A Soon-To-Be Ford F-150 XLT Owner Is Nervous About Whether To Buy a Ford Extended Warranty When He Completes His New Truck Purchase Because He Doesn’t Want To Overpay - Here’s What Ford Owners, Including Your Author, Advise

Those of us fortunate enough to be in a position to afford a new vehicle know the drill. You get excited about the new vehicle, are then shocked by the price, and then bamboozled by a sales pitch that has a complex number system which seems intentionally designed to confuse you. "I add the Destination fee to that now that we’ve already agreed on a price? And then I have to add a Doc fee as well? Why were those not in the discussion until now?" Finally, you’re exhausted, dehydrated, and hungry, and it’s time to chat with the after-sales person who proceeds to tell you how lousy the truck you just plunked down $65K on is, and how badly you need to pay more to extend the warranty. Sound about right? If so, we can help with that last bit. Just say no to the aftersales manager. Say, "I don’t want to buy a warranty today," and complete the transaction with no extra services or products.

This story was inspired by a new Ford F-150 buyer who reached out to ask his fellow F-150 Facebook Group members for help with the extended warranty. On the one hand, he’d prefer to wrap up all this negotiating in one shot, rather than be tortured with more after the sale. He also would not want to miss a good deal on a warranty if buying it at the transaction time was somehow better than waiting. Would the same deal be available later? And on top of that, wouldn’t it be nice to finance the warranty, rather than grab thousands out of pocket to go along with the down payment? So many things to consider. Here is what Jesse S posted:

I am purchasing a brand new 2026 F-150 XLT.  I have never purchased a new truck before.  Only used.  I will be going to the dealer soon, and they will hit me with a bunch of extras.  My question is about extended warranties.  Is it worth it?  Should I go with Ford at the dealer or some of the others I have seen, like Zeigler Ford or Granger Ford?  Any advice on this or any other things you wish you had done right away?  Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Two Important Things First About Warranties
This request has me leaning on what I’ve learned by reviewing, shopping for, and owning extended warranties. I’ve spent a decade researching warranties for multiple automotive outlets, ranking them, and then making suggestions to help vehicle owners and consumers. There are two critical things to know if you find yourself in Jesse’s position.

First, never buy an extended warranty on the day you are buying a new vehicle. There is absolutely no upside, and you don't have to do it. Vehicle manufacturers who provide extended warranties, including Ford, allow you to make this purchase any time before the new vehicle warranty expires. You literally have years and tens of thousands of driving miles, 60,000 miles if you are buying a Ford, to make this decision and find your best option. Slow your roll. An extended warranty does nothing for you when you are covered by the new car warranty. 

Second, based on my research, I suggest that shoppers and vehicle owners should purchase an “extended warranty” only from the manufacturer of their car. Technically, the financial arm of that company. Most (not all) third-party warranty companies have numerous negative reviews, with many of the same recurring stories that all end with “I paid my money, and now they won't pay to fix the car!” It is not like this when you buy a warranty from a manufacturer. Ford's warranty program is called Ford Protect. 

Two Other Tips On Buying Warranties
The next tip is to always buy the full package. Forget the “Bronze, Copper, Silver, Gold, Platinum” matrix of offerings. If you plan to buy an extended warranty, purchase the full package. Bumper to bumper, or as close to that as they will go. Don’t be the person who buys the lower-tier offering only to find out that an expensive repair was not part of that tier’s coverage. You’ll go crazy. In or out. Buy full coverage or don't buy anything. Ford’s top-tier plan is called Premium Care.

The final tip is to shop around from home. You never need to meet the person or set foot in the dealership that ultimately sells you the manufacturer’s extended warranty contract. Call several dealerships and compare prices. Be sure to specify the duration in years and miles to ensure an apples-to-apples comparison. Calling around can save you thousands. The seller sets the price, not the manufacturer. One warning. A dealer may try to convince you that they can offer the Ford Protect warranty, or… they can sell you an even better third-party one that is “The same thing, but less expensive.” Don’t do it. Stick to the manufacturer’s warranty. In this case, it’s Ford Protect.

Here is a punch list of what we have covered in this story about buying an extended warranty for the F-150, any Ford, or any new vehicle.:
 - Never buy an extended warranty on the day you buy the vehicle. 
 - Only buy a warranty offered by the manufacturer (or its financial arm).
 - Buy bumper-to-bumper type coverage.
 - Shop around and call a lot of dealers to get the best price.

What advice do you have for Ford F-150 owners, or for anyone considering an extended warranty on a new vehicle? Please use the comments below to help a fellow driver. 
 

John Goreham is the Vice President of the New England Motor Press Association and an expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). In addition to his fourteen years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on LinkedIn and follow his work on his personal X channel or on our X channel. John employs grammar and punctuation software when proofreading, and he sometimes uses image generation tools. 

Images by John Goreham