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Smart Shopper smart choice warranty HELP !
125 messages, Last post on Mar 10, 2008 at 9:36 AM
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In many states they do have to back up the company for which they are the seller [franchised dealers have special obligations they would like to forget]. Depends on their contracts and state insurance laws. Check with your local STATE insurance commissioner. The trade news was full of stories about dealers laying out hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep people quiet. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/auto_warranty/smart_choice.html http://www.autosafety.org/article.php?did=820&scid=93 |
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| I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE LIQUIDATION, AND I AM SMART CHOICE 2000 CUSTOMER. I AM TRYING TO CONTACT THE WARRANTY OFFICE BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY LUCK. THERE IS A LEAKING NOISE ON MANIFOLD (EXHAUST) OF WHICH IT IS ALSO COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I PURCHASED ON 2002 AT HONDA DEALERSHIP. HOW CAN I CLAIM IT, AND HAVE IT FIX SO THAT I CAN BRING IT TO AUTO REPAIR SHOP BEFORE I RENEW THE REGISTRATION OF MY VAN? DO I STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO SUCH WARRANTY SERVICE? | |
| the dealership that you purchased it from.They may take care of it.Or they may split the cost for you. | |
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when I discovered all this 'stuff' with smartchoice I called the dealer that sold my warranty to us. He said Smartchoice was being sold and another company was assuming the warranties. Anyone else here of this? my car has not needed any repairs and the dealer said for now they are covering it and then told me smartchoice was being sold ... I have not done anything since then, but it the meantime I am thinking I need to write the dealer a letter confirming they are covering any future covered repairs. has anyone contacted the Insurance Commissioner in PA? I hope to do that this week. marcy |
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| You can file a complaint with the PA Attorney General's office, as I did, but the PA Insurance Commission won't help since NWIG was a RRG (risk retention group), not an insurance company. My contract (and I would assume all PA Dealer contracts) states that the contract is between ME and the DEALER, with SOME obligations to SC&E, so I think the Dealer is responsible to some extent. In fact, when you file with the Attorney General, you will file against the Dealership (which, after all, offered to sell you this "insured warranty", took your money and made a sizeable commission). I strongly suggest that all PA residents who bought contracts through Dealerships KEEP THE PRESSURE on your dealer if they fail to honor the contract. File against them with the PA Attorney General and share your negative experience with the Dealership to EVERYONE you know at EVERY available opportunity. Word of mouth is a big thing with car dealerships, and the dozens of people I've told about my bad experience have said that, for that reason alone, they would not go to that dealership. (This is a big dealership in the Pittsburgh area.) Luckily, nothing has gone wrong with my vehicle so far. I have though about picketing this Dealership as well. The local police told me that as long as I do not block traffic or trespass, I am free to express my opinion about this establishment to the public. | |
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have you even contacted the dealership about how they are handling the Smart Choice contracts. And if you find out that they are taking care of their customers will you tell those dozens of people that you jumped the gun about bad mouthing them? |
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| Yes. Actually, the way I found out about this whole fiasco is because I had a minor ($150)problem with my vehicle that they DID cover, after my $50 deductible. I was 6 months into the 5 year contract that I had paid over $1200 for. The dealership didn't even tell me about the problem with the warranty. They just wrote that they weren't covering any more repairs on the repair receipt, which I happened to glance at before stuffing it into my glove compartment. When I called the dealership after returning home, they admitted that they would not cover any more repairs. I gave them the option of giving me a pro-rated refund (about $1000), but they refused. I would like to think that the sharing of my negative experience with family, friends, co-workers, etc... (when the subject of car buying comes up) will cost them well over $1000 in business. | |
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When was the last time you spoke to them. They may have changed the policy. I know some dealers in Iowa are covering repairs for their customers.Some are sharing the cost.And some are doing nothing. When this happened the Attorney General was not only notified by the customers but also by the dealerships. For customers in Iowa they can go to www.iid.state.ia.us to see what each dealer is doing. Maybe PA may have such a list. |
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That is why when service contracts are offered..as in many cases...the price might be less with one of these companies versus the manufacturers...but do not get sucked into trying to save few cents when it does not affect your monhtly payment much by paying a little higher price for a manufucturers warranty..Ford ESP, Chryslers Warranty, etc. Warranties are good in many, many cases...but just becareful as to what gets offered to you. As per smart choice...and any of these other companies...reason dealers offer them is that thru what they call reinsurance programs the dealers stand to receive added quarterly income, if not much warranties are claimed against the policy..and if at the end of the term of contract, no claims have been filed against that policy, the dealer gets to keep much of the $$$. As to getting money back or getting claims paid...wish much of you luck...Like playing the Lottery, all these years have not won yet...it seems that will be the case for many of you with this warranty...will not get to see anything or very little.. My suggestion is that keep on going back to the original selling dealer...even if you have to threaten to go to the attorney general...after all, they were the one that gave that company their recommendation,,,and they (the dealers) are the one that stood to make money on you. Good Luck Rob |
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Not all dealers have a reinsurance program and for those who did with smart choice lost their money also. That money is still in the hands of smart choice. |
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