Based out of the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas, ASC Warranty has offered vehicle service agreements through dealerships since 1986. In addition to car warranties, ASC Warranty also offers coverage for motorcycles, travel trailers and other specialty vehicles.
ASC Warranty is one of the many extended warranty companies we’ve reviewed looking for the best options. In your search, the more companies you research, the better. Check out our ASC Warranty review and summary of the best extended car warranty providers. Then, get quotes from several companies to find the best deal.
ASC Warranty Overview
Auto Services Company, also known as ASC Warranty, sells vehicle service contracts. However, these plans are only available through dealerships. So, you can’t just go online and purchase a plan. You may be presented with an ASC Warranty the next time you buy a used car, so it’s good to know about the company.
ASC Warranty plans are backed by American Bankers Insurance Company, which has an “Excellent” financial rating from AM Best.
One thing we like about ASC Warranty is its longevity. It has been around since the mid-80s and has survived a number of economic ups and downs. During that time, it has grown its customer base. It has the longest history out of most of the providers we’ve researched.
| Overall Rating | 8.0 / 10.0 |
|---|---|
| Industry Reputation | 9.0 |
| Coverage | 7.0 |
| Warranty Cost | Contact dealership |
| Transparency | 5.0 |
| Customer Experience | 9.0 |
ASC Warranty wouldn’t have survived that long if it wasn’t paying legitimate claims for its customers, or if it was over-promising and going into debt to gain new customers.
When you come across a company like that, you know it is not just in it for short-term gains. It has been around long enough for most dealers and repair shops to be familiar with it. Its website says it’s very rare that a repair shop wouldn’t accept an ASC Warranty, and the company would quickly reimburse you for any repairs you might have to cover up front.
ASC Warranty Coverage
ASC Warranty offers four different auto warranty options to cover a range of repairs. Depending on your car, plans are available from 3 months/3,000 miles to 8 years/120,000 miles with a wide range of terms. Here’s a comparison between the different levels of coverage:
| Factory-Type | Deluxe | Platinum Drivetrain | Drivetrain Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transmission | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drive axle | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seals and gaskets | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cooling | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electrical | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Air conditioning | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Front suspension | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Steering | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Brakes | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Fuel delivery | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Exclusionary coverage | ✓ |
Be aware that these plans might not cover the same number of components in each system. For example, Drivetrain Plus only covers a few parts in the electrical system, and it only covers half of the cost for parts and labor on these items.
The next level up, ASC Warranty Platinum Drivetrain, covers a few more electrical items, and it covers 100% of the parts and labor. Deluxe covers even more electrical parts, as does ASC Factory-Type coverage.
Exclusionary Coverage
The Factory-Type plan is an exclusionary contract. It covers anything that your car’s manufacturer’s warranty covered, except any exclusions. Because ASC warranties are sold by dealers, there aren’t sample contracts online, so we can’t say exactly what these exclusions are. However, here are some warranty exclusion that are common across the industry:
- Cosmetic items
- Scheduled maintenance
- Wear items like filters and hoses
- Any repair done without prior authorization
- Damage from misuse, lack of maintenance or environmental events
In addition to this, there’s probably a list of excluded parts. But you’ll have to read a contract to find out what they are.
Does ASC Warranty Cover Catalytic Converters?
According to Federal emissions regulations, car manufacturers are required to cover catalytic converters under factory warranty for 8 years/80,000 miles. Since ASC Warranty doesn’t provide sample contracts online, we can’t say for sure if the company covers catalytic converters.
The part isn’t listed on the online plan comparison, but it could still be covered under ASC’s Factory-Type plan. If you are presented with an ASC Warranty at the dealership, that’s definitely a good question to ask. Catalytic converters can cost several thousand dollars to replace.
ASC Service Contract Perks
All ASC Warranty plans come with a number of perks. Many drivers can get a $0 deductible for any plan. In addition, plans come with 24-hour roadside assistance, which covers towing, jump-starts, flat tire assistance and fuel delivery. You can use this service anytime you are stuck on the side of the road – not just for covered breakdowns.
Many ASC Warranty coverage plans also come with rental car reimbursement. Your life keeps going when your car is in the shop, so rental coverage is helpful.
