SURPRISE!

[CincyFlyer]

Wouldn't a used oil filter leak oil all over and make the box an oily mess? Who would go to the trouble of returning a used filter to save the $6?

More like $18 with tax. And you don't have to return it; walk in with your drained used filter, swap it out, leave.

 

[Cderk]

Was changing the oil in a nephew's car and he had picked up some Mobil 1 oil and a Mobil 1 filter at Walmart. Everything went well until we pulled the "new" oil filter out of the box. We found a used filter in the box.

Open those boxes and double check.... Car will now sit on the lift and after work today when he will return my car with a new filter in hand.

My son purchased a 50" tv from Walmart and when he opened the box guess what? a broken tv!.

 

[Doofy]

We were, at one time, allowed to go behind the counter at NAPA and get our own parts until our local shyster mechanic was caught putting used spark plugs back on the shelf.

 

[tjandrews]

Wouldn't a used oil filter leak oil all over and make the box an oily mess? Who would go to the trouble of returning a used filter to save the $6?

That was my first thought, too. Is it possible that somebody got the filter home, tried to put it on, learned that it was the wrong one, and took it back for an exchange without doing a great job of cleaning it up after the attempt?

 

[stephenh]

And even if a customer is "caught" trying to do a return scam, nothing will be done. My wife's best friend recently quit a job in the security dept of a large chain store. She and a co-worker stopped two teenaged girls who had openly put on a couple of very expensive leather jackets and walked out with them. They were ordered to let the girls go and not to try to detain anyone doing the same in the future. Not a return scam, but same mentality. Supervisor told the employees they just needed to be around and be obvious to attempt to worry thieves enough maybe they would not steal. Pointless. The friend gave her notice that day and quit. By the way, they had the girls cold on the store's security videos.

 

[Doofy]

Received a very expensive counter top convection oven from the In-Laws for Christmas. Several months later when we unboxed it to use, it was filthy and covered in old grease spatter. Naturally, they were mortified. Amazon ate crow and sent out a new one.

 

[Surshot]

Wally World has had various return lengths of time over the years. My favorites were the two NW FL stores that sold guns and kept the return policy flowing on the guns…..folks started buying 1100 Rems took the guns hunting, for the entire season, then returned them as is, used, rusty, muddy, for a full refund. That did not last long.

 

[Gord Baker]

I remember a couple guys who would 'short dip' the oil and shove an empty can on the spout and 'add a quart'. Charge the customer for a quart.
This was back when there were Real Service Stations. It's the people these days..............

 

[nickfank]

Another reason not to shop at Walmart. But I guess this could happen anywhere. But at the parts store, they probably inspect the returned item a bit better. No experience with that though.

I buy my filters from Amazon or Rock Auto. Usually better prices than NAPA or O'Reilys anyway.

When I read the original post, my first thought was of when this happened to me buying a v-belt from Amazon. Even more bizarre... It happened twice on the same item.

I returned the belt with the explanation of the problem. A week later, they replaced it with exactly the same used belt, in the same package I returned it in, including my note. The second time, I used a marker to black out the scanner code on the package so they couldn't return it to inventory without a human looking at my note.

The only way to communicate a problem to a real person at Amazon is to break their automated warehousing system.

 

[Raul-02]

Wouldn't a used oil filter leak oil all over and make the box an oily mess?

put it in a poly bag.

 

[FarmerRancher]

Wouldn't a used oil filter leak oil all over and make the box an oily mess? Who would go to the trouble of returning a used filter to save the $6?

This day and age, people will lie for no reason at all.

 

[rlipeles]

Wouldn't a used oil filter leak oil all over and make the box an oily mess? Who would go to the trouble of returning a used filter to save the $6?

It's the principle and Wallmart should be made aware where they screwed up.

 

[Hermio]

You've been Walmart customer scammed.

People return things for a full refund by swapping the old for the new. Walmart will not take the time to inspect returned items, thus it goes back on the shelf.

As prices have inched up to $9 per filter these days, suspecting foul play before you purchase is wise enough for consideration.

