Gearwrench warranty service, good and bad!

I just got off the phone with Gearwrench, after yesterday one of the mechanics down at the shop tried to use the Pass-through sets (spelling of the set?), to bleed brakes. He had a 1/4" wrench which he used to break it open (old and rusty) but then switched to the Gearratchet setup to watch the fluid coming through.

Well, the "1/4"" drive, 1/4" socket, wasn't. It was mismarked (think metric). I COULD have taken the whole set back to Sears (allegedly) and swapped it out, but that risks getting some other socket wrong. I found the number and called them. They said I could take it back and swap, and I said it was just the one socket and I wasn't going to risk something else wrong. He got the socket number and said they would send it, but said that this way the information never makes it back to quality assurance.

That is MY problem? They have no internal communications? REALLY?!?
I did ask where to send it to, and he said he would ask although he didn't think it would be cost effective to have me mail it back, but it might get to quality assurance then, so he is checking.

Good to get one mailed to me, and a whole lot better then swapping sets (and MAYBE Sears would let me open and swap just the one, but I doubt that, at my local one).
The bad, with all of today's computer, INTRANETS (companies, take notes), this is an internal problem that should get noticed.

Overall I am and

Gearwrench customer service *****!

First time I ever called them and they couldn't have been any less helpful... plus, when did they become part of Apex?

The phone was answered by some dame with a particular inner-city accent "How can I help you?" in an exasperated tone. I said a have a couple of items to warranty... she then asked "Gearwrench?" well, I wouldn't have called this number if it wasn't! I was then told to "take it to Fastenal," without ever being asked where I live or what was broken! I don't have a Fastenal anywhere near me, and I doubt they carry these items. In the end they're sending out an envelope so I can return the items... the whole exchange felt like I was putting them out, no please, no thank yous, no we're sorry for the inconvenience... nothing! What an eye opener in Gearwrench customer service.

Did I just catch them at a bad time, or is this the level of (dis)service we should now expect.

Luckily I only have a few of their tools, but I'm scratching them off my list... no more Gearwrench.

I've had one warranty issue with a GW, It became such a monumental *********** that took MONTHS to sort out that I haven't bought any GW tools since & never will.

^^This, I have a couple of non working ratcheting wrenches sitting in the junk drawer, just not worth dealing with GearWrench anymore. There have been several threads on lousy customer service from GearWrench.

Interesting.
I have a broken ratchet on a four sided Gearwrench refrigeration wrench.
called Apex last week, lady made a return #, and also was told to go to Fastenal, they can replace it.. They do not carry that # in their stock, no can do. Got the return # form in the mail today. No envelope to ship it back. Called, and was informed they are shipping a FedEx shipping label out to me.
Hope I didn't jinx myself.

Givl Reggin said:

Gearwrench customer service *****!

First time I ever called them and they couldn't have been any less helpful... plus, when did they become part of Apex?

Click to expand...

They became part of Apex almost 3-years ago when Cooper and Danaher created a joint venture.

I had just the opposite experience the two times that I have called Gearwrench. The first time I sent in a set of Torx bits that I had purchased from amazon (don't bother trying to warranty anything through amazon.com). I had a couple of broken bits and some of the others were rusted from just sitting in the garage. They sent me back a brand-new set.

Last month I called them and they sent me a rebuild kit for my 1/2" drive ratchet. The customer service representative was very nice about the whole thing. The kit showed up about a week after I hung up the phone.

May be you just had a bad experience?

I got a mismarked small Vortex socket as well, but never did anything about it. I'm thinking it was a single socket for some purchase I made at Sears and needed to fill with a small item for min shipping or something.

I have the Auto Value Auto parts store take care of the warranty.Hand the broken tool to the delivery person writing a slip on it.No problems doing it this way yet.

