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Popular mechanics tool warranty

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Steve A. Kruege

03-06-2003 19:58:47

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I have some popular mechanics tools that have broken and my local Walmart no longer carries them, does anyone have a phone number for popular mechanics tool co. or know how i can get these items replaced?

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toolman

04-06-2004 16:59:03

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Re: popular mechanics tool warranty in reply to Steve A. Krueger, 03-06-2003 19:58:47

Link

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Dave

10-13-2003 13:44:07

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Re: popular mechanics tool warranty in reply to Steve A. Krueger, 03-06-2003 19:58:47

I found a phone number direct to PM (1-800-245-7676) I called and they are sending me new tools!!!! Good luck!!

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gone2ski

05-13-2003 07:03:45

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Re: popular mechanics tool warranty in reply to Steve A. Krueger, 03-06-2003 19:58:47

I have a set of deep-well 1/2" drive Popular Mechanics metric sockets. Got them in 1994 at
either Wal*Mart or Target. Checked with both. Of course, since they did not renew licensing with Hearst Publications, neither any longer carries PM brand. I called my local WM store anyway. Their first question of course was, "Do you have your reciept?". Yeah, right. But, they quickly relented on that point and said they would indeed swap the broken tools for Stanley brand tools. Life was sounding so good. If you have broken PM tools, Wal*Mart will indeed swap them. However, the fly in the ointment for me was that they did not have the tools I needed to swap. They had no 1/2" drive metric deep-well sockets, only SAE. The only metrics they have are 3/8" drive. So I am basically out of luck. Called Target. They said they would not honor the warranty --- said I had to go back to Popular Mechanics. Spoke with the manager and explained how the licensing agreement with Hearst works, that there is no Popular Mechanics tool company per se. The manager said if I could find something on the tool indicating it has a lifetime warranty that Target would replace it. A convenient way to save face, I guess. There is no stamp on the sockets indicating a lifetime warranty. So, out of luck with Target too. Besides, they also carry Stanley tools and don't carry a 1/2" drive 13mm deep-well socket. So, I am off to Sears to by a set of 1/2" drive deep-well metrics sockets like I should have done 9 years ago. I have to go there anyway as I also broke a deep-well 10mm 3/8" drive Craftsman socket. Swapping that is so easy. Walk in, hand them a broke one, they hand me new one, and I leave happy and go eat a cheesburger. A few more comments. Home Depot will not swap them, niether will ACE Hardware or True Value. True Value carries Master Mechanic tools, not Popular Mechanics. This is all stuff I encountered locally, here in sunny scenic Roswell, Georgia. You may have different experiences elsewhere, but I doubt it.

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wapenn

03-07-2003 22:37:06

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Re: popular mechanics tool warranty in reply to Steve A. Krueger, 03-06-2003 19:58:47

Hardware Hank and True Value (Hardware) used to sell this brand of tools. They should do an even exchange for you. I've always been treated well by them.

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John Garner

03-07-2003 18:14:13

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Re: popular mechanics tool warranty in reply to Steve A. Krueger, 03-06-2003 19:58:47

Steve --

There isn't any "Popular Mechanics Tool Company" now, and there wasn't back when Wal-Mart was selling Popular Mechanics brand tools.

Wal-Mart licensed the Popular Mechanics name from Hearst Corporation, the publisher of Popular Mechanics magazine, for use on hand tools. Wal-Mart then bought large quantities of hand tools directly from the tool makers and had those makers stamp the tools with the Popular Mechanics brand.

A couple of years ago Wal-Mart and Hearst decided not to renew their licensing agreement, and at that point Wal-Mart was no longer allowed to have the Popular Mechanics name stamped onto hand tools.

Many, if not most, of the same tools are sold by Wal-Mart today under the Stanley brand. Wal-Mart requires Stanley to provide the warranty service for these tools, and Stanley set up a special facility in (I think) North Carolina to service the Wal-Mart account. I suspect that Wal-Mart, which handled their own warranty service for the Popular Mechanics branded tools, would replace a broken Popular Mechanics tool with a Stanley-branded equivalent, but it's very possible that Wal-Mart would require you to send the broken tool to Stanley's special facility.

Real answers are going to have to come from Wal-Mart.

John

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Big Jim

03-07-2003 11:10:53

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Re: popular mechanics tool warranty in reply to Steve A. Krueger, 03-06-2003 19:58:47

Steve,
You have just hit on a big problem with the supposed "lifetime warranty" on a lot of tools. The lifetime warranty is only as good as the company and the distributor. A lot of these fly-by-night companies come and go quickly and it seems like most of the big chain stores change brands on a regular basis.
Anyway, I would call your local Wal-Mart and get the number for their headquarters (Bentonville, Arkansas I believe). The head quarters should be able to get you in touch with the company.

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Unimog

03-07-2003 13:26:47

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Re: Re: popular mechanics tool warranty in reply to Big Jim, 03-07-2003 11:10:53

I know people that take other brand tools to
Home Depot and they exchange them for the Husky
brand. I guess the HD hopes to create customer
goodwill and start new brand loyality. Might be
worth a try if HD is near you.

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kjm

03-07-2003 20:17:23

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Re: Re: Re: popular mechanics tool warranty in reply to Unimog, 03-07-2003 13:26:47

Unimog, My local HD will only trade for Craftsman,Snap-On or Mac, they wouldn`t trade for my S K ratchet so I buy mine from anybody else. kjm

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Dave Wis.

03-08-2003 16:34:25

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Re: Re: Re: Re: popular mechanics tool warranty in reply to kjm, 03-07-2003 20:17:23

In other words they only trade down in quality, not up.

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Ludwig

03-10-2003 06:13:41

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: popular mechanics tool warranty in reply to Dave Wis., 03-08-2003 16:34:25

Yeah, why would you take Snap-on or Mac in there? Snot hard to have the truck come right to your house...

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Unimog

03-08-2003 06:49:10

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Re: Re: Re: Re: popular mechanics tool warranty in reply to kjm, 03-07-2003 20:17:23

Thanks for the info, I've never tried returning
to HD and since the bulk of my tools are SK I
guess I won't.

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