HEADS UP Horrible Freight customers

kastein

NAXJA Member
NAXJA Member
Had to return my arbor press for exchange today because it got chewed up changing a U-joint, and found out talking to the cashier that starting in April, receipts will be required for all product exchanges at Harbor Freight. So if you foresee breaking something, I suggest keeping the receipt for it.
 
So if you foresee breaking something, I suggest keeping the receipt for it.

If you foresee something breaking, shouldn't you just not buy it and get something stonger? :dunno:

Just yankin' your chain...Harbor Freight serves its purpose! Good advice, since so many stores don't require a receipt!
 
I've noticed their recepits suck. Laminate it as soon as you get home or it will fade and you won't be able to read it a week later.
 
I hate harbor freight, maybe now people will stop recommending them because a big selling point was being able to walk in with a 5 year old broken tool.
 
Dam my 4.5 grinder just broke today..DAM thing was only 15 yrs old..They jusy don't make them like they use to..I guess i got what i paid for..LOL..
 
I only buy HF tools for one time use. Every time it works after that is gravy!

FNF



X2

One time my buddy and I got a concrete vibrator there and the guy asked if we wanted a warranty of some sort and we said we were going to throw it away after the job. LoL, he just looked at us funny.:eyes:
 
Harbor freight is good for the small time stuff...screwdrivers, wrenches that kind of stuff. One thing I bought that I've been really happy with is my dremel type tool. For $20 that thing has served me WELL beyond the $20 it cost.
 
I have a 20$ corded drill that I use for polishing and with a cutoff wheel, i've been through 3 of them but even with the 3 year extended warranty it was cheaper then buying the right tool for the jobs :D when you spring for the extra warranty they give you a form to mail in and you don't have to worry about the receipt anymore.

Some day, i'll be able to afford good tools. Until then, it's HF.
 
not sure if you have the option down there, but Princess Auto (our version of HF) can/will save all your receipts to your phone number.

I can go in with any purchase and they can pull up when I got it via phone number search.

super handy.
 
I've got a few items there that have served me pretty well, my angle grinder for under $20, my electric impact for $40, my screw drivers...sockets...things of that nature.

Where I wouldn't trust them are items requiring precision like torque wrenches and things of that nature. And I had a pitman arm puller snap on me...that's what I get for spending $6 on a pitman arm puller
 
X2

One time my buddy and I got a concrete vibrator there and the guy asked if we wanted a warranty of some sort and we said we were going to throw it away after the job. LoL, he just looked at us funny.:eyes:

I'd be looking at you kinda funny if you were buying a vibrator made of concrete at H.F. too:rof:
 
Had to return my arbor press for exchange today because it got chewed up changing a U-joint, and found out talking to the cashier that starting in April, receipts will be required for all product exchanges at Harbor Freight. So if you foresee breaking something, I suggest keeping the receipt for it.
did you mention to them about the 4ft jack handle you were using with it:shocked::laugh:
 
Harbor freight is good for the small time stuff...screwdrivers, wrenches that kind of stuff. One thing I bought that I've been really happy with is my dremel type tool. For $20 that thing has served me WELL beyond the $20 it cost.

I've been pretty happy with my HF A/C manifold set as well as the vacuum pump. Comes in quite handy for doing A/C work on vehicles in the summer time.
 
Had to return my arbor press for exchange today because it got chewed up changing a U-joint, and found out talking to the cashier that starting in April, receipts will be required for all product exchanges at Harbor Freight. So if you foresee breaking something, I suggest keeping the receipt for it.

From someone who has worked in retail, you should always keep your receipt. Many stores don't require them, but the reason they ask for one is for loss prevention reasons. Somebody could walk in, grab something off the shelf and try to return it. Basically the store would be "purchasing" something they already have in inventory. Also, many similar stores carry the same products, so something purchased at one retail outlet could be returned at a competitor.

However, I do agree with you. It's usually better to refund or replace the item for customer service reasons. Harbor Freight is great, but you get what you pay for.
 
did you mention to them about the 4ft jack handle you were using with it:shocked::laugh:
:eyes:

:roflmao: nope, not particularly...

Those U-joints were really in there, I popped one out of a front driveshaft a few nights earlier without clamping the base to anything, just grabbed the ram with one hand and the handle with the other and pushed.

From someone who has worked in retail, you should always keep your receipt. Many stores don't require them, but the reason they ask for one is for loss prevention reasons. Somebody could walk in, grab something off the shelf and try to return it. Basically the store would be "purchasing" something they already have in inventory. Also, many similar stores carry the same products, so something purchased at one retail outlet could be returned at a competitor.

However, I do agree with you. It's usually better to refund or replace the item for customer service reasons. Harbor Freight is great, but you get what you pay for.
Yeah, unscrupulous people will try all sorts of underhanded games. They have the lifetime warranty on hand tools IIRC though, which is why I was surprised about it in this case. I brought it back broken for a replacement, it's not like I wanted to get my money back on a brand new in box tool. If they had given me too much crap about it, honestly I probably would have bought another one, gone home with it, and come back with the broken one plus the receipt in an hour. I don't like using tactics like that, but I also don't like not being able to exchange something that broke in a few hours of use when it has a lifetime warranty. I keep all my HF receipts now, figure it just makes things easier.
 
Surprised, from what I've seen online harbor freight is a lot like Canadian Tire. Guess not anymore.

I've gone in with rachets that I clearly used as a hammer out of sheer laziness and when asked if I did I said yes and they still replace it every time. My step dad uses a pipe over a rachet as a breaker bar and snaps them once a month or so(hes a forklift mechanic, they like it tight on those.. with that much weight) and every time they replace it with no questions asked.

Kind of sucks yet another tool retailer is going the way of Sears, Snap on and others.
 
I traded a pitcher of Coors light for a brand new HF Sawz-all. Lasted me about 2 years of minimal use.

Other than that I try to stay away from that place. Like it was said earlier, it might be a place for one time use tools.
 
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