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Anyone heard of car protect - sheffield (extended warranty firm)


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Has anyone heard of Car Protect (Edit)?

Car warranty company based in sheffield, part of motor way direct.

 

Just had a phone call out of the blue from them offering me a warranty on my vectra.

Salesman gave me the hard sell,

says it covers all major failures (engine, gearbox etc) all for just £17.46 a month.

 

 

Seems like a decent offer but with the cold call decided to take their details,

do a bit of research and id give them a call back if interested.

 

 

He then tried to offer the first month free if i took the policy there and then which i laughed off and more doubts began to creep in.

 

I was wondering if anyone has heard of the company or has ever had any dealings with them in the past, if so, how were they, for you?

 

My vectra is a 52 and done 93k so an offer of warranty is really appealing as I keep expecting one day the gearbox to die (did i mention it was an auto? :shock:) so a bit of finiancial cover would be extremely helpful.

 

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Edited by dx100uk
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  • 6 months later...

Just had a call from CarProtect, trying to sell me a warranty on a car that I got an insurance quote for, but never even saw let alone owned, that I saw on Autotrader some time ago. I'd got multiple quotes from a comparison website out of curiosity to see if it was going to be affordable.

 

Once I'd pointed out that I'd never owned a Mini Cooper (they seemed as confused as I was - "So you've sold it then??") they were fairly keen to hang up the phone, not before I got my request in to remove me from their database.

 

It goes without saying that I was rather alarmed that not only they had my details but made this assumption.

 

Following a google search I rather unsurprisingly stumbled across much unscrupulous behaviour on their part.

 

What should I do? Can I / Should I report them or something? If so who to?

 

Thanks

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  • 9 months later...

Car Protect is a motor breakdown insurance run by Motorway Direct PLC

 

I joined with them a few months back, as now as seems to be quite common (the more I read), they seem to think I should pay to dismantle my own gearbox just so they can tell me its wear and tear. I will not accept that its that simple for them to just avoid my claim. When you consider that you can take out a good household contents cover for that type of amount, you would really think something like this could be something worthwhile, we will see.

 

I have started a blog at motorway-direct dot com outlining full details of my claim as it developes!

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When my wife took out additional learner insurance they contacted her out of the blue saying "her warranty had nearly expired" which was a surprise as:

  • She has never owned a car
  • My car, the insured one, is a Rover 75 purchased after the company went bust so has never had a warranty

Based on this I would not trust them as far as I could throw them.

 

For piece of mind I have a trusted garage - they do exist - a comprehensive recovery service and an excellent marque specific internet forum where I can get excellent advice whenever I need it (for my car google mg-rover forums and .org and you will find the one)

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 months later...

The Wear and Tear can be challenged if you think it not to be. I think the majority take their word for it instead of getting a second opinion from a proper engineer to look and assess.

 

Always ask for the assessing engineers credentials before allowing him to check your vehicle. If he can't or wont show them to you, tell him go home as not suitably qualified to make a judgement.

Edited by Conniff
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  • 4 months later...

When I bought my second hand Audi A4 s few years ago, I bought various Gap insurance policies and other things, through the AA and via the sales garage,*to cover me for the first two years of owning my (new to me) car.

*

Coming up to two years of ownership, I was contacted directly by a company that supplied the AA with one of the insurances - Car Protect Ltd. I didn't realise that I had taken out the policy (but apparentIy had) though they had the policy in my partners name, not mine.

*

In essence, I had a policy that would supposedly cover my car for mechanical parts if they broke, up to a value of £2000.

*

At first, the company contacted me by mail (actually to my partner and she thought it was a [problem]) and then followed up with phone calls directly to me. I was asked to sign-up again before my policy ran out. The first reason for this was that if my policy ran out and I then signed up, I would not be covered in the first month (which I found odd).

*

I asked many questions and had the salesman call me back on several occasions over several weeks so that I could think it through and make an informed decision based on any questions that could come to me over time. I did ask my mechanic who said that it probably wasn't worth my while as in his experience, this type of*insurance policy never paid out. I did talk to the saleman about this and he assured me that wasn't the case.

*

During the previous two years, I had a clutch failure due to the harsh snow conditions and I asked if I would have been covered in that instance - which I was told I would.

*

In the end, I decided to re-new the policy (for about £300+ @ 17.46 a month) as I figured that something could break and that with the Audi, it would cost a decent sum of money and having the policy would help mitigate any costs.

*

Sure enough, less than a month into the policy, an Oil pressure light came on and*I stopped the car immediately, subsequently getting the car towed to by favoured mechanic.

