Vehicle Protection

It should come as no surprise that practice makes perfect. Not only does everyone say that, they say it for a reason. If you shoot 100 free-throws everyday for 1 year, guess what? You’re going to be a great free-throw shooter. You might be slow, overweight, and completely uncoordinated on the court, but by sheer repetition, your free-throw game will be spot on.

The same can be applied to the auto world. As manufacturers continue to manufacture and manufacture the fruits of their labor will be more reliable and better quality over time. As such, a new car today will last a heck of a lot longer than a new car say 25 years ago. And because that is the truth, people are choosing more than ever to keep their cars longer than they did in the past.

The factory warranty on a car does not last long. So, after that runs out, how do you protect your vehicle? Excellent question, and as the title suggests, the answer is with a vehicle protection plan. This is a service contract that supplements the manufacturer’s warranty in a handful of areas while also extending it to a handful of others. The idea is to try and cover future costs in areas such as repair bills and the like. This next question is frequenty asked - do I need this? As with all cars some type of mechanical repair will be needed at some point in your car’s trajectory. The older that Civic gets the more likely it will need a repair. You’ve likely heard of an extended warranty plan as well which begs the questions, what’s the difference here?

Both an extended warranty and a vehicle protection plan protects your pocketbook from crazy, future expenses. With an extended warranty, this is the manufacturer’s warranty “super-sized.” There is a mileage and time limit placed on the warranty, and warranties also do not cover everything, only specific items. They are also included in the cost of the car and are only for new cars.

A vehicle protection plan can be picked up when the manufacturer warranty runs out. They are not included in the price of the car and can be placed on the vehicle at any time. They can also be marketed to consumers directly from third-party providers which saves the eventual customers (you and I) from exorbitant middlemen costs which can be pricey and annoying.

Prior to considering either, embark on a little homework. First, what are the promises in the plan, what is the plan agreeing to pay for, and who is making those promises. A.M. Best is an industry rater in this sphere, so only go for companies and/or plans rated an “A” by these folks. The best way to do some initial vetting is at their website and from there you’ll be provided an extensive list to run with. Protection is key in 2019, don’t be left out in the dark.