Speed Reads
- Endurance is our highest-rated warranty provider and takes the award for Best Coverage due to its six coverage levels and long term limits.
- CarShield holds our award for Best Monthly Payments due to its low monthly costs.
- Both companies’ scores are very similar, but Endurance holds a slight edge for having more coverage options and better benefits.
- Across certain sites, Endurance scores higher in customer satisfaction than CarShield.
After spending 1,475 hours researching the industry’s best extended car warranty companies, both CarShield and Endurance ranked as top providers. In this head-to-head comparison, we’ll take a look at CarShield vs. Endurance by considering their coverage options, plan costs, and overall customer satisfaction.
Our CarShield and Endurance Warranty Review And Methodology
We review several auto warranty providers to find the best the industry has to offer each year. Independent warranty companies are rated based on their scores in five main categories: industry standing, coverage, cost, transparency, and customer service.
Below, we broke down our overall ratings for each company so you can easily compare them against each other. Overall scores are categorized into five core areas: coverage, cost, reputation, customer service, and transparency.
| CarShield | Endurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Industry Standing | 3.9 | 4.4 |
| Coverage | 4.8 | 4.9 |
| Cost | 4.6 | 4.5 |
| Transparency | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Customer Service | 4.2 | 4.4 |
| Motor1 Rating | 4.5 | 4.6 |
How We Rated CarShield And Endurance Warranties
To give you the most current information, we update our review standards several times each year. Below are more details for what we look for in each rating category:
Industry Standing
Providers are given a high score in this category based on any awards, ratings, or recognitions by trusted warranty evaluators, like Kelley Blue Book, CARFAX, or the Better Business Bureau (BBB). We also consider customer reviews on sites like the BBB and Trustpilot, and how much experience a warranty provider has.
Coverage
Providers that offer several different coverage options are rewarded with a higher score in this category. If a company offers plans with long-term limits and several benefits, its Coverage score increases.
Cost
Providers that offer affordable coverage plans as well as deductible options can expect to see a higher score in the cost category. If these same providers offer discounts, their score will increase.
Transparency
When it comes to this category, if a company offers a money-back guarantee and allows customers to view sample contracts on coverage plan pages, it will receive a high score. Its website also has to be relatively clear and easy to navigate.
Customer Service
Strong customer reviews online bring providers high scores in this category. If a provider has a mobile app and offers an online chat option for customers, its score for customer service will increase as well.
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Overview
Both CarShield and Endurance are well-known names in the warranty industry and both serve a large customer base. Each of these providers is a top pick among third-party providers due to reliable coverage and relative affordability.
About CarShield
CarShield has been brokering extended car warranties since 2005 and is headquartered in Saint Peters, Missouri. CarShield offers five comprehensive automobile plans to choose from with coverage terms of up to 300,000 miles. It’s also one of the only top-rated providers to sell specialty coverage for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and motorcycles. This provider has the best extended car warranty for drivers on a budget thanks to its low monthly financing options.
Read more: CarShield review
About Endurance
Endurance provides the most comprehensive warranty on the market and was founded in Northbrook, Illinois, in 2006. Unlike CarShield, Endurance is not a broker. As a direct provider, it underwrites its own vehicle service contracts.
Of its six plans, one is unique in the industry for combining extended warranty coverage with maintenance coverage. Another notable aspect about Endurance is that each contract comes with a free year of Endurance Elite Benefits, which provide access to the best benefits in the industry.
