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.

 

I dont have anything encouraging to offer but that sucks...sorry. Maybe someone else will have better news for ya

 

Lack of cooperation from NAPA is a part of why i rarely deal with them.

 

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.

 

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.

 

I got trapped in one of those company vs. private store issues several years ago and stopped dealing with them then. What good is a store brand if they don't work together?

 

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.

 

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.

 

I use orielly's and have returned 2 starters...I figure for a 30 minute swap that lifetime warranty is worth it imop

 

I only go to NAPA, and have nevr had a problem with them. The guy I deal with lets me take the stuff home and make sure it works before he makes me pay for it.

 

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...

 

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.

 

I also got the same answer when i tried to return something to NAPA. Its a crock of ^%$#....
I only go there to get my 7% AAA discount, and only deal with one store.

 

I hate that with a purple passion, but it seems to be the norm. Try making a warranty claim with an electronic device. It will be replaced with a refurb unit. It happened to me with a satellite receiver, and to a buddy of mine with an audio receiver. I think that if you have a problem with a new item then it should be replaced with a new item. I raised hell and got nowhere.

 

To the OP- Try telling corporate you belong to FTE & the membership will boycott their store. Is it worth $50.00 to them, to have several thousand fewer customers!! Good Luck