*

The sailient points of what happened after this:

*

1. Car Protect claimed I was not covered in the first month of policy - then backed down when it was pointed out I had re-newed.

*

2. My mechanic advised me what was wrong with the car - an oil pump failure - and that I should get a new turbo as well as stripping down the engine to make sure that there were no contaminants that would kill the engine after the oil pump was replaced.

*

3. Car Protect had an independant assessor from Dekra inspect the car.

*

4. I was advised by my mechanic - who had been told by Car Protect - *that the claim was going to be turned down due to wear and tear of a consumeable item - the oil pump. My mechanic advised that a drive rod inside the pump was at fault.

*

At no time in the proceedings did Car Protect formally OR informally contacted me to advise that the claim had been turned down.

*

5. I had been working on a contract at a council (infact, the car broke down on the retrun from the interview for the job). I happen to sit next to the Trading Standards team. I showed them my policy and it explicitly states that the Oil Pump is covered. They advised me - informally as the breakdown was not in their area - that as the cost of repair was to be £3800, it would be unreasonable for Car Protect to say that an Oil Pump was a consumeable item and that as the part that failed was internal to the pump I should contact Audi to determine how long the Oil Pump should last as they would assume that an Oil Pump should last the lifetime of the car and not suffer wear and tear.

*

6. On Aug 1st 2011, after visiting an Audi garage and asking other people whether an Oil Pump should be classed as a consumeable and should suffer wear and tear (all no), I contacted Audi UK directly and asked them question of how long the Oil Pump should last. I was told it should last the lifetime of the car.

*

7. Aug 2nd I contacted Car Protect directly to ask why I was to be turned down. I was told that the drive for the Oil pump was worn away and that this meant I did not suffer a sudden mechanical break as the breakdown was due to wear and tear on a part.

*

The bit in the policy*that says 'sudden mechanical break' is the bit that Car Protect is using to sidestep that the Oil Pump is covered explicity in the policy. As I didn't get a sudden breakdown - according to them, it was sudden and immediate to me - , the policy did not apply at all to my situation.

*

This means that nothing is covered unless I have a sudden mechanical failure. This means that even though I was advised my burnt out clutch would have been covered, it certainly would not have been in reality (not a sudden mechanical failure and wear and tear)

*

I asked for the report and was told Car Protect could not provide it and I should phone Dekra.

*

8. Aug 2nd Phoned Dekra who would not provide report, said Car Protect had to.

*

9. Aug 2. A Car Protect engineer expained to me that the drive for the oil pump was worn and rounded, therefore the oil pump had worn out. He told me that it was a known problem with the hexagonal drive and that Audi know this and should not have told me that the oil pump should last the lifetime of the car.

*

I then waited for Car Protect to contact me officially to say that the claim has been turned down - they did not.

*

10. I contacted consumer direct and they advised that I ask for the details of the claim refusal in writing and to ask Audi for written confirmation with their point of view.

 

11. On Dec 12, I contacted Car Protect. I asked for them to formally inform me that the claim had been turned down and to put that - and the reasons for it being turned down - in writing. I also cancelled the policy.

 

Audi have not got back to me, so I decided to write to Car Protect anyway, however.....

 

12. On 29th Feb, guess what? I still had not received anything from Car Protect and on my bank statement I found a standing order going out to "PREMIUM FIRST" for £17.46. After contacting the bank, it became clear that this was the monthly payment going to Car Protect Ltd. I phoned PREMIUM FIRST aka Creation Finance Ltd (their number if you need it is: 08716646500). They confirmed that they were still taking the funds from my account, but I had to contact a different part of the business called Insurance Car Protect Ltd.

 

So, today. I am writing to Car Protect Ltd with a registered delivery. I am going to point out all of the above and to suggest that I have been advised that they could be multiply in breach of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 and that I will be contacting the Financial Services Ombudsman.

 

Before that is in the post, I will contact consumer direct and the Financial Services Ombudsman, then I will call Premium First.

 

I have spoken to many people about this and invariably there is annecdotal evidance of others beleiving that policies like this are a [problem].

*

I belive that the insurance policy was mis-sold to me. I believe that it is a policy that I cannot resonably expect to be able to successfully make a claim on. I beleive that the policy has been deliberatly worded to provide get-outs on items explicitly stated as being covered. In my words, I think it is a [problem] - a respectable looking [problem] - , but a [problem] none the less and that I and many, many others, have been the victim of some sharp practice.

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  • 2 months later...

