I have to share this.
 

So when my uncle had the low mileage 305 swapped into my truck a long time ago it looks like they swapped the cars crappy radiator. As soon as i tried to tow with the truck it got hot.

I called Carquest, they had one in stock and the price was good. My dad and i went to check it out, it was the new style with plastic tanks and aluminum cores. The parts lady open the box and pulled it out of the box, brand new out of the box it had a 2 inch hole broken in the tank. I was about to pay for it when my dad stopped me, luckily he spotted it.

Does anyone think they would have let me return it an hour later in that condition? I spent an extra couple hundred and got a brand new brass unit, very pleased with it so far!

Re: I have to share this.
 

Hard to say. The carquest here is owned by a man and his sons he would let us return anything even If the package was broken open. But its a different story with the carquest a town over. The customer bought an intercooler and we took it out of the box no more than an hour after purchase and it looked like someone hit it with a baseball in a few places so we ran back to the store and the said we damaged it!! No return thats why I always check parts at the counter with the sales person

Re: I have to share this.
 

I never thought i would pull a part out and it would be damaged to the point you cant use it. I will definitely check out everything i buy now.

I just put myself in the owners shoes for a minute, If i brought it back to the store with the hole it would look very suspicious. For all they knew i dropped it and broke it since the box had no damage. I think its clear wherever this thing came from has no inspection before they package their product.

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Or the guy packaging was hung over and having a bad day! Always check your parts at the counter...I have found old parts (cores) in a brand new box before, take one of them home and without looking at it and then try to return that...GOOD LUCK!

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I'd venture to say our return ratio is probably close to 50%, both on new OE and new aftermarket items. Biggest reason for return is not incorrect parts, but damaged parts. Sometimes we have a chance to check the parts when they are delivered, sometimes not.

Re: I have to share this.
 

i was blessed with a bastard mix matched truck anyway, so i always inspect the part to make sure it is the one i need. i have never had that happen though. i bet you would've had a very difficult time trying to return it. although sometimes you get a guy/girl that will understand, or i just look honest who knows.

Re: I have to share this.
 

This has happened to me more than a few times, many different parts stores, it happens somehow. Check it before you take it out of the store, I don't care how long the checkout lines are, how close to closing time it is, etc. If they want your money, they got to show you what you are buying.... That's the way I see it. You should see the look on their face when they open the box and see a part is damaged, or used, or obviously missing parts etc...

Re: I have to share this.
 

after having an argument at the counter when i returned a used part that was sold as new i inspect everything with a fine tooth comb before i even reach for my wallet even if the box is sealed.. ive even run into two completely different shocks in boxes with the same part numbers on em

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Auto parts gets handled in shipping just as rough as can be. You have to check the parts. Most stuff is wrecked long before it gets to the store and theres no way for the store to check everything. Cores get put in the wrong place all the time. Its worth the extra couple minutes. Any decent parts person will understand because it is so much of an issue. When i was 16 I worked at a local auto parts store and at that time a lot of companies has eliminated quality control. They found it was cheaper to just send everything out the door and deal with the returns later than it was to check everything before it leaves the factory. For rebuilt starters and alternators the factory only expect 1 in 3 to actually work.

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My parts place is a small family owned .When i order stuff the guy opens the box and shows me all the "bits".......long before we go green lol

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a couple hundred more for a brass copper? that's ridiculous I would have just went to the local chain parts place and got one period.

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I know how that is we worked on a 2000 Dodge Cummins and some parts are 99 and others are 00.:smoke: Many trips to the part store