Our Buyers Guide Top Picks:

CarShield
Our promise. We provide a buying advantage with verified reviews and unbiased editorial research.
About MaxCare Auto Warranty
This profile has not been claimed by the company. See reviews below to learn more or submit your own review.
If you purchase a vehicle through the national used car seller CarMax, you automatically receive its 4,000-mile/90-day limited warranty. However, you’re also eligible to buy a more robust MaxCare extended auto warranty. MaxCare offers a high level of coverage and a suite of benefits, but it’s only available at the point of purchase.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Can be included in monthly payment
- Variety of plans and deductibles
- Cancel anytime
Cons
- Only available at time of car purchase
- Possible cancellation/transfer fee
Bottom Line
MaxCare is the optional extended warranty that CarMax customers can add to a used vehicle purchase. The plans are transferable and provide good coverage, but some companies offer more benefits.
MaxCare Auto Warranty Reviews
A link has directed you to this review. Its location on this page may change next time you visit.
- 4,246,788 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
- We require contact information to ensure our reviewers are real.
- We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews.
- Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.
Experiencing delamination of the 8.4" Touchscreen on my 2018 Ram 1500. I have the MaxCare extended warranty and it is supposed to also cover electronics but nobody except the Ram dealership will work on the touchscreen--and, of course, they are not a MaxCare repair shop. I have called several MaxCare recommended shops and they all say to take it to the dealer.
I am very unhappy with MaxCare after speaking with them and my dealership. My car is just out of warranty and only 3 years old. I am beyond frustrated and cancelled the remainder of my contract. I paid a huge amount at purchase and for what? I am stuck with the repair bill.
We are a repair shop attempting to contact MaxCare on a customer's behalf to authorize a repair. So far, we have been unable to speak with a representative, been given the runaround and left on hold for over 75 minutes checking the status of our claim. Our shop deals with warranty companies frequently, and most of them are professional and courteous. I would not recommend MaxCare and highly doubt that they will ever pick up the phone or answer our inquiries. Feels like a scam to me.
Well whenever something is wrong or if I even think something might be wrong they take care of me. Got the car from Carmax and happy I got extended warranty. I thought just for peace of mind but it works and it’s worth the money.
My truck was repaired by Ford, had Maxcare coverage to cover rental for week, put claim in and you get NOTHING! Tarique ** from MAXCARE CLAIMS took my claim info but still have no refund check($200) and it been since February of 2021!!! They also do not pick up their phone or call back, even though they say they will. DO NOT BUY!!! YOU ARE PRE WARNED!!!
I purchased the Maxcare warranty a few years ago. I purchased a vehicle that came with a lift kit. The adjuster came out to the shop I selected and denied the claim for a safety issue within my wheel bearings and axel. All because, I purchased a vehicle that came with mods. What is the point in paying for this policy if the claim is being denied for something that has nothing to do with me? Had they been upfront with me about the lift in the beginning. I would have considered another vehicle. This is unacceptable business practices! I will likely never again purchase a vehicle from CarMax!
I have purchased three cars from Carmax over the years, and I have always had a good experience using their MaxCare warranty. My first car I purchased around 2005 with a MaxCare warranty had a problem with one of the windows (it would not raise or lower). It also had some trouble with the weather stripping. I asked them if they could fix it, and they took the car in. It took them a little longer than they originally expected because they were waiting on the part. I didn't think I would need a rental at first, but since it took a couple of extra days, I went ahead and got a rental, which they covered. The process could have been faster, but they covered the window and even though the weather stripping wasn't covered, they fixed it anyway.
My second car, I never needed to take in for repairs. My third car, I have taken in twice, with a possible third time coming up. The first time I took it in, there was something wrong with the cables that connected to the battery (I'm not a mechanic so pardon my ignorance on what was wrong), so that when I turned the car off at the gas station, it did not turn back on when I was finished. I had it towed to CarMax using my Geico towing and CarMax quickly helped me to get a free rental and repaired the car in a couple of days. Since I took it to CarMax, it was free.
The second time I took my third car in, I had trouble with the automatic locks (only working intermittently), the turn signal (sticking when I turned right, having to hold onto it to make it work for a left turn), and the heated windows (not working to de-ice the rear window). It turns out the heated windows weren't covered, so I didn't worry about that. They replaced the automatic locking system and the turn signal, and gave me a free rental until it was fixed. I also didn't pay anything for them to fix it since I brought it to CarMax.
