Too noisy with sunroof open; terrible customer service
I am extremely disappointed with this product and with the company’s handling of legitimate concerns. I genuinely wanted this to work because, in theory, it is a great idea. Unfortunately, the execution and customer experience fell far short of expectations.
Excessive Noise / Undisclosed Issue
The company does not disclose that this product produces a significant whistling noise when driving with the sunroof open—regardless of installation position. The noise is loud enough that it effectively prevents driving with the sunroof open at all. This is not a minor or subjective issue; it is immediately noticeable and disruptive.
Poor Fit and Unstable Design
Another issue that is not disclosed is that the shovel and handle do not fit securely. There is considerable play between the components, making the four included Velcro straps a critical—not optional—part of keeping the system in place. Even with the straps installed, there is still movement, which becomes audible when driving over uneven terrain. This creates both noise and concern about long-term durability.
Impractical Installation and Removal
In the company’s installation videos, the MaxTrax are shown laid out on a table while the shovel and handle are installed or removed. This appears to be their preferred method, and it is easy to understand why. However, this approach is not practical in real-world use.
If, like many customers, you keep your MaxTrax mounted on your vehicle, removing the shovel without first removing the MaxTrax is extremely difficult. The gray locking brackets are made of heavy plastic, and the release mechanism is extremely stiff. In practice, this requires climbing onto the vehicle to disengage the components, which is inconvenient and unnecessarily difficult. Removing the MaxTrax every time you need the shovel adds significant, avoidable effort.
Customer Service Experience
My experience with customer service was particularly disappointing. When I called to report the whistling noise, the representative stated they were already aware of the issue and even mentioned it occurs on their own vehicle. However, when I suggested this should be disclosed to customers, the representative contradicted themselves by saying this was the first time they had heard of the problem.
I then emailed the sales team and provided a video clearly demonstrating the noise. Their response was simply that some noise should be expected whenever anything is added externally to a vehicle. This explanation is inadequate, especially considering that their MaxTrax product does not produce any whistling noise on my vehicle. The obvious conclusion is that the shovel mount design itself is the source of the problem.
Return Policy
When I requested to return the product, I was informed that I would be charged a significant restocking fee, which I find unreasonable given the undisclosed design and noise issues. As a result, I will be selling the product privately instead.
Conclusion
From a noise standpoint, installation and removal experience, and overall design quality, this product has been a complete waste of money. Combined with poor customer service and an inflexible return policy, this experience has ensured that I will not be purchasing anything from this company again.
