Just as you may change your wardrobe, cut your hair, or upgrade your favorite pieces of technology to fit your personality and style, you can do the same with a vehicle. From the thrill of a sports car to the practicality and safety of a truck or SUV, there are many different ways to express yourself with the car you drive.

And just like purchasing the latest and greatest when it comes to fashion or tech, many people want the very best when it comes to their transportation. A luxury vehicle can be the perfect combination of comfort, craftsmanship, performance, and style. But while owning a luxury car can be a joy to drive and turn some heads while on the road, it can also be expensive. Due to their high-end components and the fact that they are usually imported, luxury cars can also mean luxury prices.

Instead, finding the right kind of extended warranty coverage to ensure your luxury car is protected, whether you’re just driving around town or out on a long road trip.

Why Do Luxury Vehicles Need Extended Warranties?

While they can be ooze style and performance, the major downside of owning a luxury car is that some luxury vehicles have below-average reliability ratings. Even though they have some of the most comfortable interiors and all the convenient tech you could ask for, many luxury vehicle makers prioritize performance, technology, and comfort, which can increase repair complexity. In fact, luxury vehicles often have some of the worst reliability ratings despite being at the top of the list when it comes to price.

To give you a better idea of this, as well as some of the potential repair costs you could face when owning a luxury vehicle, take a look at the breakdown below on some of the most popular luxury vehicle brands on the road today:

• Mercedes-Benz: Mercedes-Benz makes some of the world’s most high-end luxury vehicles, but they are also some of the most expensive to repair and least reliable. With an average annual repair cost of $908 per year and a reliability rating of 27th out of 32 according to the experts at RepairPal, a Mercedes-Benz could end up costing you a lot of money outside the initial sticker price.
• Audi: Audi is known for its unparalleled comfort and fantastic German engineering. But unfortunately, that engineering seems to only apply to the interior. Overall, Audis have a yearly repair cost of $987 and a reliability rating that ranks 28th out of 32, meaning that ownership costs may be higher compared to many non-luxury brands.
• Jaguar: Jaguar is one of the leading names when it comes to luxury cars, due in part to plush, highly crafted furnishings and upholstery for their vehicles’ interiors. Their reliability and cost of upkeep, though, can leave quite a bit to be desired, with an average annual repair cost of upwards of $1,123, and they have an incredibly low dependability rating of just 29th out of 32.
• BMW: Along with Mercedes-Benz, BMW is perhaps one of the most recognizable names in the luxury car game. And just like Mercedes vehicles, BMWs are well-known for being unreliable and costly to own, with an average yearly repair cost of $968, and with a reliability rating of 30th out of 32.
• Land Rover: Land Rover makes some of the most instantly recognizable high-end SUVs on the market, such as the iconic Range Rover. They have even been producing luxury vehicles longer than almost anyone. But despite this, Land Rover vehicles are some of the least reliable, coming in as the 31st-rated car brand out of 32. Not only that, but they also have a 16 percent probability of needing a severe repair when they have to go into a repair shop. Even worse still, Land Rovers can end up costing you on average $1,174 each time you do make a trip to the shop.
• Porsche: While Porsche may have instant recognition as a powerful and luxurious automaker, it is, unfortunately, one of the most expensive and unreliable vehicles on the road. In fact, coupled with a very high average annual repair cost of $1,192, Porsche ranks dead-last in reliability, coming in as the 32nd most reliable brand out of 32 total.

Despite these poor reliability ratings, there are some ways you, as a luxury car owner, can get help when it comes to these costly repairs. Specifically, if you purchased your luxury vehicles as brand-new cars from a dealership, you most likely were given a factory warranty. This warranty coverage, also sometimes called a manufacturer’s warranty, is a coverage plan provided to you by your car’s automaker to help cover the cost of unexpected car repairs, though this coverage will be limited.

