Scammed in to buying warranty
Complaint
John
Country: United States
I have a Maytag front loader washing machine bought in 1997. It's been serviced numerous times. We've looked at newer ones, but read horror stories about the quality problems. Wife wants this one repaired, if at all possible. Calls Maytag to schedule a service appointment. We know it's the main bearing, and we know the parts are going to be over $400 just from online research.
Lady on the phone detours my wife COMPLETELY when she calls to schedule service. Tells her to buy a $399 warranty, and that it will cover the complete cost of repairs. Wife points out that we've already priced just the parts to be more than that. Wife points out the washing machine was bought in 1997 (lady on the phone already knows that, and acknowledges she is looking at the service record on her computer). No matter, the warranty will cover everything.
Wife thinks Christmas has come early (she's been without a washing machine for a while already). Charge card is billed almost immediately by the company. Service call is scheduled. Full description of problem given.
I take a day off work. Guy from A&E shows up 15 min before 5:00pm, after I've wasted a whole day waiting. Runs the machine for 30 seconds, confirms the bearing is shot, and that this will be a 2 man operation to repair. Notices the machine is 1997. Says they won't fix it. Calls someone on the phone. I talk to them. Same story - they won't fix it.
Service guy confides in me that he see's this ALL the time. Someone sells the warranty, receiving some commission or credit for each warranty they sell. Then A&E shows up, see's it's too old, and/or too costly, and won't fix it.
Can I get my $299 back? Nope. Also, this guy tells me we'll be billed for a service call. But what about the warranty I just paid for? No, that doesn't cover his trip to the house.
I ask the guy on the phone - so let me get this straight. My wife was just sold a $299 extended warranty by some lady who was TOLD point blank that the parts were very likely going to be more than that, and the lady herself recited the age of the machine to wife, and yet this warranty won't cover the repair, the cost of the service call, or anything else, and oh by the way, even though the lady lied through her teeth to my wife, I can't even get my money back?
And for icing on the cake, the A&E guys keys in some part numbers and tells me that the parts alone will come to over $1200, and in addition will require 2 guys to install. Even though I've seen numerous write-up's by do-it-yourselfers, who state it can be done for around $400 in parts.
More icing for the cake I'm eating - after I Google this issue, I find almost EXACT matches for the same thing having been done to other people.
Of course, I want to call the company back, request a supervisor, try to be logical, and get some satisfaction. In all honesty, I think my chances are zero. I am quite certain my wife (and hence myself), have been scammed in to spending a bunch of money on outright false claims and lies, and I have no recourse.
And with the horror stories about A&E service, backordered parts, and multiple trips to fix problems, I shudder to think what the job would have wound up costing me out of pocket.
Hey Maytag, my wife simply wants her machine fixed! You think any of this is going to serve as an incentive for me or any family member to ever buy another one of your products again? Have fun going out of business. People like you who prey on people like my wife who simply call up looking for help are leeches looking ONLY for the commission on a warranty sale. Sort of like the bankers who gave large mortgage approvals to people who didn't even have jobs, knowing they'd default, but not at any cost to them. And look what happened there.
I'm not done with this. I haven't wasted enough of my valuable time yet...
Lady on the phone detours my wife COMPLETELY when she calls to schedule service. Tells her to buy a $399 warranty, and that it will cover the complete cost of repairs. Wife points out that we've already priced just the parts to be more than that. Wife points out the washing machine was bought in 1997 (lady on the phone already knows that, and acknowledges she is looking at the service record on her computer). No matter, the warranty will cover everything.
Wife thinks Christmas has come early (she's been without a washing machine for a while already). Charge card is billed almost immediately by the company. Service call is scheduled. Full description of problem given.
I take a day off work. Guy from A&E shows up 15 min before 5:00pm, after I've wasted a whole day waiting. Runs the machine for 30 seconds, confirms the bearing is shot, and that this will be a 2 man operation to repair. Notices the machine is 1997. Says they won't fix it. Calls someone on the phone. I talk to them. Same story - they won't fix it.
Service guy confides in me that he see's this ALL the time. Someone sells the warranty, receiving some commission or credit for each warranty they sell. Then A&E shows up, see's it's too old, and/or too costly, and won't fix it.
Can I get my $299 back? Nope. Also, this guy tells me we'll be billed for a service call. But what about the warranty I just paid for? No, that doesn't cover his trip to the house.
I ask the guy on the phone - so let me get this straight. My wife was just sold a $299 extended warranty by some lady who was TOLD point blank that the parts were very likely going to be more than that, and the lady herself recited the age of the machine to wife, and yet this warranty won't cover the repair, the cost of the service call, or anything else, and oh by the way, even though the lady lied through her teeth to my wife, I can't even get my money back?
And for icing on the cake, the A&E guys keys in some part numbers and tells me that the parts alone will come to over $1200, and in addition will require 2 guys to install. Even though I've seen numerous write-up's by do-it-yourselfers, who state it can be done for around $400 in parts.
More icing for the cake I'm eating - after I Google this issue, I find almost EXACT matches for the same thing having been done to other people.
Of course, I want to call the company back, request a supervisor, try to be logical, and get some satisfaction. In all honesty, I think my chances are zero. I am quite certain my wife (and hence myself), have been scammed in to spending a bunch of money on outright false claims and lies, and I have no recourse.
And with the horror stories about A&E service, backordered parts, and multiple trips to fix problems, I shudder to think what the job would have wound up costing me out of pocket.
Hey Maytag, my wife simply wants her machine fixed! You think any of this is going to serve as an incentive for me or any family member to ever buy another one of your products again? Have fun going out of business. People like you who prey on people like my wife who simply call up looking for help are leeches looking ONLY for the commission on a warranty sale. Sort of like the bankers who gave large mortgage approvals to people who didn't even have jobs, knowing they'd default, but not at any cost to them. And look what happened there.
I'm not done with this. I haven't wasted enough of my valuable time yet...
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