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- Protect My Car and CarShield both ranked in the top five of our best extended car warranty roundup.
- Protect My Car has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and a solid customer service reputation.
- CarShield offers more plan options than Protect My Car, including vehicle service contracts for motorcycles and ATVs.
In our review of the best extended warranty companies, both Protect My Car and CarShield ranked in the top five. This Protect My Car vs. CarShield review compares details about these providers head-to-head to help you decide which is the best option for your vehicle and your budget.
We’ll compare plan details, cost, customer service, and more. To compare free, personalized quotes from each provider, use the buttons below.
| Best Maintenance Benefits | Most Affordable |
 |
 |
| Protect My Car | CarShield |
  |
|
| Get Quote | Get Quote |
| (888) 430-0227 | (800) 563-2761 |
Highlights
CarShield and Protect My Car were both founded in 2005. While we think CarShield offers slightly better coverage at a generally lower cost, Protect My Car has a better customer service reputation. Here are our ratings for each company:
| Protect My Car | CarShield | |
|---|---|---|
| Industry Standing | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Coverage | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| Affordability | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| Customer Service | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Overall Rating | 4.5 | 4.5 |
CarShield offers six plans, including a plan specifically for high-tech components and a plan for motorcycle and ATV coverage. The company’s average customer ratings exceed 4.0 out of 5.0 stars on both Google and Trustpilot. Contracts are available in every state except California.
Protect My Car has longer financing terms, which means a lower monthly payment. There are plans designed with older vehicles in mind, and warranty contracts include coverage for oil changes and tire rotations. Protect My Car has limited state availability and is not available in Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Missouri, Oklahoma, or Washington.
Protect My Car vs. CarShield Coverage
When you compare Protect My Car vs. CarShield in terms of coverage offerings, you’ll see that CarShield has more plans to choose from. Let’s take a look at both providers’ plan options.
Protect My Car offers only three warranty plans:
- Supreme: The highest level of coverage, this plan is intended for newer vehicles. It has a $100 deductible and covers the majority of vehicle parts.
- Select: Intended for used vehicles with more than 50,000 miles on the odometer, this plan covers most vehicle parts, except for the turbocharger. It also has a $100 deductible.
- Driveline: Intended to cover older vehicles that already have more than 80,000 miles, this plan covers many vehicle components, minus the suspension, brake system parts, and turbocharger. It has a $200 deductible.
In addition to these coverage options, Protect My Car also offers Ambassador Maintenance Plans. These are designed for high-mileage vehicles but only cover 50 to 75% of auto repair costs. Covered components are similar to those in the plans listed above.
CarShield has more coverage levels to choose from, including a powertrain warranty plan, which Protect My Car does not offer. CarShield plans include:
- Diamond: This is an exclusionary plan that covers all systems and components of your vehicle, except for a short list of non-covered parts.
- Platinum: This plan covers certain parts of your vehicle’s engine, transmission, cooling system, air conditioning, steering, brakes, electrical components, fuel pump, and more.
- Gold: This enhanced powertrain coverage plan includes coverage for common powertrain components like your engine, transmission, and drivetrain, as well as electrical systems like the alternator, power window motors, and starter.
- Silver: The Silver plan provides powertrain coverage for the engine, transmission, water pump, and drive axles.
- Aluminum: This is a specialty plan for computer-related and electrical components, including the power seat control, sensors, cruise control, electronic gauges, and LCD screens.
- Motorcycle & ATV: These specialty warranty contracts cover motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles.
In addition to paying for car repairs after a mechanical breakdown, both providers offer additional benefits with every vehicle protection plan. Here are the perks offered by Protect My Car vs. CarShield:
| Protect My Car | CarShield | |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Hour Roadside Assistance | ? | ? |
| Courtesy Towing | ? | ? |
| Rental Car Reimbursement | ? | ? |
| Trip Interruption Allowance | ? | ? |
| Tire Rotations | ? | |
| Oil Changes | ? |
With both Protect My Car and CarShield, customers can find full-coverage, bumper-to-bumper warranty options. However, if you are looking for powertrain-only coverage, CarShield is the better choice. Protect My Car includes coverage for tire rotations and oil changes with all contracts, which is a nice perk but by itself is not enough to recommend one provider over the other.
Protect My Car vs. CarShield Cost
Extended car warranty pricing varies based on a number of factors, including:
- Deductible
- Coverage level
- Vehicle age and mileage
- Vehicle make and model
To give you an idea of how much contracts from Protect My Car vs. CarShield can cost, we reached out for several quotes from each provider. The following table shows quotes for exclusionary contracts to cover a 2018 Toyota Camry with 28,000 miles. Each contract came with a $100 deductible.
| Provider | Plan Name | Term Length | Monthly Cost | Down Payment | Total Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protect My Car | Supreme | 4 years/ 100,000 miles |
$99.26 per month for 42 months |
$102 | $4,270.92 |
| CarShield | Diamond | 5 years/ 100,000 miles |
$83.28 per month for 18 months |
$295 | $1,792.04 |
In this case, the CarShield offer was significantly cheaper than the Protect My Car quote. The next set of quotes were for enhanced powertrain protection for a 2013 Honda Accord with 90,000 miles. Again, each contract came with a $100 deductible.
| Provider | Plan Name | Term Length | Monthly Cost | Down Payment | Total Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protect My Car | Driveline | 4 years/ 75,000 miles |
$78.86 per month for 42 months |
$85 | $3,397.12 |
| CarShield | Gold | Unlimited | $99.99 monthly | First payment | $4,799.52 (for 4 years of coverage) |
CarShield also offers fixed payment plans that are a little cheaper than the unlimited option. The cost of such a contract is likely to be lower than the Protect My Car quote listed above.
