Scam At Walmart--Battery replacement - Corvette Forum : DigitalCorvettes.com Corvette Forums

blkvette94 · 02-09-2013, 03:03 PM

Buyer beware.
First let me say that if my logic is faulty please tell me and I'll pull this. The logic is--Even though the age might affect its capacity it shouldn't matter for a test. Either it is good or bad; No matter the age.
If you find it valid... Please make this go viral!

The story..
My Cadillac CTS turned 50K miles. So I thought I'd have the battery checked. I pulled it out of the trunk and went to Wal-Mart In Oldsmar Florida.

The battery is the stock AC Delco #8542 48-7yr.

There is no sticker for age on the battery. The technician asked the age. I told him input 12/08.. Even though the age might affect its capacity it shouldn't matter for a test. He tested it.
The results are the receipt on the right. Bad battery, 12.76 volts, 557CCA out of 730CCA. By this he said I should replace it.
I asked him to input a different year. We chose 12/10.
The results: Good Battery 12.73V 675CCA out of 730 CCA.

Please note the time on the left receipt. It is one minute later. No adjustments were made to the cable connections. Also note I am not faulting the kid working at Wal-Mart. And please don’t make this about I shouldn’t have gone to Wal-Mart in the first place—thousands of people do. And Yes, I’d be willing to swear to this in a court of law.

So Is this a scam or am I faulty in my logic?

XQIZT · 02-09-2013, 03:46 PM

Hm. Interesting. The volts are certainly close enough, but the CCA is vastly different. I wonder what would have happened if he retested at the 12/08 date?

Just here more to see what others have to say.

92Roadster · 02-09-2013, 03:49 PM

...most ACDelco batteries have a white sticker attached to the
top of the battery with a code printed in the opposite direction
of the other printed words, but if its not legible they also
burn stamp it on the casing.....

...for a premium 7yr battery it does seem abit out of whack,
but seeing its coming up on 5yrs, it is possible that it might
be right, I had people bring them into our store with the
same results, but thats not say the same for your case..

...were you able to test it yourself, with a volt & amp gauage..?
make sure you test your alt. it might not be producing 14.5
volts charging....

....can you take a pic of the white sticker than post it....????

PNHNDLE96CE · 02-09-2013, 04:00 PM

I usually replace the battery when it doesn't start the car anymore and won't take a charge.

MayZ · 02-09-2013, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PNHNDLE96CE

I usually replace the battery when it doesn't start the car anymore and won't take a charge.

. . . besides in many instances involving consumer behavior, recommendations are nothing more than guidelines. Like changing oil every 3000 miles.

Lorin Dolley · 02-09-2013, 06:33 PM

I had just bought a battery for my '71 at Sears, and it went bad in a couple weeks . I return it and they were going to check it out . When I came back to see how he made out, he pointed
to an old yellow thing and he gave me the bad news . The
battery is no good Lorin . It needs to be replaced . Well for one
thing that's not my battery I said mine is the new one in that box .So then they ask if I could leave it there , they (Sears) wanted to put a slow charge on it . I went back down to pick it up,
the shop manager proud as a peacock I might add it is ready
to go Lorin . I said you must have put one a hell of a charge on it
We do our best . And I said when brought it in the posts were
on the side now they are popping out the top . I got a
new battery.

raidmagic · 02-09-2013, 07:16 PM

OK guys, I don't think the OP is looking for advice on when and how to change his battery it's that with back to back tests with nothing being changed but some numbers in the computer the battery tests bad one second and good the next. I find this very disturbing and I think I would ask to see a manager. I also would go to a local parts store and test it again. Seems they are running some sort of age scam for the battery. "Whoops your battery is too old you need a new one" whether it's good or not. I wouldn't let this rest, I would go further with it.

drbluevert · 02-09-2013, 07:22 PM

I bought a car battery from Walmart and it went bad in 28 months (warranty is for 36 months). The second battery went bad in 9 months and I brought it back for exchange. The clerk scanned the serial number bar code and said she couldn't help me. She explained that the 1st battery was good for 36 months but i got 28 months of that 36 so the replacement battery would be replaceable if it went bad in the next 8 months (36 - 28 = 8) but I returned the battery 1 month late.

Since when is a new battery warranty contingent upon the old battery's warranty? Did I miss something?

87vette81big · 02-09-2013, 08:30 PM

The Wal Mart Battery Tester is Scamming You & making Wal- Mart Corporate Executives Richer.
Take Your GM Delco battery & find a small shop with a SUN VAT 40 Battery & charging system tester.
If battery has 800 CCA- cold cranking amps, set carbon pile load watching meter to 400 amps. 15 second load, voltage must not drop below 9.6 VDC.
I usually load test 2 times in a row.

