When you’re purchasing a new car, there are a lot of decisions to make. One of the most important can be the choice of whether to purchase an extended warranty. To help you navigate your options, our team reviewed the top extended car warranty companies out there and highlighted a few that stood out to us.
In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look into an extended warranty provider you may not have heard of: MasterTech. While the MasterTech Vehicle Protection Program wasn’t included in our group review, we still think it’s worth taking the time for a deep dive to see what protection the company can provide.
To go ahead and get free quotes from the industry’s leading warranty companies, click below.
Summary: What We Think About MasterTech
Founded nearly 20 years ago, MasterTech has substantial experience in the automotive industry and offers a wide range of coverage plans and options, as well as several ancillary programs not available from other providers. While the company provides coverage to old and high-mileage vehicles, the major downfall is it appears to only be available for purchase through dealerships – meaning you must acquire the service at the time you buy the new or pre-owned vehicle.
MasterTech Warranty Coverage
When MasterTech claims the company offers a wide variety of coverage options and plans, it really means it. The company offers at least five options, and that doesn’t include its supplementary plans.
The MasterTech Vehicle Protection Plan options are as follows. Each higher tier includes everything in the lower tiers.
| Plan Name | Covered Items |
|---|---|
| Primary | • Engine • Transmission • Drive axles/four-wheel drive |
| Premier | • Suspension • Steering • Electrical • Brakes • Air conditioning • Fuel |
| Elite | • Cooling • High-tech accessories |
| Ultra | • Additional non-excluded items |
| Ultra Plus | • Battery • Belts and hoses • Brake pads • Diagnostics • Electrical • Fluids • Headlamps • Related damage • Spark plugs • Wheel alignment • Windshield wiper blades |
All plans include additional perks like 24/7 roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement, and emergency travel assistance. The plans also come in a variety of brand new and used car options: up to 8 years or 125,000 miles. While vehicle service contracts can be transferred from one owner to the next when you’re ready to sell your vehicle, the company will charge a fee for this service. (This is common among extended warranty providers, and the fee is usually $40 or $50.)
Since coverage varies by state and plans are available through dealerships, it can be helpful to look on the local dealership’s website for more information.
MasterTech Vehicle Protection Program for Powersports
Now, here’s something not all extended warranty providers offer: powersport vehicle coverage. We won’t go into this in too much detail, but take a quick look at what the options for all you on-and off-road enthusiasts out there:
| Coverage Options | What's Included |
|---|---|
| On-Road Units | • 24-hour roadside assistance • Towing/pick-up service • Substitute transportation reimbursement • Emergency travel interruption |
| Off-Road Units (Motorcycle, ATV, Side-by-side, Snowmobile) | • 24-hour roadside assistance |
| Off-Road Units (Marine) | • Towing/pick-up service • Hoist/haul-out reimbursement • Emergency travel interruption |
MasterTech Supplementary Protection Programs
Beginning in 2019, MasterTech expanded its offerings with a whopping number of additional services and coverage plans for those customers looking for more. We found this to be one area where MasterTech stands out from other third-party providers: the sheer number of coverage options for every part of your car. We’ll give an overview of the expansive menu and briefly describe each in a table below.
The MasterTech Complete Protection plans is the overall general extras package and provides customers the option to bundle some of the provider’s popular ancillary service products. The individual plans can also be purchased without a package.
MasterTech Ancillary Vehicle Complete Protection Coverage levels:
- Primary: SafeRide Motor Club Enrollment and Key Replacement
- Premier: Primary plus Windshield Repair
- Elite: Premier plus Dent Repair
- Ultra: Elite plus Road Hazard Protection
- Optional Cosmetic Wheel Replacement coverage (Ultra level only)
All plans carry the MasterTech money-back guarantee, and each component offering comes in its own optional plan levels and added benefits. See the chart below for details.
