Toyota Extended Warranty
In the market for a Toyota Extended Warranty or mechanical breakdown protection? Didn't opt for the extra protection when you made the original purchase? Hello, my name is Nate Waterfalls and I will try to help you answer the question "Do I need to purchase extended protection? Here is what I will cover in this short article:
- Toyota History
- Toyota Warranties
- Toyota Reliability
- Do I Need Toyota Extended Warranty Protection?
- Options for Extended Protection
Toyota History
Toyota originally entered the U.S. vehicle market in the 1950's and today is the world's largest automaker based on sales. This has earned Toyota the title of "number one car manufacturer in the world".
The brand also owns Lexus and Scion as well as over 500 subsidiaries worldwide. Toyota is also a leader in the rapidly growing hybrid vehicle market with the Toyota Prius being the best-selling hybrid in the world.
Toyota is the best example of a brand that has come in and swept the nation. Literally everywhere you look Toyota's has become a standard of living for some drivers. Most drivers trust and love their vehicles because of their potential to outlast the competition.
Recent negative publicity related to unintended acceleration,defective brakes and mishandling of numerous complaints has given the brand a black eye. The public relations fiasco ultimately resulted in a recall of over 8.5 million cars. However, the brand apparently has a very loyal customer base because the company reported a 41% sales increase in March 2010 compared to the same month in 2009. This followed an aggressive marketing campaign with deep discounts and incentives.
Toyota Warranties
Before considering a Toyota extended warranty or mechanical breakdown protection, it is important to know the manufacturer's original warranties. Every new Toyota comes with these standard limited warranties:
- Basic Coverage: 36 months/36,000 miles (all components other than normal wear and maintenance items).
- Powertrain Coverage: 60 months/60,000 miles (engine, transmission/transaxle, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, seatbelts and air bags).
- Rust-Through Coverage: 60 months/unlimited miles (corrosion perforation of sheet metal).
You will want to consider the remaining time and mileage on the Toyota Warranty to determine your need for extended protection. Remember, the manufacturer's warranty will expire whenever time (months) or mileage (whichever comes first) reach the thresholds described above.
You can find complete warranty information at the Toyota website.
The next thing that you will want to consider is the reliability record of your vehicle.
Toyota Reliability
Most Toyota owners trust and love their vehicles because of their potential to outlast the competition.
My transportation teacher in high school, the person who inspired me to become a technician, owned a Toyota Corolla that is still on the road after over fifteen years. Except for a single electrical issue, the vehicle has had no major work needed and had only wear parts replaced since its ownership.
Before making any decision, research your specific model and year to ensure reliability. Certain cars are known to be unreliable, making the extended protection decision a no-brainer. Check out the the U.S News and World Report. for current reliability ratings.
Another easy to find out about a product's reliability in the age of the Internet is to check with a community of people that have the same product. People in these groups tend to be very outspoken. In the case of automobiles one such community is Edmunds.com.
Use the links below to research your specific model for known problems.
- 4Runner
- Avalon
- Camry
- Celica
- Corolla
- Echo
- Sequoia
- Sienna
- Tacoma
- Highlander
- Land Cruiser
- Matrix
- Prius
- RAV4
- Tundra
- Venza
- Yaris
Here's another great resource to check the reliability record of your used vehicle.
Do I Need Toyota Extended Warranty Protection?
Choosing to purchase extended protection for your Toyota is ultimately a personal decision. However, here are some things to consider:
- The manufacturer's original warranties
- The age and mileage of your Toyota
- The reliability record of your particular Toyota model
- How many miles you drive
- How long you plan to own your Toyota
- Your risk tolerance
- Your financial ability to pay for unexpected repairs
Here are two additional resources to help determine if extended protection is right for you:
- POMCalc! Check your peace of mind
- How to determine if a vehicle extended warranty is right for you.
If you decide that extended protection is a good "bet" for you then be sure to purchase it before the original Toyota Basic Coverage warranty expires. The sooner you do it the less it will cost you. If the Toyota warranty expires, your options may be limited. However, you don't have to purchase a Toyota extended warranty – there is another option: Mechanical Breakdown Protection.
Options for Extended Protection
You have two basic options when it comes to extended protection for your Toyota.
- Genuine Toyota Extended Warranty
- Third Party Mechanical Breakdown Protection Plan
The extended Toyota warranty is only offered by the manufacturer and is usually sold through the dealership. Mechanical breakdown protection may be purchased from a third party company. Coverage between the two options is usually comparable.
The main difference between the options is the price and the fact that mechanical breakdown protection lets you have your service done at any repair facility. The Toyota extended warranty requires that you service your vehicle at the dealership or other Toyota authorized repair facilities. This tends to limit your options.
Nate Waterfalls
Third mechanical breakdown protection plans tend to offer more value and can be found at a lower price with similar coverage. However, it is important to purchase mechanical breakdown protection from a reputable company.
The Toyota extended warranty is a solid choice but a mechanical breakdown protection plan from a reputable third party may serve you best if you need the flexibility of choosing your own service location or personal mechanic.
For additional information on determining your need for extended warranty protection please review the following pages:
I recommend the folks at autoPOM! if you decide that mechanical breakdown protection is right for you.
autoPOM! backed and administered by Mercury can provide you with repair service comparable to the manufacturer's extended warranty. Not surprising, autoPOM! pricing is far less than dealer pricing and offers the flexibility of allowing you to choose the repair facility that you're most comfortable with.
autoPOM! has an A+ rating from the BBB and Mercury has a A+ rating from A.M. Best.
See 10 Reasons To Choose autoPOM! and Mercury.
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