A historic part of General Motors Co., Buick has been in the American car industry since the beginning. Among the ranks of other affordable luxury vehicles like Lexus and Audi, Buick has become known for its dependability, and in turn, the Buick warranty.
In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at Buick’s warranty as well as a few details about the place of extended warranties in your vehicle’s life. We’ve also reviewed the best extended car warranty across the board, so check it out above if you need a jumping off point.
Buick Warranty Overview
The Buick warranty covers vehicles after mechanical breakdowns for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Buick’s powertrain warranty covers vehicles for 5 years or 60,000 miles.
Many manufacturers offer the same warranty terms from year to year, but Buick’s factory warranty has seen some changes with each model year. Here’s a closer look at the individual warranties and protections that come with newer Buicks.
| Buick Warranty | 2021 Terms |
|---|---|
| New Vehicle Limited Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Roadside assistance | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Corrosion coverage | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Rust-through coverage | 6 years/100,000 miles |
| Courtesy transportation | 5 years/60,000 miles |
What’s Covered Under the Buick Warranty?
No matter your vehicle’s model year, the two most important parts of the Buick warranty are the New Vehicle Limited Warranty and the powertrain warranty.
The New Vehicle Limited Warranty includes bumper-to-bumper coverage on almost all vehicle parts excluding normal wear and tear. As you can see above, the New Vehicle Limited Warranty offers less coverage for 2020-2021 vehicles than it did for 2018 and 2019 vehicles. However, bumper-to-bumper coverage can be transferred to subsequent owners.
The powertrain warranty protects your engine, transmission, and front- and rear-wheel-drive systems. Powertrain coverage extends for 5 years/60,000 miles with any new vehicle purchase. This coverage is also transferable to a subsequent driver and comes with roadside assistance and courtesy transportation. Buick’s courtesy transportation may cover additional transportation needs or rental cars when covered warranty repairs are taking place.
Corrosion and rust-through coverage protect your car in the event of damage from corrosion or rusted-through body sheet metal panels. The 2018 Buick warranty also comes with 8-year/100,000-mile eAssist coverage. This warranty covers parts like the eAssist battery, eAssist battery disconnect, and starter-generator unit.
What’s Excluded From a Buick Warranty?
There are a few specific exclusions noted in Buick’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty and powertrain warranty:
- Sensors
- Wiring
- Connectors
- Engine radiator
- Coolant hoses
- Coolant and heater core
- Starter motor
- Entire pressurized fuel system
- Engine/powertrain control module and module programming
While none of these systems are mentioned as commonly needed repairs for Buick, it’s important to know where your coverage stops.
Buick also notes that “no normal maintenance” repairs will be covered. However, if you have a 2020-2021 vehicle, the Buick warranty will cover your first maintenance visit for free. Additionally, services on your vehicle can only be performed at an authorized Buick dealer.
How Does the Buick Warranty Compare to Other Manufacturers?
Buick has average warranty terms compared to other manufacturers. It’s 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty for 2020-2021 vehicles mirrors factory warranties from Toyota, Honda and Chevrolet. Buick’s corrosion coverage has shorter terms than Toyota and Honda, but it’s roadside assistance is longer.
Learn more in our full car warranty comparison guide.
Buick’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty
2020-2021 Buick Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) cars come with a 6-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and a 1-year/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty. The same exclusions listed above for the new vehicle Buick warranty apply.
A few great perks of Buick’s CPO warranty include:
- $0 deductible
- Roadside assistance for 6 years or 100,000 miles
- Two free maintenance visits
- Courtesy transportation
- Transferable powertrain coverage with no additional fees
How to Find Out if You Have a Buick Warranty
If you’re not sure if your Buick warranty still applies, here are a few steps you can take:
Find your vehicle identification number (VIN). This iteration of numbers and letters acts as your vehicle’s identification code. If you have the car’s insurance card or title, it should be listed there. However, you can also check the vehicle itself. A VIN can be located on the driver’s side windshield or door.
Call your Buick dealer. With your VIN in hand, give your dealership a call. It’s preferable that you call the dealership that the car was originally purchased from, but any Buick dealer should be able to give you information on your Buick warranty.
Check CARFAX. As another option, you can check CARFAX. Again, with your VIN in hand, look up the vehicle in the service’s database. Along with the vehicle history, there should be information regarding your Buick’s warranty.
Do You Need Extended Warranty Coverage?
An extended warranty can provide peace of mind on the road and typically kicks in after your factory warranty expires. Simply put, it keeps protecting your vehicle after your original Buick warranty reaches its term limit.
Buick Extended Warranty Overview
There are two Buick extended warranty plans: the Extended Limited Warranty and the Buick Platinum Protection Plan.
The Extended Limited Warranty is backed by GMC and is relatively straightforward. Its bumper-to-bumper coverage protects your vehicle for 5 years or 60,000 miles. All parts and labor are covered, but this option is only available at the time of vehicle purchase. If you really break it down, that’s only 2 additional years and 24,000 miles added onto your original factory Buick warranty.
The Buick Platinum Protection Plan is backed by AMT and provides four coverage terms ranging from 2 years/24,000 miles to 5 years/60,000 miles.
Buick’s Reliability and Repair Costs
If you’re not sure whether you need more protection after your Buick warranty expires, consider your vehicle’s reliability and the price of repairs.
According to RepairPal, Buick ranks middle of the pack for reliability. It was awarded 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. Repairs tend to cost below average, with Buick owners spending an average of $608 annually compared to the $652 average across all manufacturers.
Here are some common issues you might encounter with a Buick (via RepairPal):
| Buick Model | Repair | Typical Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Buick LeSabre | Fuel pump replacement | $388 to $474 |
| Buick Regal | Ignition switch replacement | $267 to $330 |
| Buick Encore | Engine oil pan replacement | $412 to $475 |
| Buick LeSabre | Catalytic converter replacement | $1,427 to $1,450 |
Benefits of a Third-Party Extended Warranty
Along with the Buick extended warranty, there are plenty of third-party extended warranties that are worth considering. You can get coverage from a third-party warranty company at any time, not just when you purchase your vehicle, and these companies typically cover both new and high-mileage vehicles. You can also take your car to any licensed repair facility for covered repairs rather than just Buick dealerships.
As a jumping-off point for your research, we’ve reviewed the best extended warranty companies in areas like reputation, coverage, cost, transparency and customer service. Get free, personalized quotes from our top recommended providers below.
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.