Read more: Endurance warranty review
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Coverage
We reviewed 46 companies in the warranty industry to get an idea of what coverage each provider offered. When comparing CarShield vs. Endurance coverage, you’ll see that both providers offer a variety of auto coverage plans that can last for up to 200,000+ miles.
| CarShield | Endurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Automobile Coverage Levels | 5.0 | 6.0 |
| Highest Mileage Limit | 300,000 miles | 200,000+ miles |
| Coverage Waiting Period | 30 days and 1,000 miles | 30 days and 1,000 miles |
| Online Sample Contracts | ✔ | ✔ |
| Roadside Assistance | ✔ | ✔ |
| Rental Car Reimbursement | ✔ | ✔ |
| Trip Interruption Coverage | ✔ | |
| High-Mileage Vehicle Plan | ✔ | |
| Maintenance Plan | ✔ | |
| Motorcycle and ATV Plan | ✔ | |
| High-Tech Specialty Plan | ✔ |
Both companies’ coverage lineups include basic powertrain plans, mid-tier plans, and full bumper-to-bumper warranties. However, each provider also offers a unique specialty plan.
The EnduranceAdvantage™ plan is a combination between an extended warranty and a maintenance plan, while CarShield’s Aluminum coverage is tailored to high-tech vehicles with many advanced electrical features.
Our team conducted an extended warranty survey in 2022 that showed 52 percent of respondents considering coverage to matter the most when choosing a warranty company. Below you’ll find the coverage options from each provider.
CarShield Coverage
CarShield offers five coverage plans for cars:
- Diamond: Exclusionary coverage warranty for newer vehicles (most similar to a factory warranty)
- Platinum: The highest level of inclusionary coverage for parts like the engine, transmission, cooling system, steering, and electrical system
- Gold: Enhanced powertrain coverage for the engine, transmission, starter, and power window motor
- Silver: Basic powertrain plan that covers lubricated engine parts, the drive axle, water pump, and transmission
- Aluminum: Specialty plan for luxury vehicles and cars with high-tech systems that covers power steering, cruise control, gauges, instrument clusters, LCD screens, and GPS systems
Motorcycle and ATV owners can also find coverage with a plan for specialty vehicles. Every CarShield warranty comes with added benefits including:
- 24/7 roadside assistance: This benefit provides help with roadside services as well as towing to the nearest repair shop if your vehicle becomes inoperable.
- Substitute transportation: If your vehicle is in the shop and is scheduled for more than four hours of labor, a rental vehicle can be reimbursed for up to $40 per day.
- Trip interruption coverage: If your vehicle breaks down more than 100 miles from your home and must be left at a repair facility overnight, this provides meal and lodging coverage up to $50 per day for a maximum of three days.
Endurance Coverage
Endurance offers six levels of coverage:
- Supreme: Comprehensive coverage bumper-to-bumper plan with a very short list of exclusions (most similar to a manufacturer’s warranty)
- Superior: The highest level of stated-component coverage, including most major vehicle system components
- Secure Plus: Mid-level stated-component plan that’s more extensive than the lower-tier Select Premier and Secure plans, covering steering components
- Select Premier: Designed for high-mileage vehicles, covering powertrain components as well as the cooling system, electrical components, and fuel delivery components
- Secure: Most basic and affordable Endurance warranty, which provides car owners with powertrain protection to cover the engine, drivetrain, and transmission
- EnduranceAdvantage: Covers mechanical breakdowns as well as regularly scheduled maintenance with three levels of coverage (Prime, Plus, and Preferred)
Endurance has one of the best benefit packages in the industry. Customers get rental car coverage, 24/7 roadside assistance, and trip interruption coverage for the duration of their contracts, and for their first year of coverage, drivers also get free enrollment into the Endurance Elite Benefits program. This program offers the following perks:
- Tire repairs and replacements
- Key fob replacement
- Identity theft recovery services
- Up to $5,000 in repair financing loans
- Up to $1,000 in total loss protection
- Collision discount
After your first year of coverage, you can reenroll in Endurance Elite Benefits for a fee.
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Cost
Our automotive research team reached out to CarShield and Endurance to find out which car warranty provider offers the best coverage prices. We also collected 2,215 data points to help gather the most thorough cost data for these two providers.
