Experience with FCP Euro "Lifetime Warranty?

[blarf]

I’ve never had any problems.... No, I did, Was a stupid mistake on my part, I sent them an email, they overnighted me the right part, before the weekend. Awesome service!!!

FWIW FCP's botched orders for me going back to the FCP Groton days. I took a break for a while before FCP Euro became the thing as I just got tired of having to get orders fixed. I'm mostly out on the street doing work so getting things right the first time is pretty important. I keep coming back to FCP as their selection is very good as are their support and pricing. Try finding stuff not in a WorldPac catalog from some of the other vendors, it's not easy. Back in the FCP Groton days Nick said that they'd cover damage from a failed strut mount or something along those lines. I still didn't have the balls to put a ScanTech strut mount on that car (Volvo 760 with notoriously soft strut towers), but it's pretty clear that FCP isn't some fly-by-night operation and it's nice to see them dropping some of the crappier aftermarket parts (like ScanTech, MTC, and Uro).

My public comments aren't meant to demonize or shame FCP (UPS on the other hand can go fellate themselves) but rather to add a bit of fuel to the fire so that what I suspect is a systemic issue can be addressed.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

UPS.... in the rc airplane world, we refer to those butchers as United Plane Smashers. Had two airframes that cost over $2500 each, show up with a crushed corner on the box, resulting in crushed wings, the other one, a hole poked through the fuselage box in the middle by a fork lift, had to fight tooth and nail with those a-holes for a solution before I could finally get my hands on another set of airframes sent out to me with no damage.

[geargrinder]

I've only had one really big order screw up w/ FCP. Promised me parts were in stock and would come on time, even called the order in to do so... and then only 1-2 items came, turned out stuff indeed was waiting from the local dealer, again got the promise it would "go out today"... again didn't come... repeat that yet again another time... And to add insult to injury I got the "well you didn't pay extra overnight shipping so its not - really - our problem that its not been shipped yet... see your shipping promise was 8 days max and 8 days hasn't expired yet..." excuse - which many places will try to foist on you to excuse their screw up. In this case they repeatedly promised "it will ship today" but didn't... That one was a real bummer.

One other time they sent me a really random wrong part - like 2 boxes were on a table and the guy had 2 parts in his hand and he stuck the wrong thing in each box.... The in-box paperwork was even right IIRC, but the part was something totally random.

However, stack those 2 incidents against dozens and dozens of orders over the years that shipped perfectly same-day and arrived to me in 1-2 days via economy (OK so it helps living just a few hours away)... overall the track record is pretty excellent.

[jp5Touring]

[computiNATEor]

I have a question about the FCP warranty; I bought a "kit" on April 23, 2018 (FCP Order R953820956) for my front strut mounts.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...-31336752735kt

I believe I have had a failure of one of the strut mounts (left front). There is a noticeable ticking/clicking sound when I turn the wheel back and forth, especially at slow speeds. I've checked all the ball joints, and I suspect the strut mount has failed. I installed the strut mounts at ~211k mi, I now have just over 216k mi.

Because I bought the Lemforder mount as a part of a kit, how should I handle this warranty replacement? Is there any difference to a non-kit part warranty replacement?

[crazy4trains]

I have a question about the FCP warranty; I bought a "kit" on April 23, 2018 (FCP Order R953820956) for my front strut mounts.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...-31336752735kt

I believe I have had a failure of one of the strut mounts (left front). There is a noticeable ticking/clicking sound when I turn the wheel back and forth, especially at slow speeds. I've checked all the ball joints, and I suspect the strut mount has failed. I installed the strut mounts at ~211k mi, I now have just over 216k mi.

Because I bought the Lemforder mount as a part of a kit, how should I handle this warranty replacement? Is there any difference to a non-kit part warranty replacement?

My guess is, and it's just a guess, you will have to buy the individual part (strut mount) that you need. When you return the defective strut mount you will be credited the amount that you just paid for the individual strut mount.

[geargrinder]

Call them up but I bet that RandyRhodesCrazyTrain is right, thats prob how they'll handle it. I think they can also do it via some special exceptions from their side, but that method is the easiest way to make a new part end up in your hands quickly.

[crazy4trains]

Oh yeah, call them first.

[Asbradley21]

I just RMA'd a few kit parts. It's really really easy, you can even RMA the pieces of the kit you didn't use.