My advice to anyone considering the MaxCare coverage is to research and make sure to read the fine print. Find out exactly what is covered and what isn't, so there won't be any surprises when your car needs repairs. Make sure to make your payments on time, and make sure to take your car to get the oil changed regularly, since certain things won't be covered if it's due to not maintaining your vehicle properly. Also, pay close attention to how long the coverage lasts. It's usually a certain amount of miles OR a certain number of years (whichever comes first). Be careful to know how long it's valid so you don't accidentally try to file a claim and it won't be covered due to being out of date.
TL;DR: Maxcare Coverage worked well for me!
I detest the phone calls that come almost daily. You cannot turn them off. I would not purchase on on a bet. They will not take NO for a answer. I wish they had a phone number of their group to stop the calls once and for all.
Good service! Excellent coverage. Coverage for all the essential failures that can occur. Reliable car care for those unanticipated breakdowns. I strongly recommend. If you can find a better maintenance insurance, buy it. But, I don't think you will. The cost is comparable. Treat yourself well. This year of 2020 has made us all reliant on another; in so many ways! Be SAFE!
Maxcare is an absolute waste of time and money! I am going through the claims process today 11-2-2020 and all they've done is deny me after all the money I paid for the insurance. I purchased my vehicle through Carmax and asked for a bumper to bumper extended warranty which they guaranteed me maxcare was. Three months into the car and the catalytic converter breaks...no coverage. One year into the car and the battery doesn't work due to the moon roof having a short so it won't close causing water to leak onto my battery.
They won't cover my alternator being completely broken because of the battery saying they don't cover water damage. Even though the policy states it covers electrical issues. I ask to speak to a supervisor and apparently the company only has two that are all unavailable. They charge an extra 50 dollars on your deductible if you choose your own mechanic. The mechanics that are "in house" are all very far away as most mechanics specifically state they won't deal with them as they often do denials and leave people hanging. DO NOT BUY THIS. DO ANYTHING ELSE BUT NOT MAXCARE. I'm calling the Better Business Bureau!!
I purchased my vehicle in December of 2016 at Carmax in Merriam, Ks. They told me all the good stuff you want to hear and I even read the warranty. Keep in mind I have operated in the car business for 5 years myself. I bought the vehicle with 61,586 on the miles. Just hit 93,000. So 32k in 4 years and I live in Kansas mind you. Over the weekend I was driving in town and my driver side drive axle snapped in half. I pay to have the vehicle towed to my show. They see that it snapped and let me know. So I contact Maxcare to file a claim and find out about the reimbursement process. The first guy I spoke with was pretty nice but you could tell was kinda lost. He places me on hold while he types up his report. Comes back and asks me for my phone number. I provided my number.
A few minutes later his phone dropped the call and he never attempted to call me back (this was after 15 minutes on hold initially and then about 15 minutes with him on the phone. I call back and wait 22 minutes before my call is taken. Called back to verify what else I needed to do so I could get the claim moving and get my tow reimbursement. Find out the first guy put the tow and the repair under different claim numbers. That was wrong so I provided my shop with the wrong number.
So I had to contact them with the repair number not the tow number I was told that was correct. Then the CSR places me on hold for 5-10 minutes and comes back telling me both him and the previous CSR told me incorrectly. That those were numbers they use internally and that I would get the actual claim # when it is approved. That when it was approved I would need to call back again to get the NPA sent out because they have no process to automatically do it. I asked the guy to places notes to have the claims adjuster send it out when approved. He said they don't do it that way. He said" I can put notes in the claim but the adjuster probably won't do it". I went rounds about how inconvenient it was and how I am doing all the work for my warranty reimbursement and they don't do ANYTHING! He just said "I understand" over and over with no provided solution or attempt to save me the time.
I informed him I have spent over an hour of my day with them already. I don't have time to keep calling back and to sit on hold to have my call answered 20 minutes later. Only to get incorrect info both times. Again he could have cared less. Then comes the drive axle that snapped in half and the repair shop contacted Maxcare to speak with the claims adjuster. Only to be told that it was denied after the shop sent them the picture showing it snapped. They said it rusted through. It absolutely did NOT rust through and just had some surface rust. The shop explained to them it was not a failure of the part due to rust, over and over. They denied the claim and I had to pay another $260 out of pocket after the $105 tow I already have paid.
Called to speak with a supervisor and she again said it was my fault it's rusted and that the corrosion was the failure. Even after I explained I have worked in warranty and even seen the part myself. There was zero loss of shaft shape and I didn't hit anything. Of course it will have surface rust after 4 years in Kansas weather with snow. Again she could have cared less and said the claim is denied. These people are a fraud and will NOT cover your repairs like they say. This was my first and only claim presented in 4 years almost. I would NEVER recommend these frauds to anyone and buyer beware!!!! Keep in mind I paid $2200 for this extended warranty. NOT worth it!!!
