Many drivers rely on vehicle service contracts, or extended warranties, to help pay for expensive car repairs when the factory warranty is no longer in effect.

We looked into vehicle service contracts offered by Autoplex Extended Services to find out if it can compete in trustworthiness, coverage, cost, and customer service with other leading providers like CARCHEX. If you are in the market for a protection plan, we also recommend starting your warranty shopping with our recent review of the best extended car warranty companies. Before making your final decision, get several free quotes to compare coverage between providers.

Summary: What We Think About Autoplex Extended Services

Autoplex Extended Services works with different administrators to provide vehicle protection plans. These vehicle service contracts help pay for car repairs, including parts, labor, and taxes, after the factory warranty has expired. While the company is based in Saint Charles, Missouri.

Autoplex Extended Services Coverage Options

Autoplex Extended Services offers three coverage options: Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Here is a quick overview of each option.

  • Diamond: The Diamond coverage plan from Autoplex Extended Services is the most comprehensive coverage and includes protection for all the systems and parts of the car, except for regular maintenance and wear and tear items. It also includes coverage for tires. Seals and gaskets are replaced only when required in conjunction with another covered repair.
  • Gold: The Gold plan from Autoplex Extended Services provides protection for the most important parts of the car like the engine, transmission, and drive axle, air conditioning, cooling, heating, high-tech electronics such as the navigation system, electrical, and more with a $10,000 coverage limit.
  • Platinum: The Platinum coverage plan from Autoplex Extended Services is suitable for cars with more than 100,000 miles and provides protection for many parts such as the engine, transmission, drive axle, electrical, air conditioning, heating, suspension, high-tech electronics, and more.

Additional Perks With Autoplex Extended Services

Autoplex Extended Services offers the following additional benefits at no cost with its service contracts:

  • Towing
  • 24-hour roadside assistance
  • Rental car program
  • Trip interruption

However, the company doesn’t clearly define the limits and amounts covered under each benefit. We suggest calling Autoplex’s customer service department if you are interested in finding out more information.

Autoplex Extended Services Contracts: How Do They Work?

Cost

Autoplex Extended Services doesn’t display costs on its website. In general, different factors such as the vehicle’s make, model, year, and mileage, and the type of coverage you want will affect your contract cost. The older the car, the more you will have to pay for an extended warranty for the same coverage.

Quotes

As part of our research, we tried using Autoplex Extended Services’ online quoting feature to get a sample cost. However, the tool appears to be broken, doesn’t allow you to select cars with a model year after 2010, and in short, did not work despite multiple attempts.

You should have better luck if you call, as Autoplex also offers free quotes over the phone. You can talk to a customer service representative who can help you understand the different coverage options and choose one that is right for your needs.

Claims

If you have coverage from Autoplex Extended Services, you can take your vehicle for repairs to your dealer or any licensed repair center in the U.S. and Canada. You will have to provide a copy of your contract to the repair shop and ask them to contact your plan administrator to obtain prior authorization for the repairs.

Approved claims will be paid directly by the administrator to the repair shop. You pay your deductible when you pick up the car after the repairs are done. If the total covered repair cost is $2,000 and you have a $100 deductible, the administrator will pay $1,900 and you will pay the remaining $100.

Payment

If you purchase a vehicle service contract from Autoplex Extended Services, you can either pay your premium in full up front or choose its no-added fee monthly payment option with an initial down payment.

Cancellation

Vehicle service contracts from Autoplex Extended Services can be cancelled at any time for a prorated refund. You would need to return the contract to the company and also provide an odometer statement with the odometer reading on the date of request for cancellation.

Customer reviews appear to indicate that Autoplex Extended Services will give a full refund if you cancel within 30 days of buying the contract. However, this policy is not mentioned anywhere on its website.

Transfer

Autoplex Extended Services plans can be transferred to the new owner of your car if you decide to sell your vehicle. Autoplex doesn’t mention a transfer fee on its website, but in general, most companies charge a $25-$50 fee for the process.

Renewal

You can renew your vehicle service contract from Autoplex Extended Services if you contact the company before your current contract has expired.

Autoplex Extended Services Customer Reviews

Autoplex Extended Services is not accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has an F rating as of December 2020. While BBB accreditation is not a requirement, many companies go through the accreditation process to display their commitment to customer satisfaction and service quality.

Autoplex Extended Services has 10 customer reviews on its BBB profile, and all of them give a one-star rating. Complaints range from problems canceling the contract and obtaining refunds to repeated marketing phone calls, misleading advertising, and rude customer service representatives.

Also, a total of 21 complaints have been filed against Autoplex Extended Services on the BBB in the past three years with 7 of them closed in the past 12 months.

Our Verdict: Autoplex Extended Services

Autoplex Extended Services promises to work with its customers to find the right coverage for their needs and budget. However, going by its online reviews, it’s falling behind in many areas, and most customers are not satisfied with the service. Also, shoppers looking for a convenient online experience would be disappointed with Autoplex’s outdated and difficult-to-navigate website.

Autoplex Pros & Cons

Pros Multiple deductible options of $0, $50, and $100
Cons Mostly negative customer reviews Only three coverage options Limited information available about its contracts

For a better auto warranty experience and peace of mind, we recommend going with one of the top-rated providers in our review of the country’s top auto warranty providers. Here, we reviewed the best car warranty companies to find out what type of coverage each provider offers and what you can expect in terms of customer service, cost, and more.

Endurance: Best Coverage

Customers appreciate the peace of mind that an Endurance warranty brings through its six tiers of coverage.  The first five are extended warranties with varying levels of coverage to protect against mechanical breakdowns. The last Endurance plan, EnduranceAdvantage™ is a combination between an extended auto warranty and a maintenance contract.

Warranty plans come with 1-year of Endurance Elite Benefits including roadside assistance, ID theft, total loss protection, repair financing up to $5,000 in repair loans, collision discount, key fob replacement, tire repair, and access to the Endurance Protect App.

To learn if this provider is the best fit for your needs, check out our Endurance Review.

CARCHEX: Best For Used Cars

CARCHEX has been in the car warranty business for over two decades. It has an A+ rating from BBB and numerous endorsements from industry experts like CARFAX, Kelley Blue Book, and Edmunds.com. Along with additional perks like roadside assistance, trip interruption, and towing, CARCHEX offers five tiers of coverage with different plan options in each tier, giving you plenty of choices and flexibility.

CarShield: Best Value

CarShield, which was named Best Value provider in our review, is another company worth getting a quote from if you are shopping for a car warranty. The company has been in business since 2006, has sold more than one million contracts, and offers several benefits like low deductibles, emergency roadside assistance, towing, and more.

Shopping around for coverage can help you identify good deals and get the most value and protection for your money. When comparing quotes, always make sure to compare apples to apples and take all factors such as coverage, exclusions, deductibles, price, and benefits into consideration.

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.