Porsche Extended Warranty Review: Everything You Need To Know

Every new Porsche vehicle is backed by a New Car Limited Warranty, also known as the Factory Warranty. This warranty covers almost all of the vehicle’s systems and components (barring some normal wear items) for up to four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. Porsche’s powertrain warranty runs the same length.

Every new 2024 Porsche features a range of included protection under the manufacturer’s new-vehicle warranty. They include:

• Four years or 50,000 miles, bumper-to-bumper and powertrain
• Four years or 50,000 miles, 24-hour roadside assistance
• Twelve years, corrosion perforation limited warranty
• Two years, replacement parts and accessories limited warranty
• Two years or 24,000 miles, federal emission design and defects warranty

The new-vehicle warranty kicks off the day you take delivery of the vehicle or the day your lease begins, which is sometimes called the “in-service date.” There are also some additional warranties like the Federal Emissions Warranty, but it’s the bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverages that matter most. Porsche’s Warranty is about average among luxury brands, but isn’t quite as generous as that of Genesis or Cadillac, partially because the powertrain coverage is not extended beyond the basic bumper-to-bumper warranty.

A step further in warranty coverage is the Porsche Vehicle Service Protection (VSP), or the extended vehicle warranty, which is available to customers for an additional price. Porsche offers two plans for this coverage—the Powertrain Plan or Platinum Plan—for up to six additional years beyond the four-year new-vehicle warranty. In total, the VSP can extend coverage to exist for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles in total, whichever arrives first.

Regardless of the plan, the owner solely pays their selected deductible for repairs should a mechanical issue occur.

Chosen upfront, the deductible options are $100 or $250 per claim. For the former and lesser option, if the repairs are completed at the selling dealer, the deductible is completely waived, which is a unique benefit compared to other vehicle manufacturers.

The price specifics are tailored to each vehicle based on the model, year, whether the vehicle is a certified pre-owned Porsche, mileage and deductible. If you opt for the higher deductible, the annual price goes down.

Based on a database provided by Consumer Affairs, the cost of VSP bundles range from approximately $729 to $2,704 per year, the latter being quite high compared to the extended coverage offered by other auto manufacturers.

Like many other automakers, Porsche allows selling dealers to choose the prices of the VSP plans, so it pays to compare offerings from dealer to dealer. If you’re in an area where there aren’t many Porsche stores, you may end up paying a bit more. Porsche also doesn’t administer the plans itself. That task is done by Safe-Guard International, which also offers its own aftermarket extended warranties. In Washington state, the administrator is National Product Care Company.

In Forbes Garage’s own research, we found that costs depend in part on the dealership, and vary pretty widely. One store quoted $9,202 in total for a five-year, 50,000-mile platinum plan on a 2020 Cayenne, while another quoted $12,148 for a six-year, 60,000-mile platinum plan, both with $100 deductibles. Generally, choosing the $250 reduced the overall cost by about 8 to 12%. Some dealerships went lower, however, charging about $6,000 for similar coverage on a 2020 718 Cayman.

The picture is clouded by dealerships also selling third-party warranties that are not Porsche VSPs but which have many of the same features.

The Powertrain Plan of the Porsche Vehicle Service Protection offers repairs and replacements for four component groups:

• engine
• transmission (manual and automatic)
• drive axle (rear-wheel and all-wheel drive)
• seats and gaskets
• navigation display, Bluetooth, and audio components

On the upper-tier, the bumper-to-bumper Platinum Plan of the Porsche Vehicle Service Protection includes the same coverage plus seven more component groups — nearly everything is covered. The expanded list encompasses:

• climate control
• shocks
• suspension (including bushings and bearings)
• fuel system
• electrical system (including power windows and seats)
• power steering
• anti-lock brake system components

Under the care, any of the replacement parts will be new, genuine OEM parts, remanufactured or similar factory-spec, high-quality parts.

With either column, the scope of protection includes 24-hour roadside assistance and a reimbursement of up to $250 for towing. If the mechanical breakdown happens within 100 miles of the original dealer, the vehicle is towed there. If the breakdown occurs beyond 100 miles, the vehicle will instead be towed to the closest authorized licensed repair facility.

If a rental car is needed following a mechanical breakdown, the owner receives a reimbursement of up to $50 per day for up to 10 days. Owners should know upfront, the reimbursement doesn’t cover fuel, optional insurance, or collision damage waivers. The VSP also includes a generous trip interruption coverage of up to $200 per day, for up to five days or an accumulative of $1,000 per mechanical breakdown.

If the vehicle breaks down and is still covered by the new-vehicle or included in the manufacturer’s warranty, then the extended warranty doesn’t kick in.

Any preexisting conditions aren’t covered by the extended warranty, such as those on record with pre-owned vehicles or perhaps owners that opt into the extended warranty after the vehicle has experienced a defect.

Additionally, batteries—including hybrid, electric, or battery cables—are excluded from the extended warranty coverage but are covered by an eight-year, 100,000-mile electrical component warranty (part of the new vehicle limited warranty).

Porsche offers separate coverage agreements including Premier Tire and Wheel Protection or Lease-end Protection. You could invest in a Guaranteed Auto Protection, to help cover the outstanding balance on a vehicle retail contract in the event of a total loss, Dent Protection, Key Protection, or Windshield Protection.

There’s also a Term Protection plan, which covers the parts and labor for all of the wearable components that are not typically covered by new-vehicle or extended warranty plans: brake pads, belts and hoses, windshield wiper blades, wheel alignments, battery, headlamps, bulbs and fuses.

