Meeting with Auto Zone

The store manager of Auto Zone rolled the battery tester out to the parking lot to test the battery. Upon asking what the prognosis was, he said: "Well, I'm getting inconsistent readings. He said they'd replace the battery. Since I had an appointment, he suggested I return to the store afterwards. Great! I thought.

When I returned to AZ, the manager was out to lunch and the clerk who waited on me didn't have a clue as to what I was there for. He asked me to pull my car closer to the building so he didn't have to carry the battery as far (more on that later). When I went back into the store, he'd taken the opportunity to call the store manager. Hmmm. I don't think he counted on me coming back into the store as fast as I did. Suspicious. Why couldn't he call the manager when I was IN the store?

The clerk then proceeded to tell me that they'd prorate the cost of the battery because I was outside the "free" battery warranty period. What?! None of that was discussed when I talked to the manager. I was NOT a happy camper, and proceeded to tell the clerk that I'd had problems with the battery since it was exchanged in 2006. Then I received a response: "I'm just telling you what the manager said." I responded, "I understand it's not your problem...." and proceeded to tell him about the frustration and inconvience it's been for me. I wouldn't give in... not after two shops looked at the car and the number of times I've had to recharge the battery. He finally said he'd put the battery in and the manager could deal with the payment himself.

I found it odd that he'd stop every now and then and seemingly stared out into space while he was trying to change out the battery. Come to find out he had a 2nd pacemaker surgery in June. I felt bad then, because I'd seen my Dad stop and "rest" like that a few times. It also explained why he didn't want to carry the battery very far.

He made sure to tell me that they don't normally change the batteries in cars like mine because it's too difficult. (Yes, I know it's a PITA) I tried to tell him about all the times I've had to recharge the battery and the problems with it, but he acted indifferent. He gave me the vibe: She's a woman, what does she know.

The manager came back from lunch while the clerk was still trying to get the battery back in the car. I heard him tell the manager "She doesn't want to pay the bill." The manager finished putting the battery back in my car. He then said the positive battery connector was corroded and that probably was the problem. That it probably wouldn't allow the battery to be charged properly and couldn't understand why 3 different people who'd looked at my car didn't check that. How would I know the answer to that?! He told me to have a nice day and went into the store while the clerk finished putting the bracket back on my car. He had me start it and also told me to have a good day.

All these "things" that "might've" caused the battery not to be charged, or there "might've" been a bad cell in the battery. Yikes... And what IF the other mechanics DID check the connectors andfro they were fine? I don't know. All I know IS I've had several people tell me they don't buy stuff from AZ anymore because their stuff it "junk".