In order to give consumers more peace of mind, automakers have been extending their factory warranties. In a world where Hyundai and Kia offer a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty, three-year/36,000-mile warranties just don't cut it anymore. Even Ferrari offers an extended warranty for vehicles up to 15 years old.

Now, General Motors will offer an optional extended bumper-to-bumper limited warranty, which is supposedly the first of its kind to ever be offered by a manufacturer. GM's standard warranty on Chevrolet and GMC products is three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. On Buicks and Cadillacs, it is four years or 50,000 miles.

The new extended warranty will offer customers the ability to cover their car for up to five years / 60,000 miles of coverage (whichever comes first) on Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, or six years / 70,000 miles for Buick and Cadillac vehicles.

"One of the best things about buying a new vehicle is the peace of mind that comes with the warranty," said Ken Mac, director of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac Protection. "If you drive a Chevrolet, you know that any GM-brand dealer will take care of warranty repairs without paperwork, deductibles or exclusions. The same goes for Cadillac, GMC and Buick owners. Now, we're offering people the opportunity to increase the duration of their bumper-to-bumper warranty far out into the future."

Many automakers offer an optional service contract for their new vehicles, but this program differs from those in a number of ways. The main differences include being accepted by all GM dealerships nationwide, having no claim form or deductible, remaining in force even if the car changes owners (thus increasing its resale value), and having the ability to add it to the loan or lease payment.

If you are the type of person who likes to keep a car for a while and loves to have peace of mind, this extended warranty from GM looks like a good investment.