Your In-Depth GM Extended Warranty Review

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Vehicles from each of GM’s car brands— Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac—come with a new vehicle limited warranty. But when it expires, you’re on your own to cover mechanical repairs, which can end up costing you thousands of dollars. A GM extended warranty can prolong the manufacturer’s warranty to help cover your vehicle long-term.

Our experts wanted to get a closer look at the coverage and cost of a GM extended warranty to compare the manufacturer’s plans with the best extended car warranty companies on the market. This information can help you make your own informed decision on the best extended auto warranty for you.

While a 3.0 or 3.5 out of 5.0 seems like an above-average score, reliability rankings may give a better picture of where each brand stands compared to competitors. On the whole, GM vehicles are not consistently reliable.

GM brands also have higher-than-average percentages of severe breakdowns. This means that when you bring your car into the repair shop, it’s more likely that you’ll have a major issue to be fixed.

Fortunately, a GM extended warranty can help with many of the most severe repairs.

Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC vehicles come with a 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper GM factory warranty that covers any defects in material or workmanship for factory parts. Because it’s a luxury brand, Cadillac offers slightly longer factory coverage, expiring at 4 years/50,000 miles.

The GM factory warranty includes your car’s electronic systems, air conditioning, and safety systems. It does not cover items such as body paint, wear-and-tear parts like tires and brake pads, or routine maintenance like oil changes.

All GM vehicles also come with powertrain coverage for major car parts like the engine, transmission, and drive systems. Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC powertrain warranties last for 5 years/60,000 miles, and Cadillac’s lasts for 6 years/70,000 miles.

GM protection plans can cost anywhere between $1,500 and $3,250, depending on whether you drive a Buick, Chevy, or GMC. Cadillac extended warranties are a little pricier, ranging from about $2,000 to $4,000. In our 2021 extended car warranty survey which polled 1,000 consumers, 45 percent of respondents stated they paid between $1,500 and $2,500 for an extended car warranty.

You can choose to pay for coverage in monthly installments, but if you’d rather pay the total price in a one-time payment, you’ll save five percent on your overall cost. Additionally, all monthly payment plans require a $99 activation fee.

Besides your vehicle make, some factors that will influence the cost of your GM extended warranty include:

GM extended warranty plans are administered through AMT Warranty Corp and can be purchased online or at any Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, or GMC dealership. Covered repairs under this vehicle service contract will be done by GM-trained technicians using genuine GM parts.

GM’s Platinum Protection Plan is the highest level of coverage available. It is a bumper-to-bumper limited warranty exclusionary contract. That means it covers every component of your vehicle, minus a short list of exclusions. A Platinum Protection Plan can cover your Buick, GMC, or Chevrolet for up to 5 years/60,000 miles and Cadillac for up to 7 years/60,000 miles. The systems and components covered under this service plan include:

If the price is right, purchasing coverage through GM may be a great option to protect your Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, or GMC. But it’s worth looking into third-party providers, too, as you can typically get cheaper coverage and more flexibility independent of a GM dealer.

The only way to know which option would be better for you is to compare quotes from multiple car warranty providers and see which offers the coverage you need at the best rates.

If you think a third-party warranty may be better for you, you’ll want to get quotes from only the most reputable extended car warranty companies on the market. Companies like Endurance and CARCHEX have a range of warranty policies that may fit your needs. You can read about them in detail in our CARCHEX and Endurance warranty reviews.

Based on GM vehicles’ inconsistent reliability and above-average chances of needing major repairs, a GM extended warranty is likely worth it for most Cadillac, Buick, GMC, and Chevy drivers.

However, if you assess your vehicle’s reliability and your financial situation and find that you’re comfortable paying out of pocket for common repair costs, you may not need extended coverage.

If you think an extended warranty is the right choice to protect your vehicle, we recommend getting a free quote from GM and comparing it against pricing from third-party providers.

Q & A

Can I buy an extended warranty after purchase?

GM is one of the few companies that lets you purchase an extended auto warranty after you've already bought your car. You can even purchase a GM extended warranty after your factory warranty has lapsed.

How much does a Chevy extended warranty cost?

A Chevy extended warranty from GM will cost between $2,200 and $3,900 depending on your coverage options.

Does GM offer a lifetime powertrain warranty?

GM does offer a lifetime powertrain warranty on all new vehicles. However, this warranty may not transfer when the car is sold to a new owner.