Call Kurtis: Auto Shop Closed -- What's My Discount Card Worth?

ROSEVILLE (CBS13) -- It's pretty easy to see why Shaanon Babcock loves her sports car.

"It's fast," she said, laughing as she revved the engine of the white Mitsubishi Eclipse.

But it's more costly than she expected — in just a few short years, she's had replace the brakes and the tires twice on top of the usual maintenance, she said.

That's why AmericasBestCarCarePlan.com's deal, eight oil changes and several other auto care service vouchers for $59, seemed almost too good to be true, she said.

"I thought that was a great deal," she said.

Her voucher was good at one of the website's partners of her choosing, and she chose a Meineke shop five miles from her house.

Then Babcock bought another plan for her brother too.

But four months later, after two oil changes between her and her brother's car, the Meineke shop closed.

The closest shop accepting the coupons was more than 30 miles away in Elk Grove, which she said is too far.

She wanted a refund for the services that weren't used, but AmericasBestCarCarePlan.com told her no.

"I was very angry," she said. "I was very angry at that point."

Cailin Peterson of the Better Business Bureau of Northeastern California said the company marketed the coupons for use at the Meineke in Roseville, and not one somewhere else. She thought the customer should get her money back.

"She did buy this service package under certain assumptions," Peterson said.

But AmericasBestCarCarePlan.com told CBS13 it's only a "marketing company," and pointed to the fine print in its voucher that releases them of any liability.

While the terms are on the voucher, Babcock said the terms weren't posted anywhere on AmericasBestCarCarePlan.com. An employee later admitted the terms are not posted on the site, but are visible to customers who "Enlarge" the preview image of each printed voucher.

After multiple clicks and enlarging, CBS13 found it's still pretty tough to read.

After CBS13 asked the company to explain its policy further, the company said it would make a one-time exception and refund Babcock's money.

"In good faith we wish to extend our very best and are willing to go above and beyond our legal obligations to take care of the customer … so you can see we are the good guys."

Shannon said she got her check in the mail a few days later.

"I'm disappointed that it took going to this level to get that, but I feel vindicated," she said. "[I] feel good that I stood up for myself and my family."

Deal sites like LivingSocial and Groupon will often issue customers credit for vouchers at stores that go out of business. Many chains will honor discount cards from other locations, but they are rarely required to honor any vouchers from another location.