Worse experience I’ve had or witness buying a car. Not even a week off the lot and my car was back in the shop for up to 2 months. Paint kept coming off, air bag light, multiple issues at once throughout the summmer! HOWEVER, they offer you a Maxcare plan that doesn’t secure the customer. My engine goes out a year later and MAXCARE gives me the run around for about 1 and half months. Just to deny my claim... they would NOT replace my engine or pay for a rental while my car was being fixed I had my maintenance receipts and everything. Why make a customer pay on time every month if they CANNOT use the service or warranty!! I would NOT recommend CarMax ESPECIALLY Maxcare to anyone! They are not for the customer!!
I called the provider to confirm a claim I would make to get an alternator replaced would be covered. The representative said yes and then went out of his way to tell me that all labor required to replace it would also be covered. I learned this wasn't the case when I got the estimate for the repairs back from my mechanic. A few more phone calls to the MaxCare provider later, I got to someone who told me honestly that labor up to a certain point is covered based on national labor allowances. I'll also be looking for a new mechanic, but I didn't appreciate someone going out of their way to lie to me about what's provided, particularly when the difference is a few hundred dollars. Getting to the bottom of up also sucked up much of my work day.
If I could give 0 stars I would. I would not recommend the MaxCare warranty to anyone. They talk a great game and promise you the moon when explaining everything it covers until you take it in for a "covered repair" and they deny the claim. The service guy called them, I called them, the service manager called them to explain the nature of the failure which should have been completely covered and all they would say is, "I'm sorry. We are not going to cover it." REALLY... Don't buy this warranty, you will only get screwed in the end. Period. You will be better off taking the money and putting it in an account....at least it will be worth that much when you need it. CarMax....you should be ashamed!! I will never buy another car from you or let you con me into an extended warranty again! And you can bet I'm going to tell everyone who will listen about my experience...
My wife and I purchased a Honda Odyssey and elected to purchase the top tier MaxCare warranty plan (a $50 deductible) because of the scope of the coverage. We used it to easily change an alternator about 9 months later without any issue. However, our van had a flashing check engine light come on about 6 weeks ago. The MaxCare warranty department decided that the work that needed to be done would not be covered due to "lack of routine maintenance" even though we have all the records proving otherwise. The CarMax-certified repair facility we're using even agreed with our position and contacted MaxCare on our behalf and were told that the claim would be denied (even though the reasons given were NOT routine maintenance items). Long story short - we may be out at least $600 in repairs/labor because MaxCare has decided that they will not honor the warranty provided.
Maxcare has treated me horrible. My 09 Honda CRV has been in the honda dealership for 3 weeks going on 4. They still havent approved my repair which is a faulty engine (I only had the car for a year). The only thing I got free was a tow. I've been unable to pay my car payment because I've been paying for Ubers and car rentals for the past 4 weeks waiting for them to get things rolling. When you call to complain all they tell you is unfortunately this or unfortunately that. This is the worst experience. Carmax isnt treating me any better. Maxcare wont pay for your rental until they approve the repair (waiting on approval for a month now). They want honda to put in a clunker engine so I'll be in this situation another year from now. They don't pay for diagnostic tests unless they approve the repair. And I have a 300 dollar deductible. 2 words MAXCARE SUCKS.
I had called The CarCare number that was given to me by the Carmax guy. His name was Kenneth. Anyway I call the CarCare number and a lady answers. I explain to her the issue at hand. That my car was serviced. And 2 weeks after that same problem arose. I feel I should NOT have to pay a 2nd deductible. The car should had been fixed the 1st time. While she's giving me the run around and stumbling over the lies she's telling me I ask to finally speak to her Supervisor.
I wanted a letter or an email stating that Carcare will not assist me with the waiver of the 2nd deductible. She nor the Supervisor never got back to me. It has been 2 days now and no response. I paid over 3000 dollars for that warranty and they won't even work with me?! Nonsense. So you know what?..All of my future payments for the car...I am sending them your way. And you people can take care of my payments. What did I pay for?? Not even a phone call back! So unprofessional! BBB is next with a review from me.
My customer brought her vehicle in for a simple repair, a washer pump. Called, got an Auth # and ordered the part. Did the repair. Called for payment. Here is where the trouble started. My shop had moved since the last time we did work for one of their policy holders. This started a 3 hour battle to get paid. I had to have the customer call to get the information I needed to get them in order to move forward. After all this they changed what they were willing to pay 3 times. BBW of this outfit. They are not easy to work with and everyone you talk to will give you a different answer.
