CarShield Reviews

CarShield
( 100 reviews )
Website: Carshield.com

CarShield Review: Is it Worth Buying?

Reviewopedia staff  -  Updated:  August 15, 2023

 

CarShield is a company offering a range of vehicle service protection plans, stating they are one of the most popular extended car warranty companies doing business since 2005.

The company claims to protect its customers from costly auto repairs, no matter how new or old the vehicle is.  They have service plans designed for every stage of automobile ownership.

Below we take a look at their coverage options and help you answer some popular questions, most importantly whether this service is worth it or not.

How Does CarShield Work?

CarShield offers a simple and personalized experience to receive protection for your automobile.

First, potential customers request a free quote, personalizing the information to their vehicle.  Doing so allows for an accurate quote.

Next you and CarShield will work on developing a personalized plan that will realistically fit your budget and lifestyle.

Once you're enrolled you can reach out to their claims department in case of any mechanical issues with your vehicle, including emergency breakdown.

If the issue is covered by your plan, CarShield will pay the mechanic directly and you’ll be responsible for the deductible and any overage charges.

This business model provides protection for customers when their vehicle is past the coverage terms of their existing warranty,  or for those who've decided to prepare for worst case scenarios with an older high mileage vehicle.

This sounds simple enough, but potential customers should be aware that CarShield plans come with a variety of important caveats.

Almost all online complaints about CarShield come from customers who never fully read their service contracts and are disappointed to find that an expensive car repair bill is denied by CarShield.

CarShield Plans and Coverage

CarShield plans include a variety of services, including 24/7 roadside assistance, choice of mechanic for repairs, courtesy towing, and rental car eligibility.

Unlike a dealer purchased car warranty, CarShield offers you a vehicle service contract.  The main difference being that a 3rd party (called an obligator), such American Auto Shield, administers your protection plan.

This allows CarShield to offer 6 different protection plans with a variety of options, and allows for repairs to be made at any dealership or repair facility certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).

If you want the highest level of coverage the Diamond Plan will cover the following items:

  • Engine
  • Transmission
  • Drive axle(s)
  • Transfer case
  • Air conditioner
  • Fuel delivery system
  • Fuel pump
  • Starter
  • Alternator
  • Power windows
  • Water pump
  • Fuel injectors
  • Steering
  • Suspension
  • Brakes
  • Electrical system
  • Instrument cluster
  • GPS
  • Factory audio
  • Radiator
  • Wiring harness


The lower priced plans cover fewer items allowing you to select the level of coverage vs price you want.

In your contract you will also have a detailed breakdown of what CarShield does not cover.  

This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Sheet metal, Hoses, Trim, Weatherstripping, & Lighting
  • Spark plugs and wires
  • External nuts, bolts, or fasteners
  • Parts that have been modified or altered
  • Wear-and-tear components such as brake pads and air filters
  • Damage caused by acts of nature, collision, vandalism, or lack of proper maintenance
  • Auto repairs that have been made without pre-authorization from a CarShield claims representative
  • Misuses such as racing or off-road driving
  • Tampering with the odometer
  • Pre-existing mechanical issues
  • Damage from a non-covered part  

 

It’s important to understand the potential implication of some of these exclusions.

For instance, one customer review that we found detailed a situation where coverage of the repair of a covered part was denied because it was deemed the part failed due to a fault in the external fasteners.

Extra Benefits:

If a qualified repair is quoted for more than 4 hours of labor, CarShield will offer up to $40 per day for a rental vehicle.

*Additional Notes of Importance*

If you’re thinking of signing up for CarShield to deal with impending repairs, be aware that the company has a 20-day/500-mile waiting period, along with the aforementioned clause against covering pre-existing issues.

When it comes to the actual repairs, they state that part replacement may include new, used or remanufactured parts of like kind and quality.

Customer Service

If you have a more general question or comment, you are able to leave a message on their website’s contact page. All you have to do is leave your email, phone number and name.

If you are ready to get a quote you can call 800-277-7170.

For more specific issues, questions or concerns relating to customer service, they have specific numbers for different services you may be needing.

