Imagine: You just paid your beloved car off. This is a major victory for you in the world of adulting. All of the sudden, it sounds as if every clunk or click is a death knell. You stumble onto those possible solution–the elusive prolonged car warranties. As if you were standing in an aisle of cereals, all promising to “be the best.” Welcome to warranties, a dicey game in which the cards may not be always in your favour. See more.

The warranty can either feel like the best friend for your car or a ghost invading your wallet. You dig through glowing testimonials proclaiming “peace and mind” while other scream,’money hole! Who’s being truthful? Asking if pineapple is appropriate on pizza is like asking if it belongs in a salad. Opinions differ as widely as your uncle’s conspiracies at Thanksgiving.

Let’s peel back the curtains and reveal these opinions. First, there are those who sing their praises non-stop. They see warranties as a pleasant surprise, like an unexpected sunny afternoon during a rainy day. They like having the assurance that their SUV’s radiator will be fixed. Nobody wants to be caught in the headlights of a large unexpected bill.

On the opposite side are the skeptics. The skeptics talk about warranty as if it were a complex scam. This is the group of people that have spent countless hours listening elevator music, while trying not lose their marbles. It is not uncommon to compare warranties with insurance. The benefits are great, until they are needed. Then, the “Terms of Service” card is pulled out, hidden behind fine-print like a magician’s trick.

But warranties go beyond battling horrors. These warranties allow you to go straight to the shop without emptying all of your savings. The same goes for choosing the right warranty when buying a car. Be careful. Consider the age, mileage and gut feeling when you brake.

It is easy to overlook the fine details in a review. Some reviews do not mention “hidden costs,” such as the extra charge for a charger when buying a high-end phone. Dig deeper. Are either parts or labor covered by the policy? Do repair costs have a limit? The finer details of the warranty, much like Grandma’s recipe, will separate the beneficial ones from the duds.

Oh, an experience from my personal life: cover your tracks. Keep records like CSI keeps evidence. The engine on your car breaks down after only 100 miles. You will be required to prove that you have been maintaining it regularly before the repair is approved. Extended warranties can save your wallet if you don’t plan ahead. The extended warranties could leave you bitterly disappointed, like ordering decaf when you meant to order regular coffee.

Advice from experienced drivers can be likened to having a road map in an unfamiliar land. They’ve walked dangerous paths and have survived. Best options are often provided by those who drive more vehicles than shopping trolleys. View reviews through these auto roadrangers’ eyes, and keep your antennae open to both gleeful excitement and grim gloom.

A perfect warranty is not always possible. As you look at the situation, keep your eyes wider than a car-driving raccoon. Try it out, hear stories of victories and losses, and pick with a bit of salt. Then, if your warranty is working out well, you can share the good news. You may be the hero for someone else’s story. Stories are created on the road, not at the destination.