CarShield Reviews - What Is It?

WARNING: DO NOT USE CarShield Until You Read This Review!
Is it a Scam? Does It Really Work?

CarShield is promoted as the first auto protection provider in the USA. It promises to provide the extended vehicle service protection plans also known as extended warranties. These can protect you from expensive car repairs. The company partners with financially stable administrators and claims to deliver policies that can help you to get 24/7 roadside assistance and towing, choose your own US or Canadian ASE-Certified repair facility, as well as rental car coverage. They can customize a plan for any client. CarShield claims to have flexible payment plans and competitive prices. The company tells us to have covered over 600,000 cars over the past ten years. Whether you own a high mileage vehicle, buy a new car, or have an expired manufacturer's warranty, their plans might seem quite comprehensive. But are there any better competitors? What is the best option? Let's address these questions but at first it is vital to discuss how CarShield works.

It is noted in CarShield's FAQ that they don't offer extended warranties, since it is actually an extension of your manufacturer's warranty. This auto protection provider is not connected to vehicle dealers or manufacturers. A CarShield service contract is meant to pick up where your current warranty drops off, or to fill any gaps in coverage. They don't offer any product but they are a company marketing car service contracts on behalf of major third party administrators. This is what the disclaimer at the bottom of their home page says. CarShield sells car service contracts from other companies like Interstate National Dealer Services, United Car Care, and American Auto Shield, and then services their clients. When you first contact them, they will help you to determine the proper coverage plan for you using criteria like the model, make, mileage, the age of your car, usage, as well as your budget. After that, they can take your down payment. Are there any real customers' reviews available online? Let's check.

Customer Reviews - Does CarShield Really Work?

According to the home page of the company, many of the company's policy holders gave them the highest rates for reliability. Specifically, on TrustPilot.com and ConsumerAffairs.com, CarShield has 8.8 and 4.4-star ratings respectively. Most compliments seemed to revolve around stress-free claims process, helpful support, and ease of doing business. At the same time there are many complaints the most common of which related to disappointing customer service experiences and high-pressure selling. For example, we encountered a 2016 Reddit thread where the poster talked about a letter from the auto protection provider that indicated the individual's warranty was about to expire. The client experienced pushy sales tactics. The CarShield representatives were very rude and unfriendly.

From a company perspective, St. Peters, MO-based company currently has an F Better Business Bureau rating, with 334 customer reviews (80 percent of which are negative) and 238 closed complaints. The most common complaints refer to less-than-stellar customer service, difficulty obtaining refunds, and excessive contact (via phone and mail). One customer reports in his testimonial that she regrets dealing with CarShield. When he first signed up, he was aware of all the negative reviews about them, but he still gave them a chance. The man explained them his mileage on his car (it was in KM actually) and said that he was not 100% sure what the mileage was at that moment. The client did not receive a contract in the mail, so he called the company several times asking if they could email him a copy. He finally received the contract through email. When he went to his mother's house, his car wouldn't turn over. The man called them and was told to call roadside assistance. He did so but when he gave them his contract number, they failed to find his contract and told him he would have to pay. The customer refused and called CarShield only to get some help in two days. Because the mileage was miscalculated, the company doesn't want to do their job. The man wasn't surprised since he had read many negative reviews but he still wanted to give them a chance. They really have poor customer service with the nastiest attitude. Their representatives do nothing but argue with their clients. The man asked to talk to the supervisor who finally gave him the email address. The customer would not recommend signing up with the company because they would do everything not to pay for the car to be fixed. He advises to save your money and not to waste your time. CarShield guys will not honor your contract. The number of negative reviews is so big that many of unsatisfied customers are going to file a class action lawsuit against the company for false advertisement and breach of contract. Let us take a look at some of these reviews.

"Car Shield is a bad company that does not pay like promised. They are very slow at approving car repairs; they try to get out of paying on each job and want the shops to use the cheapest parts for vehicles. My recommendation is to stay away from this auto protection provider and keep your money. Do not buy into it!"

"After seeing Carshield ad on TV, I filled out the information and they verified my info by calling me back. Then they passed me on to someone else who explained the cost and coverage to me. Then he started to persuade me to go ahead and give him my credit card info. I explained that I wasn't going to make any decisions without talking to my husband. The conversation was very long and the guy was very pushy. I finally told him off."

"CarShield is a scam, I warn everyone who still wants to use this company. After three months of being enrolled, they denied us our coverage. I have never faced any other scam like this in my life. Their customer service leaves much to be desired. It was real disappointment. I would not recommend this company to anyone. You will be a lot better off!"

My Final Summary

Speaking about CarShield, it should be summarized that this company comes with mostly negative online customer feedback. Even though it has been in business since 2005, it has pushy and dishonest policies, based on many customer reviews. It is important to pay attention to the fact that many VSC customers end up paying more than they get back from a coverage perspective, according to Consumer Reports. Besides, the company has an F Better Business Bureau. The only advantage is that the company allows you to transfer your coverage to a new owner of your car in case of selling it. CarShield's overall reputation leaves much to be desired, especially when it comes to the customer service. Before getting enrolled, it is vital to ask about the cancellation policy for your contract. Do not hurry up to hand over your credit card details. With all this in mind, CarShield cannot be recommended.

Where To Buy CarShield In Stores?

Car repair services can be obtained only after being enrolled into the company's membership. You will have to provide them your credit card details first. No specific prices are listed on the CarShield official website, which is a red flag. The company promises to offer a coverage plan that can be afforded by everyone. For pricing details, you can call at 800-974-9385 or send your email to customerservice@carshield.com. Since every policy is placed in a specific tier depending on the vehicle, each customer will be priced differently. This is what we learned from customer service. As long as your contract is in force, it can be transferred if you sell your car to another person.