I got a Bosch Premium Performance 96r battery for my 2012 Ford Fusion at Pep Boys about one and a half years ago. Yesterday, I went back to get a free replacement, for it could not even hold charge overnight. Besides $15 for installation, they also charged more than $30 for price difference. I checked later, and found that the full price difference is actually $8. They calculated the difference by deducting the discounted price I paid then from the full price now. I asked why I could not get discount now. They said discounts and rebates could not be used with warranty services. Is that how 'free replacement' usually done?
How is battery 'free replacement' usually done?
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Yeah. You get screwed by PepBoys. There is alway some catch when dealing with them.
I got a battery replaced at Walmart (MAXX) at zero cost. And it went from a Exide MAXX to a JCI MAXX. So Walmart had changed suppliers.
Not really impressed by Pep Boys. I hope you checked to make sure it was a recent mfg date code.
Not really impressed by Pep Boys. I hope you checked to make sure it was a recent mfg date code.
I laughed when I priced a battery on the Pep Boys site for my Civic. Not only was the price not competitive with... practically anyone else... but the site said "This is a difficult installation and does not qualify for our free installation offer."
It was so difficult it required only a 10 mm wrench - that is literally the only tool I used - and about five minutes to swap batteries. A nut on each battery terminal, a nut on each of two hold-down posts, easy to reach everything. OK, so I admit, it took another two minutes to find the radio code in the manual, and then enter it. Maybe that's the difficult part.
If the only tool I owned was a little adjustable (Crescent) wrench, I still could have done the job properly. Difficult, my whatever.
It was so difficult it required only a 10 mm wrench - that is literally the only tool I used - and about five minutes to swap batteries. A nut on each battery terminal, a nut on each of two hold-down posts, easy to reach everything. OK, so I admit, it took another two minutes to find the radio code in the manual, and then enter it. Maybe that's the difficult part.
If the only tool I owned was a little adjustable (Crescent) wrench, I still could have done the job properly. Difficult, my whatever.
If the battery is replaced under warranty during the "free replacement" period, it should be totally free to you. After the "free replacement" period ends you have to pay a prorated share of the cost of a new battery.
Have had the same experience now buy them at Wal-Mart/Sam's. Free replacement and no issues. Nation wide so no problems when travel too.
Advance Auto has the same policy. In the end, they take the pro-rated amount and apply it to the new battery and you can't use a discount code. It was cheaper for me to just buy a new one than to use the pro-rated amount that was left on the battery. I think it would have been about $20 off a new battery and there were discount codes for $50 off a new one.
The installation charge is really bad at Pepboys, I think for my Mercedes they want $89 to install it, but it's a pretty straightforward install, it's just in the trunk. Advance Auto still installs the same battery for free.
The installation charge is really bad at Pepboys, I think for my Mercedes they want $89 to install it, but it's a pretty straightforward install, it's just in the trunk. Advance Auto still installs the same battery for free.
Seems like any time the words "pro rated" are used you end up owing money...
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Advance Auto has the same policy. In the end, they take the pro-rated amount and apply it to the new battery and you can't use a discount code. It was cheaper for me to just buy a new one than to use the pro-rated amount that was left on the battery. I think it would have been about $20 off a new battery and there were discount codes for $50 off a new one.
The installation charge is really bad at Pepboys, I think for my Mercedes they want $89 to install it, but it's a pretty straightforward install, it's just in the trunk. Advance Auto still installs the same battery for free.
When I had a Napa battery fail I went through the same thing. It would have cost more for the pro-rated warranty and fees than a new battery. So I went to Advance and bought a new battery
Advance Auto has the same policy. In the end, they take the pro-rated amount and apply it to the new battery and you can't use a discount code. It was cheaper for me to just buy a new one than to use the pro-rated amount that was left on the battery. I think it would have been about $20 off a new battery and there were discount codes for $50 off a new one.