1-800-380-2165 for United Car Care
1-800-531-1925 for American Auto Shield
1-800-492-6762 for INDS
1- 866-222-7869 for Roadside Assistance

 

Cost & Price Plans

To get the true cost of your plan you have to go through the full process of getting a quote.  

However, on average, the cost of a plan is between $99.99 and $129.99 per month.

The obvious key variables will be the plan you choose, vehicle make and model, and mileage.

In general, Car Shield offers competitive prices when compared to other popular extended warranty companies on the market.

Customer Reviews & Complaints


Positive Reviews

We found a range of customer experiences with CarShield from online customer reviews.

There are many positive reviews with customers stating that the company is dependable and allows them to feel that their vehicle is being properly protected.

From needing towing to mechanical breakdowns, some people have found that CarShield is able to cover a variety of claims for them, ranging from serious to less serious.

Customers cite that CarShield offer plans that many other companies do not - from service plans on older cars, to extremely flexible price options. 

They also get decent marks for customer service and people seem very pleased with the service when everything goes right.

 

Negative Reviews

On the other hand there are a lot of complaints and customer service horror stories detailed in many angry reviews.

In general most of the bad reviews come from instances where customers were unexpectedly denied coverage, were not happy with their reimbursement totals, or their mechanics had difficulties obtaining payment from CarShield.

The company has an F rating with the BBB and, on that platform, they have a rating of 1.4/5 stars from an average of 1,421 customer reviews.

From reading those negative reviews you can see instances where using CarShield can be frustrating and not seem worth it.

Many complaints pertaining to serious high dollar repairs described a difficult process full of bureaucratic pitfalls.

In some cases claims adjusters will require detailed maintenance records & receipts for your vehicle in an attempt to prove pre-existing conditions or blame the breakdown on a lack of routine maintenance.

Further some unhappy customers found that CarShield doesn’t distinguish the difference whether the lack of routine car maintenance comes from the vehicle's current owner or previous owner.

Other people had issues with the fact that the rental car they were getting was not covered for enough time.

One important detail to keep in mind is that the company relies on a “nationally recognized labor guide” to determine repair rates.  If your mechanic’s rates and labor hours quoted are above that, you will have to pay the price difference yourself.

Another issue that customers raised is that some mechanics refuse to work with CarShield, precisely due to some of these additional issues they encounter when trying to collect payment.

On a positive note, it does appear that CarShield has an active customer service team that replies to online complaints, albeit not always with what customers want to hear.

CarShield Alternatives

While what CarShield is doing is different from many companies that protect vehicles, they do have competitors as well.

 

CarShield vs. Endurance Warranty

Endurance Warranty is another popular choice for vehicle protection by American citizens. It, for the most part, has very similar offers to CarShield.

However, it specifically specializes in extending warranties on cars, as the name suggests.  When comparing CarShield vs Endurance Auto Warranty, the latter has been in business since 1988, making it more experienced than CarShield.

That being said, Endurance Warranty seems to offer less personalized or flexible plans.  Another alternative that you may want to consider for vehicle protection is Toco Auto Warranty.  It runs, again, pretty similarly to CarShield.

 

CarShield vs. Toco Warranty

Toco allows you to bring your vehicle to any repair shop of choice to fix it in case of mechanical issues and promises that you will not need to make any down payments.

It would seem the main difference is that Toco Warranty seems to offer more varying plans, which will cover less or more of your vehicle.

 

CarShield vs. Liberty Auto Warranty

This company has been protecting vehicles for over 40 years and offers extremely flexible prices, along with 6 months without payments.

However, their plans seem to be less personalized to your specific case and vehicle than CarShield’s. 

All of these options run somewhat similarly, with minor differences here and there.

It would be best to request a free quote from the different companies and get a feel for their style of customer service before you choose one.

Is CarShield Worth It?

Buying a used car can be a risky endeavor and people want assurances that their investment will be protected.  

CarShield provides those assurances, but keep in mind that they are a for-profit business.

Their service contract is designed in a way where they will put the burden of proof on the customer and their mechanic to show that costly repairs are due to mechanical failures and not due to neglect.

If you’re confident that you can clear those hurdles, then one of their extended warranties may be a good bet on a high mileage vehicle.

It will also help to thoroughly read the CarShield service contract and ask as many questions of the sales rep as possible to ensure that you understand all of the terms and conditions of the service.

