Jeep Extended Warranty: Is It Worth It? (2023)
Alex is a MarketWatch Guides team writer that covers automotive and personal finance topics. She’s worked as a content writer for over a dozen car dealerships across the U.S. and as a contributor to several major auto news websites.
Rashawn Mitchner is a MarketWatch Guides team editor with over 10 years of experience covering personal finance, loans, insurance and warranty topics.
Jeep is one of the most popular automotive brands in the U.S., known for both its rugged off-roading capabilities and sleek SUV styling. The Jeep factory warranty that comes with each new vehicle is shorter than many of its competitors’ plans at three years or 36,000 miles. With that in mind, many owners consider extended protection plans to guard against expensive repairs to their Jeep vehicles.
In this article, we at the MarketWatch Guides Team will explore the Jeep extended warranty and how it compares to third-party warranty plans. Along the way, we’ll help you decide which is the best extended car warranty option for your Jeep.
Key Takeaways:
The MarketWatch Guides Team is committed to providing reliable information to help you make the best possible decision about a warranty for your vehicle. Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best extended car warranty companies. We collected data on dozens of auto warranty providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. After 500 hours of research, the end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the companies that scored the most points topping the list.
Learn more about our methodology.
The Jeep extended warranty is actually called the Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan. Mopar provides extended protection for Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ram and Alfa Romeo vehicles as well. The maximum term for a Mopar extended vehicle protection plan is eight years or 125,000 miles.
When you purchase an extended warranty from Jeep, all repairs will be performed by factory-backed technicians with genuine Mopar parts. Keep in mind that repairs under a Mopar extended warranty must be performed at Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) dealerships — you won’t be able to take your Jeep to a local repair facility.
There are two levels of Mopar Vehicle Protection Plans: Maximum Care and Added Care Plus. Here are some details on each of these programs:
It’s fair to consider the Mopar Maximum Care plan a bumper-to-bumper warranty. Although the Added Care Plus plan isn’t quite as comprehensive, it still goes beyond what you’d find in a typical powertrain warranty. Both Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan options provide coverage for the following components:
You must purchase a Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan before your Jeep basic limited warranty expires. That means you have three years from the in-service date or 36,000 miles to buy a Jeep extended warranty from the manufacturer.
As with all extended warranties and vehicle service contracts, there are exceptions to the Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan. Here are a few types of repairs and damages that aren’t covered by a Jeep extended warranty:
Exclusions like these show why it’s so important to read your sample contract before purchasing any extended warranty plan.
Mopar Vehicle Protection Plans feature some impressive perks. These are a few additional benefits that complement your Jeep extended warranty:
The only caveat to these benefits is that they expire at 100,000 miles, no matter the length of your plan. Mopar’s extended protection plans are also transferable for a $50 fee.
The cost of a Jeep extended warranty varies by dealership, but our team received quotes for various models from Mopar-licensed provider Chrysler Factory Warranty. All of the vehicles listed below have between 12,000 and 36,000 miles on the odometer.
You can choose a deductible of $0, $100 or $200 with these plans. Remember that going with a $0 deductible will bring the overall extended car warranty cost up considerably. Along with the total prices shown here, you also have the option of 24 monthly payments at 0% financing (with a $200 down payment).
Buying an extended warranty can help provide peace of mind in the case of a mechanical breakdown. Considering that Jeep ranked 19th out of 32 automakers in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study®, a Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan could be an especially wise investment.
This study was based on feedback from over 29,000 original owners of 2019 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. Jeep models experienced an average of 201 problems per 100 vehicles, just above the industry average of 192.
We reached out to Jeep parent company Stellantis for comment on the results of this J.D. Power study and received this response:
“We carefully consider third-party ratings such as this in our pursuit of continuous product improvement. Accordingly, we are confident that our recent initial quality achievements are a harbinger of future vehicle-dependability studies.”
According to repair estimate site RepairPal, the average annual repair cost of a Jeep is $634. This comes in just below the average of $652 across all auto manufacturers. RepairPal also provides the following estimated costs for common Jeep repairs:
As mentioned earlier, the Jeep factory warranty is shorter than those offered by many other automakers. Here’s a quick overview of the warranty coverages that come with each new Jeep vehicle:
Certified pre-owned (CPO) Jeep vehicles come with a limited powertrain warranty that lasts seven years from when it was sold as new or until the odometer reaches 100,000 miles. Mopar offers extended warranty coverage for CPO Jeep vehicles, with a Maximum Care plan that starts on the sale date or when the original factory warranty expires.
Of course, you aren’t limited to a manufacturer’s extended warranty options. There are plenty of reputable extended car warranty companies that offer flexible and affordable long-term protection plans. As with any big investment, there are pros and cons that come with going the aftermarket route for an extended vehicle warranty. Repair shop availability, coverage options, purchase convenience and the use of genuine parts are all factors you need to consider.
Comparing quotes as you shop for an extended car warranty will help you find the best deal.
We asked Jesse Bellamio, Warranty Sales Consultant with Sonic Automotive, what car owners should look for to find the best extended warranty provider.
“I always look to see how large their network of mechanics is. The last thing I want is to be 300 miles away from home and nowhere near a mechanic covered by my warranty.”
When asked what the most important thing to consider when choosing an extended warranty plan, Bellamio told us, “I personally think about the possible cash I would have to spend if I didn’t have it. I bought a used mid-mileage vehicle once, and within six months the AC compressor system failed. Repairs would have cost me $6,000, but my extended warranty covered it all. I had financed the warranty for only $2,900.”
Jeep offers solid extended coverage at a reasonable price through the Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan. If you want a bit more flexibility in terms of coverage options and repair facilities, we recommend comparing quotes from some of our top-rated independent warranty providers.
Below are some frequently asked questions about the Jeep extended warranty:
The Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan features two levels of protection: Maximum Care and Added Care Plus. Maximum Care can last up to eight years or 125,000 miles, while Added Care Plus offers terms between five and eight years with mileage limits ranging from 60,000 to 125,000.
No. New Jeep vehicles come with a 3-year, 36,000-mile basic limited warranty and a 5-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Mopar offers extended protection up to 125,000 miles for Jeep vehicles, while third-party providers such as CarShield and CARCHEX have coverage plans that last up to 250,000 miles or more.
A Jeep factory or extended warranty could be voided or restricted due to certain vehicle modifications, a salvage title or tampering with the odometer. A vehicle not being properly maintained or abused to the point of malfunction could also void a Jeep warranty.
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best extended car warranty companies. We collected data on dozens of auto warranty providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the companies that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
*Data accurate at time of publication.
View Plans For Our Most Affordable Provider – CarShield
Save up to $360 per year
View Plans For Our Most Affordable Provider – CarShield