| Product Name | MasterTech Coverage Options |
|---|---|
| Dent Protection | Warrants against minor scratches and dents. Technicians use a paintless dent removal technique to remove blemishes without sanding or bonding. Covers up to $250 or $500. |
| Environmental Protection | Protects your vehicle (including the windshield) from damage due to environmental elements and unexpected interior damage. |
| Key Replacement | Covers a new key or key fob for up to $450 or $900. |
| Road Hazard | Covers structural and cosmetic damage to tires and wheels caused by road hazards such as debris, potholes, and curbs. |
| Windshield Protection | Covers chip or crack prevention and windshield replacement reimbursement (could be either non-OEM or OEM replacement windshield). |
| Theft Deterrent | Provides a financial benefit of either $2,500 or $5,000 that can be applied towards replacing a stolen vehicle. |
MasterTech Vehicle Protection Program Claims Process
Repairs to your covered vehicle can be completed at any authorized repair facility in the U.S or Canada – authorized being the key word. We found what MasterTech really wants you to do is take your vehicle to the dealership of purchase for repair or get approval and instructions from the correct administrator if you’re not able to use that facility.
Like many extended warranty companies out there, MasterTech is backed by an insurance company, and its claims operate through administrators (companies that process claims and assist customers). There are different administrators for different states.
One convenient aspect of MasterTech’s process is the direct payment of claims. Authorized repair facilities are paid by an administrator via credit card right away, so you don’t have to pay up front and wait for reimbursement. MasterTech also allows customers to choose a deductible price that suits their needs. Some plans include lower deductibles when you get your repairs done at the original selling dealer.
MasterTech Customer Service
While we couldn’t find a listing for MasterTech on Better Business Bureau (BBB), we did find its administrators, all of which earn an A+ ratings on the customer service ranking site.
Cost of MasterTech Coverage
Extended warranty prices depend on several factors such as your state of residence. MasterTech plans in particular can vary in price, as they are sold by the dealership where you purchase your car. The company will consider not only the dealership location where you purchased your vehicle, but also:
- The make and model of your car
- The year and mileage of your car
- Your chosen deductible amount
- The level of coverage you need
You can also bundle your extended warranty coverage in the purchase price of your vehicle. Now, this also means any interest rate applied to your auto loan would affect the total cost of your MasterTech warranty.
Our Verdict: MasterTech Vehicle Protection Program
Overall, we found MasterTech to be a well-rounded extended warranty company worthy of consideration. If we had to give it a superlative, we’d definitely dub the company “Most Variety of Coverage.” Its selection of policy choices is extensive and gives consumers with special areas of interest – like powersports and environments damage concerns – a place to get coverage tailored specifically to them.
The complicated nature of its administration team seems likely to not be an issue, since most customers stay in one place and will have access to the dealership where the vehicle was purchased, but that’s definitely something to discuss with your dealership when you ask about the MasterTech warranty options available to you.
Other Extended Warranty Options
To cover all your bases and thoroughly investigate the best coverage for your vehicle, check out these top extended warranty companies. Unlike MasterTech, many of these companies provide coverage for cars that haven’t recently been on the lot.
When shopping for extended warranties, the best thing to do is call around and get quotes customized to your specific vehicle. That way, you can compare each company’s prices and get a feel for customer service. Get a free quote from our top three providers below:
Methodology
In an effort to provide accurate and unbiased information to consumers, our expert review team collects data from dozens of extended auto warranty companies to formulate rankings of the best providers. Companies receive a score in each of the following categories, as well as an overall weighted score out of 5.0 stars.
- Industry Standing: Warranty providers with a history of strong business practices and endorsements from experts receive the highest scores in this category.
- Coverage: This rating is based on types of extended warranty plans available, coverage terms, and added benefits like roadside assistance.
- Cost: Our research team reviews sample quotes for a variety of plans and vehicles. Companies with lower prices per year of coverage receive the best scores.
- Transparency: This score takes into account contract transparency and the availability of a money-back guarantee.
- Customer Service: We comb through customer reviews and perform our own shopper analysis to get a sense of the responsiveness and helpfulness of each warranty company.