If you have any experience with CarShield or their services, please leave your reviews below.

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CarShield Customer Reviews

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Pushy and rude customer service
March 9, 2024
I filled out the form for a quote - then received 7 phone calls- no name- in 35 minutes. I answered the 8th call as I was getting ready to leave for a dentist appointment. The guy was very rude when I said I had to leave and please send the quote to my email. He asked if I had phone service in my car! Then I called the company and asked for my number to be removed due to unacceptable customer service rep- had 11 more calls over 3 days!

Rip off
February 26, 2024
Car shield sucks don’t use them it’s a rip off!

The CarShield Email Scam
January 16, 2024
Everyday I receive two to four emails from CarShield. They send them to a fake AOL address. Even though I have never had and do not now have an AOL email address, they still come to my gmail address. I have tried for weeks to unsubscribe. Nothing works. No one should do business with CarShield.

FrankJ Meyer February 06, 2024

CARSHIELD is the biggest scam going and should be investigated by congress! I have been a diamond member for 1 year and put in my first claim. My heated seats stopped working. I called every dealer for 100-mile radius, and NO ONE WILL TAKE Carsheild. When I signed, they told me I could go to whoever I want. B!S! When I called them direct, they said they have a local mech in Harrisburg that might fix it. Harrisburg is almost 3 hours away. And how is a transmission shop going to repair my heated seats?!!!!!! Don't buy this!!!! I have contacted a lawyer who promised not only a full refund of over the thous. I spent but also car repairs and punitive damages.

Beware if you purchase a used car
January 15, 2024

I was not aware, and was not informed, that if your vehicle has preexisting conditions when you purchase it, Car Shield will not pay to fix it. When I purchased my used vehicle I was not aware things wrong with the engine. After about a year and a half, after driving it all over, the engine let go. I had it pulled to my mechanic and they did whatever they do and called Car Shield. I also did not have records where I had changed the oil. They wanted those records.

However, since my vehicle had problems I was not aware of when I purchased it, and I could not show them records where I changed the oil myself, they denied my claim. I never had a chance

Car Shield does not tell you this in any of the advertisements. I immediately cancelled my 3 policies I had with them. I never had a chance to talk to the person who made the decision, and they didn't want to hear what I had to say.

Don't get scammed
January 2, 2024

Car Shield is garbage, I called customer service before taking my Toyota Tundra to the dealership and told them I needed an alternator, they advised me to call the company I wanted to take it to and have them call car Shield which is what I did and told the Dealer I had a warranty with Car Shield, she said she would order the alternator and it would take a week, so I said okay.

So on Tuesday morning I take my truck in and they put the alternator on, after which she said that would be around $900 that I needed to pay and I told her again when I called in I told them I had CarShield, she says to me she didn't know the number...really?..Of course CarShield said they weren't going to pay it because the Dealer did not call before hand...after going back and forth with the dealer and car shield I ended up with $390, which was ridiculous thinking I had coverage.

CarShield said they could have sent dealer an alternator costing $167, but the dealership alternator was around 400, Carshield said they use refurbished or used parts. To make a long story short it's unbelievable they can scam people the way they do....I canceled them immediately...the Dealership (McDonough Toyota)..the woman grabbed my keys thinking I was leaving when I wanted to go to my truck to get my purse...Terrible place to do business. I should have read your reviews prior.

Don't Waste Your Money!
December 5, 2023
When I needed my VW Jetta's dashboard screen replaced($2000+), I took it to my local VW Dealership. I told them I had Car Shield and they laughed at me! They told me those guys never pay so..., they do not deal with them. In fact, in my town only Pep Boys accepted Car Shield. Pep Boys is very limited in what they do so, of course they could not fix my car. I was screwed.

Buyer beware of companies like this.
December 2, 2023

You have to very careful with your contract because the contract is written for their benefit. They denied my claim. The have loopholes for them to get out. The best thing to do is try to care of your with regular maintenance.

harassing phone calls
December 1, 2023
CarShield has bombarded me over the past two days with unsolicited phone calls. I've reported the company twice to DoNotCall.gov. It has a D rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Dissatisfied Former Customer
November 30, 2023

What a scam and a rip-off. Before the recent holiday, I took my vehicle in for an oil change and tire rotation at my Nissan dealership.

