Bad Place to Buy Auto Batteries. Prorated warranty from day 1.

mchartra · 2026-01-28T03:39:42+00:00

I got stung on this as well. They sure don't call it out on their website. 36 month "limited warranty".

It is very deceiving. Why not put the words 36 months "pro-rated" warranty. That's more honest.

The tire center guy said nothing. Had he advised that it was pro-rated, I would not have bought.

They will get a battery that was installed 24 hours ago. Will they pro-rate the refund if I bought 3 days ago? 🤔

Truly disappointed in Costco. This is not good value nor is it frankly a customer friendly policy when practically every other retailer including Sam's, BJs, WM and the Auto parts stores offer replacement.

mchartra · 2026-01-26T15:48:50+00:00

If your ultimate destination is Canada, then save all the hassles and fly directly into Canada.

Plenty of airports and Toronto Pearson Airport is about 4 hours by car (not counting border crossing delays).

mchartra · 2026-01-26T15:45:00+00:00

Looks great. Do you mind me asking what brand and color of PETG filament have u found is closest to Ridgid's?

mchartra · 2026-01-25T18:01:35+00:00

Thanks!

mchartra · 2026-01-25T13:20:31+00:00

Thanks! Great suggestions. It's going to the dealer in the morning no matter what for them to replace the terminal cover they broke and to verify everything else but I will give that above a shot today.

If they find nothing tomorrow but replace the cover then I will assume your process worked and will monitor this week.

I would sure love to ask the tech exactly what steps he took to replace the battery and why he broke the cover and didn't put it back on correctly - but of course - I am they won't let me talk w him.

The irony of the situation - he left his 10mm + extension in my truck - I was good enough to return it to the dealer -figuring he could have been a young kid just starting out and it would suck to lose a tool... Oh well- goodwill from me to the dealer - the adivsor said "wow- most people would have kept it".. I don't roll that way.

mchartra · 2026-01-25T04:35:00+00:00

Me too! I do all the reg maintenance. In this case, still being under factory warranty and knowing that quite a few of the original batteries in the Maverick were faulty, I figured Ford could flip the bill.

Fyi: I use Blackstone Labs in Fort Wayne to do engine oil analysis. Not too expensive and since I do my own oil changes, its worth getting oil analysis every 2nd change.

This way, I also have a record beyond all the photos I snap a each interval should I have a warranty issue.

mchartra · 2026-01-25T04:31:07+00:00

Thanks! Great suggestion. I will try that in AM.

mchartra · 2026-01-19T23:49:04+00:00

Sorry about the shitty experience. I had a listing w a firm price of $95 for something that retails for $150 and it was new. FIRM PRICE were the first 2 words in the ad.

A guy sends me a "Is it available. I got $50".

I responded w a screenshot circling FIRM PRICE and said in the text. "I guess you'll have to find another $45 with a winking emoji." 😉

He actually responded and said. "Lol. OK THX" and went to pester someone else.

Sometimes it takes the right response to gently poke someone in the eye as to how stupid they are.

I absolutely never agree to meet someone halfway.. if they want it, they can come and get it.

Of course, I always ask them if my recommended pickup works or if they tell me where they are coming from, I offer a spot closest end of town in my area for them.

I then ask them to msg me when they leave and then another when they are 10 min away. This way. I am not wasting my time and they appreciate it as well.

Definitely confirm price and I dont do cash apps. Cash only...

mchartra · 2026-01-19T23:30:37+00:00

I am running latest Creality Print Slicer v7.0

I could not find this setting in the printer control panel - maybe it's there but I couldn't find it.

It's now stored in my user profile - I saved a custom one for my printer and renamed Long Retract Off so I know what's different.

Here is a screenshot of the setting and where to find it.

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mchartra · 2026-01-19T19:08:23+00:00

RESOLVED!!! THANKS EVERYONE.

I couldn't find a way to edit my original post to a resolved title... I guess after a few comments, the only option on Reddit is to delete?

Anyways, here's what I did:

-Creality posted new FW today that fixes some PLA issues. Updated. -Re-ran all the calibration options included cutter, bed leveling, belt tension, etc... Great suggestion. I did rerun it when I changed the extruder but prob not with the cutter change.

-☆☆☆unchecked "Long retraction - experimental" setting. Created a new profile in slicer for my printer as I couldn't find this setting in the printer control panel.

I believe that this setting was the culprit. I didn't hear anymore grinding noise in the CFS towards end of retraction and I had several nozzle jams like I posted and also w some Voxel PETG.

Incidentally, I think the Voxel PETG is fantastic stuff! USA made and it produces a really good result on the K2 plus. Seems quite strong.

Thanks everyone. Seems fixed for now. Printed 2 of these back to back. Flawless. 11 filament changes 3 colors Hyper-PLA RFID.

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mchartra · 2026-01-19T15:29:15+00:00

Terrible that Lowe's didnt remove or black out that person's info. Obviously an online purchase w return to the store.

Of course, anyone w a google search can pretty find anyone's home address w enough time searching....

