EXTENDED WARRANTY ROUND-UP
ENGINES:
Caterpillar: Extended Service Coverage, or ESC, offers coverage up to five years or 500,000 miles for on-highway trucks. Fully transferrable, an ESC covers key components, 100% parts and labor. If you're interested in extended coverage on a truck you already own, Caterpillar's Advantage program offers a variety of component coverage plans for units that pass its inspection process.
Cummins: Three plans are available. Protection Plan 1 is a complete extension of the base warranty for an additional year, taking coverage up to three years/300,000 miles. It even covers "maintenance items" such as the fuel pump, turbocharger and fuel injectors. Protection Plan 2 (four years/400,000 miles) and Protection Plan 3 (five years/500,000 miles) cover all internal components and major system components, including cooled EGR components. Prices vary according to the plan chosen, the engine model and horsepower, but as an example, the suggested retail price for Protection Plan Plan 1 for an ISX below 460 horsepower is $800, while for 460 horsepower and above, it's $1,400.
Detroit Diesel: Base warranty on Series 60 and MBE4000 engines is two years/unlimited mileage. Extended service coverages are available up to five years/500,000 miles. Their most popular extended coverage is five years/500,000 miles, for $2,500. A less expensive option is CCC, or comprehensive component coverage, covers the inner workings of the engine (excluding items such as the turbocharger). If your truck is a couple of years old and you're looking for extended coverage, Detroit also offers a two-year/200,000 mile P3 (Power Protection Plan) for $2,700.
COMPONENTS
ArvinMeritor: Advantage Plans Extended Service Packages offer coverage up to seven years/one million miles for axles in linehaul applications. The cost for front axles in linehaul service for the seven-year plan is $390. For a 160 Series tandem rear axle, it's $890. (The base warranty is three years/350,000 miles.) They are transferable when you sell the truck.
Eaton offers various extended warranty coverages depending on model and application. For instance, you can get a five-year/500,000-mile extended warranty on an 18-speed 2,240-pounds-foot linehaul transmission for $900. An 18-speed Autoshift used in linehaul with synthetic lubes can be warranted for five years/500,000 miles for $425. (Standard warranty is three years/300,000.)
TRUCKS
Freightliner: All three Freightliner Group brands offer extended warranty coverage, called Customer Protection Plans. They offer complete basic vehicle coverage (excluding the engine, transmission, axles and cab, all of which have their own warranties), plus selected component option packages for engines, transmissions, front and rear axles, etc. Freightliner also offers coverage on specific systems such as heater and air conditioning, starter and alternator, cooling, front and rear suspension and steering. Customers can mix and match any or all of the selected components.
International: Hundreds of published plans available. The most popular cover basic warranty extension, major components, engines, engine electronics, individual component systems and towing. If none of the published contracts meets your needs, a customized service contract can be quoted.
Kenworth: Kenworth sells five basic extended warranty packages, among them air conditioning, suspension and charger/radiator and starter/alternator for up to three years/400,000 miles. There is also a basic vehicle extended warranty (bumper to bumper) of three years/400,000 miles. Customized packages are available as well.
Mack: Standard packages available for engine, transmission, rear axle gears, air conditioning system and the general chassis. Each package is available in various time and mile increments, with different cost levels associated with each combination.
Peterbilt: Offers published packages such as basic vehicle, major components, extended frame/structure, heating/air conditioning and suspensions. Or it can create a specific customized package to meet a customer's needs.
Volvo: Extended warranty is available for a Volvo truck up to 36 months/350,000 miles (standard being 12 months/100,000 miles). For a Volvo engine, standard component coverage is 24 months/250,000 miles, but you can buy an extended policy up to 60 months/500,000 miles.
(Extended warranty offerings are often complex and in some cases can be heavily customized, so see your dealer for details.)