Other option is a Modern Snap On Battery Tester.
Portable handheld or Roll around battery-charging system tester.
I own a Portable Snap On handheld 6 to 24 vdc Battery & charging system tester.
It measures the Internal resistance of the battery & reads out in percentage of Battery state of charge along with a color coded LED bar graph to view.
Must test 85% or higher.

Another clue to me that your being scammed, 12.76 & 12.73 vdc free state measured voltage.
12.6 VDC ='s 100 % fully charged battery.
12.7 VDC ='s 110 to 120 % state of charge.......very good.

BR

Altered · 02-09-2013, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drbluevert

I bought a car battery from Walmart and it went bad in 28 months (warranty is for 36 months). The second battery went bad in 9 months and I brought it back for exchange. The clerk scanned the serial number bar code and said she couldn't help me. She explained that the 1st battery was good for 36 months but i got 28 months of that 36 so the replacement battery would be replaceable if it went bad in the next 8 months (36 - 28 = 8) but I returned the battery 1 month late.

Since when is a new battery warranty contingent upon the old battery's warranty? Did I miss something?

I saw that happen in a Autozone store years ago. All the customers at the counter were like really? Seems only that one manager was calling it like that. Not sure who is doing it the way the company says but one way is BS and the other is a true lifetime warranty.

Autozone BATTERY LIMITED WARRANTY

Quote:

BATTERY LIMITED WARRANTY (United States Only)
This warranty lasts from the day you buy the battery to the end of the warranty period on your receipt. This warranty expires when you sell or transfer your vehicle. If the battery is found defective during the free replacement period on this receipt, bring the battery to any AutoZone store and you will receive a free replacement.
This warranty excludes failure due to improper installation, other faulty parts, low fluid levels, abuse, off-road or stationary power unit usage. This warranty does not apply to non-marine batteries used in marine applications.
THIS LIMITED WARRANTY REPRESENTS THE TOTAL LIABILITY OF AUTOZONE FOR ANY BATTERY. ALL OTHER WARRANTIES IMPLIED BY LAW APPLICABLE TO THE BATTERY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE WARRANTY PERIOD STATED ON THIS RECEIPT. AUTOZONE MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. AUTOZONE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.
Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, or exclusion or limitation on incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights that vary from state to state.

87vette81big · 02-09-2013, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Altered

I saw that happen in a Autozone store years ago. All the customers at the counter were like really? Seems only that one manager was calling it like that. Not sure who is doing it the way the company says but one way is BS and the other is a true lifetime warranty.

Autozone BATTERY LIMITED WARRANTY

The battery load test with a SUN VAT 40 above is Bench Mark Standard. Used By General Motors Too.
Has been for 50 years now.
It is 100 % fool proof.
Not even Wal Mart or Autozone can cheat.

Other aftermarket Carbon Load Pile Battery Testers are made current. Reliable testing too.

BadBlackVett · 02-09-2013, 09:41 PM

This sounds like liberal logic to me.

What does the age of a battery have to do with its ampacity or voltage? I have seen batteries 10-20 years old doing better than a new Neverstart from Walmart or Autozone.

And the warranty replacement is way liberal logic. Guess they believe the warranty was sold to you like insurance. You have 36 months to return any crappy battery we sell you and it gets replaced for free.

ddregehr · 02-09-2013, 10:04 PM

I would call Walmart on it! I would even email headquarters with your results and point fingers at their process. They need people with no skill to do skill jobs like test batteries. They purchase a machine that spits out numbers based on "Made On Date" and not actual data, which is BS.

I have an AC Delco in my '03 Chevy Venture that is original with no problems and we get to -40 degrees plus windchill and it sits outside. That is a 10 year old battery. I'll buy a new one when it stops holding a charge. Why throw money down the drain?

87vette81big · 02-09-2013, 11:24 PM

I clicked on the link for the Walmart Battery tester used.
Its a Midtronics EXP800. I have tried them out prior.
Its junk.

SUN VAT 40 or Snap On Load/ conductance Battery Testers.

End of story.

BR

wildcatlock · 02-10-2013, 06:36 AM

Looking at the reciepts it would seem that testing machine has an "avg life expectancy" peramiter. It seems that was set at 24 mo. If you were testing a 24 mo. battery then I would agree with the results, but you were testing a 96 mo. battery ( i think my math is right for 7 yrs.

). Now with this adjusted to the 96 mo. i would be willing to bet you would get far different results, and they would sell far fewer batteries.I dont know that you caould fault the kid who tested it as he was likely not trained. Putting wal-mart at fault may not be correct either as you cant/dont know if it was common practice or just a stupid employee. Tests for anything are just that- tests - all information gained from them is only to allow a person to make a decision. The minute you start letting a "test" decide the outcome or make your decision you are bound to open up your wallet and watch your money fly away. Just my .02.