While at the dealership, I noticed a sign stating that as of September 2023, the dealership will no longer accept CarShield. I inquired as to why since CarShield covered me. I was informed that CarShield has a practice of paying out claims late, that they send inferior parts, and that it sometimes takes 3-4 months to receive parts.

So, since I only take my vehicle into Nissan dealerships, I decided to cancel my plan with CarShield. When I initially called in on November 17, 2023, to cancel, I was informed to call back on November 27, 2023 (please note that I was not given a time, only a date), When I called back on the 27th, I did inquire if payment would be taken out of my account since I was calling in on the day that payment was automatically withdrawn. I was assured that it would not. While balancing my account today, I noticed that automatic payment had been taken out of my account.

I immediately called this error into the company, only to be given the run-around. I was informed that I would not receive a refund since I canceled the policy too late and that payment was taken out at 6:00 a.m. on the 27th. I was told that I should have called in before the due date.

Well, I did. My initial call was on the 17th to cancel this policy, only to be given misinformation. And now I'm being told that I cannot receive a refund. To this, I say BULL! I believe that your company is in the habit of deceptive practices, I am a VERY dissatisfied former customer, and I will share my experience with others.

Mrs. Jacqueline Burden

Fairburn, GA 30213

AntonioGonzalez December 02, 2023

Very much so. The contract is written in their favor not consumer. They have loopholes that benefit scam.

LeeRichie December 06, 2023

You are correct. Getting reimbursement out of them is like getting "blood out of a rock." PLEASE LISTEN TO ME - GO WITH ANOTHER CAR WARRANTY COMPANY.

Claim denied.
November 29, 2023
I was very unhappy with Carshield after paying monthly fees for a significant amount of time. Filed a claim for electronic sensors that was denied. Upon initiating my platinum coverage I was assured by sales staff electronics would be covered. Time to seek a more reputable company for warranty coverage.

CA not covered, NO false advertisements
November 21, 2023

Why do California get CarShield commercial ads when IT DOES NOT cover Californians vehicles? This is annoying and doesn't make sense.

Don't fall for the crooked sales pitch
November 16, 2023
These scammers spend more on fleecing TV ads than repairs. They aren't even the providers...just marketing BS. Save $200/month or whatever suits budget for auto repair fund and you will be better off with no deductibles or lies.

Customer Service
November 15, 2023

Very disappointed with this Car Shield company. After a cancellation of my policy they kept withdrawing payments from my bank and I couldn't get a refund back. I asked for the recording of the call and they denied showing it to me.

Worse ever
November 14, 2023

I've had to use Car Shields service 3 times for my F250, this was at a FORD dealer. The first time it was for front end work, they paid for labor and only 30% for part which I had to dig in my pocket. The second and third time they would not cover. I have my F250 in a shop now for a fuel return and of course they won't cover. Their claim is it's not a covered part, so here is another $800.00 repair that I have to pay for. So what are they good for If you have to pay for yourself. Take the money that you would pay them and save it and you will be ahead of the game.

Run From CarShield
November 14, 2023

Zero stars if I could, The worst service I ever had in my life, the worst warranty service I ever had in my life.

These people are sending me around and around, even the repair shop was concerned about the treatment that I was receiving from them because normally a claim doesn’t take that long and he can’t understand why they put me through a lot for something they take money out of my account for every month.

I’m a gold star member and this is the first time I’ve used this service, and they put me through hell and back, also referring to the repair shop speaking about this is unusual. I would never refer anyone to them, the minute they approve my claim I’m canceling them...

Doesn't cover squat shield!
October 31, 2023

Even with their premium high cost plans costing thousands of dollars per year, they don't cover squat. Multiple times we've had our car to a real quality ASE certified dealership for repairs and Car Shield offered to pay pennies for the repairs. Literally about 30% of what the real expert dealer mechanics said the repairs actually cost. Forget Car Shield. Save Your Money! Go Elsewhere!

