I also have never had a problem returning a Craftsman tool.
When a friend and I had trouble with a bolt rounding off, we
had to weld the socket to the bolt. TIG WELD!! Speaking to
my friend the next day, he told me that he returned it for a
new one, WITH THE BOLT STILL WELDED TO IT!!! Now, while I
consider this abuse of the spirit of the warranty, I think
it is a testament to Sears' policy. I will continue to buy
Craftsman hand tools.
bob bownes wrote:
>
> Afraid I have to agree. I've never had a problem/question returning a
> Craftsman tool. Ever.
>
> (Even way back in college when I went in with a buddy who was returning a
> 1.25" socket full of black gunky stuff. He was asked "What's wrong with
> it?" Reply: "It just doesn't smoke as well as it used too....")
>
> And when I needed a drive gear for the garage door opener that came with
> the house (~15 years old), it was available, on the web, for the princely
> sum of $15.
>
> Just dumb luck I guess.
>
> On the note about polished surface wrenches, I'm pretty fond of the pebbly,
> slightly rough surface on the Craftsman. I find I can't get as good a grip
> on the polished MatCo or Snap-Ons, and when I really need to reef on
> something my fingers tend to slip. Personal preference.
>
> iii
>
> At 07:24 AM 6/23/99 -0400, jvanho01@tir.com wrote:
> >
> >It's to bad that you have had such a bad experience with Sears and
> >Craftsman tools. I have been using them for over 40 years and have
> >returned tools for replacement on the West Coast, Gulf Coast, and the
> >Midwest and I have never had a problem with them questioning the guarantee.
> > I have even had them break apart sets to get a particular wrench that they
> >didn't have as a separate item. They have also replaced screwdrivers that
> >were obviously used as prybars and not question the abuse. Perhaps, it has
> >a lot to do with the attitude that ones goes in with that affects the way
> >the sales persons react. Just my experience and $.02 worth.
> >
> >Jim V.
> >
> >At 01:26 AM 6/23/99 Wednesday -0600, Michael D. Porter wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>Bob Hamilton wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Aaron,
> >>>
> >>> I personally have no complaints about Craftsman tools - used them
> >>for years.
> >>
> >>One of my complaints is that every time I have walked into a Sears store
> >>in the last twenty years with a broken Craftsman tool in my hand, I got
> >>an argument. First, the clerk would tell me it was not warranted (and,
> >>knowing their routine) would say, "it's not a Sears tool, it's a
> >>Craftsman tool. It has a lifetime guarantee." Then, they would say,
> >>"but, it's been abused. We don't warrant abuse." I would say, "how can
> >>you tell it's abuse?" And the simple-minded clerk would say, "well, it's
> >>broken. That's abuse."
> >>
> >>Those companies who sell tools to tradesman who know tools, companies
> >>who sell tools to them with a lifetime guarantee, don't try that
> >>routine. Likely, some Sears branches are better than others with regard
> >>to returns, but having experienced the same line from three different
> >>stores in three different geographical locales at three different times,
> >>I conclude that experience of mine to reflect company policy. I don't
> >>bother with them any longer with respect to hand tools.
> >>
> >>And, yeah, I bought an air compressor from them six years ago, one with
> >>the oil-less compressor pump built into the rear of the motor, and it
> >>destroyed itself after forty hours of occasional use, one week after the
> >>warranty expired. I bought the necessary replacement parts at my own
> >>expense ($75), repaired the compressor, and it failed again,
> >>catastophically, ten hours later. A twelve-year-old could look at the
> >>connecting rod and the cylinder-to-connecting rod geometry, and know it
> >>was a deficient design.
> >>
> >>Screw `em. Sears, frankly, is full of bean counters these days. They
> >>don't know tools, and can't provide a tool which will last a lifetime
> >>because they are too busy trimming pennies. And, the price of the
> >>Craftsman line of tools (presumably guaranteed for life) is no bargain.
> >>And, don't bother trying to find repair parts for twenty-year-old
> >>Craftsman tools... they typically don't exist.
> >>
> >>Cheers.
|