klister

I sold my 06 RL in early November of last year and requested (in writing at their request) a refund for the unused portion of the extended warranty through Ray Laks (the originating dealer of the extended warranty). A month later, when I did not receive anything by early December, I called AHC to see what had happened. They told me that they had sent the refund on November 26 to Ray Laks AT THE CUSTOMER'S REQUEST. I had specifically said in writing the refund should be sent to me.

Since then I have called Ray Laks between 20 and 30 times requesting my refund. When I catch the right person the assorted answers are:
-- We issue checks on Thursday
-- We requested the refund from the wrong dealership (they have Honda and Acura)
-- I have authorized the payment
-- It will be sent tomorrow
-- We sent it today
-- Have you checked your mail/Airborne delivery
-- The other dealership (Honda/Acura) has to issue it
-- We sent it to someone else with your name (this was weeks ago)
-- I will call you back in 5 minutes (I have now been waiting two days since this last one. )

So, they have had my money now for two months. They have never returned a call of mine. I must always call them and try to catch the right person. So questions:

-- Has anyone had a similar experience with Ray Laks?
-- Do you think they are incompetent, deceitful, or am I missing something?
-- What do you suggest I do so they send me my almost $1K.

Thanks for reading my rant!! I used to like Acura.

geronimomoe

Assuming that you kept a copy of the letter, send another copy to AHC, along with a detailed history of what has transpired, including names, dates, times, times on hold, etc. If that won't light a fire under someone's can, nothing will.

TampaRLX-SH

Do you have a copy of the original request stating you wanted the refund sent to you?

If so, Acura needs to make good on that and let Acura chase after Ray Laks since they sent it to the wrong party.

If you were to send your car payment to the wrong party, do you think the lender will chase after it for you?

If you have the copy, contact Acura again and get a name who you can resend it to Registered Mail, Receipt Returned. Explain you will not chase after the refund they sent to a 3rd party. Documentation trail is ALWAYS better then a chain of ineefectual phone tag. Get names, record dates.

If Acura does not make good, have an attorney follow up, on letterhead & contact BBB. Forward copies of the documentation and names. That will usually get a response, but a shame you have to go through such effort.

Good Luck, and let us know how you make out.

klister

I do have a copy of the letter, however, I was directed by AHC to make my request through Ray Laks, so the letter went to them. So, AHC has not seen the letter, they apparently just took the word from Ray Laks that I had requested it be sent to the dealer.

TampaRLX-SH

Then do the same for Ray Laks. Get a name, resend the letter registered. Keep track of each call, get a name. Request an Airborned receipt number.

If you get the same run around. Have an attorney letterhead arrive at their doorstep with names of the people you spoke to.

They are not behaving accountable. MAKE them. When you start asking for full names, repeat what they tell you, they get the idea you mean business (read legal action) and they cannot string you along.

TampaRLX-SH

Also,

When it is all said and done. Send copies of all the documentation to AHC.

It won't do you any good after the fact, but Ray Laks may get some heat.

neuronbob

I purchased an extended warranty for my TL from Ray Laks. When I bought my RL, I began the process of obtaining a refund for the TL's warranty. I first called American Honda for the prorated amount. I was told that I had to contact the selling dealer so they could send AH the request.

I did so and after a couple of attempts, was faxed a form from them requesting the refund. They faxed the form to me. I seem to recall that there was a space indicating where to send the payment, and that was to me. I filled out the form and faxed it back. I followed up with a phone call the same day to confirm receipt.

A month later, I had the refund check in my mailbox, which basically went right back to Ray Laks when I purchased the warranty for my RL.

It sounds like your refund wasn't handled correctly from the start as I outlined the process I went through. If you've called 20-30 times already to receive the payment and they haven't responded, you may have to do one of three things:

a) you can PM Tim at Ray Laks (user hondacuraworld) as they are an authorized vendor here. This also gives you a paper trail. This is the best place to start as Tim's pretty good at returning messages.
b) escalate to the dealership manager, with evidence of what has happened.
c) (shudders at this) legal action?

VOdoc

Uh oh...this story does not make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside as I too purchased my extended warranty from Ray Laks Acura.

Please let us know how this turns out. If they are really trying to pull a fast one, then we need to get the word out in no uncertain terms that they do not deserve our business.

Also, AHC definitely needs to know what kind of funny business is going on.

AsianTL

I had bought extended warranty for my traded in 2004 TL from Mongomeryville Acura dealer and got half of my refund payment check sent to me directly from HFC. (Dealer did all the paper work)

neuronbob

Actually, from my experience, AHC is the CAUSE of all the funny business. You think they want to give you the money back from your warranty? I thought I had to contact AHC to get my money back. They INSIST you go through the dealership. The dealership is supposed to fill out the paperwork, send it off to AHC, and then AHC sends your refund.

Your role as customer is basically to hound the dealer, unfortunately. The way I would make it work if I ran things is....get mileage statement from dealer, send statement/app for refund to AHC, AHC sends you check. Seems simple enough, but AHC for whatever reason doesn't want to do it that way.

dwest1023

Maybe I missed something. Did you try going down to the dealer and demanding your money? That would be my approach at this point.

klister

I live in South Carolina otherwise I would camp in their dealership until I received the refund.

klister

"a) you can PM Tim at Ray Laks (user hondacuraworld) as they are an authorized vendor here. This also gives you a paper trail. This is the best place to start as Tim's pretty good at returning messages."

NeuronBob -- thanks for the suggestion but that username will not accept a PM. I tried, but no luck.

Chas2

use the email in the hondacuraworld website...and address it to Tim in the body of the email.

hondacuraworld@aol.com

Always works for me when I have a question or need a quote.

ssim3

When I traded my RL I just called the 800 customer service number, they faxed me a form I filled it out faxed it back & had a check the next week. I do not know why they told you to go through the dealer.

neuronbob

You can also AIM Hondacuraworld during business hours EST.

I can assure you that I was told to go through the dealer. It would have been lots easier to just call AHC to get it done without involving the dealer. It was a pain in the ass to do it the way I was told to do it. I did this in 2006 after I bought my RL, so things could have changed since then?

klister

In my case AHC told me when I called them to go through the originating dealer and even gave me the telephone number. Ray Laks did not offer to send me a form but said that they required the request in writing which I did.

When I bought the last RL, the selling dealer did all the paper work to get the extended warranty refund for me on the Acura I traded in even though I did not buy the extended warranty there. All I did was sign the request.

Sounds like the process varies a lot.

lland

Give Tim a call (his number can't be hard to find...just don't have it handy). I've spoken with him a few times and he's always been courteous and helpful.

LL

klister

Payment has been made. Tim was kind enough to track down what happened at Ray Laks. The person that AHC sent me to at Ray Laks filled out the refund request incorrectly initially. As a result, the payment from AHC was made to them instead of me and to their Honda dealership rather than Acura. Then the issue bounced back and forth between the dealerships. They kept telling me it was coming or on its way but then failed to make it happen, week after week, because of confusion on their end. I obviously got caught in the middle of their internal machinations.

The lesson is -- if you need a refund of an extended warranty that you bought there, go directly to Tim. Do not stop at AHC or other parts of Ray Laks. He will also answer your calls and e-mails.

TampaRLX-SH

That's good news.

neuronbob

I agree, always deal with Tim directly. He is the man.

geronimomoe

Cool. Also, it's good that you dealt with a contact at an authorized vendor of this site.

However, the sad thing is for the others who don't regularly visit this site and get the run around at their dealer over the refund, may get so angry that they don't want to buy another Acura again, because of this type of stupidity...