I purchased a 2011 Infiniti G37 3 years ago. Since then, I’ve had to replace the slave cylinder because my clutch went out, I had to replace my transmission, couple malfunctions like my windows not going up and down properly, and now my AC stopped working and found out I had to get a new condenser because it’s cracked. THEY DID NOT COVER A PENNY.
They said they cover “only mechanical issues.” My condenser that needs to be replaced is considered a mechanical issue. The part is a condenser radiator dual part meaning it’s sold as an assembly which is about $600 and they denied it. I’m not sure why it cracked but I told them maybe I hit a rock or something and they said they wouldn’t cover it because it wasn’t a malfunction in the part. They need to do an inspection before approving it but why does an inspection need to be done if I was just told it won’t be covered because it wasn’t a part failure? In the 3 years I’ve had their warranty, I haven’t used it once because they didn’t want to cover anything. As of today, I’m canceling my warranty because it’s a WASTE OF MONEY and having the rest of the amount go towards my premium. It’s a freaking scam.
I bought the warranty for $3500 last year. Right after I had the MB SUV for one year, it started to have lots of issues. In the last three month, I had transmission replaced $7000, starter, $1603.66, idler pulley $681.56, engine mounts $2691.17. That's $12000 in total. All I have to pay is $500 deductible. Thanks God I still purchased the warranty after seeing the reviews on this website. Otherwise I might be crying right now ‘cause who knows how much I would need to pay to get this car repaired in the next few years.
We purchased a 2012 Nissan Rogue from CarMax, with the MaxCare Extended Warranty up to 100,000 miles. At 91,000 miles the car shook to a stop and went dead. We called MaxCare and they told us they would cover a wrecker and we could send it to any repair shop that is authorized. I looked up the nearest one and MaxCare stated they were approved. So we had it TOWED to that location.
The service shop diagnosed the problem as the radiator had blown out and leaked coolant into the engine causing the spark plugs to be fouled and damaging the engine beyond repair. Maxcare paid to repair the radiator that caused the problem, but refused to pay for the engine. We called MaxCare several times trying to get an understanding as to why they are covering the part (radiator) that caused all the damage, but not the parts (engine) that were ruined as a result.
MaxCare representatives first claimed that after the car stopped working on the day of the radiator being blown, we continued to drive it, driving it to the repair facility. We pointed out that we did not drive it, and they are actually paying for the TOW bill showing they towed it. They then transferred me to a "Supervisor" who stated that it wasn't because we drove it, but it was denied due to "Never having coolant in the vehicle EVER". We stated that is impossible and ridiculous over the life of any car to never have coolant in it. We asked to see the inspector's report (that they sent) that they used to deny claim and they stated that it is "in house only" and won't release it.
We spoke to an attorney who then pointed out that in the warranty contract, we agreed to arbitration with MaxCare to resolve any issues, and to call Maxcare back and clarify the exact reason it is being denied. We called back a third time, and MaxCare again stated that we drove the car to the repair shop (I again pointed out the wrecker charge). They then stated "The car has never had COOLANT, causing the radiator to blow out, which in turn caused COOLANT to leak into the engine". I pointed out the obvious mistake that coolant couldn't leak into the engine if it never had coolant in it.
I asked for the mistakes to be changed, and they stated no. I asked who made these mistakes and who to contact about it. The "Supervisor" stated that there was no one to contact or to appeal to, and we would have to go ahead with our choice to go to arbitration. She stated she knew CarMax was being evasive, but there was no one else for us to speak to about the obvious mistakes/lies.
It is very hard to find dealerships willing to take this. The closest one to us is 45 minutes away. There isn't one in our county or any surrounding zip codes to us. It would be nice if they would branch out. They also need to improve their rental car policy. When I used my extended warranty last time they set me up with a rental through Enterprise. My local Enterprise was out of cars. They did not have a contract with any other rental companies so I was forced to pay out of pocket at Hertz and get reimbursed after a few weeks. It's great in theory, just needs improvements.
I purchased a Mercedes Benz S550 from CarMax, also purchasing the maximum MaxCare policy along with it. 5 years/100K miles. After two years and only 72000 miles on the odometer and after having several major repairs covered, I brought the car in for a malfunctioning air conditioning compressor. I was informed that the repair would not be covered under MaxCare because the total cost of previous repairs had reached the purchase price of the car! This was exclusion was never mentioned verbally, nor in print under exclusions in the MaxCare sales pamphlet that the sales consultant went over with me when I purchased the car. I’m very disappointed with CarMax!!
