I bought an extended warranty for my BMW M3 through Carchex/Royal Administration so I could have "peace of mind." What I have is angst, frustration, stress, and blood pressure. Apparently, my $4000 Premier Plan does not even cover diagnostics to determine what is wrong with the car! Do not buy from this company! Case in point: the service engine. A $356.15 bill with repairs supposedly covered under the warranty (ignition coils), of which Royal was only willing to pay $67.76. After a heated phone conversation with Brian of Royal Administration with no satisfactory resolution, I decided I would do everything in my power to express my total disgust and dissatisfaction with this company. If I can save one person from buying an extended warranty through Carchex, it will be worth my efforts.
Consumer Complaints & Reviews
This is an extended service contract to cover expenses as cars get older, such that "you will never have to pay for another car repair". This service contract that cost me $3000+ several years ago, is now asking me to cover a cost for an electrical short in my car, an SL 500 Mercedes, and a small oil leak.
In speaking with Royal, they were rude and extremely condescending on the phone, clearly not a service oriented group. They told me the service contract does not cover the costs to "diagnose" the problem but only the repairs and only the repairs as Royal sees them costing, despite what the dealer charges. So, in fact the contract with my deductible, covers only $500 of the $1,300 bill. Royal only covers 2.5 hours of labor even if the costs are more, as they were in this case. They do not cover the diagnostic portion to see what is wrong with the car or to find out what's wrong with the car. They told me that if it takes 18 steps to see the problem or expose the problem, that they do not cover that, instead, they will cover the 18 steps to replace the problem once discovered and return the car to its original state. In other words, if you go to the doctor with appendicitis and you go to the OR and he cuts into you and exposes your appendix, and notes it needs to come out, according to this service contract, you have to pay the surgeon for all the costs up to the point that he finds your appendix is inflamed. But your service contract will then cover the costs of the removal of your appendix and the closure of your wound in the OR. Where is the sanity in this?
From the BBB they have an A+ rating, where and how did this occur? How can we, as consumers get this out to the public and create a stir to make effective changes to these stupid contracts?
I purchased an auto warranty for my Volvo XC90 from Royal Administration Services. After driving to PA for a family vacation, my check engine light went on so I brought my Volvo to Karp Volvo to get the truck checked out. I was told by Frank at service that the angle gear in the transmission needed to be replaced and also the gas cap.
A call was then put into Royal Administration Services and an inspector/adjuster would come and check the vehicle. My truck was inspected on July 25, 2011 by Mark, an independent inspector/adjuster, hired by Royal Administration Services. Mark notified Larry at Royal about the things that needed to be replaced. The response that I got from Royal was that they wanted the transmission taken apart.
Frank at Karp Volvo explained that you do not take apart Volvo transmissions. I then called Royal to see if I can resolve this matter, but had to speak with several people (Sarah, Craig, Sarah and Marie) and getting very upset and angry, I then asked to speak to the Supervisor. I was then put on the phone with Larry (after 7 hours of calling this company).
Larry was very rude talking over me and not letting me ask the questions that I wanted answers to. He just put the blame on me and Karp Volvo. I then called Frank at Karp Volvo and explained to him that Larry, the Supervisor at Royal, was a very rude man and didn't get anywhere with this phone conversation. Frank then put a call into Royal and asked Larry to send out another inspector/adjuster to take another look at my vehicle.
On July28, 2011, another inspector/adjuster looked over my vehicle and wrote in his report what Mark, the first inspector/adjuster, wrote. Frank then called Larry at Royal to discuss my vehicle but Larry told Frank that Royal was not going to cover the work that needs to be done. I then checked my Vehicle Service Contract Declarations and saw that this work is covered under my warranty. So, I then called to get a full refund because Royal is not performing the work that was promised under the warranty contract that I paid $2,310 for. I was informed that I will only be able to get a partial refund and not a full refund.
I was denied a claim for a problem with the transport case on my Ford Explorer. The inspector claimed the tires were not the same and they are. I have replaced two newer tires on the front the day before taking in the car. The Firestone dealer stated my tires were okay on the back and that the only ones needing to be replaced were the front. I have also had this car diagnosed on several occasions to make sure there were no problems. I have never been told anything about the repair up until this point. The problem is covered under the warranty and so I feel I shouldn't have to come out of my pocket to pay for the repair.