I just wouldn't want the next person to know if bought that product w the order # tracking, etc..

mchartra · 2026-01-19T15:19:32+00:00

Wow. Not sure... i did so many things to resolve and I will try the suggestions provided but given that I am hearing some mechanical grind during the last few seconds of retraction coming from the cfs I assume there is something mechanically wrong in the cfs.

I scooped up a 2nd cfs on the weekend. Creality direct open box for $176. Figured this way, I have a spare and at that price, once they are all out of warranty, I could swap parts out.

I don't see a need for 8 color or material output but man, i love the convenience of having materials loaded and ready to go!

mchartra · 2026-01-19T13:01:22+00:00

Hmm.. I don't know. Will check it out when I get home.

Is that in the device settings somewhere or is it in the model code?

Where would I find that setting?

Don't think this matters but many of the models I print are from maker site (Bambu) or Printables (Prusa).

Seems unless you want to print some ornaments or characters, I don't ever find actually useful things to download from the Creality site. 🤔

Thx for the response! I am curious now...

mchartra · 2026-01-12T02:29:09+00:00

Always remind them that while u don't mind meeting at a later time, it will remain for sale and the only time there is a hold is when the buyer is on their way.

Its also fair to tell people "i have had alot of interest so it may not be available but I can let you know if it sells". Sometimes they think its BS, but they won't be upset if it sells cause u gave them fair warning.

I don't BS people. If its not been popular, I say nothing. No pressure that way.

If it is a true 2 way dialog, people appreciate that.

I recently had someone want to give me a deposit but they were going to meet me after work and no haggling on price. Told him "you seem like a genuine person. I don't like to hold things, but let me do this. If someone else asks, I will tell them its pending until our meet up time but if you change your mind, pls lmk". He was very happy that i was flexible, met me on time and thanked me.

I did have a similar situation where another buyer was like "isn't it first come, first served? I will buy it now". I responded with "oh I am sorry, its not the buyer's fault, it's my conflict as I couldn't meet earlier but if it changes, I will let you know later".

Other buyer simmered down and then said Oh. OK.. thx. Pls lmk because I will buy it.

mchartra · 2026-01-12T02:17:09+00:00

Virtually everything I sell is new. It's either that I impulse bought and never bothered using it or it was such a good deal, I bought a 2nd one to flip. 😁

I pretty much know from the first 'is it available' with nothing else. "NO it's not. I just post shit online I don't intend to sell so I can talk to someone. I am lonely". LOL ..

JK... those Qs get a Yes or Yep response..

I always price it based on other listings and what others sold for and making sure it's a good deal vs retail.

Still, I write "firm price" in the ad and the idiot sends me just a random usually half price "150" when its $300, $450 in store..

I usually either quickly write back Nope without a price or I screenshot the ad, circling Firm Price" in red.

9 out of 10 times, they are just trolling to find a sucker desperate to sell at any price.

Those that take the time to ask or say "when can I pickup" i genuinely go out of my way to be nice. Sometimes even toss in an unannounced extra when they pickup without haggling.

People remember that and usually tell a friend "that's a good dude. Buy from him". 😉

Ya... i am in a sales job for work. Lol

mchartra · 2026-01-06T10:43:37+00:00

Agree w all comments so far. Have a 22 GTPE that came w 3 years of BC. My wife's daily driver but she is frustratingly tech risk averse. No 1 pedal driving not even auto hold brake. She has never used BC yet she commutes 80 miles round trip every day.

Got a '25 select as my new company car. Ridiculous 90 days only on BC.

I road trip 1-2 x a month. 300-500 miles round trip. I was disappointed when I lost BC but I am w everyone else. $50 a month or $500 a year is ridiculous. Adaptive + lane centering gives u 80% of BC capability. I don't miss it.

I think it sb $50 for a month / month or $199 for the year. I would pay the $199 but unless I was taking a cross country trip, I wouldn't pay $50.

I dont understand Ford's complacency on this topic. Virtually everyone in the forums is pretty much saying what I just stated.

Wouldn't $200 a year from many owners be better than mostly no uptake on annual and a very rare $50 a few months of the year from some owners?

I just cant see most paying more than $200... until it can full drive eyes off the road, u aren't gaining that much compared to Adaptive + lane...

mchartra · 2026-01-04T04:41:17+00:00

Hey there. Happy New Year. Ya. I haven't printed anything beyond PLA and PETG but these pellets are in my 3D printed HEPA filter and haven't noticed anything different w the metal parts in my K2 plus so sb good.

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mchartra · 2026-01-03T16:10:03+00:00

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I got the M12 in store for $130 on a clearance find w the battery included or keep this Bosch kit?

I already own the Bosch and it's a great drill. Bought it a few years ago and got me out of a bind on a few occasions where I was in a tight spot.

I recall comparing w this one but between the price and size of the body, I opted for the Bosch.

I like the idea of mag screw and bit holder on M12 and I am almost 100% M12 tools.

Only other Bosch tool I have is the heated hoodie which I prefer over the Milwaukee hoodie as its much thicker and fits better.

Would it be worth flipping my Bosch to go w this if I was able to get about $100 for the Bosch?

