If doing cheap oil it’s nothing crazy but still saves. If running their premium tier oils that cost an arm and a leg, plus an oil/air/cabin air filters it’s an absolute no brainer.
Free lifetime oil change. FCP Euro.
- Thread starter MK5Rabbit
- Start date
FCP's legendary Lifetime Replacement Gaurantee. A lot of folks struggle with it. Here's how it works. Please read their info on this including exclusions, how-to, etc. on their website.
Buy part 1 for $X (please read their rules...it's all spelled out w/r to what is included...which is almost everything they sell including consumables). You have now spent $X. Use part 1. When part 1 needs to be replaced, you have to buy part 2. You have now spent $X times 2. Receive part 2. Replace part 1 with part 2. Fill out their online return form (which will have the original order# for part 1 and the new order# for part 2 that is replacing part 1,box up part 1, and return to FCP following their rules on your dollar. I suggest using pirateship and UPS for the lowest-cost return shipping. FCP recieves part 1 and credits your account with $X. You have now spent $X times 2 but recieved a credit for part 1 of $X so your next part 1 (or whatever you want to use the credit to buy) is free (or close enough - the prices fluctuate and generally go up over time but remember....you get $X as store credit, not whatever part 1 sells for today). Do this infinity until you sell your car. You will always be out $X times 2 b/c you don't return whatever you have in your car when you get rid of it/stop using part 1.
I've been doing this for 6 years and at this point have bought around $6K worth of maintenance/repair parts for all of our VW/Audis in the house and it's cost me less than half of that. It's a great deal if you keep track of it, follow the procedures, and bundle your returns.
How do they make money you might ask? B/c most folks 1) don't use it/think it's a hassle/don't buy enough to bother 2) if they do it's for just a few things so not a huge loss (more of a discount) and 3) oh look, while I'm here I'll buy (insert whatever you drop in your cart and don't ever return). Also, FCP is not cheap, they are full-price vs. many other places for parts so you are paying for it in the cost of every item basically.
Thanks for reading/attending my Ted talk.
Buy part 1 for $X (please read their rules...it's all spelled out w/r to what is included...which is almost everything they sell including consumables). You have now spent $X. Use part 1. When part 1 needs to be replaced, you have to buy part 2. You have now spent $X times 2. Receive part 2. Replace part 1 with part 2. Fill out their online return form (which will have the original order# for part 1 and the new order# for part 2 that is replacing part 1,box up part 1, and return to FCP following their rules on your dollar. I suggest using pirateship and UPS for the lowest-cost return shipping. FCP recieves part 1 and credits your account with $X. You have now spent $X times 2 but recieved a credit for part 1 of $X so your next part 1 (or whatever you want to use the credit to buy) is free (or close enough - the prices fluctuate and generally go up over time but remember....you get $X as store credit, not whatever part 1 sells for today). Do this infinity until you sell your car. You will always be out $X times 2 b/c you don't return whatever you have in your car when you get rid of it/stop using part 1.
I've been doing this for 6 years and at this point have bought around $6K worth of maintenance/repair parts for all of our VW/Audis in the house and it's cost me less than half of that. It's a great deal if you keep track of it, follow the procedures, and bundle your returns.
How do they make money you might ask? B/c most folks 1) don't use it/think it's a hassle/don't buy enough to bother 2) if they do it's for just a few things so not a huge loss (more of a discount) and 3) oh look, while I'm here I'll buy (insert whatever you drop in your cart and don't ever return). Also, FCP is not cheap, they are full-price vs. many other places for parts so you are paying for it in the cost of every item basically.
Thanks for reading/attending my Ted talk.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
- Joined
- May 5, 2018
- Messages
- 21,091
I've had two credits for a total of about $300. Not bad. Not everything needs to be in the same order. I do oil, cabin, and engine air filters all at once. I'm not going to look a gifted horse in the mouth and just accept it. Wish they had more options for their oils so a bit limited to what they have but since I change it every few months it's already paid for itself.
