Toyota Extended Warranty

Toyota Platinum Extended Warranty

The Platinum Protection plan is the highest extended warranty coverage Toyota currently offers through its vehicle service agreement program. The plan delivers comprehensive, bumper-to-bumper vehicle protection, covering all major mechanical and chassis systems and many other non-essential cabin components. The Platinum Protection plan covers nearly all of your vehicle’s parts, from brakes to air conditioning to the power seat computer.

While the Platinum protection plan has the same eligibility rules as the Gold Protection plan, its coverage period is longer. Platinum Protection VSAs can be added to a new Toyota for terms ranging from three years or 50,000 miles to 10 years or 125,000 miles. Additionally, used Toyotas can be covered for one year or 12,000 miles up to five years or 60,000 miles with the plan.

Finally, several added perks come with the Toyota Platinum Protection Plan. For example, drivers covered by this package don’t have to worry about submitting any claims, as Toyota will pay the dealer directly. Platinum Protection plan holders also have higher rental car reimbursements at $50 per day, and meals and lodging at $100 per day, if more than 150 miles from home (for a maximum of five days).

Toyota Gold Extended Warranty

Gold Protection is Toyota’s mid-level extended warranty plan, offering more robust coverage than the powertrain plan without the premium cost of Platinum Protection. Overall, the Gold plan offers extensive protection, as it covers over 100 more parts than Powertrain Protection. If a breakdown prevents you from using your car, you’re also entitled to rental car reimbursements up to $35 per day, and meals and lodging up to $50 per day, if you’re more than 150 miles from home (for a maximum of four days over the warranty).

Gold Protection also comes with more flexible terms. Although it has the same eligibility rules for new cars, the plan is also eligible for used cars within the current plus 9 model years old and up to 150,000 total miles. You can choose terms of three years or 50,000 miles up to eight years or 125,000 miles for a new Toyota. The terms are shorter for used Toyotas, ranging from one year or 12,000 miles up to five years or 60,000 miles.

Toyota Powertrain Extended Warranty

The Powertrain VSA is Toyota’s basic extended warranty plan. As such, it offers key component coverage for your vehicle’s drive systems, covering any repair costs or replacements of your engine, axle assembly, transmission, and other components essential in making the vehicle move. Though it is still an entry-level extended warranty held back by a hefty list of component coverage limits, unlike competing powertrain warranties, Toyota’s Powertrain Plan also includes coverage for a limited selection of shift control and driveshaft axle assemblies.

This powertrain warranty is available for new cars, meaning those less than 3 years old and with fewer than 36,000 miles. Used cars within the current plus 12 model years old and up to 150,000 total miles are also eligible. New Toyotas can be covered up to six years or 100,000 miles, and used Toyotas can be covered up to two years or 24,000 miles.

Toyota Extended Warranty Prices

While the cost ranges above are a solid indicator of what you should expect to pay for Toyota extended warranty coverage, the actual price you are quoted from the dealer depends on several factors. These include:

• The coverage level you choose: The coverage you choose is a major factor that affects the price you will pay. Extended warranty plans come with a choice of coverage levels, all of which have varying price levels.Toyota’s Powertrain Protection, for example, is a basic plan that covers only major engine and auto components. Platinum Protection, on the other hand, offers comprehensive coverage and higher reimbursements. Of course, the more comprehensive warranty coverage and service you opt for, the more your extended warranty plan will cost. 
• Additional warranty perks: In some vehicle service protection plans, selecting optional add-ons will increase your premium rate.
• Vehicle model: There is a large variation in the size, cost and performance of Toyota models, from a $15,650 lightweight Yaris to a $58,500 fuel cell-powered Mirai. If your car requires special parts and services, you can expect higher Toyota extended warranty costs, as well.
• Vehicle Age and Mileage: Once a car has passed its prime, it becomes more expensive to cover. For this reason, historically unreliable vehicle models or older vehicles typically have higher monthly premiums. As a result, the car’s age and mileage play a big part in determining your vehicles overall eligibility and which plans are available to you. For example, cars under 3 years old with fewer than 36,000 miles can be covered by all of Toyota’s extended warranty plans. On the other hand, any vehicle more than 12 model years old prior or 150,000 miles isn’t eligible for coverage.
• Deductible amount: No matter which plan you choose, Toyota offers $0 or $100 deductible options. This is the dollar amount you elect to pay for any authorized claims related to a single repair or replacement. Choosing no deductible will usually mean higher monthly premiums or total contract cost, while a higher deductible can lower your premium payments or total contract cost.
• Financing: Another factor that can affect the cost of your extended warranty is whether your warranty is bundled with your car financing. This type of agreement should be avoided if at all possible, as you end up paying extra due to the added interest on your extended warranty as well as on your car.
• Existing (stacked warranty coverage): If your extended vehicle service plan is stacked with a factory warranty, premiums for the extended warranty will be significantly less expensive.
• Choice of provider: The average Toyota extended warranty cost can differ from dealership to dealership. Moreover, extended warranty plans aren’t just available through the manufacturer – you can get them from third-party warranty companies as well. There is also a considerable difference in affordability between major dealerships and third-party warranty providers. By widening your warranty search, you have the choice of more affordable plans and payment options. Also, you won’t be limited to getting your car serviced only within Toyota’s network.

New Vehicle Coverage

Toyota’s factory warranty is added to your vehicle upon purchase at the dealer. The factory warranty coverage is included at no additional cost with any new Toyota and transfers to subsequent owners if coverage is still valid when a vehicle is sold.

Though not technically a warranty, new Toyota vehicles also come with two free years of ToyotaCare – Toyota’s prepaid scheduled maintenance coverage. They also come with two years of roadside assistance. After ToyotaCare expires, drivers can purchase a ToyotaCare Plus, a pre-paid maintenance plan.

The terms of your factory warranty are very different from what you’ll see in extended warranty plans. Below are more details on each of the warranty policies that Toyota offers:

*Hybrid battery coverage for 2020 models lasts 10 years or 150,000 miles.

Toyota CPO Warranty

Not every used Toyota comes with warranty coverage, but Toyota certified used vehicles do. Referred to by many manufacturers as certified pre-owned (CPO), these vehicles have been inspected and verified by Toyota to be mechanically sound and up to specific standards.

As a result, Toyota CPO vehicles come with their own warranties that add on to the factory coverage. These include:

• Toyota CPO limited comprehensive warranty (1 year/12,000 miles): This bumper-to-bumper plan comes with every Toyota CPO vehicle, including hybrid Toyota vehicles. Coverage begins from the date of the used vehicle purchase.
• Toyota CPO limited powertrain warranty (7 years/100,000 miles): This plan provides basic powertrain protection that includes coverage for all internally lubricated parts, which includes major engine and transmission components from the in-service date.

How To See If Your Toyota Warranty Is Still Valid

If you are unsure of whether or not your Toyota is still under factory warranty, it’s easy to find out in one of a few ways. All you’ll need is your vehicle identification number (VIN) and your mileage.

You can find your VIN in several places on the vehicle. The easiest places to access are in the driver’s side door jamb and where the dash meets the windshield on the driver’s side. Your mileage will be displayed on your odometer. Depending on your vehicle, you may have to turn it on to read it.

Once you have this information written down, you can use it to find out your warranty status. One way is to call a Toyota dealer and ask them to look up your status. However, you may find it easier to use an online portal that can look that information up for you. There are several sites that offer this service. Just be aware that many of them will use this information to try to sell you an extended warranty.

Toyota Reliability Rating

One of the best ways to determine whether extended warranties are worth the cost is to take a look at a car’s reliability rankings, common issues, and associated repair costs. For years, Toyota has been one of the best-selling brands around the world. According to Motoring Research, the Japanese manufacturer had the highest number of car registrations (the only one to break eight million) in 2018. It also ranked in Fortune Global 500 as the 10th largest company in the world, according to revenue figures from December 2019.

