How do I get a Used Car Warranty?

Buying a used car warranty is typically very easy. You often can purchase one from the used car dealer from which you purchase your car, or you can research and find warranty options on your own. Regardless of where you may purchase a warranty, however, it is usually important to read the contract through thoroughly, make sure the coverage that you have meets your needs, and compare pricing to ensure that you are getting a good deal. You can research online to determine whether or not a warranty company is reputable as well.

If you are buying a used car, you typically may exercise the option of purchasing a used car warranty at the dealer. Many dealers have brochures with different types of warranties from which you can choose. For example, a used car dealer may provide you with information about a basic used car warranty as well as those that are considered better than the basic options because they offer more coverage or have more features. Often, the price of the warranty also can be folded into financing for the car. If you plan to pay cash, however, you can typically do so for a used car warranty as well.

Some people are leery of purchasing used car warranties from dealers; they may believe that the warranties aren’t as good or that they won’t receive a good price on a warranty that is purchased at a dealership. This isn’t necessarily true, as many dealers do sell valuable used car warranties at reasonable prices. You may do well, however, to read all of the fine print on a used car warranty contract. You may also feel more comfortable purchasing a warranty from a dealer if it is offered by a reputable, well-known company. For instance, if you are purchasing a Toyota and are offered a used car warranty from Toyota, you may feel much more comfortable purchasing it than if it came from a company with which you are not familiar.

It is important to keep in mind that though you can purchase a used car warranty from a used car dealer, you are not required to do so. Instead, you may choose to conduct your own research online to find reputable used car dealers who are offering warranties at reasonable prices. When conducting your research, you may do well to consider not only what a warranty company is offering, but also its reputation. For example, you can look for online reviews of the companies you are considering to see whether or not other consumers feel the companies have lived up to their promises and provided good coverage. You may also check to see if the companies you are considering have complaints against them listed on consumer reporting websites.

Once you’ve settled on a car warranty, you’ll typically have to sign a contract and pay for it. After reading the contract carefully, ask questions about anything that is unclear. Then, you may purchase the warranty out of pocket, use a credit card, or attempt to obtain financing for it.