I bought the 127 point check list and "quality guarantee" from CarMax's advertising and purchased a 1998 Ford Explorer on September 1 - it only had 37,382 miles on it and I purchased the extended warranty with all confidence. Poor, misguided, gullible customer. This vehicle has been in their repair shop 8 times now and at a Ford Dealership 3 times. It has a problem that either they can not fix or refuse to fix - it is always the 3d spark plug and the O Sensor (5 occasions), twice for head work and once for manifold exhaust leaks due to stripped bolts. That is just it in a nut shell. The car has had new thermostat, gaskets, IAC Valve, plugs/wires, igition coil, head gasket repairs twice, hose to DPFE (routely incorrectly from a previous repair). 4 different 27 point checks, fuel injection system cleaning (twice), fuel filters and PVC System check and clean. -That's just the highlights. That is upsetting enough, but when I spent 3 hours at the dealership on Saturday, September 13, waiting to speak to someone in management (neither operations manager nor general manager were available - and neither was the service manager or any assistants) I was really getting upset. I finally got to speak with a new car sales manager, very nice and understanding, but of no use. I was told -and this is nearly perfect quote, "you have the extended warranty, if it breaks down again, we will fix it again". I finally left in total frustration, took the car straight to a Ford Dealership and had they check out the latest head job. That's when the stripped bolts were found. I carried the car back to CarMax on Monday - with my son in tow, and again sat in the lobby at CarMax for 3 hours waiting to speak to the General Manager, Ed Ragsdale, about this car. (1) He was on the phone. (2) He was in a meeting. (3) He was attending a very important employee luncheon. Finally - litterally after calling the corporate Customer Relations Department from the parking lot with my cell phone, another Sales Manager came running out. Of course, he had no authority either. But, miracles or miracles the Service Manager did finally appear with his chief mechanic. All agreed that the bolts were in fact loose and needing replacement. Again, assurances all around - everything would be personally handled by the Service Manager and his mechanic and they would personally keep me informed (both lied on that point). I picked the car up (more lies but not enough room to fully detail here) on Saturday, October 11 (fixed bolts), drove it to work on Monday (approximately 32 miles) and on the way to work on Tuesday - the same check engine light comes on again, Proving what I had tried to tell the "managers" and wanted to explain to the General Manager - but he's much too busy to discuss such a problem with a customer. The first statement upset me - about the warranty, the customer service rep at the corporate headquarters informed me he had no supervisor to speak to, the general manager had no time for me although I have spent nearly 8 hours setting in the lobby of the dealership patiently waiting and finally, I was told by the sales rep, that the General Manager had no authority to either replace, repair or buy back my vehicle. I did get their appraisal - about $6000 less than I owe on the vehile. There is much more to tell, but well, you get the picture. N. Dallas, Georgia
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