About CARCHEX
CARCHEX helps you purchase and maintain your car by offering various vehicle products, including extended auto warranties. Rather than offering its own plans, CARCHEX works with multiple third-party warranty providers. These vehicle service contracts cover repairs due to mechanical failures or malfunctions but not collisions. Plans also come with additional benefits like roadside assistance and towing.
Overall Satisfaction Rating
- 5 stars
- 4 stars
- 3 stars
- 2 stars
- 1 stars
Pros
- Available in California
- Partners with charities
- Accepts high-mileage cars
- Lower-cost plans available
Cons
- Doesn't cover exotic vehicles
- Some contracts aren't renewable
Bottom Line
Consider CARCHEX if you’re looking for an extended auto warranty, especially if you have a high-mileage vehicle. Although its contracts can be confusing, company representatives can help you understand what you're signing.
CARCHEX Reviews
A link has directed you to this review. Its location on this page may change next time you visit.
My most recent issue was with my radiator. There was a belt that was bad and there are a couple of different things that they had to look into. I was without my vehicle for a week and I didn't have to pay for anything.
The rep was pretty helpful. During the signup process, there were no issues and there was no pressure.
I have a claim and it's not going so well. The car broke down on a Friday and Carchex couldn't find a tow truck for me that I didn't have to pay out-of-pocket over $100. I told them that I would try to figure out a tow truck or a way to get it there myself. I called back on Monday and said I'll just pay the 125. The lady that I talked to got me one for 85 so I only had to come out of pocket $10 for the tow truck. I had it towed to the dealership on Monday at 10 o'clock in the morning. The dealership said the issue was a timing belt and they told Carchex. The car dealership told me that Carchex said they have to send out an inspector. I called the warranty people to see where they were at with that and they said that they are waiting on a diagnosis. It's a bunch of confusion and I'm still without a car. It's my first time doing this and I don't know if this is typical.
Signing up was very easy. They got ahold of me right away. It was amazing. I put into the computer that I wanted to be contacted and in a matter of an hour, somebody was calling me. Everything has been as the rep said it would be.
It ended up being more expensive than I thought and the guy that talked to me wasn't really on the up and up. Then, when I tried to call and ask questions, I couldn't get anybody. I figured that if I'm having a problem trying to get to them to ask a question, then I would have a problem if I needed to file a claim. Also, my Toyota dealership does not accept Carchex. They have it posted on their doors. I cancelled within the window that they gave me that I could cancel.
I canceled because I had been paying my bill faithfully for three years and then when my car needed to go into the shop, my car sat at the shop for almost a whole month. I had to Uber and Lyft back and forth to church and to places. Every week, they kept telling me that the inspector had not been to the shop. I was waiting for them to approve the claim and they never got back to me. I felt like it was unfair. I made a complaint to them about it and nothing. Also, it was hard to get customer service on the phone. I sat on the phone with them forever. But when it came for them to take the money out, they were Johnny-on-the-spot.
The rep I talked to was super nice. He wasn't pushy and wasn't trying to sell me something. There are a couple of things about the plan that I got I'm not super happy with, but it's a good plan. If something goes wrong, they would take care of it. It's just the fact that it doesn't cover seals. I have a seal going bad and if I don't fix it, the engine is gonna go. My engine is covered, but I'm still responsible for changing the seals, which is the gasket. It's a $600 or $700 repair. But I get it. It's basic maintenance and I can't hold them responsible for basic maintenance.
The first the rep offered me was 30 months and 120 a month. I said I'd like 100 better and we had agreed on $100 a month and they were going to modify the schedule but I ended up with 120 something. That was my only issue.
CARCHEX offered me the best price and they offered me the best way to pay for it. Most of the companies wanted half down and then pay the other half over the next two months. Carchex said they could do it for over four months and takes just a quarter of it a month instead of having to have half of it down. At first I thought the rep was really pushy. I told him one day I have to talk to my wife about it and that if he calls me one more time, he will not sell me anything from CARCHEX. He changed his whole attitude. I called him back a week later or so and told him that we decided we're gonna go with CARCHEX. He asked if he could call me back the next day.
I had a problem when my bank account and my phone were hacked. The CARCHEX payment got there sooner than my new card did. Mike called about the issue with the payment and told me to just give him the new card number as soon as I can. Two days later, my card came. I called him and he took the new number and I haven't had any trouble since.
I had a policy with them that I canceled not too long into the policy, not even a month went by. It was $95 for the first month's payment and they said I would get a refund. My first payment was made on a Visa card that was a gift card and a refund would not be allowed towards a gift card. They said they would send a check in a couple of weeks but I never got the check. When I called back, I got transferred nine times and hung up on three times. Finally, they connected me to Zurich, who is the administrator of the plan, and they said they have nothing on file stating that the contract was ever canceled.
The contract was never canceled. I have the lady's name who was handling it and she apologized upside, left and right, and all this jazz. I spent over two hours on the phone to get a ridiculous check and it's still not resolved because they have to call someone else to get it. It's ridiculous. Some people along the line tried to help me. They weren't successful at it but at least they tried and it goes to show you that the system stinks. At one time, I was volleyballed over to a recording and the recording was saying, "On a basis of one to five, how would you rate the following...?" I didn't even speak to anyone yet. How can I rate someone?