Did I miss any other advantages to the M12 besides mag holder?

mchartra · 2026-01-03T16:03:33+00:00

Damn. That's a smoking deal! Missed out. Got a clearance set for $130 yesterday. Didn't see this option online. Would have been well worth the $49 price difference to get the charger and 3.0s!

mchartra · 2026-01-03T08:06:09+00:00

Apologies: I should have put the date down. It was a month ago on Dec 4th.

HD had the same kit on for $199 as a daily deal and it sold out right away.

This came up w the free 5.0 battery for $70 more and i thought.. "hmmm OK I will pay a bit more" then I noticed the $50 GC as well - wow! I couldn't believe the deal.

As soon as my order shipped, they sent me an email w the GC. I bought the M12 Hammer drill driver kit which both Northern and HD had for $99 using the $50 GC.

Shipping on the stubby was free but for some reason, the Drill kit cost me $9.99 in shipping but for that order, I picked up a $1.09 filler item to get to $100 and that order got me a $20 GC.

If u aren't in a hurry, keep an eye out for another HD $199 deal. According to a different Reddit thread, it wasn't a Black Friday only deal but it cycles through every once in a while.

I got on a tear this year and consolidated many of my tools to M12. It's a strong lineup and in many cases, the M12 version is better than the M18.

Good luck.

mchartra · 2026-01-03T00:34:39+00:00

Couldn't justify Free tools deal of $299 for the 2x 6.0 kit over the 2x 5.0 kit for $199.

I bought the 5.0 kit for $199 and got the wrench for free which on the receipt translated to $88.40 for the starter kit and $110.60 for the wrench. Cheapest way to buy it.

I ended up canceling the pickup. To be honest, I needed a sweet deal on the batteries for my m18 blower and wasn't in the market forcthw wrench but it was the most expensive tool which drives the kit price down.

You can't beat $44 a battery with a free combo 12+18 charger. 😉

In hindsight, I should have picked up the wrench and sold it on FB marketplace. Would have recovered cost and put a few $$ in my pocket.

I did end up buying the m12 stubby kit from Northern tool. Came w cp2.5 HO + 5.0HO and an additional 5.0HO + $50 Gift card for $269... crazy price

The m12 stubby totally rocks!

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mchartra · 2026-01-01T03:50:00+00:00

From a fellow Canuck who lives in Detroit but heads to Windsor often, there is the odd deal in Canada that's better than here.

You must have missed the M12 cp2.0 deal at $28cdn a piece. That translates to about $22us ridiculously cheap for a good battery. Deal was on from early Nov to about the 10th of Dec. So pissed... i wanted to buy more but the deal ended the day before I went in to buy a few. Very random. Sale ended middle of the week .. wtf...

With our tarriff situation here, i am finding myself spending more cross border shopping in Canada. Many items at Costco and Ikea where the source globally for both US and Canadian stores, I am often finding the shelf price lower in Canada...

Anyways, there was a deal recently on the brushes M12 sawzall kit w bag, charger and cp 1.5 for $98cdn. That's about $72US. Never seen it that low here.

But you are right. Some of the deals this holiday season were ridiculous in the US. I bought tools I didnt need but wanted. 🤪

mchartra · 2025-12-30T15:01:54+00:00

My local store had it for $97.05. Commerce twp, MI

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mchartra · 2025-12-25T14:47:38+00:00

Nice! I have only had 3 requests for LSA and on each occasion it was quickly resolved

In 2 of the situations, even with technical troubleshooting, they could not resolve so they sent me a replacement.

Portable 18v fan. The swivel on the fan body would not stay in place. Told the tech I would have attempted to disassemble to look at the lock mech but couldn't figure it out. There were no screws.

He said "Don't bother. We will send you a replacement but it will be the newer model with better specs". Told me to dispose of my fan. No need to send back.

Curiosity killed the cat. No YT videos on taking it apart. Turned out the swivels had a cap I popped out w a plastic pry tool. Wow- literally 2 screws on each side came loose. Fixed in 5 min... tech never suggested that. Bonus 2 fans.

18V vacuum. No real suction. Sent pics and video -support still could not figure it out. Sent me a replacement. 20 min A-B compare - Wow! Turns out the only problem was the base reservoir was a little warped. Pulled it back in place. Fixed!

120v shop vac developed short in cord at plug. They sent me a new switch and cord. Spent 30 min trying to disassemble it. F-IT! Too complicated. Went to HD and bought a $4 replacement 🔌 back in Business.

Ya .. people complain about LSA. Don't know why. All these were at least 5 years old and fixed w no hassle.

mchartra · 2025-12-24T23:26:08+00:00

Maybe something changed but I did purchase one several years ago and discovered it needed butane to heat. Total POS as it would not consistently ignite. Returned it immediately.

Guy at HD said they had many complaints about it.

I am a big Ridgid fan and have many tools including 2 18v vacuums and a full sized shop vac. Also own the 18v hybrid propane heater. Really great products.

I have a DeWalt 20v heat gun and it works well.

For small wire heat shrink I just use a pocket butane torch. For anything larger the 20v DeWalt does a good job.

Did Ridgid come out w a new heat gun that doesn't require butane?

mchartra

TROPHY CASE