Honda Extended Warranty: Is It Worth It?

Honda - Manufacturer Extended Warranty Overview

Like all auto makers, Honda will sell you an extended warranty that goes beyond the standard warranties that come with your vehicle. The name of the program is Honda Care. This warranty will take over after the original Honda warranty has expired. The idea is that you can extend the coverage that you get when you buy a new or newish Honda for peace of mind and to help you to manage unexpected large repair bills.

What is covered by a Honda extended warranty?

Honda Care mimics the Honda new car comprehensive warranty. So understanding what is covered is relatively simple if you understand the new car warranty. Most of the things that could break unexpectedly are covered. Be sure to read and understand your Honda Care contract to ensure that you know exactly what you are buying.

We found Honda’s online information about Honda Care a bit confusing, so we spoke with Honda to ask if there are multiple packages that one can purchase. The Honda Care customer service rep told us that there is no "Powertrain Only" product offered. Only "Full" coverage which mimics the New Car Limited warranty. There are Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle warranties from Honda when you buy a vehicle of that type from a dealer. However, the representative made it clear that when you purchase a Honda Care extended warranty, and the vehicle is still within the new car warranty period, there is only one offering. Also clarified was that the "Powertrain Warranty" from Honda is only available during the vehicle's initial 5-year / 60,000-mile period. The website seems to imply otherwise. Honda Care contracts can come in two basic durations. The first is 8 years or 120,000 miles and the second is 7 years or 100,000 miles. Honda also offers plans with a zero deductible or a $100 per incident warranty. The price will reflect which choices you opt for.

Honda Care includes roadside assistance, rental care payment assistance, and trip interruption insurance. Honda even has a family plan that can extend some of these additional benefits to family members.Therefore, if you have Honda Care, you really don’t need to buy AAA.

What is not covered by a Honda extended warranty

Like with most third party vehicle extended warranties,Honda Care is an exclusionary warranty, meaning that it covers exactly what is detailed on the list of things it covers, and nothing more. It doesn’t cover normal wear items such as the wiper blades, glass, exhaust system, body panels, and paint. Things related to tires and tire maintenance and alignment are also not covered, though alignment would be if a suspension component failed and an alignment needed to be performed to install or repair that failed part.

Additionally, Honda Care itself is not a service plan that covers routine maintenance. Honda does offer such a plan. If you’re interested in a plan that DOES cover routine maintenance, Honda offers Honda Care Sentinel Service, and Honda Care Sentinel Service Plus that are both prepaid maintenance plans.

What makes Honda Care extended warranties unusual

Before we go too much further, let’s focus on three aspects of extended vehicle warranties that are specific to Honda Care and don’t apply to most third-party extended vehicle warranties:

• You can only purchase a Honda Care warranty at a Honda dealer. Honda won’t sell you the policy directly, and there are no third parties authorized to sell you a Honda Care Policy.
• Unlike third-party warranties, Honda Care requires you to deal directly with your local dealer from whom you purchased the contract first, the nearest Honda dealer when a breakdown occurs outside your local area second, and a Honda Care pre-authorized repair facility as a final last resort. Your local mechanic is not going to be involved in repairs under this Honda Care policy.
• Unlike third party warranties from independent companies, Honda Care can only be purchased while the vehicle is under the original comprehensive warranty of 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first (we confirmed this with Honda by phone). You do not have to be the original owner, but the car must still be under the original vehicle warranty. This helps simplify things. Since the car is still under the comprehensive manufacturer’s warranty, Honda does not need to inspect your vehicle, and there is no waiting period to begin coverage. Both of these restrictions apply to all third party warranties.

Average costs for Honda repairs in 2024

CarComplaints.com provides real-world costs from car owners who have had these items repaired. The repairs listed below are ones that are relatively well-known and have been reported by multiple owners. CarComplaints then averages the reported miles of the failure and the cost reported by owners to have it repaired. Read more on Honda maintenance cost and repair schedules here.

Third party extended warranty providers for Hondas

If you own a Honda automobile you don’t have to buy an extended warranty from Honda. There are many third-party companies that can offer you a warranty for that car. They just won’t be Honda Care. And the best news is that you can buy one when the three-year 36,000-mile warranty is up.

Pros and Cons of third party warranties

Is a Honda extended warranty worth it?

Those who plan to keep their Honda well past the end of the manufacturer’s warranty, and many owners do, should consider a Honda Care warranty.

This is particularly true for those owners who live on a weekly or monthly budget and don’t like surprises, or cannot afford to handle a large repair bill. A Honda Care warranty can pay for itself in just two or three uses over the period it is in effect.

Other scenarios in which a Honda Care warranty can be helpful include giving your Honda to a family member. The warranty can be officially transferred to any new owner for a $50 fee. This is also great when selling a used Honda. The value to a new owner of having a Honda-backed full warranty is hard to overstate. Imagine if you were choosing between two Honda Civics for sale by private owners. One has a full Honda Care warranty and one does not. Which would you pick?

Read our full recommendations for the Best Extended Warranty Companies here.