There is good reason for the company’s popularity. Overall, Toyotas are known for their dependability. The company makes affordable, durable and reliable cars. RepairPal ranks the brand eighth out of 32 manufacturers for reliability. In 2019, Toyota vehicles accounted for half of the 38 most reliable new cars in a list compiled by U.S. News & World Report.

Toyota Maintenance Costs

In addition to being one of the most reliable auto brands on the market, Toyotas also have relatively inexpensive maintenance costs. According to data from RepairPal users, Toyotas’ average annual maintenance and repair cost is $441 per year.

However, if one expensive repair would do serious damage to your budget, the Toyota extended warranty cost you pay could be worth it. We’ve listed five potentially expensive component exclusions to keep in mind:

Common Toyota Repairs

Still, even with Toyota’s well-founded reputation for reliability, it’s important to remember all cars aren’t immune to mechanical issues. Some particular models, even ones known for their reliability, have higher maintenance costs than others. Here are three of the most common problems affecting three of the most reliable Toyota models and their repair costs:

• Toyota Corolla: An engine starter repair costs between $401 and $477
• Toyota Tacoma: Fixing a lower ball joint costs between $223 and $519
• Toyota Highlander: Repairing a faulty oxygen sensor costs between $817 and $1,799

Benefits of A Toyota Extended Warranty

An extended warranty can protect your wallet from potentially expensive repairs down the road, but if the coverage price is too high, you are better off saving for the cost of repairs yourself. Since the (at least) $1,000 you will likely spend on a Toyota Extended warranty exceeds the average costs of covered repairs, you may be better off saving for the repairs if you can afford them.

For those who can’t afford it and own a Toyota vehicle that is no longer under coverage, it is important to consider the upsides of purchasing an extended warranty, which includes:

• Peace of Mind: Rest easy knowing any unexpected issues will be covered.
• Transferable: Most extended warranties are transferable between private parties and could be attractive to a potential buyer.
• Customizable: Many third-party extended warranties are customizable based on your needs and desired level of coverage. This includes added benefits like access to roadside assistance, towing, and fuel delivery reimbursement for rental cars or trip interruptions.
• Factory-trained technicians: Covered drivers have access to certified mechanics and Toyota’s nationwide network of factory-trained technicians and dealerships
• Extended Coverage: These protection plans provide coverage beyond the factory warranty tenure for those who want to keep their cars for a long time.
• Avoid Unexpected, Costly Repairs: A monthly payment typically costs less than one-time, expensive repair bills on the vehicle in the long run.
• Options: There’s opportunity to shop around for the best terms and price, as extended warranties are offered by third-party companies in addition to the manufacturer.

A Toyota extended warranty can protect you after the initial plan expires if you plan to keep your car for the long haul. Moreover, the benefits above are multiplied for those planning to keep their Toyotas long. A Catch-22 is surrounding Toyota’s renowned reliability is that Toyota drivers tend to keep their vehicles longer.

In fact, the average ownership of a Toyota is about 10 years – long after the standard three-to-five-year factory warranty. Studies show that 10 of the 15 cars that people keep the longest are Toyota models. Since longer ownership leads to increased maintenance and repair costs over time, the benefits of extended coverage increase at a steep rate after the factory warranty expires.

