I’m new to being a car owner, and I am having trouble figuring out how much I can expect from a good repair shop… When I bought my car from CarMax it came with a 30 day Warranty- within the first 30 days the trunk leaked and I brought it in to be fixed. After a winter in the garage, I now realize that my trunk is still leaking, and CarMax confirmed that the leak is in the same place as it was when I bought it- it was never satisfactorily fixed. Unfortunately CarMax said they will not fix this issue as part of the 30 day warranty because of the length of time that has elapsed… is this standard for repair shops, or should I be insisting that they fix it for free? If this were a household repair, I would be insisting that I get the repair fixed to my satisfaction…
You can try, but I doubt if they are legally required to fix it for free now. Unless they were able to verify that their fix was bad, I doubt if they will fix it for free. At this time, it could be a different leak. While It is likely it is the same leak, it may well not be. I would let this one go. I might look around for a different shop. Ask a few friends and neighbors who they use and if they are happy with them.
I think the key is “length of time that has elapsed.” Sounds like it’s been several months since the first leak was repaired. While we can’t know for sure, it’s possible that if you went back to them sooner they might have attempted to fix it again.
Is the problem CarMax or the leaking car? What kind of car is it? I have found that many trunks filled with water due to leaks at the back glass. Many leak because debris accumulated in the channel around the trunk opening. I don’t recall ever seeing a trunk fill with water due to the rubber weather stripping which is the first thing owners blame when water is found in the trunk.
But, again, year-make-model might improve your meaningfull hits here.
You might ask to speak to a supervisor if you haven’t already. Explain the issue and see if they will make an exception. Remember that it was your obligation to find the fault in the first 30 days, not theirs. Keep your cool and hold your ground. You might have to speak to the service manager’s boss.