NAPA did me wrong
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 274
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NAPA did me wrong
Back in Oct, 2010 I was in Gillette Wyo working and my stater went out so I went to NAPA and bought a new starter with a 3 year warranty. Well I am home in Ohio and the "new" starter went out so I take it out and barrow my girl friends car and go to the nearest NAPA store to exchange it a long with my invoice. As my truck is down in the driveway and I need to get it going as soon as possible they tell me they don't carry new starters and all they have are rebuilds.
The difference between new and rebuilt is around $55 so I said just refund me the difference and I will be on my way. They tell me the can't refund me any money because I didn't buy the starter at their store but they will just exchange the "new" starter for the "rebuilt" one at no cost to me.
They told me I had to get the refund from the store I bought the starter from so I call Gillette Wyo store and they say they can't refund me the money because I did not return the starter to them. That did not sit well with me so I call headquarters and was told I had to work it out with the stores I was dealing with as the 2 stores were privately owned, not company stores.
So now I have a cheaper starter in my truck and I think I am due a refund but I have run up aginst a stone wall. I will never deal with NAPA agin.
The difference between new and rebuilt is around $55 so I said just refund me the difference and I will be on my way. They tell me the can't refund me any money because I didn't buy the starter at their store but they will just exchange the "new" starter for the "rebuilt" one at no cost to me.
They told me I had to get the refund from the store I bought the starter from so I call Gillette Wyo store and they say they can't refund me the money because I did not return the starter to them. That did not sit well with me so I call headquarters and was told I had to work it out with the stores I was dealing with as the 2 stores were privately owned, not company stores.
So now I have a cheaper starter in my truck and I think I am due a refund but I have run up aginst a stone wall. I will never deal with NAPA agin.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,500
Likes: 14
From: South Carolina
Lack of cooperation from NAPA is a part of why i rarely deal with them.
Snowboard season cometh..
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,406
Likes: 1
From: Gulf Coast of Florida
Sometimes the privately-owned shops are the best, other times the fact that they aren't part of a corporate chain bites you. There was one NAPA where I used to live that even talking to different guys behind the counter got you COMPLETELY different service... and prices!! Sorry to hear about your grief but I think this will get chalked up to "lesson learned". Might be worth it to see if a local breakers (junkyard) has one cheap and find a quality local rebuilder.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,886
Likes: 180
From: Morgan Hill, CA
I was on my way to Reno once and my Alt went out late on a Fri evening. Long story short had to buy a $300 NEW alternator that lasted a week. None of the NAPAs in my area carry it so they won't take it in on a warranty. Since it's $300 they'd be out that much until they could get it back from corporate. I still have it. Maybe someday I'll swap out the volt reg. Might be sooner rather than later since my current volt reg is erratic at best.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,771
Likes: 3
From: Louisiana
No doubt chris. To the op, the local store couldn't even order the new starter for you so at least you wouldn't be out the 50 or so bucks they owe you? Things like this really get me fired up and not in the good way, but what do you do! Sorry bro, hopefully lesson learned.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 487
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From: CT
Im glad my local napa and i have a great relationship, everyone their is helpfull and willing to do whats RIGHT. I hate dealing with a warranty of any kind, sometimes you have to hoot and holler to get the desk jockeys workin. If you paid for it, they "napa" needs to deliver.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 10,977
Likes: 5
From: Lancaster, Pa.
Appreciate the heads up, what a bummer. I wouldn't give up just yet, I'd really raise cain with NAPA headquarters, these independent shops hang their NAPA parts and service signs and are affiliated with that chain so they need to do the right thing, IMO anyway. What I would do is, if that starter was a good unit I'd find a good quility rebuilder in your area. I had my alt. go out and went the rebuild route and glad I did, got to keep my better unit versus a chinese knockoff. I'll be doing the same with my starter WTTC, Good luck...
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,156
Likes: 0
From: Yuba City, CA.
That sucks. Faced with your choices, I would have found a local shop and had the "new" Napa starter rebuilt, it would have probly lasted you longer than either. I had my factory starter rebuilt and it still is going strong 100K later.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 453
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From: Dade City, FL
Originally Posted by ltl_jrw
....they tell me they don't carry new starters and all they have are rebuilds....
