What does bumper-to-bumper warranty cover? Driving for Dollars by Terry Jackson • Bankrate.com

Dear Terry,
It's probably dependent upon the brand of car you buy, but what exactly is a bumper-to-bumper warranty? Is it just the moving parts or the entire physical car, including the bumpers? For instance, the bumper on my two-year-old car is loose in the front. Would that be covered under "bumper-to-bumper"? Thanks for your help!
-- Betty Bumper-falling-off

Dear Betty,
Assuming your bumper isn't loose because you hit something, the warranty should cover the repair.

The warranty generally covers any part on the car not covered by a different manufacturer's warranty, such as the tires and the battery.

One caveat -- you see a lot of manufacturers advertising warranties as long as 100,000 miles. Those aren't bumper-to-bumper warranties and usually only cover the engine, transmission and other drive train parts. Usually, only the first three years or 36,000 miles fall under the bumper-to-bumper part of the warranty.

This week

• Would a BMW at any other price drive as sweet? • What are my options when the lease ends on my truck? • Can I roll a balance into a new car loan to keep both cars? • Does a bumper-to-bumper warranty include bumpers?

If you have a question for Terry, e-mail him at Driving for Dollars.