As a retired truck dealer in CA I have used NAPA parts for decades with great satisfaction. Recently the 72 month NAPA battery in our 89 C4 would no longer hold a charge. It would lose power overnight. I purchased the original unit in early 2010 . That unit failed in 2015. NAPA prorated the unit and it cost $85 for the new one. That is the one which just failed in Jan 2018. Here is the problem; NAPA does NOT grant a new 72 month warranty period to the replacement battery like Interstate and many other manufacturers. The warranty on the new replacement unit ended at the 72 month date calculated from the original battery purchased in 2010. A new battery would have been $125 and I would have a full 72 month warranty. For the $85 cost of the pro-rated replacement unit I received 17 months of warranty and that was that. Now I am not knocking NAPA or their parts line. I find the quality very good and the service terrific but as I never had a NAPA battery long enough to go through the entire warranty period I was disappointed when told the 17 month old battery was out of warranty when it failed.
Our local Chevy dealer will go out of their way to get a Delco battery in your car if there is an Interstate unit installed. In 2006 our car went through three factory alternators in a very short order. Upon inspection the service department stated the body grounds needed to be cleaned and the factory would not warranty the last alternator. We agreed to have the dealer do the work. The service advisor told me the (2 week old) Interstate battery in the car may be an issue. He stated they always have problems with stripping the terminals in the battery when reconnecting the battery cables. I suggested the tech be cautious and to not overtighten them. Two hours later, low and behold, the service advisor calls and claims the battery terminals are stripped and a new Delco battery will be $75. I was able to get a replacement for the Interstate but to as insult to injury, when the tech put the lower left fender cover back on, he installed the body shim so it protruded into the area occupied by the front edge of the driver's door. Upon opening the door at the dealer, it took out a 1/4 tall and deep chunk of fiberglass on the leading edge of the door which they never repaired and fought me on until I gave up. Needless to say I won't go there anymore.
I guess this is some of the trials and tribulations one encounters when owing a vehicle for 29 years. Anniversary of ownership was Feb 2.
|UPDATED|2/7/2018 6:43:45 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
Carmichaels89