Porsche

There’s actually a lengthy list of things, but in sum, if the breakdown occurs due to a collision, accident, vandalism or any natural weather-related event, it’s not covered by the extended warranty, in step with other automotive policies industry-wide. Similarly, if the vehicle is neglected and issues occur following lack of general maintenance, the extended warranty won’t cover the loss, so be sure to follow the owner’s manual and keep clean records.

Porsche’s official reasons include:

• Parts that fail due to lack of required maintenance or use of non-PCNA (Porsche Cars North America) distributed parts
• Normal wear or deterioration of any part
• Damage from cleaning and polishing
• Improper use or contamination of fuels, lubricants, or other fluids
• Glass breakage, chips and/or scratches that are not due to a defect in material or workmanship
• Appearance items that are not due to a defect in material or workmanship
• Any car registered or normally driven outside of the United States and Canada
• The replacement of expendable maintenance items (such as spark plugs, filters, worn wiper blades, worn brakes, worn clutches, worn tires) when the replacement is not due to a defect in material or workmanship
• Lubricants, unless part of a warranty repair, as these are considered service items
• Air conditioner refrigerant charge after the first three months of service unless part of a warranty repair
• The adding of any fluids unless they are needed as part of a warranty repair
• Any car with an odometer that has been altered so that the actual mileage cannot be determined
• Dealer-installed accessories not distributed by PCNA
• Wheel balancing and wheel alignment beyond the first three months of service unless part of a warranty repair
• Unauthorized modifications or vehicles with total loss or salvage titles
• Modifications not authorized by PCNA such as performance tunes or suspension alterations
• Service adjustments (such as idle speed, air/fuel mixture, brake, clutch, headlight, and drive belts) beyond the first three months of service unless part of a warranty repair
• Improper repairs by someone other than an authorized Porsche dealer of PCNA
• Components and/or parts that fail as a result of competition, racing, track use or other driving events (Yes, even at Porsche-sponsored events)

Overall, Porsche gets good marks for quality and reliability according to consumer research published by J.D. Power. For instance, the Porsche 911 is the best premium sporty car of 2024 with a rating of 91 out of 100, meaning there are very few problems on record. Also, the Porsche Cayenne wins a #2 rank for the best upper midsize premium SUV of 2024 with an 81 out of 100 rank for quality and reliability, which is also much higher than average.

However, the cost of Porsche maintenance generally tops the average luxury vehicle. CarEdge market analysis states that Porsche models typically tally close to $22,075 for maintenance and repairs throughout the first decade of service—or $2,208 per year—exceeding the average by more than $10,000. The most recent data compiled by RepairPal differs but is likewise high: The average annual repair cost of a Porsche is $1,192 including scheduled and unplanned repairs. That gap is likely due to differences in vehicle model, age and condition.

On a more granular level, the German Auto Center based in Austin, Texas, outlines that a Porsche owner should anticipate services every 10,000 miles or once annually, with a bill of $200 to $600, depending on whether the service is minor—oil, filters, and inspection—or major such as a day with transmission work. A full brake service typically costs between $900 and $1800 and corners can’t be cut there.

But remember—the Porsche VSP and extended warranties don’t typically cover the vehicle’s nut-and-bolt maintenance outlined in the owner’s manual. Porsche does offer a separate option called the Term Protection plan, formerly mentioned, which helps to cover the cost of brake pads and a few other wearable components but the oil, filters, and rotors, to name a few items, are always covered by the vehicle owner.

Ultimately, a Porsche VSP is worthwhile if the annual price is less than what you anticipate paying for an annual unplanned vehicle service, which is challenging to predict and is more about reducing the risk of loss. For instance, if the expected annual cost of the Porsche VSP is less than the median of the industry data—around $1,700—then the extended coverage might be financially worthwhile.

The VSP could also be a healthy option if you want to select an extra layer of insurance, so to speak, on a pricey investment, especially if a sudden mechanical issue is not one you could comfortably cover in full. Or, if there’s any uncertainty regarding the reliability of your particular vehicle.

However, if a Porsche owner simply wants the peace of mind that should a mechanical issue arise, both the vehicle and the driver will have a seamless transition from the point-of-breakdown to a certified facility, and are guaranteed services with genuine Porsche parts, then they might do well with selecting a VSP.

Of course, one of the benefits of the Porsche VSP is that you don’t need to decide before you drive your new vehicle off the lot—you have until the new-vehicle limited warranty expires, as long as you’re on board with traveling back to the dealer to select the option in person.

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Porsche, in step with most automotive manufacturers, offers extended warranty coverage for used vehicles via a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program. An owner can secure this coverage if they purchase a CPO vehicle through a Porsche dealer, and the coverage is impressive.

Before re-sale, Porsche’s CPO vehicles go through a detailed 111-point inspection by Porsche technicians and are certified based on the results of that inspection, ensuring that the vehicle meets the Porsche brand quality standards including rigorous and cosmetic benchmarks. Given the investment required to certify a pre-owned vehicle, buyers shouldn’t shutter at a higher cost for a CPO vehicle compared to a used one.

Porsche has one tier of CPO warranty, which offers an extension of the factory warranty coverage after the new vehicle limited warranty expires or from the date of purchase if the new vehicle limited warranty has expired:

• The original bumper-to-bumper warranty is extended by two years and unlimited miles, to a total of six years. As the number of miles is “unlimited,” it means as many as you can manage in those two additional years from the sale date.

The CPO warranty also offers 24-hour roadside assistance for extra reassurance during commutes and road trips.