Open the My Account page, click Submit a Return, Select Warranty return, find the order with the kit and select it. It should drop down a list of each part in the kit, select the ones you want to return, (If you haven't yet, click the name of the part and order the replacement part now), enter your quantity and enter the order number of your replacement part, select lifetime warranty return. Scroll to the bottom of the page and enter your VIN, then select Accept and Continue. Print the form and follow the instructions on how to ship it back.


Edited to say: TLDR Its basically handled exactly like every other return, just select your parts from the kit and make the return like any other.

[blarf]

Call them up but I bet that RandyRhodesCrazyTrain is right, thats prob how they'll handle it. I think they can also do it via some special exceptions from their side, but that method is the easiest way to make a new part end up in your hands quickly.

Unless they're discounting the kit compared to purchasing the parts individually I'd assume you could warranty the individual parts easily enough.

[FCPEuro]

Hey all,

To clear up any questions left in this thread in regards to how the warranty works here are the most common questions I typically hear:

How do you warranty a kit?
Well there are two types of kits we sell. A prepackaged kit from a manufacturer and a kit that we assemble on our website with individual component we already sell. In order to warranty a prepackaged kit from a manufacturer we would require the entire kit back with all components. To warranty a kit we assemble ourselves we can warranty individual components of the kit. To do so order the replacement parts you want, install them on your vehicle, and then ship back the worn/damage parts and we will refund your warranty order in full.

How do I warranty an order?
Simple. If you have a component on the vehicle you have ordered from us you would like to warranty we require a replacement order to be placed first. We will ship the warranty order to you. Install the new parts and then ship the worn parts back to us you would like to warranty. We will refund the warranty purchase you placed for the new parts. Please note, the brand has to be the same for a full refund. We won't pay for an upgrade but credit the difference (example replacing a Lemforder control arm with a Genuine).

If you ever have any questions I can answer them hear or if you need an immediate answer please feel free to send an email to gareth1@fcpeuro.com and I'll be happy to make sure you get an answer to your questions. Have a great weekend everyone.

[E34 Lives]

I am finding that some parts are no longer available for reorder and hence no longer available for lifetime guarantee since you have to buy the new identical brand part before you return the old to be credited. That seems to be the loop hold for FCP, in theory if everything is out of stock then game over.

I purchase Bosch windshield wipers way back for like $27, then FCP up the price to $47, but since I will be credited back the $47 it was non issue. But now with it being out of stock or unavailable, customer service is trying to up sell me to Genuine BMW part and I need to pay the difference which is $100 with tax …. starting to see cracks in their lifetime guarantee program, as the program does not accommodate for the increase in wholesale prices, which increases their cost to cover this guarantee significantly as manufacturing cost increases are passed on to wholesale price.

As business practice to offer lifetime guarantee and not have a replacement part or equivalent part replacement to meet this guarantee is not right and poor business practice, but to try to up sell a more expensive alternative creates a bait and switch situation, and opens up FCP to legal liabilities of possible consumer fraud. Even if their intent originally was for customer service and loyalty, it has now developed into a liability.

[SW530]

I had someone tell me they would drain their oil back in the liquidmoly containers and ziplock the filter before putting it back in the box to send back.. said he did that every 2000m and they credited him. Anyone ever do that? I couldn't do that and look in the mirror..

I'm ready to order all four rotors, calipers, lines, and pads.. so say two years later the front pads are like 70% which is when I typically target replacement, and I always replace the rotors. I haven't turned a rotor in 25 years. Will FCPEURO replace pads if they're returned with 20-30% left on them and the rotors? Or will they say you need to turn the rotors until they fall below minimum?

[ross1]

I had someone tell me they would drain their oil back in the liquidmoly containers and ziplock the filter before putting it back in the box to send back.. said he did that every 2000m and they credited him. Anyone ever do that? I couldn't do that and look in the mirror..

I'm ready to order all four rotors, calipers, lines, and pads.. so say two years later the front pads are like 70% which is when I typically target replacement, and I always replace the rotors. I haven't turned a rotor in 25 years. Will FCPEURO replace pads if they're returned with 20-30% left on them and the rotors? Or will they say you need to turn the rotors until they fall below minimum?

Agreed, in spades, about returning used motor oil. WTF?

My biggest beef with FCP is that the free shipping is often via the cooperation of Fedex and USPS which takes #^%ing forever and is impossible to track. The second biggest is that they expected me to pay return shipping for a defective out of the box fan clutch. They wanted to replace it via the lifetime warranty program. Got them to cover return shipping but not without a fight.

