CarShield Vs. Endurance Review
When comparing CarShield vs. Endurance, we recognized CarShield as Best for Electric Vehicles and Endurance for Best Coverage.
With our #1 rated provider, 
Motor1 Reviews Team Take:
- Endurance is our highest-rated warranty provider and takes the award for Best Coverage due to its wide coverage selection and long term limits.
- CarShield holds our award as the Best for Electric Vehicles due to its coverage option exclusively for all-electric cars, which is unique in the industry.
- While both companies’ scores are very similar, Endurance holds a slight edge over CarShield for having more coverage options for standard cars and better benefits.
Shopping for extended warranty plans can feel complicated with all of the options to pick from. If you can’t decide between a CarShield or Endurance plan, we’re here to make your choice easier. In this head-to-head comparison, we take a deeper look at CarShield vs. Endurance by considering their coverage options, plan costs, and overall customer satisfaction.
After spending 1,475 hours researching the industry’s best extended car warranty companies, both CarShield and Endurance ranked as top providers in our research team’s comprehensive review. However, after mystery shopping for quotes, poring over customer reviews, and analyzing coverage details and sample contracts, we’ve found a few key differences between the two companies.
Our CarShield And Endurance Warranty Review And Methodology
We review dozens of auto warranty providers to find the best the industry has to offer each year. Independent warranty companies in our review are rated based on their scores in five main categories: industry standing, coverage, cost, transparency, and customer service.
Below, we broke down our overall ratings for both CarShield and Endurance so you can easily compare them against each other.
| CarShield | Endurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Industry Standing | 4.0 | 4.3 |
| Coverage | 4.8 | 4.9 |
| Cost | 4.0 | 4.6 |
| Transparency | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Customer Service | 4.0 | 4.3 |
| Motor1 Rating | 4.4 | 4.6 |
How We Rated CarShield And Endurance Warranties
To give you the most current information on a warranty provider, we update our review standards several times each year. Below are more details about what we look for in each rating category and how our research contributed to CarShield’s and Endurance’s scores:
Industry Standing Winner: Endurance
Providers are given a score in this category based on any awards, ratings, or recognitions by trusted warranty evaluators, like Kelley Blue Book, Carfax, or the Better Business Bureau (BBB). We also consider customer reviews on sites like the BBB and Trustpilot, as well as how much experience a warranty provider has.
CarShield is well known thanks to its celebrity endorsements from people like Ice-T and its ads and features on popular platforms like ABC, CNN, and USA Today. It’s even won multiple industry awards. However, despite CarShield being in business since 2005, we awarded the company’s industry standing with a score 4.0 out of 5.0 stars for its D rating with the BBB.
Endurance earned 4.3 out of 5.0 stars from our team thanks to its various industry awards and many years in the warranty business. It’s also a direct provider, meaning it manages all contracts and claims itself. The average rating across all providers in our industry-wide review was 4.1 out of 5.0, putting Endurance above the average and CarShield below.
Coverage Winner: Tie
Providers that offer several coverage options are rewarded with a higher score in this category. If a company offers plans with long-term limits and several benefits, its Coverage score increases.
Endurance earned the superlative of Best Coverage in our review, so it’s no surprise that it earned a 4.9-star rating out of 5.0 in this category. It offers six levels of coverage that can last up to 8 years/200,000 miles. It also offers mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI) to California residents and a plan that combines warranty coverage and maintenance benefits.
While Endurance offers excellent coverage and rare maintenance perks, CarShield offers specialty coverages for motorcycles and RVs and a plan exclusively for electric vehicles. These coverages are rare in the industry, which led us to award CarShield with 4.8 out of 5.0 stars and the superlative of Best for Electric Vehicles.
The average rating for coverage across all providers in our review was 4.0 out of 5.0, showing that CarShield and Endurance both perform above average in this category.
Cost Winner: Endurance
Providers that offer affordable coverage plans, multiple deductible options, and discounts can expect to see the highest scores in our cost category.
Endurance earned 4.6 out of 5.0 stars for cost thanks to its competitive prices. CarShield earned a 4.0 rating. The industry average across the dozens of providers in our review is 4.2 out of 5.0, putting Endurance above average and CarShield below. We’ll detail more on our findings in our CarShield vs. Endurance cost section.
Transparency Winner: Tie
When it comes to this category, if a company offers a money-back guarantee and allows customers to view sample contracts on coverage plan pages, it receives a high score. Its website also has to be relatively clear and easy to navigate.