Its been awhile since I called GW for warranty; at that time they told me to go to: Sears, Fastenall or NAPA. Sears didn't have it in stock, fastenall wouldn't warranty anything unless I bought it from them with a receipt and NAPA, I had to pay for the tool, they ordered it and then refunded my money when it showed up and did the exchange. I hope their customer service has improved; it was a hassle dealing with their "authorized dealers", no one seems to want to deal with warranty exchanges on the products they sell.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-...ol-group-for-1-6-billion-to-bain-capital.html
Oct 10, 2012 Bain Capital Buys Apex Tool Group for $1.6 Billion
"Bain Capital LLC agreed to buy Apex Tool Group LLC, the maker of Craftsman hand tools, from Danaher Corp. (DHR) and Cooper Industries Plc for about $1.6 billion in its largest deal so far this year.

Danaher expects the sale to the Boston-based private-equity firm to generate after-tax net proceeds of about $650 million and be completed in the first half of 2013, the two companies said today in a statement. Danaher, based in Washington, and Houston-based Cooper each own 50 percent of Apex. "

http://www.apextoolgroup.com/news/index.cfm
"Bain Capital Completes Apex Tool Deal

Bain Capital Partners has completed the acquisition of Apex Tool Group, a tools manufacturer. The purchase from Danaher Corporation and Eaton was valued at approximately $1.6 billion.

Bain Capital Partners LLC, a leading global private investment firm, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Apex Tool Group, a leading tools manufacturer. The purchase from Danaher Corporation (NYSEHR) and Eaton (NYSE: ETN), was valued at approximately $1.6 billion.

Apex Tool is one of the largest global producers of industrial hand and power tools, tool storage, drill chucks, chain, and electronic soldering products for industrial, commercial and demanding do-it-yourself applications. Based in Sparks, Maryland, the company serves a variety of markets, including automotive, aerospace, electronics, energy, hardware, industrial, and consumer retail. Apex Tool will continue to be led by Steve Breitzka as President and Chief Executive Officer, and the current management team.

"Bain Capital is dedicated to the continued success of Apex Tool, and we look forward to working with Steve Breitzka and the rest of the management team as they build upon a proven record of providing customers with outstanding products and service," said Seth Meisel, a Managing Director at Bain Capital. "We believe there are attractive opportunities to enhance the global market position and to grow and expand the business."

Financing for the transaction was provided by Barclays Capital Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley Bank NA, RBC Capital Markets Corp., Citigroup and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. Barclays Capital acted as lead M&A advisor to Bain Capital; RBC Capital also acted as M&A advisor. Kirkland & Ellis provided legal counsel, and Price Waterhouse Coopers provided accounting advisory services.

###

About Apex Tool Group
Apex Tool Group, LLC (www.apextoolgroup.com) based in Sparks, MD, is one of the largest worldwide producers of industrial hand and power tools, tool storage, drill chucks, chain, and electronic soldering products. Directly, and through its subsidiaries, Apex serves a multitude of global markets, including automotive, aerospace, electronics, energy, hardware, industrial, and consumer retail. Apex Tool Group markets some of the leading brands in the tool industry worldwide, including Allen®, Apex®, Armstrong Tools®, Campbell®, Cleco®, Crescent®, Erem®, GearWrench®, H.K. Porter®, Jacobs® Chuck, Jobox®, K-D Tools®, Lufkin®, Nicholson®, Plumb®, Sata®, Weller® and Wiss®, among others and manufactures several industry leading private label brands for large retailers and industrial distributors."

Reads like everything (esp sockets) should be checked w/digital calipers when anything GW is received.... before use.

Wonder if the trick of calling back a little later to get someone else on the phone
would work when hitting the first wall w/the GW warranty folk?

Holy old thread!

My 3/8" reversible ratcheting wrench jammed and I called. They asked me where I bought it and I told them Sears. They said Sears can and should warranty it. I told them I tried (over the phone) and didn't want to drive up there to not warranty it. They shipped me a wrench within a week.