I wish they didn't have this silly lifetime warranty gimmick for wear parts as the cost of that program(and the chiselers returning motor oil, wiper blades, etc.) is built into the price of everything else.
I give them 3 of 5 stars

Yikes! you replace pads @ 70%?! Why? Pretty sure FCP will tell you to sod off if asking for new with 70% remaining, I sure would.

Pads, unless they lose their friction material, are good until the bitter end. If you you view rotors as sacrificial then all the more reason to run pads till they're done.

[crdiscoverer]

Yikes! you replace pads @ 70%?! Why? Pretty sure FCP will tell you to sod off if asking for new with 70% remaining, I sure would.

Pads, unless they lose their friction material, are good until the bitter end. If you you view rotors as sacrificial then all the more reason to run pads till they're done.

I think he meant to say that he replaces pads that are 70% *used*, meaning they have 30% material left. I had to re-read a couple of times too. Still 30% is a lot of material.

Our cars have a very effective wear sensor, so why not go with that? That's what I do and sometimes I still drive a little after the warning comes up and there's still plenty of pad left once I finally replace them.

[JimLev]

I do remember reading some of the guys either here or on Bfest return their used oil….cheapskates I guess.

[PanzerShrekd]

I do remember reading some of the guys either here or on Bfest return their used oil….cheapskates I guess.

I warranty my oil on all 3 cars, I am a cheapskate lol

[Nfs021]

Our cars have a very effective wear sensor, so why not go with that? That's what I do and sometimes I still drive a little after the warning comes up and there's still plenty of pad left once I finally replace them.

Eh to a point. Only used on one side though. Still better to visually inspect them. Especially as the cars age or just bought it without having prior history. That's how I discovered my sticking right front caliper last year. Ended up doing a full overhaul on the entire brake system because of it.

Left side pads.
20210604_221826.jpg

Right side because of the sticking caliper.
20210604_221832.jpg

[ross1]

I do remember reading some of the guys either here or on Bfest return their used oil….cheapskates I guess.

Not only is that a cheapskate(I have other characterizations for such folks) it is a waste of resources to transport this stuff. Take it to a quick lube, they want it as they sell the waste oil they charge customers to "dispose" of.

- - - Updated - - -

I warranty my oil on all 3 cars, I am a cheapskate lol

Yeah, you are. Glad it amuses you.
How much can a few quarts of oil cost? What's the cost to send it back? (Lemme guess, someone else(employer?) pays for that.)
How can you possibly be ahead?
Yikes

[JimLev]

I take all of my old oil to O’Reillys.
I buy 5 quart jugs of Mobil 1 from Walmart, $23.88.

[SW530]

I take all of my old oil to O’Reillys.
I buy 5 quart jugs of Mobil 1 from Walmart, $23.88.

That's exactly what I do, except I dispose of mine at Advanced Auto.. it's closer.

30% left because I've had lesser amounts break off in chunks and then I'm stuck doing a brake job when I must vs. when I plan the time.

Well, I guess that answers the returned motor oil question.. it's not a myth. People are different..

[seagreen323i]

Not only is that a cheapskate(I have other characterizations for such folks) it is a waste of resources to transport this stuff. Take it to a quick lube, they want it as they sell the waste oil they charge customers to "dispose" of.

- - - Updated - - -


Yeah, you are. Glad it amuses you.
How much can a few quarts of oil cost? What's the cost to send it back? (Lemme guess, someone else(employer?) pays for that.)
How can you possibly be ahead?
Yikes

I'm just broke, granted I'm farrr to lazy to return oil. I'm not sure what one is worse..

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[ross1]

30% left because I've had lesser amounts break off in chunks and then I'm stuck doing a brake job when I must vs. when I plan the time.

.

That makes sense.
Since FCP accepts used motor oil I'd expect they might accept pads with wear like that.

For waste oil another thought for those who have more significant amounts is to contact someone that heats with waste oil. These guys are more than happy to provide an empty barrel for you to fill.

[jp5Touring]

I take my used oil to local county Govt. run hazard waste drop off. They will take the oil container and also take used anti freeze, brake fluid.

[SW530]

For waste oil another thought for those who have more significant amounts is to contact someone that heats with waste oil. These guys are more than happy to provide an empty barrel for you to fill.

That and guys who use it to make their own diesel. I did that for a while but found I had to go further than my local parts store and they guy preferred you only come and dump it during certain times which proved inconvenient. I found myself going out of my way so some guy could make cheap diesel.