She bought a warranty for a 10-year-old car. The car had a problem, the warranty didn’t cover it. What can she do? It’s why she called Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser.
I truly believe everyone has an interesting story to tell. Sarah is proof.
Sarah Cooper: “I picked cotton.”
Sarah grew up in a very big family.
Sarah Cooper: “Nine boys and eight girls. Born in Mississippi.”
To make ends meet, Sarah and her 16 brothers and sisters headed to the Mississippi cotton fields.
Sarah Cooper: “like, my dad, he could pick the thousand pounds a day. Well, i couldn’t pick it good because i used to count all the birds going around.”
Sarah’s stories belong in a history book, but we met with her to talk about her cotton picking problem.
Sarah Cooper: “He just told me that they had a very good plan.”
In November, Sarah got a random call offering to sell her a warranty on her 10-year-old car.
Sarah thought it was the dealership. It turned out to be a company in Missouri.
Sarah Cooper: “I said ‘Oh, I’ve got it made. I got the warranty.'”
Three months later, Sarah had an oil leak. She handed the repair shop her warranty to cover the $1,600 bill.
Sarah Cooper: “And he called me and said ‘Ms. Cooper, the warranty will not cover anything.'”
Sarah called the warranty company.
Sarah Cooper: “The lady told me that it didn’t cover because I hadn’t gone a thousand miles, and that I had 800 more miles to go.”
The company had sold Sarah the warranty over the phone. She said she didn’t know about the 1,000-mile requirement.
Sarah Cooper: “I explained to the man when I first got it that I just go to church, grocery store, and the doctor.”
In three months, Sarah has driven 200 miles. At that rate the warranty won’t begin for another year, but Sarah will have to keep paying $229 a month till she pays the $4,307 for the full cost of the warranty.
Sarah Cooper: “You know, to take advantage of the elderly. It’s something.”
Patrick Fraser: “So you didn’t even know what you were getting into?”
Sarah Cooper: “No, I didn’t.”
Sarah now knows what she got into and wants out of it.
Sarah Cooper: “I want to cancel it. Why should I pay that they’re not doing me any good.”
Good question Sarah. Got an answer, Howard?
Howard Finkelstein: “an extended warranty is basically insurance and in this case there is good news and bad news for Sarah. To protect themselves from customers who have a problem then buy a warranty, they require a minimum number of miles and months. The good news, this warranty has a cancellation clause, which Sarah qualifies for, and because the warranty never kicked in, she should get her monthly payments back.”
I contacted the warranty company. They said they needed to have sarah tell them to cancel the contract. We did a three way call and i got an email confirming it was cancelled.
Patrick Fraser: “This acknowledges that they canceled.”
Sarah Cooper: “OK.”
Since Sarah had already paid three monthly payments totaling $687, I asked for that money back.
I got an email asking Sarah to write a letter to them explaining why she wanted to get her money back. She wrote it and mailed it.
Patrick Fraser: “How’s the car running?”
Sarah Cooper: “It runs good.”
Sarah paid for the repairs with the money she would have paid the warranty company. She is happy now after her call to Help Me Howard.
Sarah Cooper: “You all have been very great. I really enjoyed talking to you guys and you know, i appreciate it so much.”
And thank you for talking with us and letting us help you, Sarah. Now if you have a used vehicle, you might want to think about just saving a couple of hundred dollars a month, instead of sending it to an extended warranty company. Then if you have a problem, you have the money to decide whether to repair the vehicle or make a down payment on another one.
A problem got you ready to blow a gasket? Think it warrants our help? Crank up the phone and let us repair things for you. With this Help Me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser 7News.
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