I had that happen to me when I bought a "new" printer at Walmart. They took it back, of course. But they had to waste time processing it, which could have been avoided if they inspected the returned merchandise.

 

[QRTRHRS]

A little different take on the oil change; as part of purchasing my used van, the dealer offered a free oil/filter change. Fine. Next oil change I did myself. The drain plug's threads were stripped! They must have the lowest man on the totem pole doing the free change. No way that plug should have been put back in like that! Being my only vehicle, I had to have a friend run me to the parts store for one of the oversized replacement plugs.

But thanks for the heads up on the filter and oil scams.

 

[mudking]

If you let a dealer change engine-air and especially cabin-air filters, check behind them. You'd be surprised at how may "almost fits" ones get rumpled-up and crammed in.

 

[blee03]

I bought 3 gallons of Shell Rotella 15w-40 a while ago from AutoZone. Once I got home I drained my oil, removed and replaced the filter and I started to pour a gallon in the truck... and it came out red/pink.

I checked the other 2 jugs which were also factory sealed, both were red/pink like automatic transmission fluid.

Went back to AutoZone and exchanged them for 3 more, which were fine. Everyone behind the counter was baffled. Must have been some kind of mix up at the bottling plant

 

[JWR]

More like $18 with tax. And you don't have to return it; walk in with your drained used filter, swap it out, leave.

Theft is theft. Shoplifting is shoplifting. Petty is also petty...

 

[Pleease]

A little off track, but....

Back in 2009, by a freakish event that I won't go through here, my wife received a new Mercedes CLK350 convertible - a beautiful car, and an extravagance we never would've pursued on our own.

So we took it out for a spin on a nice summer evening and along the way stopped at a store - Target, if I remember right - and while there bought a jug of Kaboom cleaner, set it in the back seat in the plastic shopping bag and proceeded with our enjoyable ride.

At some point she and/or I smelled something, pulled over, and saw that the screw-on lid had come off, and the entire contents of the Kaboom container had emptied onto the seat - some of it still puddled there....it was just sickening!!

Omgosh we spent hours toweling, shop-vaccing, etc., repeating the process over and over - every day for a while - and left the car in the garage with the top down to air out.

Anyways, almost 13 years later we still have her pretty car, and every once in a while when conditions are right we still get a whiff of Kaboom, and laugh about how we F'd up her beautiful car, glad it wasn't actually destructive in the long haul.

 

[JWR]

And even if a customer is "caught" trying to do a return scam, nothing will be done. My wife's best friend recently quit a job in the security dept of a large chain store. She and a co-worker stopped two teenaged girls who had openly put on a couple of very expensive leather jackets and walked out with them. They were ordered to let the girls go and not to try to detain anyone doing the same in the future. Not a return scam, but same mentality. Supervisor told the employees they just needed to be around and be obvious to attempt to worry thieves enough maybe they would not steal. Pointless. The friend gave her notice that day and quit. By the way, they had the girls cold on the store's security videos.

...and it is d**ned near that bad in some placea with major theft, shootings, murders, etc. This world is going to H in a handbasket!

 

[ICGREEN]

Yet how many posters on here respond to someone who is having a problem tractor by recommending selling their problem to an unknowing buyer. Not much different that returning bad goods to Walmart for a credit.

I bought someone else’s problem, that’s bad. I unloaded my problem, that’s good?

Some people need to look in a mirror.

Don't think I necessarily agree with that. Most people aren't out to defraud someone buy selling a used vehicle that's had issues. There's a whole list of things that could be an issue buying something used. Did the owner keep the maintenance done, or use it beyond it's limitations. It's nice if the seller has a complete maintenance record but that probably applies to 1% of owners. Certainly not me. Buying a used item is always a risk. Sometimes buying new is a risk if you get a "Monday" vehicle. If not in good working condition and you don't disclose it then you are defrauding someone. If you've done a lot of repairs I don't think you need to disclose that. Maybe the last repair you did was the final one and it's now good for 20 years.