Carchex Review

Wednesday, March 3rd

2021 Roadside Assistance Company Reviews

Carchex

• Cost: $34.95/year - Single Vehicle, 5 service calls
• $54.95/year - Single Vehicle, unlimited service calls
• $74.95/year - Unlimited Vehicles, up to 5 service calls

CARCHEX is a recognized name in the automobile inspection and extended warranty service provider market, with almost a perfect 100% satisfaction rate to back their A+ with the Better Business Bureau. Now, CARCHEX is also making a name for itself as a good choice for roadside assistance.

CARCHEX offers three plans for coverage: single-vehicle coverage with up to five service calls per year at $34.95/year; single-vehicle coverage with unlimited service calls per year at $54.95/year; and, unlimited vehicles for up to four members (where the coverage follows the member, even in a rental or a friend's car), up to five service calls per year at $74.95/year. We were particularly impressed by their three-month free trial promotion available at the time of our review, making it truly risk-free to try CARCHEX's services.

In the event that a new member is not satisfied with their plan, he or she can cancel within the first 30 days to receive a full refund of any membership fees paid.

Another way in which CARCHEX stands out is in its towing allowance: towing to the destination of your choice, up to 25 miles per tow regardless of the plan chosen. Comparable plans with big-name roadside assistance companies only cover three miles. They also cover Emergency Battery Service, 24-Hour Flat Tire Service, Mechanical First Aid (such as minor adjustments to enable a disabled vehicle), Lost Key/Lockout Service, and 24-Hour Emergency Fluid Delivery (the member does pay the cost of the gas or other needed fluids).

CARCHEX does not offer some of the other frills of the big-name companies, but members can access Trip Route Mapping and a Theft Reward of $500 if their vehicle is stolen and information is provided that leads to an arrest and conviction.

CARCHEX prides itself on an average response time of 30 minutes, with a network of more than 45,000 service trucks across the US and Canada. When using CARCHEX's network, members do not have to pay for covered services out of pocket, as the contracted service providers bill the company directly.

Customers can easily get in touch with CARCHEX's roadside assistance department through their toll-free number which is prominently featured at the top of the website, or via the Live Chat option. We found their customer service representatives to be responsive, knowledgeable, and helpful.

The only two major drawbacks of CARCHEX's roadside assistance plans that we could identify are that there is currently no coverage for RVs or motorcycles, and that they are not available to residents of California and Puerto Rico.

Overall, we are impressed with CARCHEX's generous towing distance and number of allowed service calls per year, affordable plans that can meet a variety of situations (for example, families with multiple drivers, single adults, and so on), and broad network coverage of Canada and the United States.