Also, the first day I called, they put me on hold and they said they were experiencing a lot of calls because of the weather. If you know it's going to be bad weather, all you got to do is turn on the television, see if it's bad weather, then you call in extra people to put on the phone so people don't have to hang on the phone for two hours. But they're squeezing every dollar they can out of whatever they're getting and they're not taking care of their customers. I shouldn't even have to go into this for a lousy $95. I don't want to spend any more time or energy on this thing. If get a refund, fine. If I don't get a refund, then clock it up to like a lottery ticket that didn't win. I'm just tired of the whole situation.
CARCHEX is worth looking into. I have a 2004 vehicle. My money is kind of funny now, but I can afford that. So, I rather pay that than get hit with a big bill that I can't afford. The rep was very knowledgeable and explained the program to me thoroughly. And I liked the price.
The CARCHEX reps I talked to were great and I was quite satisfied with the sign up process.
Signing up with CARCHEX was simple and sweet. But I have a complication with having my card on file and I don't know why my money has not been taken out of there yet. Other than that, I'm good and I got the contract in the mail. My vehicle is a 2010 and I got the PowerTrain Plus Gold with Roadside Assistance. I drive a lot, so having the policy is very valuable.
When I called CARCHEX, I signed up through the representative. Later, I was a member. The rep said something about bumper to bumper. I'll be covered after 45 days, I got 20,000 miles per year, and told me about the deductible. I couldn't afford the initial payment that he told me, so he broke it down into payments of 30. And I pay 118 a month. Go throughout the package and see which one best fit you.
The guy I spoke with at CARCHEX was so easy going and understanding. They had lots of options.
Jacqueline,
We appreciate your review, and are glad to hear your Protection Specialist was able to assist you!
I filled out my information to get a quote and then Carchex contacted me fast. The guy I talked to was really nice and explained everything to me.
Dayvon,
Very glad to hear your Protection Specialist was able to set you up with coverage for your vehicle. Thank you for your review!
I talked to Michael and he was really trying to help me because I told him I'm on a fixed income. But I canceled because I couldn't afford it and I didn't like what they had to do and how long it's gonna take to get my money back. They said it was gonna take 30 to 45 days.
The rep I worked with was amazing. She took care of everything for me. She gave me guidance on what I needed to do. She was great in customer service. She guided me once I told her exactly what I have and what I needed.
Kenneth,
Thank you for leaving your feedback with us! We appreciate your review, and are happy to hear you enjoyed speaking with your Protection Specialist! Please let us know if you have any additional questions regarding your plan.
I had a warranty with my old car through Carchex so I knew they were a legit company. It worked out well for that other car. I recently signed up with them again and they were good on the phone. The plan was perfect and just what I needed. I'm still in my 30-day waiting period and I'm happy with Carchex.
Josh,
Thank you for leaving your review with us! We are happy to have you as a CARCHEX customer, and glad we could assist.
The process was smooth. There are quite a few options, but the plan prices seem reasonable. I went with the one that gave me the most protection for the longest time. I plan on having the car for a long time. If I'd have another car needing warranty, I'd use Carchex again.
Marshall,
Thank you for your review! Very glad to hear we could assist in setting you up with coverage for your vehicle. Please reach out at any time should you have any additional questions regarding your plan.
Signing up was an easy process. The reps told me everything about it and what the different offers offer. Also, there really weren't any requirements. They just asked me how many miles I have on the car. Then I have to wait 1,000 miles or 30 days for the extended warranty to kick in. I do wish that I can talk to them to let them know that if they're going to offer an extended warranty, offer something that is affordable and also makes a difference to what can really help the person, because a lot of people are not rich.
I recently got Carchex and the rep was courteous and answered the questions that I needed right there.
Henry,
We appreciate your review! Please reach out at any time should you have any additional questions regarding your plan.
When I signed up with Carchex, it was good. Not a whole lot of pressure like some of the other companies that I'd called. I was busy at the time and they told me, "Just whenever you're ready, let us know." Had a few follow-ups in between there and that was positive. They also offered good coverage.
Andrew,
Thank you for leaving your review with us! We are happy to have you as a CARCHEX customer, and glad we could assist.
The reps I spoke with were both polite and professional. They took care of my application over the phone.
Kym,
Thank you for leaving your review with us! Very glad to hear we could help set you up with coverage for your vehicle.
I went with CARCHEX because of the financial aspects of it with my budget. Customer service seemed to do a good job of trying to accommodate me financially. CARCHEX has all the services that I was hoping for an extender warranty on my car. Hopefully, that won't change.
The customer service representative I spoke to was very knowledgeable about the product I purchased. He also made sure that I received the best offer possible. He was not pushy trying to sell me on the product that I was inquiring about which left me very comfortable in purchasing the product I chose.
Andre,
Very glad to hear your Protection Specialist was able to set you up with coverage for your vehicle. Thank you for your review!
