Acura Care is available, but what are your other options?
- Do You Need An Acura Extended Warranty?
- Acura Repair Costs
- What Is Acura’s Extended Warranty?
- Benefits Of A Third-Party Extended Warranty
- Acura Extended Warranty Vs. Endurance
- What Acura Coverage Do You Already Have?
Advertiser Disclosure
If you’re buying a new Acura, chances are the last thing on your mind is the cost of repairs down the line. However, sooner or later, every car breaks down and needs repairs, which is when an Acura extended warranty can come in handy.
Most of your repair woes are taken care of by the dealer for the first few years of ownership thanks to Acura’s factory warranty. However, once that expires, you’re on your own, and you need to find a way to deal with the bills. Your options are to pay out of pocket, purchase an extended warranty from Acura, or purchase an extended warranty from a third-party provider.
After researching the best extended warranty providers, we’ve reviewed and compared these options with the Acura extended warranty.
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:
In this article:
Do You Need An Acura Extended Warranty?
Acura is Honda’s luxury brand, and just like its parent company, Acura has a reputation for reliability. In fact, Acura was rated the second most reliable car brand by RepairPal.
Given Acura’s great track record, do you need an Acura extended warranty?
Acura Extended Warranty | Coverage Terms |
---|---|
Acura Care Vehicle Service Contract | up to 8 years/120,000 miles |
If your vehicle is brand new, the answer is: Probably not right now. As soon as you drive your new Acura off the lot, you’re covered under its 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which offers bumper-to-bumper protection, plus a 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty.
However, once you hit the time or mileage limit, you’ll need to say goodbye to your factory warranty. It’s at this point – when you’re approaching your warranty expiration – that you’ll want to consider extended warranty coverage.
Another time that someone might want to look into Acura extended warranty coverage is when purchasing a used vehicle. If your vehicle is new enough, it may still be covered under the original manufacturer warranty, as Acura warranties are fully transferable.
Furthermore, if you didn’t purchase a certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicle and can’t benefit from Acura’s CPO warranty, purchasing an extended warranty to protect your new purchase may be a good idea.
Of course, deciding whether to pull the trigger on an extended car warranty is a personal decision and will largely come down to your risk tolerance. Extended warranties can provide peace of mind: You pay a fee up front, and if your car breaks down, all you pay is the deductible.
In the end, an extended warranty makes budgeting easier and prevents an unpleasant financial surprise.
Acura Repair Costs
Despite Acura’s reliability, Acura vehicles are still subject to breakdowns and will need repairs just like any other car. When that happens, here’s what you can expect to pay (all estimates from RepairPal):
Based on these numbers, repairing an Acura is significantly cheaper than most vehicles, which is good news for owners. RepairPal listed the average Acura repair cost at $502 a year, while the average across all brands is $652.
What Is Acura’s Extended Warranty?
Acura’s extended warranty is called Acura Care. Unlike most other brands, there are no preset plans to choose from, and owners will need to work with their dealers to construct a plan that fits their needs.
That said, there are a few features that come standard with all Acura Care plans. These include:
- Rental car reimbursement: Up to $45 per day for up to 6 days
- Transferability: Extended warranties can be transferred to subsequent owners
- Roadside assistance: Towing, lockout assistance, battery jump-start, tire change, and fuel delivery
- Trip interruption: Up to $100 per day for up to 3 days
- 24/7 concierge emergency services: Connects you with a concierge who can help you in emergency situations
Since Acura Care plans are all personalized, there are no standard exclusions or limitations. You’ll need to carefully craft a plan with your dealer and discuss what it will and won’t cover.
You can cancel Acura Care at any time. If you cancel within the first 60 days, you will receive a full refund. If you cancel after 60 days, your refund will be prorated based on the amount of time left in your contract.
Benefits Of A Third-Party Extended Warranty
Acura’s extended warranty has its perks, but there are a few benefits owners may enjoy if they purchase an extended warranty from a third-party provider. Most importantly, third-party providers offer more freedom of choice and greater flexibility.
When you have an extended warranty from Acura, you’ll need to service your vehicle at authorized Acura dealerships if you want to benefit from your contract. However, while this does have some benefits, like being sure you’ll have original manufacturer parts, it also means you likely won’t be able to bring your vehicle to your favorite local repair shop. If you’ve always owned Acuras and exclusively used Acura repair shops, this might not be a problem, but it is for many Acura owners.
Most third-party providers simply have a larger network of authorized service centers, so chances are you’ll be able to find one even if you’re far from home.
Acura Extended Warranty Vs. Endurance
Endurance is one of the best extended warranty companies we’ve researched. We gave it an award for “Best Coverage” for its wide range of coverage options as well as additional perks. Take a look at the table below to see how Endurance and Acura extended warranties compare.
Acura Extended Warranties vs. EnduranceHere’s a quick comparison of how an Acura extended warranty compares to our top-rated third-party extended warranty provider, Endurance.
Acura Extended Warranty | Endurance Extended Warranty | |
---|---|---|
Limited | Any time | |
Maximum Miles of Coverage | 120,000 | 200,000+ |
# of Plan Options | Acura Care | 6 levels of coverage |
Transferable | ✓ | ✓ |
Deductible | $0+ | |
Trip Interruption | ✓ | ✓ |
Roadside Assistance | ✓ | ✓ |
Repair Network | ~250 | > 30,000 facilities nationwide |
Cancellation Policy | Full refund in 60 days, prorated afterward | Refund if within 30 days, prorated refund afterward |
Availability | Must purchase from local dealer | Free, instant quote online |
Contact your Acura dealer for pricing |
What Acura Coverage Do You Already Have?
When comparing quotes and coverage, it’s important to understand what protection you may already have under your Acura warranty.
Acura has a good manufacturer warranty that gives new car owners 4 years/50,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage and 6 years/70,000 miles of powertrain coverage. That’s not the longest warranty we’ve seen, but it’s better than average.
The factory warranty also covers:
- Original batteries for key fobs and remotes for 6 months
- Original wiper blade inserts for 6 months
- Wheel balancing and alignment for 1 year/12,000 miles
- Air conditioner refrigerant for 2 years/24,000 miles
Acura does not cover cosmetic issues or the cost of regular maintenance.
If you have a certified pre-owned Acura, your warranty is extended by 2 years and up to a total of 100,000 miles.
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.
Read our guides to other warranty providers:
Keyword: The Best Acura Extended Warranty Options (2022)