For example, most factory warranties will include some form of bumper-to-bumper coverage, while others may split coverage up, such as giving you powertrain warranty coverage on top of a general new vehicle limited warranty. But regardless of whatever your automaker refers to as their new vehicle warranty coverage, that coverage will eventually end—typically within 3 years/36,000 miles or 5 years/60,000 miles.

When that happens, an extended warranty can help provide additional coverage from costly car repairs. However, it’s crucial to know that despite often being called an “extended warranty,” the plans you can find from third-party providers, such as the various levels of coverage you can get from Endurance or those from Carshield or Carchex, aren’t actually “warranties” at all.

Instead, these plans are known as vehicle service contracts (VSCs) as only your automaker can extend your factory warranty coverage. However, they can still provide you with broad coverage options. Unlike the coverage you may have with the help of a standard car insurance contract, which will only cover damages sustained in an accident or mishap, a VSC may help cover certain repair costs related to mechanical breakdowns. Mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI), aka car repair insurance, is another option that can help cover repair costs.

Still, it almost always has strict exclusions, and most vehicles are not going to be eligible for it if they aren’t a new car that’s less than a year old or has less than 15,000 miles. This means that if you’ve recently purchased or are looking to purchase a used vehicle, you’ll be out of luck when it comes to getting an MBI policy.

But while an extended warranty or vehicle service contract can be a great option for some car owners, are they available for luxury cars?

Are There Extended Warranties for Luxury Cars?

While many luxury brands rank below average in reliability studies, luxury vehicle owners often find it difficult to get the right protection and coverage. That’s because some third-party extended warranty companies or VSC providers will not cover luxury vehicles. In contrast, others exclusively offer high-end vehicle coverage and specialize in protecting your BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, or more. For example, the Highline protection plan from Endurance can be a great way to cover your luxury car due to our experience providing broad coverage for vehicles since 2006.

Overall, the Highline protection plan extends the comprehensive Supreme auto protection plan, which provides exclusionary coverage for car owners. However, the Highline plan is only available for a select number of luxury vehicles up to eight years old and with less than 80,000 miles on the odometer — all for just a $500 deductible. This plan includes select cars by some of the most popular automakers known for producing high-end cars, including Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Jaguar, Porsche, and more.

Luxury sedans lose value fast, but repair costs don’t drop with the sticker price. The Backspeed Boys break down four depreciated models that still deliver serious speed and explain why an Endurance Warranty plan, including our Highline coverage, may help manage the cost of owning one.

As with any Endurance protection plan, you can also enjoy 24/7 roadside assistance, rental car reimbursements, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You’re also eligible to enjoy a full year of our Elite Benefits package for free, a $2,000 value which includes tire coverage, collision discounts, windshield repair, and more.

Protect Your Luxury Car with Endurance

Owning a luxury vehicle can be a pleasure to drive, but it can also be expensive to repair. To help protect your vehicle and your wallet, the right coverage can help manage repair costs. So if you have a high-end car made by some of the biggest names in luxury vehicles, the Highline protection plan from Endurance may be worth considering.

If you also happen to own other vehicles made by manufacturers like Ford, Honda, or Toyota, you can access maintenance-related benefits with an Advantage plan from Endurance. Along with providing broad coverage for many mechanical breakdowns, each Advantage plan can also help you save up to $3,500 in maintenance services, including up to three oil and filter changes, alignment checks, tire rotations, engine diagnostic exams, and even help with your vehicle’s next state safety inspection.

Not only that, but each Advantage plan also includes several other one-time services, including a brake pad/shoe replacement, a battery replacement, cooling system maintenance, and more. You also get access to Elite Benefits with simple enrollment, so you are never left without protection for any of your vehicles.

To learn more about how an Endurance vehicle protection plan can help you, request a free, no-obligation quote or give our award-winning Endurance team a call directly at (800) 253-8203.

You can also visit our Endurance blog to find more articles on various automotive topics, including vehicle buyer guides, extended warranty comparisons, expert auto tips, answers to FAQs and much more.