I paid $1400 for an extended warranty and when my engine blew they would not cover to replace. They will look for every little thing to disqualify you so they dont have to pay. They make it sound like a great program to get you to buy. But when something happens to your vehicle they wont pay. I will never purchase a extended warranty again. The money you spend in the warranty could go towards future repairs. Save yourself time, stress and worry. DONT BUY!!!!
In the last 2 years I have bought a 2014 Cadillac ATS and a 2009 VW Jetta from CarMax. I hesitantly bought the aftermarket warranty for both. Unfortunately, 4 months after buying my ATS it needed a $3700.00 rear differential replacement. Since I could get the service done at any mechanic I took it to the Cadillac dealer who gave me a loaner. The representative came and looked at my car and approved the repair right away.
Then my Jetta needed $4500.00 front end repair work. The warranty paid for my rental for 5 days, no expense to me. The repair work was approved in one day. I just had to have the CUE replaced on the ATS, $1300.00. Again a loaner and no issue getting approved at all. The warranty and the deductibles together so far have come to $2600.00 and I have have had approx. $9000.00 repair work done, excluding rental cars. I could not be happier with my investment in these warranties and will never buy a used car without one again. Happy guy here!
I have taken my 2008 750i BMW to AAA certified mechanic and they have gone on and beyond on my repairs. Maxcare has approved at least 35,000 in repairs worth every penny. I usually receive a rental car immediately they cover a rental for up to 7 days. I have nothing but positive feedback to give Maxcare. I don't bother with Carmax. They usually need an appointment and the soonest appointment available is usually 1-2 weeks.
I see many people with bad experiences with Maxcare on here. I am quite the opposite. I had to have major repairs made on my 2011 A4. A known (Audi) oil consumption issue on the model and year of my car that over time damaged my pistons to the point that they needed to be replaced. For anyone that has ever needed to replace their pistons you know it is a huge repair expense (around $6300 for an Audi A4) because of the required engine teardown! There were also 2 minor oil leaks that needed repairing (around $800.00). MaxCare approved the repairs within 2 hours of being requested. I was working with the Audi Dealership Service Department in Annapolis so these were repairs made by Audi trained mechanics. The only caveat was to provide my service records to show that I was keeping up with the manufacturer recommended routine services (which I had been, thank Goodness).
I would say that I have gotten my money's worth with this warranty. I bought the 125k/6 year warranty for around 4k and I am so glad that I did!!! It has paid for itself and then some and I can now rest easy that I was only out of pocket my deductible (which is pretty high at $500.00) but given the over 7k in repairs, I will gladly pay that in lieu of what it would have been. I still have 35k miles and almost 2 years left on this warranty. I truly hope that I do not need it, but if I do, I have peace of mind knowing that I have it.
I purchased a 2002 Corvette from CarMax. I got the warranty for 6 years 100,000 miles in 2013. In 2016 I had some major problems. I had $18,000,00 in the car and all covered my Maxcare through CarMax. The repair shop owner screwed me and CarMax by putting ** parts in my Corvette. I started seeing the same problems 13 months later and the repair shop closed and took off with a lot of repair money. I called Maxcare and they told me because it was 13 months later they would pay again. The second time was $12.000 in repairs and they paid 100% again. It is a great company. I now have a different car, another Corvette and looking for a secondary warranty company and cannot find one.
Do NOT pay for this warranty through CarMax! They will give you incorrect information & then screw you out of money & not pay for what they say they will pay for. If you want a warranty, purchase it through one of the many legit warranty companies that will properly inform you & pay your claims.
Perhaps it is because I had to go through an actual dealer for repairs vs. having Carmax do the repairs, but my experience has been amazing. Within a month of buying a Porsche Cayman, I developed a strange noise in the transmission. I took the car to my local Porsche dealer and, long story short, two months later my car has a new transmission. I paid only my $300 co-pay and Maxcare covered the remaining amount (nearly $10K) without blinking an eye. Within two months, Maxcare has paid for itself 4 times over and I still have 5 years to go on the warranty. If you are considering an expensive vehicle, I'd highly recommend opting for Maxcare.
MaxCare Auto Warranty Company Information
- Company Name:
- Maxcare Auto Warranty
- Website:
- www.carmax.com
You’re signed up
We’ll start sending you the news you need delivered straight to you. We value your privacy. Unsubscribe easily.