I like Auto Value.. They use ATD as the Asian clone line, never had anything that didnt work from it.

metaldad said:

Interesting.
I have a broken ratchet on a four sided Gearwrench refrigeration wrench.
called Apex last week, lady made a return #, and also was told to go to Fastenal, they can replace it.. They do not carry that # in their stock, no can do. Got the return # form in the mail today. No envelope to ship it back. Called, and was informed they are shipping a FedEx shipping label out to me.
Hope I didn't jinx myself.

Click to expand...

Just got my replacement today. Almost 2 months, but got it.
Gearwrench #85220

Wow, two whole months; no exactly timely or stellar customer service! I had no love from Fastenall either; at least they paid for shipping! I wonder if it was on back order?

The warranty was handled by Apex.
Fastenal was not involved

So it seems as if Gearwrench won't budge on the first time you ask for a replacement, meaning they'll recommend you go somewhere else to warranty it if it's convenient for them, and if you persist then they'll cave and replace it but take their sweet time (sometimes).....

Buy my gearwrenches at sears and they won't Warranty them. Needles to say the wrenches **** in the first place and nowi am replacing them with proto... at least they will be around in 50 years

Incase anyone has this trouble next time and dont want to risk getting a few more wrong socket sizes.

Buy new one, trade socket, return it.

Your happy (New socket and only that one new) and they are happy (They have the socket so they can "investigate" their **** up.

Andersonfarms said:

Buy my gearwrenches at sears and they won't Warranty them. Needles to say the wrenches **** in the first place and nowi am replacing them with proto... at least they will be around in 50 years

Click to expand...

That's weird. I got warrantied a free wheeling 3/4" flex gearwrench at sears a few months back. First girl stared at it dumbfounded wondering if it was an alien torture device or something; second lady told her "its a wrench. we warranty that brand too if we carry it in stock". It was pretty much no hassle after that.

Yeah, the spotty warranty service is the big negative with Apex Tools, IMO.

Wow,

Had a couple warranty issues with GW and they made it right and I had the tool within a week or so. Never a problem on the phone or anything.

metaldad said:

Just got my replacement today. Almost 2 months, but got it.
Gearwrench #85220

Click to expand...

I sent one in about a year ago to Gearwrench, never did get a response.

george4 said:

I sent one in about a year ago to Gearwrench, never did get a response.

Click to expand...

Don't send it in next time. Call them up, tell them you have no other way to warranty the tool and they'll be a replacement in your mailbox in a week.

wantedabiggergarage said:

I just got off the phone with Gearwrench, after yesterday one of the mechanics down at the shop tried to use the Pass-through sets (spelling of the set?), to bleed brakes. He had a 1/4" wrench which he used to break it open (old and rusty) but then switched to the Gearratchet setup to watch the fluid coming through.

Well, the "1/4"" drive, 1/4" socket, wasn't. It was mismarked (think metric). I COULD have taken the whole set back to Sears (allegedly) and swapped it out, but that risks getting some other socket wrong. I found the number and called them. They said I could take it back and swap, and I said it was just the one socket and I wasn't going to risk something else wrong. He got the socket number and said they would send it, but said that this way the information never makes it back to quality assurance.

That is MY problem? They have no internal communications? REALLY?!?
I did ask where to send it to, and he said he would ask although he didn't think it would be cost effective to have me mail it back, but it might get to quality assurance then, so he is checking.

Good to get one mailed to me, and a whole lot better then swapping sets (and MAYBE Sears would let me open and swap just the one, but I doubt that, at my local one).
The bad, with all of today's computer, INTRANETS (companies, take notes), this is an internal problem that should get noticed.

Overall I am and

Click to expand...

I bought an ugly gearwrench ratchet off Amazon I probably should have just seen if Amazon would sawp but within the first 30 days but I sat on it for a bit having other tools... Needless to say they said they would send me a new ratchet in a few months lmao .. one other time I used there warranty they sent a new rat no questions asked they are just not consistent and you have to stay on them but they will send you a new tool ... But many other companies have much better warrantys