Both Endurance and CarShield meet the criteria for a high score, offering 30-day money-back guarantees, sample contracts to browse, and helpful resources for readers to better understand the warranty and automotive industries. For this, both providers earned 4.8 out of 5.0 stars. The average across all reviewed providers is 3.5 out of 5.0, so Endurance and CarShield are ahead of the game when it comes to transparency.
Customer Service Winner: Endurance
Strong customer reviews, a helpful mobile app, and the availability of online chat earn providers high scores in this category.
CarShield earned a 4.0 out of 5.0 from our review team thanks to its largely positive review record across various platforms. However, we found during our secret shopping that its customer service representatives could be pushy when choosing a plan.
We gave Endurance 4.3 stars out of 5.0 based on its reviews through the BBB and Trustpilot, as well as its app review scores on the App Store and Google Play. However, it doesn’t offer an online chat feature, which CarShield and many other competitors do.
The average across the 43 providers scored in our review was 3.8 out of 5.0 stars. Take a closer look at both providers in our customer service section.
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Overview
Both CarShield and Endurance are well-known names in the warranty industry and serve a large customer base. Each of these providers is a top pick among third-party providers due to reliable coverage and relative affordability.
About CarShield
CarShield has been brokering extended car warranties since 2005 and is headquartered in Saint Peters, Missouri. It offers six comprehensive automobile plans to choose from with coverage terms of up to 300,000 miles. It’s also one of the only top-rated providers to sell specialty coverage for electric cars, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and motorcycles. CarShield is one of the best extended car warranty options for drivers on a budget thanks to its monthly financing options.
Read more: CarShield review
About Endurance
Endurance provides the most comprehensive warranty on the market and was founded in 2006 in Northbrook, Illinois. Unlike CarShield, Endurance is not a broker. As a direct provider, it underwrites its own vehicle service contracts. Of its six plans, one is unique in the industry for combining extended warranty coverage with maintenance coverage. Another notable aspect about Endurance is that each contract comes with a free year of Endurance Elite Benefits, which provide access to the best benefits in the industry.
Read more: Endurance warranty review
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Coverage
We reviewed 43 companies in the warranty industry to get an idea of what coverage each provider offered. When comparing CarShield vs. Endurance coverage, you’ll see that both providers offer a variety of auto coverage plans that can last for up to 200,000+ miles.
| Services and Perks | CarShield | Endurance |
|---|---|---|
| Automobile coverage levels | 6 | 6 |
| Highest mileage limit | 300,000 miles | 200,000+ miles |
| Coverage waiting period | 30 days and 1,000 miles* | 30 days and 1,000 miles |
| Online sample contracts | ✔ | ✔ |
| Roadside assistance | ✔ | ✔ |
| Rental car reimbursement | ✔ | ✔ |
| Trip interruption coverage | ✔ | ✔ |
| High-mileage vehicle plan | ✔ | |
| Maintenance plan | ✔ | |
| Motorcycle and ATV plan | ✔ | |
| High-tech specialty plan | ✔ | |
| Electric vehicle plan | ✔ |
*CarShield’s coverage waiting period varies by the plan you choose. For monthly contracts, the waiting period is 25 days and 500 miles.
Both companies’ coverage lineups include basic powertrain plans, mid-tier plans, and full bumper-to-bumper warranties similar to a manufacturer’s warranty. However, each provider also offers unique specialty plans. You can get repairs from any repair shops or dealerships certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE®) with plans from either provider.
The EnduranceAdvantage™ plan is a combination of an extended warranty and a maintenance plan, while CarShield’s Aluminum coverage is tailored to high-tech vehicles with many advanced electrical features. CarShield also offers a unique electric vehicle warranty plan that covers parts like the electric drive unit, battery pack, and more.
In 2022, our research team conducted a survey of 1,000 consumers who had purchased an extended warranty. When asked what mattered most to them when choosing a warranty company, 52 percent of respondents considered coverage the most important. Below you’ll find the coverage options from each provider.
