My wife bought my garage door opener from Sears. The agent told her that the opener carries a life time warranty on the chain (belt). She, as most clients, did not read the lengthy small font paragraphs in the warranty.
We took care of the opener by cleaning and lubricating its moving parts. Recently, a loud noise was heard whenever the opener opens or closes the door.
I spent more than one hour trying to talk to an agent on the phone to schedule a check up and repair. The story ended that Sears warranty covers nothing but the chain. Even providing that chain free must be preceded by a private technician's report stating that the chain needs replacement, then the customer waits until he receives the part from Sears, and finally replaces the part on his own or by a private technician. So, if the chain costs $100, the customer might have to pay about $200 or more for 2 visits of a private technician to complete the job. In a nutshell:
1- Pay a little bit more for a seller whose warranty provides parts, maintenance, and repair over a well defined period,
2- Preferably, buy additional extended warranty,
3- Read, thoroughly, the small font paragraphs in warranties before buying any goods.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $0.00