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Engineer9860's avatar
Engineer9860
Explorer
Sep 20, 2013

Dishonesty......

The other night my wife was going to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things. Knowing that my company truck was needing a P/M in a few days I told her to pick up the oil, and filter that I would need.

So here is what she brought home:



I usually check the filters before I buy them, but since she wouldn't know what to look for I didn't even mention she do likewise. Fast forward to today.

Today, after work I took my truck home and proceeded to change the oil. SOP for me is to remove the oil, and filter, do all the other tasks, then replace the oil, and filter lastly. This allows time for all of the oil to drip from the engine.

Since she bought the filter and laid it on our kitchen counter I had not touched it until I needed it. Immediately when I picked it up I knew something wasn't right by the weight.......Well you can see why. The FL-2016 is a cartridge type filter, not a cannister.

So I set, at home, with no vehicle until she got off from work and could go to Wal-Mart for another (correct) filter. Apparently the Fram filter was $10, whereas the FL-2016 is $19.96. Somebody played the old switcheroo with a Motorcraft filter in a Fram box. Even the o-rings for the cap were missing. Of course the bar code reader doesn't know what is in the box, just what is on the outside.

So I am inconvienienced, and Wal-Mart is out $10.00 when we take this errant filter back. Im sure whatever human debris is behind this has already spent Wal-Mart's $10 on meth, or weed, or whatever.

Let my pain be a lesson to all: Check your filter boxes!!!
Tow Vehicles

28 Replies

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  • TomG2's avatar
    TomG2
    Explorer
    Sep 21, 2013
    It's been quite a few years ago, but a buddy had a job "robbing" Walmarts. Actually, he was testing their security. One of his favorite stories was getting a receipt for some sox and then waving it to the guy at the door as he hauled out a television set. The doorman actually helped him out the door. This was before all the electronic security, but there are still things going on.
  • FishOnOne's avatar
    FishOnOne
    Nomad
    Sep 21, 2013
    Thanks for sharing this story. People have been known to drain the expensive synthetic oil and replace it with cheap dino oil as well.
  • BurbMan's avatar
    BurbMan
    Explorer II
    Sep 21, 2013
    Had the same thing happen to me at Home Depot...bought a DeWalt cordless shop vac, and there were a couple of opened boxes and one that had those plastic straps that are heat fastened. So I take that one thinking it was a factory sealed box. I get home and open the box and see the biggest POS ever...vac was beat to heck and the filter was a solid block of drywall dust. There was still debris in the cannister.

    I take it back and they tell me I can't return it after I have used it like this. So apparently somebody had access to one of those strapping machines and sealed up the box after they used and abused this vacuum. It was never opened when they returned it because the clerk thought it was still factory packed.

    I argued with the manager for 20 mins and he finally agreed to exchange it for me. Now I open every box before I buy it, and cut through those plastic straps with a pocket knife if I have to.

    Had similar with a fuel pump from an online parts store....part # on the box was correct, but the pump in the box looked nothing like the old one...I spent 2 hours of research trying to figure out why I ordered the wrong pump, until it became clear that the wrong pump was in the right box...another case of re stocking a return without checking it.
  • Alfred622's avatar
    Alfred622
    Explorer
    Sep 21, 2013
    Thanks for mentioning your experience with the oil filter. I guess I'm pretty nieve but something like this never has occurred to me. I always get the right filter in the box & I've never checked for a switch at the store. I guess I better be more careful from now on.
  • ShapeShifter's avatar
    ShapeShifter
    Explorer
    Sep 20, 2013
    I just hope WalMart doesn't give you a hard time returning it because they think it's you ripping them off by making a fraudulent return! :E

    There's no excuse for the low-lives that do things like that. I wonder why they didn't just put it under their shirt and walk out. I guess because that would be stealing, and they probably convinced themselves that switching the filters and paying the lower price isn't really stealing. But it is. :M
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    Sep 20, 2013
    I had picked up a duffle type bag at WALMART one time and went and paid for it at the checkout counter.

    On the way out the door checker stopped me to look at my receipt and then took a peak inside the duffle bag.

    Much to my surprise there was about ten empty memory stick boxes inside the duffle bag.

    Well I am almost spread eagle on the floor now haha...

    I of course knew nothing about anything haha...

    They told me alot of folks are stealing things this way. By removing the memory sticks and stashing their boxes anywhere they could a place they could carry out things in their pockets I guess.

    Roy Ken
  • fla-gypsy's avatar
    fla-gypsy
    Explorer
    Sep 20, 2013
    I hate thieves, I'm sure they got a good laugh from it while getting high.

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