Any one know how Costco battery warranty works?

[NNT]

I bought a Costco car battery few years back and seems about time to have it replace. any one know how does the warranty works? Can I go buy a new one from the warehouse then refund the old one from the customer service on a later day? or do I need to bring in the old battery in first before getting the new one? Thanks

[The Producer]

just carry in the old battery and set it on the CS counter. They'll give you a slip to go get another one.

I usually just swap em in the parking lot.

[320icar]

Pro-rated by months IIRC. If you used half of its months you get half of it back

[The Producer]

Originally Posted by 320icar

Pro-rated by months IIRC. If you used half of its months you get half of it back

4 year no charge replacement.

after that it's pro rated

my wife's X3 chews up a battery in about 3 years. I'm on my 3rd costco battery

[NNT]

Originally Posted by The Producer

just carry in the old battery and set it on the CS counter. They'll give you a slip to go get another one.

I usually just swap em in the parking lot.

Thanks, guess I will just need to do the same, so we can get a free battery every 4 years?

Kirkland Signature Automotive (flooded battery)
0-48 months - Free replacement
49-66 months - 50% refund based on purchase price
67-100 months - 25% refund based on purchase price

[headhunt3r]

This is why we can't have nice things.

[The Producer]

Originally Posted by headhunt3r

This is why we can't have nice things.

it's a 4 year warranty. if it lasts less than 4 years, you get a new one. As I said, these batteries are dying. I'm not rocking up with a perfectly good battery just to get a newer one. Who has that kind of time?

look at FCP euro in the states. LIFETIME warranty on everything they sell (even includes engine oil if you send it back)

this is the way the industry is going.

what part about this don't you like?

[headhunt3r]

I'd say there are two main categories for these kinds of warranties / guarantees.

1. The unsustainable - like FCP Euro that you mentioned, along with many other companies that offer returns/exchanges for everything, no questions asked. These companies offering this kind of protection is using it as a marketing tool. It's here until it isn't. Arc'teryx used to exchange jackets until they didn't, Eddie Bauer used to exchange / refund for life. FCP is probably hedging that people don't want to deal with shipping used oil back, or sell their cars before consumable parts like brake pads are worn out.

2. The "Costco" guarantee/warranty. They have a much more lax return policy and people abuse it, causing them to change their policy so people don't get a new laptop every couple years just because it's allowed.

What I don't like is that the second gets abused by customers, such as one lady that I saw return clearly well worn Uggs to Costco, probably just because she could. The intent of the policies set by Costco here is to stand by their products as the products intend, not to hand out free car batteries every 4 years - one day.

Is all of this black and white? No. As with most things, it's a vast area of grey, but NNT asking if this means we can get a free battery every 4 years is something I'm not a fan of.

[Euro7r]

Do we need original receipt when we bring back in the Costco battery to warranty replacement? Or can they just replace new one when you bring in the battery as is?

Do they test to make sure it's like "dead/weak"? Some days car may have harder time to start due to say "colder temperatures being in the outside than compared to a warm hot day". Our perception of weak battery versus what actual voltage may vary. Don't want to waste time/trip to bring it in and they says voltage shows it's healthy and won't offer replacement.

[NNT]

Originally Posted by headhunt3r

I'd say there are two main categories for these kinds of warranties / guarantees.

1. The unsustainable - like FCP Euro that you mentioned, along with many other companies that offer returns/exchanges for everything, no questions asked. These companies offering this kind of protection is using it as a marketing tool. It's here until it isn't. Arc'teryx used to exchange jackets until they didn't, Eddie Bauer used to exchange / refund for life. FCP is probably hedging that people don't want to deal with shipping used oil back, or sell their cars before consumable parts like brake pads are worn out.

2. The "Costco" guarantee/warranty. They have a much more lax return policy and people abuse it, causing them to change their policy so people don't get a new laptop every couple years just because it's allowed.

What I don't like is that the second gets abused by customers, such as one lady that I saw return clearly well worn Uggs to Costco, probably just because she could. The intent of the policies set by Costco here is to stand by their products as the products intend, not to hand out free car batteries every 4 years - one day.

Is all of this black and white? No. As with most things, it's a vast area of grey, but NNT asking if this means we can get a free battery every 4 years is something I'm not a fan of.

Don't know about you guys, but my car battery never last more than 4 years. I use to get battery from Canadian tire and they have a similar warranty but 3 years then pro rated, I got like 2 warranty replacement in 14 years and both time the battery die (to the point need jump start) between the 3rd and 4th years

[GLOW]

if it's bought on your account under your name it should be in the system. as long as they can find it in the system they can work refunds (i've had to do this on other things before, not a car battery).

gets dicey if you bought it in the US or some other reason they can't find it in the system.

[underscore]

I rocked up with nothing but the battery and the card # and got a partial replacement (my mom bought the battery when she owned the Jeep). Then with a later vehicle I had a defective battery that was only a couple months old and it was the same.

[headhunt3r]

My batteries always last me 5+ years... And I replace them out of precaution. Do you guys do a lot of short drives?

[NNT]

Originally Posted by headhunt3r

My batteries always last me 5+ years... And I replace them out of precaution. Do you guys do a lot of short drives?

Living downtown, normal day would be 8km max one way stop and go traffic to work.

[bcrdukes]

Short drives will often accelerate the overall life expectancy of a car battery. 8KM/day in stop and go should be ok as long as you're not idling 90% of the time. I've never used a Costco battery but have always stuck with Interstate batteries without troubles. Some others swear by Motomaster at Canadian Tire.

Historic trend I've noticed through observation on Revscene are people who buy Costco and Motomaster batteries ending up exchanging them within 3 or 4 years because they died and blow through the roof how awesome the batteries are. I'm not saying their batteries are bad (I'm sure they're fine) except I don't have that kind of time/luxury to replace a battery every few years, so it's all down to how you want to win at life.

Any battery over 5 years old, I replace proactively on my own. More often than not, I get my charging system checked out and replace any wear/tear items such as starter and alternator.

[twitchyzero]

they're all roughly the same being only built by two different suppliers

only panasonic ones etc. from factory lasts forever..my coworker's lasted almost 13 years..many miata owners seem to get minimum 8 years often 10 years

[Manic!]

Costco batteries have gone down hill but finding a quality replacement is hard.

[ijaz_97]

How's the Kirkland brand battery? I usually go with AC Delco batteries from Lordco but thinking about buying from Costco next.

[yray]

anyone tried the energizer agm from costco?