You can get your own free, personalized quote from each company by clicking below.
| Best Maintenance Benefits | Most Affordable |
| |
|
| Protect My Car | CarShield |
|
|
| Get Quote | Get Quote |
| (888) 430-0227 | (800) 563-2761 |
Protect My Car vs. CarShield Customer Service
While neither Protect My Car nor CarShield is accredited by the BBB, Protect My Car has an A+ rating while CarShield has an F. Here’s how Protect My Car vs. CarShield compare in terms of other customer service scores:
| Protect My Car | CarShield | |
|---|---|---|
| BBB Accreditation | No | No |
| BBB Rating | A+ | F |
| BBB Customer Rating | 4.6 out of 5.0 based on over 630 reviews |
1.5 out of 5.0 based on over 850 reviews |
| Number of BBB Complaints in the Last Three Years |
Over 130 | Over 700 |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.4 out of 5.0 based on more than 1,400 reviews |
4.1 out of 5.0 based on more than 16,800 reviews |
Protect My Car customer reviews mention helpful customer service reps and satisfaction with coverage. Here are a couple of examples:
“Great company. Took care of my issue very professionally and right away. Customer service rep Joshua P. was great and kept me posted with every move.” – Kashif U. via BBB
“I left CarShield, and I do not regret it. So, far [Protect My Car] has not disappointed […] They do what they say they are going to do and they are reachable in every department. They work fast with my mechanic.” – Sugar via BBB
CarShield customer reviews are more mixed. While some customers are happy with their coverage, others feel like their contract did not pay out as promised.
“It went great. It’s amazing. If I had not had [a CarShield warranty], it would have cost me over $1,700 for my repair. I have it on my daughters’ vehicles as well.” – Roosevelt via BBB
“We have had CarShield for over two years, and when the transmission went out in our truck, we tried very unsuccessfully to get in touch with them. [We were] told someone will call us back within [an] hour from claims. Never happened.” – L.F. via BBB
Most extended warranties come with a long list of exclusions. It is not uncommon for customers to purchase contracts without fully understanding what is and is not covered. That’s why it’s important to carefully read any contract thoroughly before you sign it. When it comes to Protect My Car vs. CarShield, based on customer reviews, Protect My Car seems to do a better job handling claims.
Final Thoughts
Protect My Car and CarShield are both good options for extended auto warranty coverage. While Protect My Car has a stronger customer service reputation, CarShield offers more contracts and coverage at a lower cost. We think Protect My Car may offer greater peace of mind, but you’ll pay a premium for that.
| Protect My Car | CarShield | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage Levels | 3 | 6 |
| Sample Contracts Available | ? | ? |
| Deductible | $0+ | $0+ |
| Coverage Waiting Period | 30 days/1,000 miles | 20 days/500 miles |
| Years in Business | 16 | 16 |
| Accepted Repair Sites | Any repair facility certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE®) | Any ASE-certified repair shop |
| Transferable Plan | ? | ? |
| Cancellable Plan | ? | ? |
| 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee | ? | ? |
| Get Quote | Get Quote | Get Quote |
Top Recommendations for Extended Car Warranties
If neither Protect My Car nor CarShield seems to fit the bill for your extended warranty needs, you might consider two of our other top-recommended providers: Endurance and CARCHEX. You can compare these providers head-to-head in our Endurance vs. CARCHEX review or read a little bit about them below.
Endurance: Best Overall
Endurance is one of the few extended car warranty companies that administers its own contracts. Being a direct provider allows Endurance to keep rates low while giving drivers the most comprehensive warranty coverage in the industry.
Endurance can cover vehicles over 200,000 miles, and all contracts include one free year of Endurance Elite Membership. Learn more by reading our complete Endurance warranty review, or get a free quote from the provider below.
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Best Overall
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Industry veteran that handles your plan directly, from quote to claim |
CARCHEX: Best for Older Vehicles
CARCHEX has been around for over 20 years and is one of the first dedicated extended warranty providers. Like Protect My Car, it has an A+ rating from the BBB and a reputation for quality customer service.
We think CARCHEX is a good fit for drivers of older, high-mileage cars, as it offers low-cost contracts for vehicles up to 250,000 miles. Check out our full CARCHEX review for more, or click below to get a free, no-obligation CARCHEX quote.
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Best for Used Cars
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Top-rated provider with unmatched customer service and affordable coverage |
Original article: Protect My Car vs. CarShield Extended Warranty
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