I was looking at the paperwork that Carchex sent me and it does not add up to what they told me. They sent me the paperwork and it's 50,000 miles, which I do not agree with. I got to call back because I don't like being lied to and if I could get this straight, it'd be all right.
The rep who usually answers their phone is very pushy. He tries to push you into things and it's crazy. I recommended these two people to him and they called me and told me to not recommend them to Carchex anymore. They also told me that if I have any sense, I'll leave Carchex too. They said the rep was very nasty. I won't recommend anybody else to them because of that experience there with that guy.
I spoke to a real person and went over my options. He got me a quote and I'm very satisfied with the plan that was presented. All my questions were answered. The coverage gives me peace of mind.
I purchased a Warranty (Centennial Plan) on 11/26/21. I tried to use the warranty on an issue with my car regarding a failed “Window Motor” on March 10th, 2022. This is clearly covered under the Plan Coverage under Electrical components covered. I was sold on the premise that I can “Take your Vehicle to a licensed repair facility of Your Choice” which includes a dealer, that was confirmed since I take my car to the dealer for service.
The motor was covered but only at a fraction of the cost quoted by the Dealer, of which the “Shop Rate” was not covered as well. Even though I called prior to let them know I was bringing in the car for service and asked what I need to do for the warranty be initiated by the repair facility. I was told “to have them call prior to anything being repaired, and that all I will have to pay is the $100 deductible”. This was not the case they were only willing to pay the following:
• Half of the shop rate• A fraction of the covered part
• Part of the total time of repair
The Royal Administration Services Representative known hereinafter as (RASR), the underwriter for the policy’s excuse is they found a cheaper part cost and relayed to the dealer to order from a specific website. Anyone who works for a dealer or any other repair facility, knows that all repair facilities have specific procurement process’. They also would know that there is a repair book that has all times for part replacements, of course some may be 1-2 tenths of any hour difference due to an ordered process of removal vs any shortcuts along the way, this removes the chance of breaking something to squeeze out a part.
RASR said I would have to pay the difference of the cost voiding their claim “Take your Vehicle to a licensed repair facility of your choice”. I spoke to a Colleen from RASR and asked her provide me a facility they recommend due to the issue experienced above so I don’t have to go through the same issue again. She provided Brake World, Firestone and Honest Once Care.
Fast forward to 12/28/22, I brought the car to Brake World for the exact same issue, and once again gave the same run around with the Shop Rate $139.99, Total repair time 1.7 vs 1.3, and the part cost dictating to repair facility to order from this particular site or me to order the part then bring it to them to install, was told to me by the RAAR, Dennis, knowing that is not feasible as they won’t certify the repair or cover under warranty if I chose to do so. Interestingly enough, in speaking to the RASR, (Dennis), I asked why was the Shop Rate not covered in whole, per my request from the other RASR, that provided me the repair facility. He mentioned their Shop Rate was $199.99 and they will only cover $134.99. This struck me as strange as Brake World Displays the shop rate clearly as they are obligated to do.
I called to confirm, and they provided me the invoice, of which clearly states $139.99 shop rate vs the $199.99 that was provided to me by the RASR. There was clearly a miscommunication not sure where, but the RASR said their intake form is verbal from the Repair shop. Further discussing with the RASR, on a mutually recorded phone conversation, the RASR was very combative. I explained to him now knowing the actual shop rate, I won’t have an issue covering the $5 difference in the shop rate vs $65 difference RASR claims is the Shop Rate. The RASR agent would not consent as to the veracity of the intake knowing the Rate is incorrect.
I clearly asked Dennis, if I can ask repair facility to resubmit with the actual shop rate to get the car repaired since I have no way of confirming that the shop provided that info or their intake person misunderstood and he said “you can have the shop call in the claim or resubmit but in the likelihood, it won’t change anything”. So, they would cover the original rate they took down in error not the correct shop rate with proof. Please note I called RASR and spoke to another person on the 29th, and she said the shop rate was $180, and when I asked Dennis to confirm the Rep’s name he would not, and only stated we have no one with that name even though I may have had the name incorrect, only stated we have no one working with that name. Not very pleasant at all, but indicative of their policy.
Stay away. I would ask the following for those who are considering an extended warranty. 1. Do you have a Shop Rate maximum you would cover. 2. Which governing book for repair do you use; this dictates the time they are willing to pay for a particular repair or lower. 3. If a part needs replacement, do you cover a part on an average around the country or lowest being used or certified repaired, New, and what cost. 4a. If you find a part lower, do you have a parts company you use, or will recommend if not covered under the shop’s normal procurement process? Keep in mind, most won’t do so due to liability. If they do, beware trying to claim again with CarChex RASR as they will most likely only cover a portion then throw at you it would be covered but seems like it’s a defect and won’t cover at all, good luck in trying to prove that otherwise to them. Stay away!!
CARCHEX Company Information
- Company Name:
- CARCHEX
- Company Type:
- Private
- Year Founded:
- 1999
- Address:
- 118 Shawan Road, Suite 210
- City:
- Baltimore
- State/Province:
- MD
- Postal Code:
- 21030
- Country:
- United States
- Website:
- www.carchex.com