@TiGeo What happens if they stop selling the item I purchased the first time? Or, if the item
I bought the first time is now out of stock? Will they allow substitutions for the 2nd purchase, and still allow me to return and receive credit for the first purchase?
I’ve been buying from FCP for a few years now, but just now getting to use their replacement program.
I'm not quite sure so easiest to just reach out to their customer service. I would suppose they allow subs but again, not sure here.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
I only started returning stuff over the past couple years, even though I am a long time FCP Euro customer.
Last year I got about $200 in credit (transmission fluid, filter and gasket service along with engine air filter and cabin filters). This year over $800, as I rebuilt the front suspension again on my E39 540 M-Sport, and also returned some oil filters, engine air filter and cabin filters.
I have a commerical rate account with Fed Ex so it only cost me $20 to send a ton of stuff all the way across the country for the return.
Last year I got about $200 in credit (transmission fluid, filter and gasket service along with engine air filter and cabin filters). This year over $800, as I rebuilt the front suspension again on my E39 540 M-Sport, and also returned some oil filters, engine air filter and cabin filters.
I have a commerical rate account with Fed Ex so it only cost me $20 to send a ton of stuff all the way across the country for the return.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
They allow substitutions for a similar part, even if the replacement is less, you get full credit. Even if you have to source from another vendor. It is spelled out in the terms and conditions page. Look it up. I returned a steering center link made by TRW, but they only sell Lemforder now for my BMW...it was less expensive than the TRW, but I got the full credit from the original TRW purchase.
This spells out the current policy:
Substitutions are very straightforward, I've changed brands between brake rotors, spark plugs, etc. The same policy applies even if the brands are different prices.
The only weird exception is that if they no longer stock the part at all, then you can return it for credit (or a refund if you bought it prior to the Nov '22 store credit vs. refund change). You probably need to open a support case for this though.
Got my first credits today - $120 for ATF, wipers, and a cabin filter.
Question - if you order over $49 in parts with credit do they still ship for free?
Question - if you order over $49 in parts with credit do they still ship for free?
Of course.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
- Joined
- May 5, 2018
- Messages
- 21,091
I can always respond to an FCP LRG question.Hey you should be half dead....
Chill
They do LRG with substitutions, and allow for substitutions as replacements if they are acceptable to you. I've had a couple instances where the original item purchased is no longer stocked. Recent example for me, Penthosin DSG fluid. When I reordered fluid for replacement, they asked me is I would accept Fuchs oil since they no longer had the Pentosin. Told them I would rather use the OE VW fluid instead and they sent me that, but at the Fuchs price. When I returned the Pentosin fluid, I got credit for the original price of it instead of the lower price of the Fuchs. Only took one call to customer service to get all straightened out and it was really simple. Had same thing happen with Bosch/OE wiper blades and Mann/OE cabin air filters. Every time they were very accommodating. FCP takes care of their customers.
Not familiar....not a screw top?
Im not sure if its a screw too or not. Could not find a video on youtube that would record opening/closing the bottle. I could check that myself, but would have to break the seal to see it, which would not help with return.
They have screw-on caps. Or at least, every 300V can I've ever seen has had one.
This is going to be wordy because I don't have pics. But if you have a can in front of you as you read this so that you can follow along, it might make sense.
The cap basically has two D-rings on top. Flip them up and they become little handles. Pull up on them and you'll see the cap is actually screwed onto a spout that basically telescopes out of the can. Once you've pulled the spout all the way out, unscrew the cap. Beneath it, there should be a little seal with a ring you can use to pull it out, like in orange juice cartons or something. Pull that out and pour out your oil.
When you're done, screw the cap back onto the spout and press the spout back into the top of the can.
Two occasional downsides I've observed with this design:
1. The cap doesn't always screw on tightly enough before it jumps a thread, so it can be hard to get a good seal.
2. Occasionally, pulling the spout and pushing it back in repeatedly can cause the plastic to tear. At that point, it's doomed to leak. I'm sure it can be fixed somehow though.
#1 should be fixable if you just tape the cap down after it's screwed on and the spout is pushed back in.
#2 is very rare and easily avoidable (don't be rough with it).
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