CarShield Coverage
While motorcycle and ATV owners can also find coverage with a plan for specialty vehicles, CarShield offers six coverage plans exclusively for cars:
| CarShield
Warranty Plan | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Diamond | This is exclusionary coverage for newer vehicles and is most similar to a factory warranty. Excluded parts include trim, hoses, belts, upholstery, carpet, and other wear and tear items. |
| Platinum | The highest level of inclusionary coverage, this plan covers parts like the engine, transmission, cooling system, steering, air conditioning, and electrical system. |
| Gold | This offers enhanced powertrain coverage for the engine, transmission, starter, alternator, power window motor, and more. |
| Silver | CarShield’s basic powertrain plan covers lubricated engine parts, the drive axle, water pump, and transmission. |
| Aluminum | This specialty plan for luxury vehicles and cars with high-tech systems covers power steering, cruise control, gauges, instrument clusters, LCD screens, and GPS systems. |
| Electric Vehicle | This plan is exclusively for electric vehicles (EVs), covering the electric drive unit, electrical system, battery pack, and other EV parts. |
CarShield Perks
Every CarShield warranty comes with added benefits, including:
- 24/7 roadside assistance: This benefit provides help with roadside services as well as towing to the nearest repair shop if your vehicle becomes inoperable.
- Substitute transportation: If your vehicle is in the shop for covered repairs and is scheduled for more than four hours of labor, a rental vehicle can be reimbursed for up to $100 per day.
- Trip interruption coverage: If your vehicle breaks down more than 100 miles from your home and must be left at a repair facility overnight, this provides meal and lodging coverage up to $125 per day for a maximum of four days.
Endurance Coverage
Endurance offers six levels of coverage for standard vehicles:
| Endurance
Warranty Plan | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Supreme | This comprehensive coverage is similar to a bumper-to-bumper warranty, as it covers most parts of your car. It has a very short list of exclusions that include glass, high-tech items, cosmetic parts, and wear-and-tear components. |
| Superior | This is the highest level of stated-component coverage from Endurance, and it includes most major vehicle system components. |
| Secure Plus | This is a mid-level stated-component plan that’s more extensive than the lower-tier Premier and Secure plans. |
| Premier | Designed for high-mileage vehicles, this covers powertrain components as well as the cooling system, electrical components, and fuel delivery components. |
| Secure | This is the most basic and affordable Endurance warranty, which provides car owners with powertrain protection to cover the engine, drivetrain, and transmission. |
| EnduranceAdvantage™ | This is a unique protection plan that covers mechanical breakdowns as well as regularly scheduled maintenance like oil changes with three levels of coverage (Prime, Plus, and Preferred). |
Endurance Perks
Endurance has one of the best benefit packages in the industry. Customers get rental car coverage, 24/7 roadside assistance, and trip interruption coverage for the duration of their contracts. In addition, drivers get free enrollment into the Endurance Elite Benefits program for their first year of coverage. This program offers the following perks:
- Tire repairs and replacements
- Key fob replacement
- Identity theft recovery
- Up to $5,000 in repair financing loans
- Up to $1,000 in total loss protection
- Collision discount
After your first year of coverage, Endurance Elite Benefits will cost you $29 per month or roughly $350 per year.
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Cost
Our automotive research team reached out to CarShield and Endurance to find out which car warranty provider offers the best coverage prices. We also collected 2,215 data points to help gather the most thorough cost data for these two providers.
Bumper-To-Bumper Warranty Costs
We got bumper-to-bumper coverage quotes from both companies for a 2017 Honda CR-V with 45,000 miles. Each plan came with a $100 deductible. Here’s what CarShield and Endurance offered in terms of pricing:
| Term Length | Financing Terms | Down Payment | Total Cost | Cost Per Year of Coverage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CarShield Diamond | Unlimited | $139.99 monthly | First month’s payment | Varies | $1,679.88 |
| Endurance Supreme | 5 years/ 100,000 miles | $114.00 for 30 months | $300.00 | $3,420.00 | $684.00 |
Endurance’s extended warranty came at a far lower rate overall than the comparable option offered by CarShield. While CarShield offers the flexibility of monthly payments that you can cancel at any time, Endurance offers a competitive price per year of coverage for its comprehensive plans.
Powertrain Warranty Costs
When it comes to powertrain coverage, CarShield provides a cheaper monthly rate. However, its yearly cost for coverage was yet again higher than Endurance’s. Both quotes we collected are for a 2017 Honda CR-V with 45,000 miles.
| Term Length | Financing
Terms | Down
Payment | Total Cost | Cost Per Year
of Coverage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CarShield Silver | Unlimited
month-to-month plan | $109.99
per month | One month | Varies | $1,319.88 |
| Endurance Secure | 5 years/
54,000 miles | $133.28
per month for 24 months | $153.00 | $3,198.72 | $639.74 |
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Customer Service
Neither Endurance nor CarShield holds an A rating from the BBB, with Endurance currently not rated and CarShield with a D rating. However, Endurance scored better in terms of customer reviews. See the table below for the ratings each provider currently holds from reviews on the BBB and Trustpilot.
| Rating Sites | CarShield | Endurance |
|---|---|---|
| BBB customer service rating | 1.4 | 3.7 |
| Trustpilot customer service rating | 4.1 | 3.6 |
*Ratings are out of 5.0 stars each.
