

For additional fees, you can also purchase a prepaid maintenance plan, tire and wheel protection, and excess wear and use protection. 

What’s NOT Included

As we already mentioned, Toyota’s Extra Care vehicle service agreements offer varying types of coverage, and the Platinum plan is the most comprehensive. However, even this tier has its limitations. For example, neither of the three plans cover items such as:

• Batteries
• Bumpers
• Brake linings, pads, shoes, rotors, and drums
• Filters
• Fluids
• Hoses
• Lamps and light assemblies
• Spark plugs
• Tires
• Wheels and rims
• Wiper blades

The Good

One of the great things about Toyota’s vehicle service agreement is that it covers a lot of components and has extra perks such as roadside assistance, which can be helpful if you have a breakdown. 

The Extra Care Platinum plan, in particular, is quite comprehensive in what it covers, and all three plans provide repairs that are carried out by a factory-trained service technician using Toyota-approved parts. 

Also, the extended warranty provides 24-hour roadside assistance, which is great if you travel frequently and aren’t mechanically inclined, as well as substitute transportation and travel protection.

In addition, you can transfer your vehicle service agreement to a private party once at no additional cost. This can potentially increase the resale value of your vehicle.

The Bad

One drawback with the Extra Care protection plan is the three-year, 36,000-mile limit requires you to overlap coverage with the standard factory powertrain warranty. So, you start paying for coverage when powertrain components are already covered under the original warranty.

In addition, Extra Care, like many other manufacturer-specific extended warranties, requires the use of Toyota-approved parts and service at authorized facilities, such as a Toyota dealer. This limits how you can maintain your vehicle and where you can take it if it requires repairs. For example, some local garages use aftermarket parts, which will be excluded in the coverage.

Finally, the extended warranty doesn’t cover everything. There are several parts that you have to pay for no matter what, including batteries, tires, and windshield wipers.

Takeaway Value

Car owners have mixed feelings about extended warranties. Basic plans simply lengthen the defect repair coverage of factory warranties, so this is understandable. However, Toyota’s Extra Care coverage, particularly the Platinum tier, covers numerous repairs and replacements, making it an attractive investment.

The Platinum plan provides excellent component coverage combined with additional perks that will prevent you from paying for unexpected repairs. While the plan may not be as appealing for home mechanics or those who drive infrequently, it can be useful if you take a lot of road trips and want some peace of mind.