What Is a Ford Extended Service Plan?

When you purchase a Ford vehicle from a dealership, you are usually given the option to purchase an extended service plan (ESP) to help cover the cost of certain repairs. One way to think of an extended service plan, often called an extended warranty, is like health insurance for your car. When you need a covered repair, you go to an approved repair shop and pay a deductible and your extended warranty covers the rest.

Read on to learn the specifics of a Ford Extended Service Plan, as well as other protection options for your Ford vehicle, including extended warranty coverage from CARCHEX.

What’s Included in a Ford Extended Service Plan?

A Ford ESP can help minimize the costs to keep your car on the road. Most of the benefits of an extended service plan are in the covered repairs offered by your plan. There are four types of service plans available from Ford Protect.

Extended warranties often include extra perks for your vehicle. Ford includes these benefits in their extended service plans:

• 24-hour roadside assistance
• Repairs made by trained Ford mechanics using genuine Ford parts
• Coverage is transferable if you sell the car, which increases your resale value
• Rental vehicle benefits
• Up to 8 years of coverage

How Does a Ford ESP Differ from a Ford Warranty?

When you buy a Ford Extended Service Plan, you’re buying protection for additional items not usually covered in a factory warranty. You may think that an extended service plan sounds just like a warranty. After all, extended service plans are often called extended warranties.

Even though they are both authorized by Ford Motor Company, there are important differences between a Ford ESP and manufacturer warranty, as well as factory warranties for certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles.

Differences Between Manufacturer’s Warranty and Extended Service Plan

Although each of the warranties included in a new Ford purchase covers different components, manufacturer warranty coverage is limited to parts or components that are found to be defective. This limits your factory warranty coverage and does not include breakdowns or repairs needed due to the regular wearing of your car’s components.

On the other hand, an extended vehicle service contract provides covered repairs for stated components due to normal use of your vehicle. As your car ages and parts begin to naturally wear out, your extended warranty plan may cover the necessary repairs. Other differences between a manufacturer’s warranty and an extended service plan include:

• Payment: Factory warranties are included in your vehicle’s price while extended service plans are an additional cost.
• Coverage Options: Your manufacturer’s warranty covers your vehicle for a set term determined by the manufacturer. An extended warranty service contract allows you to customize your coverage terms.
• Repair Costs: For coverage of defective or faulty parts, your manufacturer’s warranty usually covers the cost of repairs completely. Extended warranties, or extended service plans, usually require a small deductible to be paid for covered repairs.

A Ford manufacturer’s warranty offers protection to defective parts on your new or CPO vehicle. However, the limited coverage terms mean your new vehicle will lose protection in only a few years. Purchasing an extended warranty from third-party warranty company like CARCHEX can help you protect your vehicle longer.

Protection Options for Your Ford Vehicle

The best way to protect your Ford is through a third-party protection plan from a reputable extended warranty provider like CARCHEX. There are numerous benefits to choosing a third-party company over a branded Ford ESP, including:

• Repair Options: Ford Protect Extended Service Plans require you to get repairs done at Ford dealerships. With a CARCHEX or other third-party protection plan, you’re free to choose your own mechanic.
• Affordability: Most dealerships will mark up the price of an extended Ford warranty, while a third-party provider can offer competitive pricing.
• Used Vehicle Coverage: Third-party warranty companies allow you to purchase an extended warranty on new cars, CPO vehicles, and used cars, even those with higher mileage. At a dealership, only certain cars are eligible for extended protection.

Get Top-Rated Service at CARCHEX

At CARCHEX, our team of knowledgeable and friendly protection specialists do the research to find you the best extended warranty protection for your Ford vehicle. We offer comprehensive coverage with flexible options, so you can customize your protection to be exactly what you need.

Each of our five coverage tiers have several plan options underneath—all backed by reliable industry experts. Our plan tiers include:

• Titanium Coverage—Bumper-to-bumper protection for up to 10 years
• Platinum Coverage—Hundreds of stated components covered
• Gold Coverage—Coverage for most important car systems and ideal for cars over 60,000 miles
• Silver Coverage—Up to 7 years of protection for the major systems in your Ford vehicle.
• Bronze Coverage—Coverage for the most expensive car repairs and great for older or high mileage vehicles.

Not only do we have flexible coverage options, but there are plenty of other reasons to choose a CARCHEX extended warranty over a Ford Protect ESP:

• BBB Rating: We’ve got an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau for commitment to customer service and honesty.
• BBB Accreditation: Since 2009, we’ve also been accredited by the BBB, meaning we follow the rigorous BBB standards for businesses.
• Additional Perks: Just like the Ford Protect program, we offer a range of benefits for customers, including roadside assistance and rental car benefits.
• Multiple Options: We offer 5 levels of coverage with multiple service contracts to fit almost every car and every budget.
• Customer Satisfaction: We hold ourselves to the highest level of customer service and believe in “Customer Experience Above All.” If you’re not happy with your plan, we’ll give you your money back within the first 30 days.
• Affordability: We offer manageable, interest-free monthly payment options, and we don’t require a deductible like Ford does. When you call us for a quote, our No-Haggle, Low-Price Everyday Guarantee™ promises that you’ll get the best price up front.

Working with CARCHEX gives you assurance that you’re protected by an industry leader that’s endorsed by partners like Kelley Blue Book, DMV.org, the Vehicle Protection Association, and more.

Get a free, customized quote online or call our vehicle protection specialists toll-free at 866-261-3457.

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Sources:

FTC: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2015/01/warranties-and-service-contracts-101https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2015/01/warranties-and-service-contracts-101

US News & World Report: https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/should-you-get-an-extended-warranty

KBB: https://www.kbb.com/car-news/cpo-vs-extended-warranties-service-contracts/2100005973/

Edmunds: https://www.edmunds.com/auto-warranty/five-questions-to-ask-before-you-say-yes-to-an-extended-warranty.html

Better Business Bureau: bbb.org/greater-maryland/business-reviews/extended-warranty-contract-service-companies/carchex-in-hunt-valley-md-23015869