1. Use the repair shop of your choice: Factory extended warranties may also include price markups and dictate that all repairs be performed only at the dealership, while third-party companies have more competitive pricing and allow you to use the certified repair shop of your choice. A third-party warranty provider will generally approve coverage for service work and repairs billed to any mechanic who’s certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE^®).
2. More customization: Third-party extended warranty plans are not geared toward a specific auto brand, encouraging a more transparent and flexible approach to coverage customization. Compared to factory coverage, an extended auto warranty is generally easier to customize and tweak for unique coverage and pricing needs.
3. Longer coverage periods: While customization choices will ultimately depend on the warranty provider’s flexibility, it’s not unusual to build your extended warranty plan according to projected driving mileage and the length of time you plan on owning and operating your vehicle. Because of this, independent extended warranty providers typically offer longer coverage lengths than manufacturers.
4. Lower prices: Third-party warranty providers are competing for attention from all types of vehicle owners, not just Toyota owners. This heightened level of customer competition typically translates to more affordable monthly premiums.
5. More coverage levels: While Toyota offers three good plans, many other extended warranty providers offer more than that. For example, CARCHEX has five levels of coverage, all of which are customizable. Endurance also offers comprehensive coverage plans, with six tiers of plans to choose from.
6. Purchase coverage at any time: You can only buy a Toyota VSA while the vehicle is under its factory warranty, or in the first three years or 36,000 miles of its life. Third-party extended car warranty companies allow you to buy coverage at almost any time, whether your car is new, used, or certified pre-owned. Even cars with well over 100,000 miles can be protected, which is likely for a reliable car like a Toyota.
7. Buy a Toyolta extended warranty online: If you choose to purchase an extended warranty, you can buy it from your local Toyota dealership or an independent provider. Toyota extended warranties must be purchased through a dealer, while third-party alternatives can be purchased online.

Endurance provides six vehicle protection plans: 

• Select Premier: Designed for vehicles with high mileage, protecting important components such as the engine, transmission and drive axle
• Secure: The most affordable coverage option, covering the most vital and most expensive components, including the engine, transmission, transfer case, drive axle, fuel and turbo/supercharger
• Secure Plus: A higher level of coverage that covers steering, electrical and braking systems
• Superior: The highest level of stated component coverage available, providing comprehensive protection for hundreds of car parts
• Supreme: Exclusionary coverage for the maximum protection from any breakdowns (most similar to the original factory warranty) 
• EnduranceAdvantage™: Covers mechanical breakdowns as well as maintenance, which is uncommon for an extended auto warranty

Each plan also comes with a year’s worth of Endurance Elite Benefits, which include 24/7 roadside assistance, key fob replacement, up to $1,000 toward a replacement vehicle, and more.

CARCHEX offers vehicle service contracts that provide coverage for your car up to 250,000 miles, with some plans that are designed specifically with older vehicles in mind. There are five CARCHEX contracts, each offering a different level of component coverage:

• Bronze: Coverage for the major systems of your vehicle, including the most common and expensive repairs
• Silver: Popular for vehicles with high mileage, providing coverage for the major systems
• Gold: Comprehensive coverage and flexible terms for vehicles with over 60,000 total miles
• Platinum: Highest level of stated component coverage that protects hundreds of parts in a vehicle’s major systems
• Titanium: Maximum bumper-to-bumper protection and the highest level of coverage, with only a short list of excluded parts

Each coverage plan gives you the freedom to choose your preferred maintenance repair shop and pays for the repair facility directly. The company also offers flexible and affordable monthly payments.

We’ve reached out to CARCHEX for several extended warranty quotes to help give you an idea of CARCHEX warranty costs. Of course, your own rates may vary depending on your vehicle and state. Each quote listed below came with a $100 deductible per repair.

There are six CarShield extended warranty plans, including a contract for motorcycles and ATVs:

• Silver: Most affordable policy with coverage for most major parts of your vehicle, from engine to water pump 
• Gold: Increased coverage for all major and minor vehicle parts, from engine and transmission to power windows
• Platinum: Intended for vehicles with high mileage, providing comprehensive protection for all the vital car systems
• Diamond: Similar to a manufacturer’s warranty
• Aluminum: Protects against electrical and computer-related problems
• Motorcycle and ATV: Applies to non-traditional vehicles, such as motorcycles and ATVs

When we reached out to CarShield for secret shopper quotes, we were offered some of the lowest monthly rates we’ve seen. See the table below to get an idea of CarShield contract costs, but keep in mind that your own rates may vary. The quotes we received came with a $100 deductible.