American Auto Repair Coverage Reviews
American Auto Repair Coverage is backed by reputable extended warranty administrators, but plan details are sparse and information is hard to come by.
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Key Points:
- Our research team gave American Auto Repair Coverage an overall rating of 3.9 out of 5.0 stars based on its reputation, coverage, cost, transparency, and customer service.
- American Auto Repair Coverage is an extended warranty broker rather than provider, as it doesn’t directly administer the plans it sells. Plans are administered by CarGuard.
- Details on American Auto Repair Coverage’s extended warranty offerings are practically nonexistent online. You’ll need to contact a customer service representative for more details on exactly what its plans entail.
A vehicle’s manufacturer warranty covers repairs to a limited number of components, but once it expires, the owner is responsible for repairs. An extended car warranty, or vehicle service contract, can protect you from large, unexpected repair bills and provide peace of mind.
In this article, we’ll take a close look at American Auto Repair Coverage, detailing its estimated costs and coverage options and diving into customer reviews and ratings. We’ll also recommend some other extended car warranty providers based on our extensive industry research.
An extended car warranty refers to mechanical breakdown coverage offered by a vehicle manufacturer. However, this term is often mistakenly used to describe coverage from third-party companies. Independent providers offer similar protection through vehicle service contracts, but we’ve used the terms interchangeably in this article for convenience.
Our American Auto Repair Coverage Warranty Review
American Auto Repair Coverage–also known as AARC–is a family-owned and operated company. We appreciate how plans come with roadside assistance and one free year of maintenance services.
However, plan details aren’t readily available through the company’s website, making it difficult to compare options without calling to speak with a customer representative. If you’re looking for a company with plan details offered readily to consumers, we suggest looking elsewhere for an extended auto warranty.
See the table below for a breakdown of our overall American Auto Repair Coverage rating.
| Overall Rating | 3.9/5.0 |
|---|---|
| Industry Standing | 4.2 |
| Coverage | 3.9 |
| Cost | 4.1 |
| Transparency | 3.5 |
| Customer Service | 4.0 |
American Auto Repair Coverage Customer Reviews
American Auto Repair Coverage holds a 3.4 out of 5.0-star rating through the Better Business Bureau (BBB). It currently has no Trustpilot profile or Google reviews and fewer than 30 BBB customer reviews, which makes it hard to judge.
As with many other extended warranty providers, the reviews we could find for American Auto Repair Coverage are mixed. However, the positive reviews outweigh the negative. Positive reviews cite a speedy claims process with good payouts and customer service. Customers with negative reviews mention difficulty getting in touch with a representative and unclear terms.
About American Auto Repair Coverage
American Auto Repair Coverage was founded in 2012. Headquartered in St. Peters, Missouri, it has over 10 years of experience in the extended warranty industry. Its extended warranty contracts are administered by CarGuard, a reputable warranty administrator that serves most states.
American Auto Repair Coverage Warranty Plans
As of March 2023, there is no longer any overview or details about American Auto Repair Coverage’s extended warranty coverage plans. This change may be due to the fact that AARC used to partner with different warranty administrators. This could result in varying coverage plans and terms depending on the customer’s location, which would make listing plans online more complicated.
American Auto Repair Coverage Plan Options
The two entities that used to administer warranty plans for American Auto Repair Coverage were SunPath and CarGuard. However, American Auto Repair Coverage’s website now solely advertises its partnership with CarGuard, not SunPath.
You may want to research the protection plans that CarGuard offers, which range from exclusionary to powertrain coverage, before you contact American Auto Repair Coverage. Keep in mind that your vehicle’s make, model, year, mileage, and more could affect the coverage and terms you’re eligible for.
Although it’s possible to buy an extended warranty at almost any time, you’re better off buying one early into ownership if you want to save money. If your vehicle’s original warranty is still in effect, American Auto Repair Coverage recommends that you purchase a plan before the manufacturer’s warranty expires to avoid a gap in coverage.
American Auto Repair Coverage Warranty Perks
While American Auto Repair Coverage doesn’t provide specific plan details, it does offer general information on benefits that are provided with each warranty plan. These include:
- One year of maintenance reimbursement
- Lock-out and fuel delivery benefits
- 24-hour roadside assistance
- Rental car benefits
- Towing benefits
- Tire benefits
In addition, if you decide to sell your vehicle, you can transfer the remainder of the service contract to the new owner. Another option is to cancel your policy and receive a prorated refund. If you buy another vehicle, you can put the money from your refund toward the cost of an extended warranty for your new car.
American Auto Repair Coverage Warranty Exclusions
You’ll need to speak with an American Auto Repair Coverage customer service representative to find out exactly what your extended warranty plan doesn’t cover, as its website does not give a breakdown of offered service contracts. You likely won’t find coverage for wear and tear parts of your vehicle, such as upholstery, paint, and more.
While many extended warranty providers won’t offer new tire or routine maintenance reimbursements, American Auto Repair Coverage mentions that they offer these benefits. The exact terms, however, will need to be discussed with the provider.
American Auto Repair Coverage Claims Process
If your car breaks down, contact the Concierge Claims Service phone number on your personalized ID card right away to file a claim. A representative will arrange for repairs and get you a rental car.