Same here, out of the blue got a call on my mobile, worryingly they knew my name and make and model of car and proceeded to pretty much TELL ME they would set up a warranty, like they were doing me a favour. I made a polite excuse to end the call but a week later they rang again (different caller), I told him I was not interested and hung up but 2 mins later they rang again from a slightly different number presumably to try and fool me. I've now blocked their numbers......we'll see what happens next.

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I'm afraid I can't make polite excuses to finish the calls, I am exceedingly rude and use language that would make a sailor blush especially to 'number witheld' calls.

It usually works and I don't get return calls except from stupid companies like the con artist pretending to be from Microsoft saying I have a virus on my computer, they really do get a mouthfull, (after I've played them along a bit). The funny thing is though, they don't end the call in a hurry so must like what I'm calling them. :)

 

That's a really good and explanative post Seamus Waldron, I hope you will return and keep everyone up to date on how things progress.

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  • 1 month later...

Hi,

Avoid Car Protect and AA Maintenance Cover like the plague.

 

Car Protect have tried to pull a fast one on me too.

I have referred it to the FSA immediately and they have written the complaint on my behalf, initially to the AA.

 

I have had a policy with the AA for 5 or 6 years, which I was last year told would be moving over to Car Protect.

 

I had made one claim before Car Protect took it over,

about 4 years ago which was paid by the AA for the cost of a new Water Pump.

It still cost me a packet though as the AA said that they did not cover the labour costs of fitting the pump.

By the time they took out the £100 excess, I got £150 to cover a £450 job.

 

last year I also changed banks and Car Protect / the AA messed up the notification to change my direct debit to my new bank account.

Car Protect assumed that I had cancelled the policy and phoned me to ask me to remain a customer.

 

I ummed and aaahed,

as i hadn't really had value from the policy,

but when they said they would cover my car for £5 a month less than I had already been paying,

 

 

i though it was worth it for the security.

However, I tried to make my first claim last month for some suspension issues picked up by the mechanic when changing my timing belt.

Car Direct said my policy did not cover the replacement of suspension arms and bushes.

 

When I advised that my policy book said that they did,

they said that I was using the wrong policy booklet.

It turns out that they had reduced my level of cover, unbeknown to me.

 

They also said that because my car had driven over 80k miles ,

it wouldn't be covered under their higher grade Prestige policy anyway.

 

 

Neither of these things had been mentioned when resetting up the insurance the previous year and no documentation had been sent out.

 

I am now pressing for a case of insurance mis-selling to get my premiums paid back for the past year.

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Bleedin' marvelous.

 

Been paying these clowns for just short of two years. I even had a problem today in trying to initiate the claim procedure. Logged on here and what did I find?

I've logged everything, including asking for a copy of the notes she took whilst on the phone. I'll keep you posted.

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Bleedin' marvelous.

 

Been paying these clowns for just short of two years. I even had a problem today in trying to initiate the claim procedure. Logged on here and what did I find?

I've logged everything, including asking for a copy of the notes she took whilst on the phone. I'll keep you posted.

 

Good luck! Worst case, if they won't pay out, you could always appeal to the FSA to have your premiums retruned too which might cover the cost of the work?

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  • 2 weeks later...

i myself have just recieved a call from these cowboys,

at first the sales man was saying that my warranty was going to end on my vauxhall tigra which is a 2005 so im sure the warranty had run out years ago (which i thought after i bought it right?)

 

 

it really sucked me in because around 2007/2008 my gasket had blown and it cost a fortune to resolve

 

 

said to the sales person im going to look more into it and i will call you back,

he then said if i took it now he would give me 3months free,

and i almost there and then did it

 

 

but lucky enough i had my lap top infront of me

so while he was taking my details i was doing research on this bogus company,

 

 

i got all the way to taking card details and at that point i saw all these bad reviews huhuhu!!!

told them no way its fine,

 

 

he kept saying why its a great investment,

i told him ive read some bad reviews and i wasnt comfortable with this,

 

 

THEN hear this!!!

ALL THOSE REVIEWS WERE FROM A COMPANY THAT USED TO OWN CAR PROTECT AND WERE SHUT DOWN BY TRADING STANDARS (NOT SURE THEY COULD DO THAT) AND THAT THEY BOUGHT THE COMPANY AND NOW ALL THE SITUATIONS ARE NO LONGER ARISING!!

 

 

off i said,

theres a lady im reading about right now that had problems with you 30/7 so when did u buy the company last week hahahahaa!!

 

 

he put the fone own.....

... tried to call back and it says call 0870 number what a joke.............

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  • 2 months later...

