Do I have a beef with the folks at magnaflow?

sizemoremk

Registered User
Hey guys, I'll get right ito it.

I bought a new in the box magnaflow resonator from a guy here, whom ordered it from jegs.

I had a problem where my car started running extrememly rough, then wouldn't start. Long story short it ended up being that the recently installed magnflow resonator (their muffler numer 12288) was spitting out the "sound deadening material" and this was verified form a discussion I had with a "Richard" at Magnaflow.

I explain that I received it new in the box from an individual (on this site) that ordered it from Jegs, and that a local shop installed it. He tells me that the local shop I delt with is a dealer for their stuff (according to their datababse), and that I can take it back to them, but removal and installation is not covered (another fact that I wasn't happy about).

But the shop I used said that they weren't a dealer for magnaflow, and that I would have to deal with them directly. Then the magnaflow guy tried to call the shop and they couldn't work anythig out...

So they try a local speed parts shop that says they will handle it, and the shop ordered the replacement. Then the speed shop calls back today, and says that they can't handle it after all...

So I call magnaflow back, and I am now dealing with a "Danny" at magnaflow. He then says that he will call this speed shop that was suppose to handle the warranty.

I later get a call from "Danny" and he says that he will not be able to warranty my muffler after all because I got it second hand. When I got the message it was too late to call the guy back.

I am trying to see if the guy I got the muffler from can get me a jegs order number to see if this helps my situation.

They admitted at first that it was a defect in the product, and now all of a sudden they say they can;t honor the warranty.

What I haven't gotten to yet, is that once I got the car running again, I now have a ticking sound which I really hope is an exhaust leak, but I am affraid that it is a rocker arm or maybe even worse. It was really clogged for a period of time, had I realized what the problem as, I would have been able to drop the exhaust and clear it out somehow. I also mention this to both guys I delt with at Magnaflow.

So now I may be out a resonator, out the cost of reinstalling the new one, and God forbid, some sort of engine damage.

Is it me or is this BS?

Also, is there a comparable resonator to use ther than the magnaflow that is the same size?
 
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I think you have to work with Jegs to get the warranty. That sucks about the labor costs. See if the original buyer can help you with receipts.

Borla makes a nice 2 into 1 muffler, same as a resonator.

Or you can buy the same model from Jegs, and just claim you got a bad muffler and want a refund. Then just send back your old one.
 
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id go with cougarsc, just quit going back and forth and make a fake claim, i do it all the time with printer ink, carefully open the package pop the old empty one in, crazy glue the package and take it back and say i got the wrong one, they screwed me over once and u know what they say, one wrong turn deserves another, so i screw them over, im not paying 50 bucks for ink, too much man.
 
I'd rather do this the right way...

if they make it right, I will do my best to do business with them again. If they don't I will make it a point not do business with them again, and share my experience for others to decide...

Something else confuses me also, by the way.

They told me at first that I could get it "warrantied out" by anyone that is a dealer for their mufflers; and this was after I told tem that I bought it from another "individual." At first they didn't seem to care, now they are trying to say they can't honor it...

I told them it was in brand new shape, as it was in the package until I took it to the muffler shop, and this would be evident when they receive my defective one...
 
My guess is that the problem is, for anyone to get credit for the bad muffler it has to be sent to Magnaflow and they issue a replacement. I am certain that they will not issue a check to one of their dealers just because they say that they have a bad muffler.

So what this means is that the shop has to pay for a replacement, install it on your car, then send the old one back to Magnaflow, and get a new replacement from them, which they won't want to do because what are they going to do with the replacement?

I've found that 1) most shops are not run/managed carefully enough to have any assurance that the above mentioned process ever happens. 2) the process is a PITA and they wouldn't bother even if they were assured of credit after it was all said and done. 3) because you brought in a muffler to them, you already fall into the catagory of customer that most shops hate anyhow. "Cheap-scum-do-it-yourselfer-internet-junkie" yadayada and so on. Shops hate doing warranty work on stuff they sell (which they make 100% minimum markup on), never mind doing warranty on parts they didn't even sell.

