First car warranty review (2021)

First Automotive Warranty Review

In Our Opinion:

A First Automotive warranty may be a good investment, but there aren’t many details about plans online. You’ll need to contact an authorized dealer to get more information before you decide.

Industry Standing:

Coverage:

Affordability:

Customer Service:

Pros:

Lifetime warranty coverage available

Extensive coverage options to choose from

A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB)

Emergency roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement, and trip interruption coverage benefits

Cons:

Plans only sold through dealerships

Not much specific contract information available online

3.5

While First Automotive does not sell vehicle protection plans directly to consumers, First extended warranty products can be purchased from participating dealerships across the U.S. Practically every car dealer sells extended vehicle service contracts, and a First Automotive warranty may be available at your local dealership.

In this article, we’ll take a look at First Automotive warranty coverage options, customer reviews, costs, and more.

Our review team has researched the best extended car warranty companies in the industry. To see how First Automotive compares with some of the leading names in extended vehicle service contracts, start getting free quotes from our top recommended providers below.

Featured Extended Warranty Companies

We reviewed the industry’s top extended auto warranty providers, and here are our featured picks.

Best Overall

Best for Used Cars

Low-Cost Plans

Endurance

CARCHEX

Select Auto Protect

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(866) 990-3410

(866) 950-7122

(860) 294-4933

First Automotive Extended Warranty: What You Need to Know

First Automotive Warranty Coverage

First Automotive Warranty Cost

First Automotive Warranty Reviews

How Do First Automotive Warranties Work?

Final Thoughts: First Automotive Warranty

Our Top Picks for Extended Warranty Coverage

CARCHEX: 5.0 Stars

CarShield: 4.5 Stars

First Automotive Extended Warranty: What You Need to Know

First Automotive contracts are sold by SouthwestRe, which also sells service contracts under the names PowerRev and ProTrek. SouthwestRe is a subsidiary of Industrial Alliance (iA) Financial group and has been in business for over 30 years.

Today, First Automotive has an A+ rating from the BBB, which is a good sign that it uses sound business practices and communicates well with its customers.

First Automotive Warranty Coverage

First Automotive offers a wide variety of coverage options for vehicles of all ages. Plans range from basic powertrain warranties to exclusionary coverage. There is also a lifetime warranty offered, which is particularly unique and not something that is offered by many competitors.

First Automotive Warranty

Vehicle Eligibility

Coverage Details

Term Length

Standard VSC

New vehicles up to 4 years/60,000 miles and used vehicles up to 12 years/125,000 miles

Not specified

Not specified

Enhanced Care

New vehicles up to 1 year/7,500 miles

Covers all mechanical and electrical components, as well as wear-and-tear items like brake pads, batteries, headlamps, belts, and hoses

24 months/24,000 miles or 60 months/60,000 miles

Xtended Care

Vehicles up to 20 years/200,000 miles

Four sub-levels of coverage but details not specified on the First Automotive warranty website

Not specified

Powertrain Wrap

New vehicles up to 1 year/12,000 miles and used vehicles up to 4 years/50,000 miles

Coverage for items not covered by the manufacturer’s powertrain warranty

Not specified

5-Year/100,000-Mile Protection

Vehicles up to 15 years/150,000 miles

Powertrain coverage (Engine Plus plan) or advanced coverage (High-Tech plan)

Not specified

3-Year/100,000-Mile Protection

Vehicles up to 15 years/150,000 miles

Covers the engine, transmission, and transfer case components

Not specified

Lifetime Powertrain Limited Warranty

New vehicles up to 1 year/12,000 miles and used vehicles up to 10 years/100,000 miles

Covers powertrain components and requires that the covered vehicle be returned to the selling dealer once every five years for a complimentary powertrain inspection

Lifetime of your vehicle

Limited Warranty

Vehicles up to 20 years/200,000 miles

Covers all internal lubricated parts of the engine, transmission, transfer case, and differential

Not specified

As you can see, there is much information missing on the First Automotive warranty website, so you’ll need to take a look at sample contracts and get more details from your dealership before deciding to purchase a First extended warranty.

