Protect My Car and CARCHEX are both excellent options for your extended auto warranty needs. This review takes a side-by-side look at Protect My Car vs. CARCHEX. Learn more about each company and see how the two compare in terms of cost, coverage, and customer service.
You can get free, personalized quotes from both companies by clicking below.
In this article:
Overview Of Protect My Car And CARCHEX
Protect My Car was established in 2005 and is based in Saint Petersburg, Florida. In addition to standard car warranty options, Protect My Car also offers what it calls Ambassador policies, which include prepaid maintenance as well as partial coverage for the cost of car repairs. These plans are tailored especially for older vehicles that don’t qualify for a typical vehicle service contract.
CARCHEX is a bit older, having been established in 1999. Today, it is one of the most recognizable providers on the market and has partnerships with several major companies including CARFAX, Edmunds.com, Kelley Blue Book, and RepairPal. CARCHEX is known for its plans that extend up to 10 years or 250,000 miles of coverage.
Protect My Car Vs. CARCHEX: Coverage
Protect My Car and CARCHEX both offer similar types of coverage, though CARCHEX has more contract options and higher coverage term limits.
| Protect My Car | CARCHEX | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage Levels | 3 | 5 |
| Highest Mileage Limit | 125,000 miles | 250,000 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 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Maintenance Plans | ✓ |
One important difference to note is that CARCHEX contracts are offered through several different administrators. This means that each level of CARCHEX coverage has multiple contract options from different companies. While these contracts are largely similar, there are slight differences such as reimbursement amounts for roadside assistance.
Protect My Car offers three levels of coverage:
- Supreme: Comprehensive stated-component coverage for most vehicle parts
- Select: High-level coverage for vehicles with more than 50,000 miles
- Driveline: Mid-level coverage for vehicles 4 to 10 years old with more than 80,000 miles
Protect My Car contracts all come with roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement, and a trip interruption allowance. The longest term for a Protect My Car contract is 125,000 miles.
In addition to the coverage described above, Protect My Car also sells Ambassador Maintenance Plans. These plans pay for the cost of oil changes and tire rotations, as well as a certain percentage of all repairs. There are three plans available:
- Elite: 50 percent off repairs for most parts except navigation systems
- Pro: 50 percent off repairs for most parts except navigation systems, and no roadside assistance
- Platinum: 75 percent off repairs for most parts except navigation systems
When comparing Protect My Car vs. CARCHEX, you will find that CARCHEX has more coverage options, each offered by multiple administrators. The five CARCHEX plan options include:
- Titanium: Exclusionary, bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage
- Platinum: Comprehensive stated-component coverage for nearly all vehicle systems
- Gold: Mid-level coverage for most major vehicle systems
- Silver: Enhanced powertrain coverage
- Bronze: Basic powertrain warranty coverage for your engine, transmission, and drivetrain
The longest CARCHEX contract term is 10 years/250,000 miles. As with Protect My Car contracts, all CARCHEX warranty plans also include roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement, and a trip interruption allowance.
Protect My Car Vs. CARCHEX: Cost
Our review team has reached out for quotes from all of the industry’s top warranty providers, including Protect My Car and CARCHEX. This first chart compares the cost of a bumper-to-bumper warranty from each provider. Contract terms were offered for the same vehicle: a 2016 Honda CRV with 45,000 miles on it.
| Protect My Car | CARCHEX | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Supreme | Titanium |
| Term Length | 4 years/100,000 miles | 5 years/125,000 miles |
| Monthly Cost | $ 125.00 for 40 months | $ 194.00 for 18 months |
| Down Payment | First month’s payment | First month’s payment |
| Total Cost | $ 4,048.00 | $ 3,492.00 |
| Deductible | $ 100.00 | $ 100.00 |
Protect My Car offers a longer financing period but comes with a higher overall cost for a shorter period of coverage.
For more basic coverage on a high-mileage vehicle, Protect My Car offered superior financing. The chart below shows contract details for a basic warranty on a 2013 Toyota Camry with 92,000 miles.
| Protect My Car | CARCHEX | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Driveline | Silver |
| Term Length | 4 years/75,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Monthly Cost | $ 65.82 for 48 months | $ 190.00 for 18 months |
| Down Payment | $ 90.00 | First month’s payment |
| Total Cost | $ 3,249.36 | $ 3,420.00 |
| Deductible | $ 100.00 | $ 100.00 |
Again, Protect My Car offered a longer financing period, but this time, at a lower overall cost. However, the CARCHEX plan lasts for one year longer (though 15,000 miles less).
Keep in mind that extended car warranty costs can vary from customer to customer and depend on a number of factors such as your vehicle age and mileage. To compare costs between the two providers for yourself, click below.
Protect My Car Vs. CARCHEX: Customer Service
Both Protect My Car and CARCHEX have strong customer service ratings. While CARCHEX has the superior industry standing, reviews from customers on sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot are stronger for Protect My Car. A customer service comparison is detailed in the chart below.
| Protect My Car | CARCHEX | |
|---|---|---|
| BBB Score | Not rated | A+ |
| BBB Customer Review Score | 5.0 / 5.0 | 2.0 / 5.0 |
| Trustpilot Score | 3.7 / 5.0 | 3.4 / 5.0 |
Protect My Car is neither rated nor accredited by the BBB. Protect My Car has fielded over 120 complaints in the last three years, while CARCHEX has received just over 90 complaints. Considering CARCHEX is a larger provider, this is notable.
Our Take On Protect My Car And CARCHEX
When it comes to Protect My Car vs. CARCHEX, we rate CARCHEX slightly higher because of its more comprehensive coverage and superior industry standing. Customer service ratings and costs are comparable between the two companies.
Protect My Car offers better terms for low-level coverage for high-mileage vehicles, while CARCHEX has cheaper options for bumper-to-bumper coverage. And while Protect My Car reviews appear to be slightly better, it has fielded a higher number of BBB complaints despite being a smaller company. CARCHEX warranty reviews are largely positive, even if customer ratings are a bit lower overall.
| Protect My Car | CARCHEX | |
|---|---|---|
| Industry Standing | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| Coverage | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| Cost | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Transparency | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Customer Service | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Motor1 Rating | 4.5 | 4.5 |
Both Protect My Car and CARCHEX made our list of the best extended auto warranty providers, so you can’t go wrong with either. The best way to decide which of the two companies would be cheaper for you is to compare rates yourself. You can get free, personalized quotes from both providers below.
