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<center><big><big><b><i><font color="#3333ff">Giammalvo Files</font></i></b></big></big></center>
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<p><i><font color="#000000">Mark Giammalvo specializes in driveability
diagnostics </font><font color="#000000">at his family business,
Sam Giammalvo's Auto Sales & Service, Inc. in New</font>
<font color="#000000">Bedford, MA. </font> </i>
</p>
<i><font
color="#000000">Mark, who has been with the business for
over 20 years, is an ASE Master Technician and Parts Specialist.
He also holds the ASE L1 certification, and has an
associates degree in business</font> <font color="#000000">management.
<br>
Mark is also a writer for Motor Age Magazine and is the past secretary
of the Alliance of Automotive Service Professionals, (AASP).</font></i>
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<center><font color="#000000"><b><font size="+2">Warranty, what
warranty?</font></b></font></center>
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<center><i><font color="#000000">(January 2003) </font></i></center>
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<p><small><i><font color="#000000">(Printed in the Journal of The Alliance
of Automotive Service Providers, AASP) </font></i></small></p>
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<div align="justify"> If you think your car's battery is under
a long term warranty just because the decal on it says so, you'd better
think again. Recently we had a customer come in with a 1999 Chevrolet
Tahoe. The customer was having to jump start the truck for several
days so he decided to come in to have us check it out. A routine test
of the vehicle's battery, starting and charging system revealed a faulty
battery. We noticed that the battery did not look that old and it had
a AC Delco decal listing it as a 6 year battery. <i>(See photo below)
</i>In calling the customer he mentioned that the battery should
have some warranty remaining as he had it changed in March of 2001.
I figured I would call the local Chevrolet dealer where he had it replaced
in March of 2001 and ask them what the warranty pro-rate charge would
be on this battery. (This is normally a fee that the customer pays for
each good month of battery service. Typically it is around $ 1.37 per
month). <br>
<br>
Well, lets just say this is where the fun began. After
researching the customer's history the dealership service manager
told us that the Delco battery in this customer's vehicle did not
have any warranty left. Being in the automotive industry for about
twenty years now, I could not believe my ears. How could a battery that
is just 22 months old and bearing a 6 year warranty label, not be under
warranty? Just to make sure I was still alive and well I decided to call
the parts manager of another local GM dealership. Unfortunately, he
also agreed with the first dealer that the battery did not have any warranty
left. A subsequent call to a relative of mine inside GM and the Delco
800 number yielded the same answer. <br>
<br>
How could this be you are wondering? What is the catch?
Where is the loophole? Ready for this? You'd better sit down. General
Motors has a very interesting warranty policy procedure on certain
Delco batteries and it is not a widely known policy. Normally, under
normal retail purchase circumstances, Delco batteries do have an excellent
warranty. Their warranty is similar to other battery manufacturers
like Douglas, Decca and Interstate in that the batteries are pro-rate
warranted for 5,6 or 7 year periods. Well, as long as there not installed
while the car is under factory warranty. That's the catch. You see,
if you purchase a Delco battery over the counter at a GM dealer or K-Mart
store, the battery has the full term of whatever warranty is stated on
the battery's label. However, when a battery is replaced by the dealer,
during the new car warranty, the battery itself really has no warranty.
When a battery fails in a GM car that is still under the 3 year 36,000
mile bumper to bumper warranty the dealer installs a new battery but the
battery is only warrantied for the final balance of the term of the 3/36
warranty on the car. When the 3/36 warranty is over your new battery's
warranty is over. Yes, even though the label is printed with a 6 year warranty.
Actually that label should not really have been on this customer's battery.
In the GM Dealership Policy and Procedures Manual there is a paragraph
that's states that the technician must remove the warranty decals when
installing a new Delco battery in a car that is still under the 3/36 warranty.
<br>
<br>
I can understand GM's methodology to some degree. Why should
they be on the hook for a 6 year battery warranty if the customer
did not pay for the battery in the first place? Still, it is a little
unusual. Compare this corporate philosophy to our own policy here
in our little facility: The majority of our vehicles come with a 90
day bumper to bumper warranty. When a customer's battery fails within
that period we install a 6 year Douglas battery. The customer did not
have to pay anything but we still give them a battery with the full term
warranty. Oh well, go figure.<br>
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<p><font color="#000000"> </font> <img height="338"
width="450" alt="Delco 6 year battery" src="Delco_battery.jpg">
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