The installation charge is really bad at Pepboys, I think for my Mercedes they want $89 to install it, but it's a pretty straightforward install, it's just in the trunk. Advance Auto still installs the same battery for free.
When I had a Napa battery fail I went through the same thing. It would have cost more for the pro-rated warranty and fees than a new battery. So I went to Advance and bought a new battery
Nick1994
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The problem you had was that you dealt with Pep Boys. Auto Zone and O'Reillys is totally free replacement. They'll even install the battery for free.
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
The problem you had was that you dealt with Pep Boys. Auto Zone and O'Reillys is totally free replacement. They'll even install the battery for free.
Correct.
Go in
Have battery
Have receipt, sometimes they look you up in the system
Sometimes they test the old
Get free battery.
Advance batteries are Johnson Control and some of the best.
The problem you had was that you dealt with Pep Boys. Auto Zone and O'Reillys is totally free replacement. They'll even install the battery for free.
Correct.
Go in
Have battery
Have receipt, sometimes they look you up in the system
Sometimes they test the old
Get free battery.
Advance batteries are Johnson Control and some of the best.
Contact corporate and say if you could go back you wouldnt have gone to Pep Boys in the first place, I worked there and we always replaced bad batteries for free, including free reinstall.
My worst experiences with replacing bad batteries has been at Sears. Last time, I brought in an obviously bad one - recharged way too fast, wouldn't hold a charge for even a few hours, much less overnight - and they tried to tell me the battery was good. I'd hate to see what they consider a bad battery - is it on fire? This same thing has happened to me twice at Sears.
I went elsewhere for a new battery and, as expected, everything else was fine after install. I'd already checked voltage with the engine running at the alternator and at the battery, etc., so I'm not the typical rube who just assumes a battery is bad for no reason.
I went elsewhere for a new battery and, as expected, everything else was fine after install. I'd already checked voltage with the engine running at the alternator and at the battery, etc., so I'm not the typical rube who just assumes a battery is bad for no reason.
With us, you bring in the receipt and we hand you a new battery as long it is under the free replacement period. The customer has to provide the original receipt as the Ford warranty people will not accept a reprint.
Originally Posted By: cat843
I got a battery replaced at Walmart (MAXX) at zero cost. And it went from a Exide MAXX to a JCI MAXX. So Walmart had changed suppliers.
Not really impressed by Pep Boys. I hope you checked to make sure it was a recent mfg date code.
It's shipped in Oct. 2015 according to the label on the battery.
I got a battery replaced at Walmart (MAXX) at zero cost. And it went from a Exide MAXX to a JCI MAXX. So Walmart had changed suppliers.
Not really impressed by Pep Boys. I hope you checked to make sure it was a recent mfg date code.
It's shipped in Oct. 2015 according to the label on the battery.
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At my pep boys we never asked to see a receipt or look it up, if it was bad it is bad, we still get our money back from the company who made it since it's defective. Not the customer's fault, so we would always put it in for free. We'd just make sure the date sticker was within the return period, or at least close to it
Originally Posted By: SpencerHSS
Contact corporate and say if you could go back you wouldnt have gone to Pep Boys in the first place, I worked there and we always replaced bad batteries for free, including free reinstall.
Do you still work there? I think at one point in the last year or so the install was free on the Mercedes, but now they have that install charge. It just changed recently so I'm just going to Advance auto when mine goes. Advance has better discount codes than Pep Boys even when Pep Boys goes up to 35%. I think I just saw 30% recently.
Contact corporate and say if you could go back you wouldnt have gone to Pep Boys in the first place, I worked there and we always replaced bad batteries for free, including free reinstall.
Do you still work there? I think at one point in the last year or so the install was free on the Mercedes, but now they have that install charge. It just changed recently so I'm just going to Advance auto when mine goes. Advance has better discount codes than Pep Boys even when Pep Boys goes up to 35%. I think I just saw 30% recently.
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