It was never a question of whether or not FCP would honor the warranty. We just need to do our due diligence on any return before sending out a new part. We want to make sure that the part is indeed defective and not just the wrong part so that when we do send it to you again you won't run into the same problem and be in a worse situation... etc. (see above)
thank you,
Max Rossi (VP Sales/Client Relations)
Max, with all due respect that is a mis-characterization of my original conversation with FCP. "We want to make sure that the part is indeed defective and not just the wrong part so that when we do send it to you again you won't run into the same problem and be in a worse situation.", for one thing, since it was made clear to your staff what the problem was: That is, that the part fit just fine, and that it was simply defective. There is no way, after my conversation with Mike, that he could have thought there was any possibility that the part was the wrong type or number. The fact that it was a leaky pipe which fit, was perfectly understood.
Another reason we know this is incorrect is because I told you on the phone that I was once sent a wrong ball joint by FCP, that you sent a replacement to get me going. You said that was a "different case", as it was a wrong part, and not a defective part. So again, your post here is incorrect... you fully knew I had the correct part, and that it was in the car, and only defective.
And also: there is another problem with your coming here, and inaccurately countering my original discussion.... because I was first speaking with Mike. You are therefore addressing some points of mine, which you never heard in person. By the time you and I spoke, those points were settled, and understood, and so your post is in error.
We don't do this to be an inconvenience to you, it's the only way we can be certain that we will get the part in question back to us.
And therein lies the problem. We have two parties here, and of course one of the two has to take some risk in correcting the problem. Either I take a $100+ risk that you will not honor the warranty (a genuine concern since your staff seemed somewhat incredulous that the problem with the pipe could even exist), or the vendor takes a... what, $40-$60 risk, the cost of the part to you, wholesale? And you, the large retailer, with the air conditioned offices and gigantic warehouses, staff, and resources, is asking me, the guy on his back in his driveway trying to keep his Volvo working, should assume the risk of a second $100+ transaction to correct your error? That seems pretty unfair to me, as I did nothing wrong but trust you for my business.
So when I am told that you will not be the one taking the risk, and I must, I disagree. I am the one who has already spent the time under my car putting the defective part in, and ruined $16.50 in new gaskets, and spent over $100. At a minimum, your policy says I must either leave my car on stands, out of service, and trust that you will send the right part after I send the bad part back, which if it did not happen would leave me stranded for several days and out $100+. Or the other option, that I give you a card on file, that if you decided the warranty does not apply, I pay well over $200 for two parts, one of which I know to be defective. Or third, that I buy the new part, risk it being defective again, and again, risk that you will decide not to honor the warranty, and not refund my money.
So the point is, I feel that since you have the least to lose, and Bosal and you are the cause of the problem, that it is you, and not I, who should take the risk for your, and Bosal's, errors.
The case today was one of those times we would have and did make an exception and the customer will have his part tomorrow.
I'm afraid my fears were realized when I received the new part: It is a Starla, not a Bosal. I wanted a Bosal, specifically ordered a Bosal, told you guys it was a Bosal, and even wrote Bosal when you first refused to send one out to me to replace the defective one. It was completely clear this was the case, in every way. The Starla header pipe is pretty junky looking compared to the Bosal, despite the invisible, bad weld. It looks thinner, is of poorer construction, and with weld splatters all over.
Why did you switch brands on me?
I never mind Starla parts behind the cat, but for a header, the Bosal is superior, and what I bought and asked for. The point again is, you wanted me to trust you with my $100, or my car out of commission... but look what would have happened if I did that. I would have been stuck with a second part I do not want.
Not sure what I will do now, this is so damned frustrating. Fix the bad pipe and send the Starla back? Try to have Bosal send me a new pipe, again? Put in a Starla pipe which I did not want, and would never have bought in the first place?
This decision wasn't made due to this post, this decision was made because we honor our warranty.
If true Max, you are not in a position to claim this, since you waited until I complained outside of our conversation in which you refused me. I was left with no satisfaction until I CC'd you with my request to Bosal, and wrote here on this forum. If you would have simply done this the first time, on the phone, then you could claim you decided independantly of my post and Bosal email. But by waiting until I had to write Bosal and this post, you cannot say this.
Explain to me again why as an FCP customer I should go through all this, again?
