Hypothetical scenario

cnrtool · January 10, 2015

My wife has a car, a 2013 with 8k miles which the Radio/GPS/ touch screen took a dump. When I take it in for warranty, I am informed that the stealership is going to replace the defective radio/gps.touchscreen with another unit that was removed and overhauled. When I gripe to the service manager, he claims that ALL make cars do this, and this is an industry norm.

Has anyone else experienced such nonsense?

I always thought dealers replaced defective parts with new parts, not used parts. Am I just ignorant to this? or would others take offense of a defective piece being replaces with another defective piece that was reapired?

Coppertone · January 10, 2015

That's just how it is. They reserve the right to use refurbished parts.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · January 11, 2015

Well most parts sold at an auto parts store are refurbished unless it states that's it's brand new which you'd pay almost double for it from my experience. I would want a brand new one, but it's not out of the ordinary with auto parts.

TJay74 · January 11, 2015

Warranty parts are not usually used parts. I have never seen a dealership put a used or refurbished part on anything other than an engine or transmission and in those cases it was refurbished.

tbarn · January 11, 2015

Radios and the like are usually repaired or remaned, what ever you want to call it. Have been for decades. Done by third parties (certified repair facility).

cnrtool · January 11, 2015

To me, it seems odd that a car maker would warranty a defective part, by swaping it out for another defective part that had its bad component repaired. In a way, I'd rather they FIX my existing unit, or that they pulled a working unit from a junkyard. I have had terrable luck with remanufactured items.

I am going back and forth with the regional rep. I doubt it changes anything, but it makes me feel better telling them what I think.