Just tried to claim on my Platinum policy ,

engine warning light on a MB cls

turns out the stepper motor above the inlet manifold was faulty

 

 

but guess what not covered it is not a listed component which is true but it is a major component ,

I asked what other parts are not included and was told to read the policy

 

 

I asked how was I to make a decision if the policy was worth the money unless I strripped the whole car down and asked if every part was included not being a mechanic .

 

 

I will be talking to trading standards and the AA in the morning .

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  • 4 months later...

ITS A CON DONT DO IT!!!!!

 

I wish I had read this before signing up

 

So far almost nothing I have claimed for is covered (I wont list them all as others have done a better job)

 

I made one small claim after a couple of months and they only covered part of the costs

 

On top of that I have a few month left on the policy so I decided to try and cancel, I was told that as I have made a claim I can only cancel buy paying all the remaining monthly costs. obviously there is no point in canceling... Ok I shoulc have read the small print but I was told when I signed up that IO could cancel the policy at any time and there would be no problem. the Sales advisor did ilude to potential issues if I had made a claim but this was in no way made clear

 

 

I HATE companies like this I hope they go out of bubsiness and Im sure they will soon fingers crossed

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  • 7 months later...

I am a former employee of car protect sheffield or otherwise known as motorway direct, not only do they mislead there own staff, but they put warrentys through that they know won't qualify for cover and leave it to the customer to realise this as well as knowing that most of there customers are elderly!

 

Whilst working there I had taken numerous calls from all kinds of people even trained mechanics saying how there claims had been put down to wear and tear and not paid out so this is why they are showing record high profits in companies house as they don't pay out

 

staff are sacked pretty much every day if we cannot get sales and all feed back is based on staff being useless if unable to get sales the word ruthless is not even close, customer services is uni dated with complaints and has had serveral appearances on watchdog!!

 

The company is currently looking to offer pet insurance so be careful as there barking up the wrong tree.. Take a look how many different names the Cosby has had over the past 4yrs!!!

Edited by honeybee13
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ITS A CON DONT DO IT!!!!!

 

I wish I had read this before signing up

 

So far almost nothing I have claimed for is covered (I wont list them all as others have done a better job)

 

I made one small claim after a couple of months and they only covered part of the costs

 

On top of that I have a few month left on the policy so I decided to try and cancel, I was told that as I have made a claim I can only cancel buy paying all the remaining monthly costs. obviously there is no point in canceling... Ok I shoulc have read the small print but I was told when I signed up that IO could cancel the policy at any time and there would be no problem. the Sales advisor did ilude to potential issues if I had made a claim but this was in no way made clear

 

 

I HATE companies like this I hope they go out of bubsiness and Im sure they will soon fingers crossed

 

 

I use to work for car protect warrenty in sheffield they are a total con hence why they are half the price of other genuine company's out there!!! If you threaten the ombudsmen for a claim under £550 they pay out as it costs them £550 win or lose so they would rather avoid the claim and pay out!!!!! Spread the word and let's try to get them shut down ASAP

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  • 4 months later...

Yes,

sadly I took out this warranty a while ago paying around £25 per month for the privilege.

I've just recently had to make a claim for hydraulic valve lifters which according to their paperwork is something that is covered

 

 

but surprise surprise!

They say it is wear and tear

(even though the 9 year old car has only done 55K.).

 

 

Then they say that my Citroen main dealers have to strip the engine so that their engineer can inspect it to see the fault,

 

 

the only problem is that my garage says there is nothing to actually see and 'Car Protect' won't pay for the stripping of the engine so that would be down to me,

plus if the engineer can't see anything he'll probably just refuse to ok the payment for the work.

 

 

Car Protect' want your money but will try anything and everything to wriggle out of paying for any repairs when they are needed.

Therefore their warranty isn't worth the paper it is printed on.

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Hi, the Citroen garage got a fault readout and the fault codes apparently meant that it was the valve lifters that were at fault. I kept getting ESr?ASP not functioning then it would say 'engine fault' then the engine fault light would stay on. Often I would lose power although if I turn the engine off then turn it on again then I get my power back. This fault is intermittent and sometimes just corrects itself but is a worry as can suddenly happen wherever I am.

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That doesn't sound a bit like hydraulic tappets. When there's problems it's usually because of carbon restricting the oilway so jamming open or closed and accompanied by a knocking noise.

That sort of problem with hydraulic lifters would be wear and tear.

 

 

If you can't get any joy from anyone and it looks like you will have to cough up your hard earned, have a go a getting rid of it yourself.

Check your oil level and if the oil and filter hasn't been changed for a while, then do it and make sure you use the Citroen recommended viscosity.

If you are changing the oil and filter then use an engine flush additive before you change it. They can be effective, but always start with the cheapest thing first.

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