How did your pro-rated battery warranty work out?

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I had a bit of luck yesterday (or so I thought) My diehard Gold with a 36 month full + 64 month pro rated warranty, died at 42 months.

But the associate misread the date and thought it was just within 36 months. So I received a new battery for free but according to the terms, there will be no warranty on the new battery beyond the original 36 months which is almost up (as incorrectly recorded by the associate).

If he had processed the warranty correctly, the pro rated terms would have given me $58 to spend on a new battery. A new battery from Sears would come with a 36 month full replacement but no pro rated warranty.

Now the question is what price would the new battery have been. On Monday it was available online for $89 - there was 25% off all batteries that day. Otherwise online is $118. These are prices before all those weird Sears discounts / points you can use / earn, so deduct another $10 to $20 off these prices.

But the store receipt for exchange that I have says $143! Would they have allowed me to use the credit against an online purchase?

In any case, I think I am most likely better off with the mistake since the new battery will most likely not fail within 3 years.

But it got me thinking what experiences others have had with pro rated warranties.
 
With NAPA, the remainder of the warranty of the 'original' battery, is what covers any/all replacements (free replacement or pro-rated).

I went through 2 or 3 Exide manufactured units during the free replacement period.

Once I finally got a Deka (after NAPA had canned Exide as their supplier), then the merry-go-round finally stopped.
smile.gif


IIRC, all adjustments were performed at list price, not the sales price. So, the "value" of the battery for warranty purposes was *way* over $100, even though I'd only paid around $80.
 
I ignore pro rated warranties on almost everything. It's rarely worth the insignificant money you save unless you have nothing better to do than jump through hoops at an auto parts store all day.

I get my use out of items and then buy new ones. If they break down significantly earlier than is reasonable I use the regular warranty.
 
No luck with an Advance Auto parts battery warranty. It still had some of the pro-rating left, but they said I couldn't use a coupon code on the new battery. I ended up using a $50 off coupon code on a new battery and that was cheaper than just using the pro-rated discount they were going to give me off a new battery.
 
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
With NAPA, the remainder of the warranty of the 'original' battery, is what covers any/all replacements (free replacement or pro-rated).

I went through 2 or 3 Exide manufactured units during the free replacement period.

Once I finally got a Deka (after NAPA had canned Exide as their supplier), then the merry-go-round finally stopped.
smile.gif


IIRC, all adjustments were performed at list price, not the sales price. So, the "value" of the battery for warranty purposes was *way* over $100, even though I'd only paid around $80.


Seems like Napa have or had a good warranty and I've heard good things about their batteries. But my recollection is they are expensive.

I'll consider them next time as well as Costco. Costco would be ideal but getting the right size is problematic and then there are those discounts at AAP / Carquest.
 
Great both times we used them...

Wife's Escape - battery (DieHard) died within the prorated warranty period - $40 later she had a new battery.
My Taurus - battery (Motorcraft) died this past winter, within the warranty period. Dropped the car off at the dealer and $45 later I had a new battery.
 
Originally Posted By: itguy08
Great both times we used them...

Wife's Escape - battery (DieHard) died within the prorated warranty period - $40 later she had a new battery.
My Taurus - battery (Motorcraft) died this past winter, within the warranty period. Dropped the car off at the dealer and $45 later I had a new battery.


Can you say more about the Escape / Diehard?

How many months total and remaining, what prices did they go by?

Thanks!
 
Originally Posted By: CharlieBauer


Can you say more about the Escape / Diehard?

How many months total and remaining, what prices did they go by?

Thanks!


Unfortunately I can't - it was maybe about 4 years ago. IIRC the battery was just out of the free replacement period maybe by a year. The wife called me with a dead battery complaint. I jumped the car, went to Sears, brought the battery in and they tested it and said a new one was $40 or so (definitely cheap compared to a new one). I walked out and put it in the car and returned it to her.
 
Originally Posted By: horse123
I ignore pro rated warranties on almost everything. It's rarely worth the insignificant money you save unless you have nothing better to do than jump through hoops at an auto parts store all day.

I get my use out of items and then buy new ones. If they break down significantly earlier than is reasonable I use the regular warranty.

I had the same feeling until I got pro rated tread life warranty from America's Tire. It was so easy, I didn't even had to keep original receipt to claim the warranty, America's Tire(DT in most states) has all records of your car/tire.

I claimed as much as $200 pro rated warranty for next set of tire without any hassle.
 
Originally Posted By: Bebop367
How are the $48 Walmart batteries holding up?
Heat is the worst thing for a battery, and I live in the hottest city in the U.S., no problems with my $48 Walmart battery. Been a little over 6 months now though.
 
I had a sams battery that failed at around 4 years. It cost me $20 or so to get a new one under the pro rated warranty.
 
I have a Kirkland battery in my Jeep that is 10 years old. No pro-rate left on it. I tested it a few months back and it tested good.
 
Originally Posted By: itguy08

Unfortunately I can't - it was maybe about 4 years ago. IIRC the battery was just out of the free replacement period maybe by a year. The wife called me with a dead battery complaint. I jumped the car, went to Sears, brought the battery in and they tested it and said a new one was $40 or so (definitely cheap compared to a new one). I walked out and put it in the car and returned it to her.


Thanks. Seems a similar timeframe to mine. They seem to have charged you fairly on the pro rata calculation.

As it is, I got lucky and got a free replacement even though I shouldn't have.

But I was surprised to see the battery price listed at $143 when I could have got it online on Monday for $75.

Had they used $143 for the pro rata, my replacement could have cost $90, which is more than a new one online and way more than your pro-rated.

Anyhow, I'm not going to Sears again for a battery and my warranty on the new one expires in a couple of weeks.
 
Seems like pro rata works for most people. I think I'll go with Costco in future. Maybe in another size. They are close to home and easy to work with.
 
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
No luck with an Advance Auto parts battery warranty. It still had some of the pro-rating left, but they said I couldn't use a coupon code on the new battery. I ended up using a $50 off coupon code on a new battery and that was cheaper than just using the pro-rated discount they were going to give me off a new battery.


Exactly this (at Advance Auto). The pro rate is about worthless, as it is usually cheaper to buy the battery with a coupon code right there on your smart phone than to use whatever is left of the prorate. Plus the cheaper battery purchased outright will have a better/longer warranty than a prorate exchanged one will.

My last several batteries have been 3 year warranty Wal-Mart batteries. I bring the battery in right before the 3 years is up for testing and they always test them with their little tester and replace them with a new one. Batteries hardly ever last more than 3 years here in south Florida, so I know if a battery is approaching 3 years old, have it tested as it is likely on its last legs.
 
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