All plans come with the following benefits:

Rental car reimbursement

Trip interruption reimbursement

Emergency roadside assistance

First Automotive also sells the following additional coverage packages:

Theft protection

Key replacement

Appearance protection

Dent and ding protection

Expanded tire and wheel protection

First Automotive Warranty Cost

To give you an idea

One driver reported paying $3,000 for a five-year/60,000-mile warranty on a 2014 Chevy Silverado. Another customer paid $1,978 for a five-year/100,000-mile warranty on a 2011 Buick Lacrosse CXS. These are standard prices for the industry, though it is hard to compare against competitors without more information such as coverage level and vehicle mileage.

First Automotive warranty products are sold exclusively through dealerships, so the final price may be negotiable. Additionally, the cost of your extended warranty will depend on a number of factors, including your vehicle make, model, age, and mileage. Your location may also influence the final price of your First extended warranty.

First Automotive Warranty Reviews

First Automotive is accredited and holds an A+ rating from the BBB. The company has received just over 20 complaints in the past three years, which is a relatively low number. Customer complaints typically involve slow claims servicing and coverage gaps. These sorts of complaints are typical for an extended car warranty company.

How Do First Automotive Warranties Work?

If you experience a breakdown, call First Automotive at 505-881-2244 or 877-881-2244. A customer service representative can walk you through the next steps. Most minor vehicle repairs will be able to be quickly taken care of by a certified repair shop.

More complex repairs involving the failure of major components such as the engine or transmission may be more involved. In some cases, a First Automotive employee may need to conduct an inspection to decide whether to approve a repair or replacement. This process can take between three and seven days.

Final Thoughts: First Automotive Warranty

A First extended warranty may not be a bad option for your vehicle, but you’ll need to get more information from a dealership to decide for sure. Coverage options are comprehensive, and there are plans for both high- and low-mileage vehicles. However, additional protections such as dent repair and appearance plans can be skipped.

Overall, we rate First Automotive 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. This score was determined based on the following categories:

Overall Star Rating

3.5

Reputation

3.5

Coverage

4.0

Price

3.0

Customer Experience

3.0

Because First Automotive extended warranty contracts are sold exclusively through dealerships, it is hard to know exactly what the final cost of a contract may be. Some plans offered through First Automotive may not be available at your dealership.

Our Top Picks for Extended Warranty Coverage

If you are interested in car warranties with extensive coverage options, a First Automotive warranty isn’t the only choice out there. Our research team compiled information on every major warranty company on the market. With this data, we were able to rate and rank the best extended warranty providers. Two companies we recommend based on this research are CARCHEX and CarShield.

CARCHEX: 5.0 Stars

CARCHEX has a well-known reputation for its great customer service, which is just one reason the company has remained a leader in the industry for over 20 years. CARCHEX offers 24-hour customer support and a live chat feature on its website, and it has hundreds of positive reviews online.

CARCHEX extended warranty contracts are also some of the lowest-priced on the market. When we asked CARCHEX for a quote on a Titanium plan (the highest level of coverage) for a 2018 Honda Civic, we were offered the following terms:

Term Length: 7 years/150,000 miles

Financing: $2,423.50 upfront

Deductible: $100.00

Total Cost: $2,423.50

Price Per Year of Coverage: $367.71

CARCHEX is a reliable company with a strong history of paying customer claims. To learn more, read our complete CARCHEX review and get a free, personalized quote from CARCHEX below.

Best for Older Vehicles

Get Quote

(866) 950-7122

Top-rated provider with unmatched customer service and affordable coverage

CarShield: 4.5 Stars

CarShield has some of the lowest-cost contracts in the industry. When we asked Carshield for a quote for New Car Diamond coverage (the highest level of coverage) for a 2018 Honda Civic, we were offered the following terms:

Term Length: 5 years/70,000 miles

Financing: $88.78 for 18 months

Down Payment: $295.00

Deductible: $100.00

Total Cost: $1,708.03

Price Per Year of Coverage: $341.60

CarShield customers also have access to excellent customer benefits, such as:

Rental car reimbursement: There is a maximum reimbursement of $40 per day up to $160 per occurrence.

Roadside assistance: This benefit includes towing, emergency tire service, lockout service, battery service, and fuel delivery service. It reimburses you up to $400 per contract term.

Trip interruption reimbursement: If your vehicle becomes inoperable more than 100 miles from your home, this coverage provides reimbursement for meals and lodging at $40 per day up to $160 per occurrence.

Read our CarShield review for more information on the company, and reach out for your own CarShield quote below.

Best Prices

Get Quote

(877) 265-5123

Well-known provider, wide coverage, price Offer