Both CarShield and Endurance received impressive marks on Trustpilot. It’s worth noting that CarShield has over 42,000 reviews on Trustpilot while Endurance only has over 7,000. Our team analyzed thousands of customer reviews to get a sense of what customers liked and disliked about each provider.
CarShield Customer Reviews
Positive customer service reviews of CarShield report the ease of canceling coverage and excellent customer service. Negative reviews report issues with advertising, including unsolicited phone calls and mailers.
Endurance Customer Reviews
Endurance customer reviews shed light on helpful customer service agents and long-term customer satisfaction. However, some drivers also report receiving unsolicited mailers and hit-or-miss customer service.
Our Team’s Experience
We made calls during the quote process to test out each provider’s customer service experience ourselves. With Endurance, we found it difficult to get multiple quotes for different tiers of coverage, as the representative strongly pushed the company’s highest tier. We also received incessant follow-up calls, which wasn’t appreciated.
With CarShield, we were put on hold multiple times for a total of 15 minutes. It was also hard to get a quote for anything other than the highest tier of coverage. While this was our experience with both providers, there are plenty of customer reviews from pleased customers. Your experience may be different if you decide to call for a quote.
CarShield Vs. Endurance: Bottom Line
Both Endurance and CarShield are reputable extended auto warranty providers which offer great coverage plans that give drivers peace of mind. However, the companies differ slightly in terms of transparency, coverage, cost, customer service, and reputation.
Based on our reviews of both providers, we believe Endurance slightly edges out CarShield. Still, we recommend getting quotes from each company before making a final decision.
Other Recommended Car Warranty Companies
CarShield and Endurance are solid options when it comes to extended car warranties, but they might not be the best fit for every car owner. You can ensure you’ll find the best provider for your needs by comparing free quotes from several companies. To get you started, we’ve included our other top picks below.
Carchex: 4.5 Stars
Carchex takes home our Best for Used Cars award, which comes from its variety of coverage options and affordable prices for cars up to 20 years old. Carchex is a reputable company highlighted by its A+ BBB rating and positive customer review score on Trustpilot.
Read more: Carchex review
Olive: 4.4 Stars
Olive.com™ earns our award for Best Value due to its unique subscription-based billing model. This company gives customers the ability to cancel their subscription at any time, and coverage starts as soon as you purchase your plan online. Olive offers three vehicle protection plans that can work for the varying needs of its customers.
Read more: Olive review
CarShield Vs. Endurance Car Warranty: FAQ
Below are some frequently asked questions about CarShield and Endurance extended warranties:
Is CarShield or Endurance better?
Although Endurance holds a slight edge on CarShield in overall ratings, both providers excel in different areas. Endurance offers better coverage options while CarShield offers slightly lower monthly prices. While both are great options it ultimately depends on which provider fits your needs best.
Is an Endurance car warranty a ripoff?
Whether an Endurance car warranty is a ripoff depends on your own financial and vehicle situation. An Endurance warranty can be worth it if your car has over 100,000 miles on it and is more likely to suffer mechanical breakdown. It may not be worth it if you can comfortably pay for the cost of auto repairs out of pocket. Endurance is known for having relatively affordable warranty contracts.
What does an Endurance warranty not cover?
Endurance offers six coverage levels that cover different things in a car. Endurance’s Secure plan only covers the engine, drivetrain, and transmission, while the Supreme plan covers nearly everything except a small list of exclusions in the contract. Endurance warranties don’t cover wear-and-tear items or mechanical failures that result from a lack of maintenance, neglect, driving misuse, car accidents, acts of nature, and more.
Is there a better company than CarShield?
Only Endurance, Carchex, Olive and autopom! received higher or similar ratings as CarShield. CarShield has large popularity among customers, but Olive is more unique for its immediate coverage and Endurance has more coverage opportunities. However, CarShield has great, affordable protection plans and thousands of positive reviews.
How much does Endurance cost a month?
Based on quotes we received during our research team’s mystery shopping efforts, the average cost of an Endurance extended warranty is $127.21 per month.
