Report: #564170

Complaint Review: Carmax of Clearwater Florida

Submitted: Wed, February 03, 2010
Updated: Tue, February 09, 2010

Reported By: J Matthew — Oldsmar Florida United States of America

Carmax of Clearwater Florida

2550 Roosevelt Boulevard Clearwater, Florida United States of America

Phone: 727-507-0790
Web:
Category:

Carmax of Clearwater Florida EXTENDED WARRANTY WARNING- Clearwater, Florida

*Consumer Suggestion: Suggestion

REBUTTAL BOX | Respond to this Report!

What's this?

0Author 1Consumer 0Employee/Owner

Does your business have a bad reputation?
Fix it the right way.
Corporate Advocacy Program™

SEO Reputation Management
at its best!

The auto buying process at Carmax went quite well, it's what followed that has made me bitter towards them.

It all started when my purchased vehicle stranded me while making sales calls for the company I work for. It just wouldn't start. It is embarrassing when you get stranded at a company you were just trying to sell your services to. So I called for a tow...

I later met up with the tow fellow and he tried starting it. It started right up, this was strange to me, when I had tried over and over again with failure. So we took it to Carmax where my extended warranty was active. They told me the tow would be taken off my bill when they figured out it wasn't "maintenance related".

They claimed it was the battery, and that it was my responsibility since it was "maintenance related". So I agreed to buy another battery. I was charged for the battery, the service, and also a hose that had melted.

There was plenty of oil in the vehicle, and my coolant levels were great. So, other than the battery, I couldn't think of anything that would cause the vehicle to just up and strand me somewhere. But I'm no mechanic, so who knows.

Anyway, The vehicle stranded my wife at the store the very next evening, and myself again the next day. This was quite irritating, since they totally convinced me it was the battery. I called and told the service manager about the situation.

All he said was that they had tested the battery there and it showed that it needed replaced. So, I didn't get an apology or credit or anything. He wanted me to bring it in for additional testing. Testing I was to pay for... They have to prove it isn't "maintenance related" before they cover anything.

All the basic maintenance situations I could think of that might lend itself to a vehicle stranding you somewhere didn't apply.

I couldn't afford these tests at this time, We had just gotten a pay cut at work and I couldn't pay hundreds of dollars for all these tests they wanted to perform. All I got was it could be this, or that, or possibly this, or possibly that, or even this, or even that. I got a lot of educated mechanic guesses, but no answers.

I took it to a trusted local mechanic down the street from where I work, and wanted their opinion. They took a look at it, and picked each others brain trying to figure it out. They must have spent a good 40 minutes with me over it, and didn't even charge me for their time... Awesome guys at Allen's Alley in Largo Florida... The most honest mechanics ever...

He was telling me there have been a lot of complaints about those extended car warranties...

Anyway, I got stranded again and again, and again, and again... I'd say at least 12 more times. I made calls to Carmax and again it was about more testing. I gave up!

I'm convinced the warranty is worthless. I think if the the thing just locked up, burst into flames and killed 20 people... that they would say it was the battery.

I don't know how much extra I paid for the additional 5 years worth of extended warranty from the Carmax, but that was most definitely a bad purchase.

I'll just have to take care of this problem myself. Maybe Allen's Alley will be a place to start. Probably when I get my yearly income return.. Pathetic !!!!!

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 02/03/2010 04:57 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Carmax-of-Clearwater-Florida/Clearwater-Florida-33760/Carmax-of-Clearwater-Florida-EXTENDED-WARRANTY-WARNING-Clearwater-Florida-564170. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.

Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report.

Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on Carmax of Clearwater Florida

Search for additional reports

If you would like to see more Rip-off Reports on this company/individual, search here:

Search Tips

Report & Rebuttal

Respond to this report!

What's this?

Also a victim?

What's this?

Repair Your Reputation!

What's this?

Arbitrate

Remove Reports?
No! Better yet! Arbitrate to set the record straight!

REBUTTALS & REPLIES:

0Author 1Consumer 0Employee/Owner

Updates & Rebuttals

#1 Consumer Suggestion

Suggestion

AUTHOR: Been there done that - (U.S.A.)

SUBMITTED: Tuesday, February 09, 2010

I had similar situation with the carmax warranty and found out for $25 more I can take it to the brand manufacturer and have it diagnosed there. Not to say your guys cant do it but the dealer might know off hand that this is problem with that specific type of car and offer a quick diagnosis. I cant tell enough people not to use Carmax to diagnose problems. THEY CANT!

Personally this sounds like a bad ground or frayed wired either on battery or maybe alternator starting to go. Im not a mechanic and maybe they checked those things but if its intermittant like that i have found its usually something simple.

Good Luck and stay away from Carmax for diagnosis. Im not sure id even trust them to change my oil!