Bottom line is if a shop calls up Magnaflow and tells them they need a warranty exchange, Magnaflow will issue an RA and replace the part. End of story. However, if the shop is telling Magnaflow they don't want to do it then Magnaflow is kind of stuck. Chances are all your difficulty is coming from the shops on this end.

I know that what Tokico did for me is ship me new shocks while mine were still on the vehicle and charged my credit card for the MSRP of the shocks. Then when I had swapped them out and sent the old ones back for inspection, they credited back my card. Don't know if Magnaflow is set up to do that, but I would think that they can do it somehow. Bottom line I think is that no one wants to carry the cost of the muffler during the time that the new one is ordered and the old one makes it back to Magnaflow. I would deal directly with Magnaflow. Let them know that you belong to the SCCOA and the membership is anxiously awaiting the outcome of your troubles. ;)

Tell them that we are confident that they will take care of you because we all stick together. :)
 
I went to every shop in town at some point prior to getting this done, and they all said to get the muffler myself.

Every shop I tried at, was according to Magnaflow, a dealer for their product...

This is just a small shop, and they seemed glad to do the work at the time...

They just don't want to deal with the magnaflow warranty...

I've been dealing with the Magnaflow folks fromt he get go, no one seems to care about their warranty policy....
 
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This is going to be my log for my dealings with Magnaflow...

I called back today, and got swapped around to a guy named "Don" who was suppose to be a manager.

Now they say they can't warranty it at all, and then denied that this fiberous material came from their mufflers, and said that it came from my stock mufflers. I told him that that would have meant that both of my stock mufflers would have had to screw up at the same time...

Keep in mind that I had already spoke with another guy that thinks the stuff was from their muffler.

I offer to just send them the muffler, and then they can determine if it is broken then if it is we can go from there; or if I can send them a sample of the stuff that came out, and they could determine if it was theirs.

Then he said that I got it secondhand, and they don't know where it has been, etyc...

I saidy that it has their name stamped on it, still looks brand new, and that it was in the original packaging (which I'd bet the muffler shop guy would remember) and I have a dated receipt for the day it was installed....

He then gets argumentative about it saying there is no way it is their stuff... So then I ask to speak with his manager, then he says "I am the Boss" then I ask if he owns the plae, and he says heah then I ask for his last name, and he won't give it to me... Then I say you own the place, and you won't share your name??? Then he says "Preistly," he then said his manager told him to deal with me. Then tells me not to call back, becasue I won't be helped any further.

Does anyone have any contact information for a big wig over there...
 
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Do a search and find out who the head guy at Magnaflow is (president, CEO, etc.), then write a letter to them outlining the experience, mentioning names, and using the same tone that you are using here. Most of the time, written compliants get far better results than phone calls! Well, good luck with it...
 
Wow! Isn't that nice. Maybe there is good reason why no one wants to warranty it. Magnaflow might be the problem afterall. :mad:
 
turbospeed said:
stop saying you got it from someone else , just ask the guy who sold it to you for the receipts!!!

I am awaiting the order number formt he guy I got it from right now...

I spoke with a lady ther named "Nancy" after calling and requesting a "Big Wig" in so many words... And told her hat the guy I got it from was looking for his receipt....

I was honest about getting it from someone else, and the first guy that I dealt with said they coudl warranty it it anyway. Its condition will be evidence that it was installed about a month ago... As well as the reciept...
 
cougarsc said:
Too bad Magnaflow would not help you. That sucks how they handled it.

Saying you bought it second hand hurt your position. Most warranties only apply to the original purchaser. I think Tokico is like that too. Actually I need some help with a Tokico claim. Mine are spitting fluid out the valve on top.

http://magnaflow.com/wideopen/warranty.htm

http://www.tokicogasshocks.com/warranty.html

I did not have my reciept for Tokico. I did call them and explain that I had bought my truck new and put the Tokico's on shortly after. They asked me to send in my original sales invoice for the truck which I did, and then they said "no problem". Weird, but that is what they wanted. At least at Tokico there is only one guy you deal with and he has been there forever. His name is Ray. :D
 
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