You can also transfer your warranty to another buyer, which can help you get the full asking price when you sell your car.
Cost of ASC Warranty
When you shop for extended warranties, you’ll have to get quotes based on your specific vehicle to know what you would pay. ASC Warranty doesn’t publish prices online, but it claims to be one of the most cost-effective options on the market.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to compare prices until you get an ASC Warranty quote through a dealership. Generally, cars that cost more to repair will fetch higher warranty prices. Similarly, coverage for a car with many miles will cost more than coverage for a car with few miles.
We did a little digging and found some anecdotal evidence in forums. Keep in mind that these examples are for specific vehicles and might not represent the bigger picture.
The first example we found was on MBWorld.org and included a quote for a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG with 32,000 miles. ASC Warranty offered a Factory-Type coverage plan for an additional 4 years/48,000 miles for $4,460. Overall, the price is decent since the AMG is a luxury car with expensive repair costs.
On 5Series.net, we found another quote for a BMW 5 Series with 85,000 miles. This time, ASC offered a Factory-Type plan for an additional 3 years/36,000 miles for $1,995.
How ASC Warranty Works
With a warranty from ASC, you can go to any repair facility that has a mechanic certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). That means you can pick from over 30,000 repair shops.
When you go in for a repair, your mechanic will have to get a repair authorization from ASC Warranty before doing any work. ASC Warranty will pay the shop directly for the work.
How Do I Cancel My ASC Warranty?
To cancel an ASC Warranty plan, get in touch with the dealer that sold you the plan. It will send ASC Warranty a cancellation request. If you cancel before 30 days, you’ll get a full refund. If you cancel after that, you’ll get a prorated refund based on the time and repairs used.
ASC Warranty Reviews from Customers
ASC Warranty is known for customer satisfaction and has an A+ rating with accreditation from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). It also has a very high customer review rating on the BBB – about 4.5 stars. It has 55 complaints on the BBB.
ASC Warranty’s Google reviews give the company 4.4 stars.
Positive Reviews
“I Googled the nearest dealer and drove straight there, and they had it repaired and my ticket in hand within an hour. What would have cost me $347 only cost me $8.66. No questions asked. Great service!”
– Shawn P., BBB
“Great customer service. Rapid response. Made good on what they sold me. Nice to have a good experience with a warranty repair. Thank you.”
– Jay P., BBB
Negative Reviews
“Unfortunately I had to give them one star in order to leave a review because they are definitely not worth the one star. They are not paying for what the warranty says it will and lied to us when we bought the coverage.”
– Chris B., BBB
“Now, the truck needed an engine due to mechanical failure of a piston, and they will only pay the licensed repair shop $3,000 (the maximum coverage for any repair; it’s in the very fine print of their policy).”
– Kimberly B., BBB
That last review raises an issue. We can’t verify if the maximum payout for any repair is $3,000, but that’s definitely something to be aware of. The reviewer didn’t say which plan they had purchased, either.
Conclusion: Is ASC Warranty Worth It?
Looking at all the evidence, ASC Warranty is a reliable company. It has been around for a very long time compared to other extended auto warranty companies. Most ASC Warranty reviews are from happy customers who say the claims department handles repairs quickly.
The main thing is to compare different providers when you are presented with an ASC Warranty from a dealership. Think about it this way: When you go shopping on Amazon, you compare multiple sellers and prices. Shopping for an extended warranty isn’t any different – you just have to get individual quotes from each provider.
In our research, we found a number of companies that may offer better coverage options or perks for your situation. For example, Endurance gives all its drivers a one-year membership of Endurance Elite Benefits, which includes roadside assistance, a collision discount, total loss protection, tire repair and identity theft protection. Likewise, CARCHEX can cover cars up to 250,000 miles.
What works for one driver might not work for another. Compare plans from reputable extended car warranty companies to find the best fit.
Methodology
The Detroit Bureau collects data from every major car warranty provider to formulate rankings of the best warranty companies. Our in-depth rating system takes into account coverage, pricing, transparency, customer satisfaction and ratings from industry experts. Each provider is given a weighted score in five categories, as well as an overall score out of 10.0.
We recommend auto warranty companies based on these rankings, but we also encourage you to perform your own research and compare quotes to find the best coverage.