Bumper-To-Bumper Warranty Costs
We got bumper-to-bumper coverage quotes from both companies for a 2017 Honda CR-V with 45,000 miles. Each plan came with a $100 deductible. Here’s what CarShield and Endurance offered in terms of pricing:
| Term Length | Financing Terms | Down Payment | Total Cost | Cost Per Year of Coverage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CarShield Diamond | Unlimited | $139.99 monthly | First month's payment | Varies | $1,679.88 |
| Endurance Supreme | 5 years/ 100,000 miles | $114.00 for 30 months | $300.00 | $3,420.00 | $684.00 |
In our experience, CarShield has more affordable rates for car warranties than Endurance. In this case, though, Endurance’s extended warranty came at a far lower rate than the comparable option offered by CarShield.
Based on a survey our research team conducted in 2022, 56% of respondents purchased a warranty from CarShield. Despite the lower costs displayed above, this may be due to the generally lower monthly costs.
Powertrain Warranty Costs
When it comes to Powertrain coverage, CarShield provides a cheaper monthly rate. Both quotes we collected are for a 2017 Honda CR-V with 45,000 miles.
| Term Length | Financing Terms | Down Payment | Total Cost | Cost Per Year of Coverage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CarShield Silver | Unlimited month-to-month plan | $109.99 per month | One month | Varies | $1,319.88 |
| Endurance Secure | 5 years/ 54,000 miles | $133.28 per month for 24 months | $153.00 | $3,198.72 | $639.74 |
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Customer Service
Neither Endurance nor CarShield holds an A rating from the BBB, but Endurance scored better in terms of customer reviews.
| Rating Sites | CarShield | Endurance |
|---|---|---|
| BBB customer service rating | 1.3 | 3.6 |
| Trustpilot customer service rating | 4.0 | 3.9 |
*All ratings are out of 5.0 stars each.
However, both CarShield and Endurance received impressive marks on Trustpilot. It’s worth noting that CarShield has over 36,000 reviews on Trustpilot while Endurance only has over 6,000, however.
Our team analyzed 3,850 customer reviews to get a sense of what customers liked and disliked about each provider. Positive customer service reviews of CarShield report the ease of canceling coverage and excellent customer service. Negative reviews report issues with advertising, including unsolicited phone calls and mailers.
Endurance customer reviews shed light on helpful customer service agents and long-term customer satisfaction. But some drivers also report receiving unsolicited mailers and hit-or-miss customer service.
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Conclusion
Both Endurance and CarShield are reputable extended auto warranty providers which offer great coverage plans that give drivers peace of mind. However, the companies differ slightly in terms of transparency, coverage, cost, customer service, and reputation.
Based on our reviews of both providers, we believe Endurance slightly edges out CarShield. Still, we recommend getting quotes from each company before making a final decision.
Car Warranty Companies Like CarShield And Endurance
CarShield and Endurance are a couple solid options when it comes to extended car warranties, but they might not be the best fit for every driver. You can ensure you’ll find the best provider for your needs by comparing quotes from several companies. To get you started, we’ve included our other top picks below.
ForeverCar: 4.5 Stars
ForeverCar takes our award for Best Value due to its low-to-average prices and multiple deductible options. This company is an enticing choice for many drivers because of its discounted rates to a subscription vehicle repair plan and online chat option for customers. ForeverCar has over 5,000 reviews on Trustpilot, 97 percent of which give the provider a five-star rating.
Read more: ForeverCar reviews
Olive: 4.5 Stars
Olive.com™ takes our award for Best Online Warranty due to its unique subscription-based billing model. This company gives customers the ability to cancel their subscription at any time and coverage starts as soon as you purchase your plan online. Olive offers three vehicle protection plans that can work for the varying needs of its customers.
Read more: Olive reviews
Some other great providers to check out are CARCHEX, Protect My Car, and autopom!.
CarShield Vs. Endurance Car Warranty Reviews: FAQ
Below are some common frequently asked questions about CarShield and Endurance extended warranties: