Parts Source not honouring warranty

[djjsc]

In Oct 2008 we installed a 'Sub Zero' battery fr Parts Source in our service truck. This battery came w/ a 3 yr free replacement warranty. In early 2009 the battery would go dead over a weekend & sometimes just overnight. Parts Source replaced the battery late Feb '09. Good for them. I expected no less. By May '09 the new battery was going dead again; when I drove to Parts Source to warrant the second battery it wouldn't even accept charge. After checking the battery & looking at all my documentation the clerk refused warranty because "There is an unstable charging current; the problem is in the alternator." Off to the Chrysler dealer, who couldn't check the charging system unless there was a good battery in the vehicle. Alternator & charging circuitry checked out fine; but now I've bought a new Mopar battery. Being our service truck it has been on the road almost continually summer & fall. All the warranty documents were in the truck. Today I finally took the garbage battery to Parts Source to get warranty for it. The clerk offered me a new battery. I don't need or want another crap battery. The Mopar replacement is doing great, thank you. Because I had gone to Parts Source first & they refused warranty I now expect them to refund the full purchase price of the original. The clerk then offers to pro-rate the warranty at 80% and credit my Visa. How does that jive w/ the 3 yr free replacement warranty on the original battery??? Things got ugly and I left the store. Am I being unreasonable to expect the full purchase price back? Is warranty refusal normal practice at Parts Source? I can tell you, I'm not impressed! What is the best way to pressure them to honour their warranty? Comments please and thanks.

[chkolny541]

unless its written somewhere in the warrenty clauses that if after 2 or 3 warrenties you can get your cash back, your SOL buddy. Im pretty sure futureshop or bestbuy did/still does this type of thing, if its warrantied twice or something you can get full store credit.

the warrenty is likely just for a new battery (exchange) if your not happy with it, i dont see why you would just get your money back

try doing the same thing when you buy a new house with warrenty.

"um you had to come fix 2 issues in the house, can i get my money back?":rolleyes:

[RickDaTuner]

Warranty and refund are two different things. asking for a refund for a year old product that has been replaced once already is asking for a bit much.

In my eyes you used a product, took advantage of a service and are now asking for a refund?
I would have taken the 80% and called it a steal of a deal (literally)

We'll see what you're saying when the battery from mopar starts to act up.

[FraserB]

Take the 80% if they will even give it to you now. Giving you 80% when you used it for 1/3 of a term is pretty good.

[ekguy]

You were pretty un-reasonable in my eyes...Yeah their product sucked....They warrantied it...Offered you 80% back to your visa...What would it have been a difference of? 20$? 30$?

Shoulda taken what they offered and called it a day. A lot of other places wouldn't of even gave you close to that as a solution.

[AndyL]

Gotta read the fine print - batteries are usually prorated after 1yr-18months; says it right there on the warranty.

Partsource is usually pretty good on warranty/exchanges - trust me - I'm on champion starter #6 - and it's solenoid failed last week; I'm thinking I'm going to void the warranty on this one - pull it apart check and re-assemble properly with loctite (one of the major issues - you'd think champion would know to use loctite to secure all bolts on a diesel starter).

Although - when it failed - I did talk to the manager; and he offered to refund my $... But - I'd be SOL on the 75$ core... That pisses me off...

[2002civic]

you really got mad at that? I would be very happy if I got that much cash after using the battery for so long.

[jsn]

:werd: You used the battery for a year and even got it replaced once. The fact that they even offered you 80% back is more than reasonable IMO. Also, asking for a full refund and them turning you down, is different than them refusing your warranty. How much did you really miss out on when they offered you 80% back? 20 bucks?

[DonJuan]

take the 80%

[Speed_69]

How can you expect to get a full refund on a battery that you already used?

Take the 80% or the replacement battery.

[djjsc]

Most of the replies ignore 2 facts. 1) The battery came w/ a 3yr free replacement warranty. That means that if the battery fails within 3 yrs of purchase, Parts Source replaces it w/ another new battery for nothing. Pro-rating doesn't enter the picture until after 36 months. And 2) I went to Parts Source first when the second battery failed. Parts Source didn't honour the warranty then (for obscure reasons) and they still refuse after proof the alternator was not at fault. We are only 14 months (or 6 months on the 2nd unit) into a 36 month free replacement. Parts Source reasoning has no basis on either the letter or the spirit of the warranty provided w/ the original battery. Because they forced us to buy another battery they owe back the original purchase price. The Mopar has already given us more than double the service life of either of the Parts Source units. And that w/o any problem whatsoever during the coldest weather in over a yr.

[psycoticclown]

Originally posted by djjsc
Most of the replies ignore 2 facts. 1) The battery came w/ a 3yr free replacement warranty. That means that if the battery fails within 3 yrs of purchase, Parts Source replaces it w/ another new battery for nothing. Pro-rating doesn't enter the picture until after 36 months. And 2) I went to Parts Source first when the second battery failed. Parts Source didn't honour the warranty then (for obscure reasons) and they still refuse after proof the alternator was not at fault. We are only 14 months (or 6 months on the 2nd unit) into a 36 month free replacement. Parts Source reasoning has no basis on either the letter or the spirit of the warranty provided w/ the original battery. Because they forced us to buy another battery they owe back the original purchase price. The Mopar has already given us more than double the service life of either of the Parts Source units. And that w/o any problem whatsoever during the coldest weather in over a yr.

:facepalm:

The battery comes with a 3 yr free REPLACEMENT warranty. Meaning you get a REPLACEMENT battery. Just like if you purchased a car with 3 years of warrenty and something breaks down numerous times, doesn't mean you can go back and automatically get all your money back.

And 80% of your value back is plenty, the difference is like $40.

[jsn]

why go through all the trouble of creating an account on beyond just so you can ask us our opinions on this issue and then become stuborn and stick to your guns? If you don't like our opinions, don't ask.

You said so yourself. The battery comes with a 3 year REPLACEMENT plan. Not use for a year full refund plan. From the sounds of it, you could have replaced it again if you wanted, so they're upholding their part. I find it totally justified that they turned down a FULL refund since you used it for a year and got it replaced once already.:rolleyes:

[ryder_23]

Well you had these problems when it was probably cold as balls out...if you have a shitty alternator not charging the battery enough, and its cold out, and say it sits for a while, they'res good chances of that battery freezing. When that happens, they wont warranty it, since exide won't warranty it. So maybe thats your problem, and its really easy to spot a battery that has been frozen...

[VaN_HaMMeRSTeiN]

Originally posted by psycoticclown


:facepalm:

The battery comes with a 3 yr free REPLACEMENT warranty. Meaning you get a REPLACEMENT battery. Just like if you purchased a car with 3 years of warrenty and something breaks down numerous times, doesn't mean you can go back and automatically get all your money back.

And 80% of your value back is plenty, the difference is like $40.

Not many times I agree with the use of a face palm smiley, but god damn does the OP ever not get it.


Originally posted by djjsc

Parts Source reasoning has no basis on either the letter or the spirit of the warranty provided w/ the original battery. Because they forced us to buy another battery they owe back the original purchase price


Since when does going out and buying something different mean that you get a full refund on the original product?

Try this: Go to wendys, buy a burger. Decide you don't like it, then go to Mc Donalds and buy another burger. Go back to Wendys and ask for your full refund on what you've got left of the Wendy's burger based on the fact that you bought a different burger.

I blame Costco for making the word warranty and refund synoymous.

[adidas]

Take the 80%

or

Grab the new battery, waste time posting it on sites like kijiji, craigslist, etc., and have someone give you 80%(if that) of the cost for the battery.

Which one would you rather do?

[max_boost]

LOL!

:facepalm:

[TE4MFaint]

To answer your question.
Yes you are being completely unreasonable wanting your full purchase amount back.
You bought a battery over a year ago, you`re lucky they even offered you 80% back.

[TE4MFaint]

.

[djjsc]

Yesterday Parts Source folded; today I got the full original purchase price plus taxes credited back on my Visa. Once the manager stepped in and understood the facts it was a no brainer. Kudos to him for doing his job. The lump of coal goes to counterman John Radesic for all his assistance in this matter. So, now...... do we all understand what the term "free replacement warranty" means?

[ryder_23]

Originally posted by djjsc
Yesterday Parts Source folded; today I got the full original purchase price plus taxes credited back on my Visa. Once the manager stepped in and understood the facts it was a no brainer. Kudos to him for doing his job. The lump of coal goes to counterman John Radesic for all his assistance in this matter. So, now...... do we all understand what the term "free replacement warranty" means?

Your still a dink, all this over a battery. What did you get???80$?? I would of shipped you the 80$ to save the poor counterman from hearing your rants.

And yes, you just proved what dick heads get when they sign up for replacement. Because you cried and bitched so much they just gave you what you wanted. Love people like you, working in customer service I feel for the people who had to deal with your arrogance. I hope someone takes a dump in your stocking.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by djjsc
So, now...... do we all understand what the term "free replacement warranty" means?

Yes, it means free replacement of battery, not a refund. Just because you act like a dickhead and cry like a baby and get your money back, doesn't mean this definition changes.

If you signed up for a "money back guarantee" battery, then that would be a different matter.

[chkolny541]

i dont think the OP knows what the term "free replacement warranty" means

[signature7]

John Radesic sounds like a fair reasonable person to me. As Larry David would say, "the customer is never right, in most cases they're an idiot!"

Tik Tok nailed it!

[FraserB]

Originally posted by djjsc
Yesterday Parts Source folded; today I got the full original purchase price plus taxes credited back on my Visa. Once the manager stepped in and understood the facts it was a no brainer. Kudos to him for doing his job. The lump of coal goes to counterman John Radesic for all his assistance in this matter. So, now...... do we all understand what the term "free replacement warranty" means?

You do realize they gave you your money to get you out of their hair and not because they had an obligation to, right? Giving you the extra little bit saves them from having to deal with VISA and it also keeps a douche like you out of their store. They probably correctly realize that anyone who hears your story will realize how foolish you are and not put any stock in it.:D

[TE4MFaint]

^ Agreed.

Youre just one of those customers that we just want out of our hair because its more fun to laugh at you after the fact of you thinking youre so right.

"Free Replacement Warranty"

That means Replacement. Not Refund.

Gotta give this guy a break though I guess, he was probably the 13th man on the field, errr I mean in the store.

:goflames:

[bignerd]

I don't understand the big deal-they refused replacing the battery a second time saying it was his alternator. He needs a battery to drive the truck and have the alternator tested so he bought another battery.

After he proved it was not the alternator, he wants his money back since they refused him a replacement battery saying it was HIS cars fault and he also now already has another battery--what is he going to do with the replacement battery now??

Made sense to me that he would want his money back.

[Kloubek]

They did not force him to buy another battery. That was his choice. Besides, can alternators not be bench tested?

Him being pissed at them originally, I can understand. But to be pissed at them for not providing him with a full refund when the warranty is clearly a REPLACEMENT warranty is stupid.

OP: Like others have said, they did this to get you out of their hair. Not because you deserved it.

Squeaky wheel gets the grease, ya know? I'm sure you can rest well at night now knowing you saved an extra $20 by being difficult. Congratulations. Go buy yourself a couple peppermint lattes.

[Rat Fink]

.

[thetransporter]

canadian tire/part source batteries will almost always fail.

future get a sears/interstate or even a chrysler battery