COSTCO batteries

[WagonWheel]

The hardest part of buying a battery at Costco is waiting in line at the tire center behind people who are trying to argue why cheaper non-conforming tires wouldn’t work. Do your research!

 

[Snagglefoot]

not an agm issue, its a rare battery issue but can happen with any battery. physically bad internal connection.

I had one that would intermittantly drop a couple cells and wouldnt start car.. measured ~~ 8-9volts IIRC. but of course it would start working again.
I had no warranty issue because it was 5 years old.. just replaced it once we determined it wasnt bad starter etc.

Dont ask me what kind of construction failure it was.. I didnt disassemble it to find out..

When the big meteorite hits, these guys are going to do OK.

 

[skyactiv]

A Costco is a far drive for me plus I’m not a member.

 

[wpod]

All I can tell you is, I took one back to Costco; they looked up and found the purchase receipt. I had like 1 month left. The guy simply grabbed another off the shelf and sent me on my way.
Costco has earned my business.

The service you get is part of the value.

 

[skyactiv]

A Costco is a far drive for me plus I’m not a member.

 

[hk24]

A Costco is a far drive for me plus I’m not a member.

I'm not a member either but a relative has a member in their family. So, it will be somewhat inconvenient as I would have to ask them to buy it (and bring the one in my car to get the core charge back). I don't know if it's worth it but here, it's a cheaper battery than the Walmart Everstart Maxx batteries - by about $27.

 

[hk24]

When my group 51 went, Walmart claimed that stores without an auto center don’t need to test for a warranty claim. FWIW.

Good to know. I assume the policy is the same here, too, as all the Walmarts shut down their auto centers.

 

[Tdbo]

Why are we as members making such drama about a freaking battery?

This website THRIVES on DRAMA!

 

[y_p_w]

The hardest part of buying a battery at Costco is waiting in line at the tire center behind people who are trying to argue why cheaper non-conforming tires wouldn’t work. Do your research!

Years ago, they'd have batteries located somewhere in the warehouse and not the tire center. I just went in, picked one up, and then paid for it at regular checkout. But then again the regular checkout lines could take 10 minutes if behind someone buying 100 rolls of toilet paper.

I think all battery transactions are at the tire center now. Returns used to be at regular returns.

Then again, in the 90s I remember when Target had a limited selection of car batteries. I think Everyready branded, although at the time those were clearly JCI, which indicated which brands they made.

 

[y_p_w]

The service you get is part of the value.

A lot of what happens with returns at Costco is that they have contract terms with their suppliers that they have to eat the cost of any return (even if no salable), and returns are at the discretion of Costco. That's one of the reasons why nearly anything can be returned to Costco.

 

[garageman402]

Years ago, they'd have batteries located somewhere in the warehouse and not the tire center. I just went in, picked one up, and then paid for it at regular checkout. But then again the regular checkout lines could take 10 minutes if behind someone buying 100 rolls of toilet paper.

I think all battery transactions are at the tire center now. Returns used to be at regular returns.

Then again, in the 90s I remember when Target had a limited selection of car batteries. I think Everyready branded, although at the time those were clearly JCI, which indicated which brands they made.

Yes, I remember when the batteries were just another shelf in the warehouse. To return one then you had to take it to the tire center, get it tested, then bring it back to the return desk with the tag. I did that once, it was dead, & I got the pro-rated refund.

Last Costco battery I bought died immediately. I had it on a truck with a 330mA drain over the weekend. Monday morning had zero volts. That's .33 amps for 60 hours = 19.8 Ah. Battery was rated I think at 70Ah. Took it back to tire center, got the refund no questions asked. Put a battery disconnect switch on after that until I found the drain.

 

[y_p_w]

Yes, I remember when the batteries were just another shelf in the warehouse. To return one then you had to take it to the tire center, get it tested, then bring it back to the return desk with the tag. I did that once, it was dead, & I got the pro-rated refund.

Last Costco battery I bought died immediately. I had it on a truck with a 330mA drain over the weekend. Monday morning had zero volts. That's .33 amps for 60 hours = 19.8 Ah. Battery was rated I think at 70Ah. Took it back to tire center, got the refund no questions asked. Put a battery disconnect switch on after that until I found the drain.

I've returned a couple of Costco batteries, and never was asked to bring it anywhere for testing. They just took it on faith that there was something wrong with it. Heck - I even got maybe the last prorated months of the 84 month warranty. That was on top of the battery core fee since they looked up that I had never exchanged a core. If I had they would have just taken it without returning the core fee.

 

[garageman402]

I've returned a couple of Costco batteries, and never was asked to bring it anywhere for testing. They just took it on faith that there was something wrong with it. Heck - I even got maybe the last prorated months of the 84 month warranty. That was on top of the battery core fee since they looked up that I had never exchanged a core. If I had they would have just taken it without returning the core fee.

Was that when they still had them on the shelf inside the warehouse? While they were still Kirkland branded?

IIRC, didn't they have Everready branded batteries for a short while?

 

[y_p_w]

Was that when they still had them on the shelf inside the warehouse? While they were still Kirkland branded?

IIRC, didn't they have Everready branded batteries for a short while?

Yeah - that was the old Kirkland Signature version made by JCI with the 24 month full replacement and the 84 month prorated. Before that, I don't think it was Eveready, but Energizer. I specifically remember seeing the Eveready branded car batteries at Target, but this would have been in the 90s.

 

[garageman402]

Yeah - that was the old Kirkland Signature version made by JCI with the 24 month full replacement and the 84 month prorated. Before that, I don't think it was Eveready, but Energizer. I specifically remember seeing the Eveready branded car batteries at Target, but this would have been in the 90s.

Maybe you're right, Energizer was originally Everready Energizer, the Bunny helped drop the Everready name I think.

 

[JHZR2]

All I can tell you is, I took one back to Costco; they looked up and found the purchase receipt. I had like 1 month left. The guy simply grabbed another off the shelf and sent me on my way.
Costco has earned my business.

Walmart did that for me after they finally got batteries in stock and in store. I was surprised.

That would never, ever happen at a WM or Sam's Club. I got ripped a new one recently at Sam's Club while trying to warranty an AGM with an intermittent issue.

Find a WM without an auto center. The ones without don’t test, at least here.