I bought this vehicle on 8/12/09 off a car lot, and was concerned about the high mileage. The owner of the car lot provided me with a 3-month unlimited mileage warranty through C.A.R.S. Protection Plus, Inc. to ease my mind.
Less than 100 miles after I had the vehicle, the rear axle went out. I called C.A.R.S., and they told me to take it to a certified mechanic of my choice and to have the mechanic contact C.A.R.S. At that point, C.A.R.S. told the mechanic to disassemble the whole rear end, and a C.A.R.S. representative would inspect it. The mechanic found a destroyed bearing among other affected parts from the debris in the rear axle. Also upon inspection, the mechanic found a broken CV joint and bad ball joints on the front end.
The vehicle sat there disassembled for over one week before a C.A.R.S. representative came out to look at it, which left me without a vehicle during this time period. The mechanic called me three days in a row saying that the C.A.R.S. representative would be there that day and never showed up.
When the C.A.R.S. representative did show up, he said that they would not pay for it, because they do not cover any wearable parts. In my opinion, every part on a vehicle is wearable, and nowhere in their contract does it say that they do not cover wearable parts. Listed in the contract, are specific items that are covered, and the "drive axle assembly" was listed saying "any internal lubricated parts, front and rear drive axle, housing and all internal parts, bearings, wheel bearings, side carrier bearings, ring and pinion side gears, spider gears, etc."
This left me with a disassembled vehicle, which had to be repaired, which put me out $1, 300. Had C.A.R.S. not had the mechanic disassemble the rear axle, I could have fixed it myself a lot cheaper. I did everything I was told to do by C.A.R.S., and they did not honor their contract. Not only am I out the $1, 300, but I am still looking at repairs for the CV joint and the ball joints, which they also denied the claim on.
On September 30, 2009, I requested a written letter of denial from C.A.R.S., which I have not yet received. I’ve done a lot of on-line research on C.A.R.S., and found many class-action suits in the past and a lot of negative feedback about them.