Carshield is not a good company
October 30, 2023

This is a negative review about Carshield. They do not do what their commercials say. There are a very bad company. Do not go with them or someone else that’s more reputable as endurance because they did not do what they were supposed to do for my car so please do something else, as far as I am concerned, they are a fraudulent company. Thank you.

How long before the owner goes to jail at Carshield
October 21, 2023
I paid this company for over 6 months on two cars, when my thermostat broke they refused to pay one cent. I needed gaskets and seals as well, Carshield approved only half the cost of the labor & parts. This is how they get you, buyer beware. Every person I talked to in the car business said Carshield is a huge rip off

You can get all your money back that you paid in!
October 18, 2023

I called today to see how to go about using my policy. I was connected to a great guy named Chris Chambers from Omega Auto Center based in Boca. I asked my question and he told me that basically, Car Shield is no more. He told me about their F rating with BBB and other ratings that are awful.

I bought into

CarShield in October of 2015. My payments were about $100 a month, then went up to $109 a month. This is October of 2023, which is 96 months times $109/month and when I did the math, I about fell off my chair. I have paid in $10,995 to date. I can't believe it.

So Chris told me he would get my money back that I had paid in within 4 weeks. There is also a class action lawsuit filed that he will add my name to as well. He said that their plan, which is rated an A+ by the BBB will add on another 100,000 miles to the policy, Free maintenance for a year. Free road side assistance, etc. You pay your monthly fees for 18 months and then you're done paying until you renew the coverage.

I will do more checking on them, but if you want to get all the money you've paid in, give Chris a call.

I'm still in shock about the amount of money I paid in over all that time. Can't wait to get the money back into my account.

Call this guy! Chris Chambers 561-717-4162. That's his direct line.

CarShield doesn't do what they promise on contracts, or commercials
September 23, 2023

Car Shield is one of the most disreputable companies that I've ever witnessed.

I purchased Carshield protection on September 3. 2020 for my 2017 Hyundai Sonata. In May of this year 2023, my check engine light came on. My car was still driveable, but it had lost some power. I immediately pulled over to the nearest exit, about half a mile from the occurrence.

I called Carshield and spoke with one of their representatives. After listening to my problem, the representative proceeded to give me a list of the repair shops they used. Hyundai turned me down flat out, citing they do not do business with Carshield, as they do not pay their bills.

I was given 3 more, and out of those few, only one, (Mr. Transmission) was located in Crichton, in Mobile Alabama. I was told to bring my car in, I did everything that was asked of me in under 2 hours. I was told to leave my car, the mechanic told me that he would call me back as soon as he contacted Carshield.

The following day, I received a call from the mechanic from Mr. Transmission. I was informed that Carshield refused to send out an adjuster to make an assessment of what was going on with my car! When I called Carshield back, the customer representatives were unsure of what was going on. I asked to speak to someone from their corporate headquarters, and they told me, they did not have that information.

After having made several calls, I was extremely disgusted, as I had allowed these people to go into my account every month, without fail, and withdraw funds from my bank. Eventually, they became downright hostile and ugly with me. That's when I realized that, although the recording says it may be recording for training purposes, not one of the representatives feared losing their jobs or being reprimanded for such unprofessional behavior. There is no accountability at this company!

My car is still not working. I was forced to go out and buy another car for my wife, in order for her to have a vehicle to drive to work. Please steer clear of this company! You would be better off, placing your funds into an interest-bearing account at your bank. At least you would have a way to pay for repairs in the event that something happened to your vehicle.

I get physically ill, when I see commercials with both Vivica Fox and Ice Tea, both referencing their cars using the script (My Baby) stay away from these crooks! They talk a great game when they're trying to get you hooked.

Carshield is a scam! They can make these commercials, and pay these actors because they use our money to pay them, to hook even more unsuspecting people into being hoodwinked. If I can save one person, that will help. Carshield has garnered an "F" with the BBB. PLEASE, KEEP YOUR MONEY, IN YOUR POCKETS! Otherwise, you will be extremely disappointed.

MichaelAskew October 12, 2023

YES! Same issues, I guess we are to blame for not doing our do diligence and not checking on this 3rd rate company. If we had the reputable repair shops would have informed us both as to what we had. I was sent to two shake and bake shops who themselves had to bargain with these folks on repair cost. It cost me dearly.