Is The Volkswagen Extended Warranty Your Best Option?

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• The 2020 Volkswagen warranty was shortened to four years or 50,000 miles.
• Volkswagen has a decent extended warranty program with good extra benefits.
• Extended warranties from third-party providers offer comparable or better plans.

Purchasing a Volkswagen extended warranty will have a big impact on everything from your long-term financial security to your mental well-being. Before you buy, carefully consider both the costs involved and all the coverage options on offer.

With so many plan options and so much auto-legal jargon, it’s often difficult to differentiate between a mid-tier VW extended warranty and a comprehensive third-party extended warranty, let alone pick one over the other. 

To kickstart your research process, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about your Volkswagen extended warranty options, including the breakdown of the pros and cons of both manufacturer and third-party provider plans. If you already know you want to go with a third party, here’s our review on what we think are the best extended warranty providers. We recommend getting several quotes to find the best deal.

Volkswagen Factory Warranty

Before we launch into an overview of Volkswagen extended warranty plans, let’s cover the basics of its standard manufacturer’s warranty.

2020 Volkswagen Warranty

Volkswagen’s factory warranty lasts four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. It covers repairs to any mechanical breakdowns due to the manufacturer’s workmanship or material errors for almost all parts of the vehicles, including the powertrain.

There is limited coverage for the battery and other wear items such as brake pads, wiper blades, and paint.

Volkswagen also includes limited corrosion coverage for seven years or 100,000 miles and emission control systems coverage for two years or 24,000 miles, or eight years or 80,000 miles, depending on the part.

The People First Warranty

If you purchased your Volkswagen in 2018 or 2019, you’re one of the lucky owners who gets longer coverage. Your vehicle is likely covered under what Volkswagen called “The People First Warranty,” a new vehicle limited warranty that lasts for six years or 72,000 miles.

Volkswagen lengthened its warranty after its 2015 emissions scandal, but it looks like the extra coverage is just for those two model years.

• Related: Did VW turn scandal into opportunity?

Volkswagen Vehicle Service Protection Plans

You can buy a VW extended vehicle service contract at any point before the expiration of your car’s factory warranty. If you’d like, you could add it to the same purchase. However, doubling up on warranty coverage is often unnecessary and rarely cost-effective. 

No matter the provider, we recommend purchasing an extended warranty shortly before your VW factory warranty expires.

If purchasing extended warranty coverage through Volkswagen, you’ll choose from three Vehicle Service Protection Plans: Platinum, Gold, and Powertrain.

Coverage can last up to 10 years or 150,000 miles. Each plan has varying levels of component protection, with Platinum covering the most and Powertrain including just the basics.

All three Volkswagen extended warranties cover the engine, transmission, drive axle, and certain hybrid/electric components. The Gold and Platinum plans include more systems and parts. Like most extended warranties, wear and tear items such as spark plugs, wiper blades, trim pieces, body panels, and upholstery aren’t covered.

Volkswagen Extended Warranty Perks

Even though repair coverage is by far the most important part of an extended warranty, additional perks can really seal the deal. Here’s what you get with a Volkswagen Vehicle Service Protection Plan:

• Trip interruption: If your car breaks down far from home, Volkswagen will provide up to $200 per day for a maximum of five days to cover extra expenses.
• Towing: Volkswagen will reimburse you up to $100 for towing to the nearest Volkswagen dealer or authorized provider in the case of a covered mechanical breakdown.
• 24/7 roadside assistance: This benefits includes up to $100 of coverage for flat tire replacement, battery servicing, lock-out scenarios, and fuel or fluid assistance.
• Flexible choice of deductible: VW owners can choose between a $0, $100, or $250 deductible. There is also the option of a $100 disappearing deductible, which means the deductible is waived if your vehicle is serviced at the selling VW dealership.

3 Things We Like About The Volkswagen Extended Warranty

1. Broadly speaking, the level of component coverage offered under the VW Vehicle Service Protection Plan, especially the upper-tier Gold and Platinum plans, is more than adequate for most car owners. 

2. While most vehicle service contracts come with similar perks, Volkswagen’s reimbursements are more generous than most. Benefits like this can limit the stress if you do experience a breakdown.

3. You can transfer or cancel your Volkswagen contract at any time for a $50 fee. The fee may be waived if you decide to cancel in the first 30 days.

3 Things We Don’t Like About The Volkswagen Extended Warranty

1. Other extended warranty providers give more detail online as to what they do or do not cover. Volkswagen is not as clear. If you’re buying extended protection from Volkswagen, give your contract a thorough read and ask the dealer your questions.

2. Past scandals make us wary of company transparency and decrease our confidence in VW’s coverage.

3. Most Volkswagen models, even with minimal wear and tear, have a reputation for recurrent issues with the transmission system, power windows, and headlights. Some of these issues may only be covered in the highest tier plans.

Third-Party Extended Warranty Options

After discussing the various pros and cons of Volkswagen extended warranties, you might be wondering why we also recommend third-party auto warranty providers. 

The first reason is that third-party vehicle service contracts are more flexible when it comes to repair services and available repair locations. Most companies, including Endurance, let you used any ASE-Certified^® mechanic. This means you can use your preferred local mechanic when handling a warranty claim event.

Secondly, third-party providers have more room to adjust coverage conditions to better suit your specific VW model. This ensures greater plan flexibility and deeper coverage specialization, even for Volkswagens with more than 150,000 miles. In our CARCHEX review, we named this provider “Best for Used Cars” since it covers many vehicles up to 250,000 miles.

Finally, third-party providers benefit from not having exclusive agreements with any single auto company. This means that upfront warranty costs and deductibles tend to be considerably more affordable than VW’s Vehicle Service Protection Plans. 

In our extended warranty cost research, we learned that CarShield has some of the best prices in the industry. Many customers take advantage of the company’s month-to-month contracts.

What’s more, VW dealerships may try to package your extended warranty into your car loan, requiring you to pay interest on your warranty. Opt out of this payment plan if asked.

For the best outcome, we recommend getting in touch with both Volkswagen and third-party providers to get a free quote based on your specific vehicle model and personal warranty preferences.

FAQ: Volkswagen Extended Warranty

Our Methodology

Our expert review team takes satisfaction in providing accurate and unbiased information. We identified the following rating categories based on consumer survey data and conducted extensive research to formulate rankings of the best extended auto warranty providers.

• Affordability: A variety of factors influence cost, so it can be difficult to compare quotes between providers. Our team performs ongoing secret shopper analyses for different vehicles, mileages, warranty plans, and locations to give this rating.
• Coverage: Because each consumer has unique needs, it’s essential that a car warranty company offers an array of coverage options. We take into account the number of plans offered by each provider, term limits, exclusions, and additional benefits.
• Industry Standing: Our team considers Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, availability, and years in business when giving this score.
• Customer Service: Reputable extended car warranty companies operate with a certain degree of care for consumers. We take into account customer reviews, BBB complaints, and the responsiveness of the customer service team.