Although American Auto Repair Coverage recommends that you have repairs performed at a dealership, it will cover eligible repairs performed at any repair shop that is certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE®). The company will pay a repair facility up front for any covered parts and labor, plus additional costs, such as taxes and shop fees.
American Auto Repair Coverage will pay the full cost of covered repairs, except the deductible, which you’ll have to pay after your car is fixed.
American Auto Repair Coverage Warranty Costs
You’ll need to contact American Auto Repair Coverage directly in order to get a quote for an extended warranty plan for your vehicle. Your quoted cost will vary depending on your choice of plan, vehicle model, model year, and mileage.
We gathered quotes from the top-rated providers in our industry-wide review to better understand average extended warranty costs. From this research, we found that the average cost for a vehicle service contract is $977 per year of coverage. See the table below for a breakdown of average yearly costs by plan type.
| Extended Warranty Type | Yearly
Coverage Costs |
|---|---|
| Exclusionary
(Covers most vehicle components) | $1,005 |
| Mid-Level
(Covers the vehicle’s drivetrain and a few extras) | $937 |
| Powertrain
(Cover the vehicle’s drivetrain, including its engine and transmission) | $953 |
American Auto Repair Coverage Reviews: Our Take
While American Auto Repair Coverage has some positive reviews online and plans are backed by a reputable extended warranty administrator, there is no information online detailing its coverage options. We recommend obtaining free quotes from other third-party vehicle service contractors that offer more transparency into their plans.
Our Extended Car Warranty Recommendations
Before you purchase a vehicle extended warranty or commit to any long-term contract, you should compare options and prices from several companies. We encourage you to choose an extended warranty provider that has great customer reviews, a solid industry reputation, and offers sample contracts online.
Our review of extended warranty providers found numerous companies that meet those criteria, including Endurance, Carchex, CarShield, and Olive. See below for more information on Endurance and Carchex, two extended car warranty companies we consider among the best.
Endurance: Best Overall
Endurance earned 4.6 out of 5.0 stars in our review. It has been selling extended warranties for more than 15 years. It offers six levels of distinctive coverage, which are available to vehicles up to eight years old or with 200,000 plus miles. It also offers mechanical breakdown insurance in California.
Each plan includes a year of Endurance Elite Benefits, which provides rewards, repair financing, roadside assistance, and other benefits. Endurance directly administers its vehicle service contracts. That means if you need your vehicle repaired, you only have to deal with Endurance representatives, not a third party, which can simplify the claims process.
Carchex: Best Industry Reputation
Offering extended vehicle protection plans for over 20 years, Carchex has earned several customer service awards along the way. The company has an A+ rating from the BBB and features extended warranty plans divided into five tiers with varying levels of coverage.
One thing we like about Carchex is its No-Haggle, Low-Price, Everyday Guarantee™. The company clearly explains its service contracts and doesn’t pressure you to buy a plan. That sets CARCHEX apart from many of its competitors. It also offers new customers a 30-day money-back guarantee in case of cancellation. For these reasons, we gave CARCHEX 4.4 out of 5.0 stars.
American Auto Repair Coverage: FAQ
Below are some commonly asked questions about American Auto Repair Coverage.
What is the average deductible for an extended car warranty?
Extended car warranty deductibles will vary depending on your choice of provider. You may end up paying anywhere from a few hundred dollars to nothing at all if your extended warranty company offers $0 deductibles to its customers. However, the lower your deductible, the more your plan may cost overall.
What is the difference between a standard car warranty and an extended car warranty?
A standard car warranty, or factory warranty, is coverage that comes from your manufacturer with the purchase of a new vehicle. Some manufacturers even offer limited factory warranties on certified pre-owned vehicles. This coverage is offered at no additional cost to you, unlike an extended car warranty, which is coverage that can be purchased to protect your new or used car once your factory warranty expires.
Is American Auto Shield the same as CarShield?
American Auto Shield and CarShield are not the same, but partners in the extended warranty sphere. As an extended warranty contract broker, CarShield markets plans that are administered by American Auto Shield. This means that if you’ve bought a vehicle service contract from CarShield, you may be dealing with American Auto Shield when filing a claim.
How We Rate Car Warranty Companies
Our review team extensively researches extended car warranty providers to deliver informed and unbiased assessments of leading companies. We evaluate several key rating factors that are important to consumers to determine which providers are the best in the industry:
- Reliability: Warranty providers that earn strong ratings from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), work with reliable partners and administrators, and have a long history in the warranty industry score well in this category.
- Coverage Plans: We take a close look at the coverage plans available through each provider, including how many are offered, maximum term limits, plan exclusions, and more. We also evaluate the added benefits companies include with their warranty plans, such as roadside assistance and trip interruption benefits.
- Pricing: Our team performs a secret shopper analysis for a variety of vehicles and coverage plans to get a sense of a provider’s average costs. We see how each company’s pricing, deductible options, and discount opportunities compare to competitors when determining this score.
- Transparency: We evaluate the availability and transparency of each company’s contracts, as well as whether each provider offers a money-back guarantee.
- Customer Experience: We consider customer reviews and complaints from sites like the BBB and Trustpilot. Our team also reaches out to customer service reps during our secret shopper analysis to get a sense of the customer experience with each company.
