Any experience stories about ACE handling claims for older eggs?

RRP

Now that ACE has replaced many of the former independent BGE dealerships in many cities and states I wonder how warranty parts experience has been. I’m not talking about with the few mega-ACE stores in the South which were BGE dealers for years, but with the common ACE stores around the country. 

I purchased all 4 of my eggs years ago, but my dealer left the network since there are 3 ACE stores within a 10 mile radius selling eggs, plus more ACE stores a little further away but still close by!  Back when I had a warranty issue I would walk in with my problem in hand or with a picture and walk out with the replacement part. Will ACE accommodate me without my having some long destroyed proof of purchase to show some store clerk or does the Mothership still provide some intervention for older owners like me? 

loco_engr

very good question Ron

mpenacho

My firebox crack in the large started getting bigger, so I figured I’d get a replacement for when it becomes unusable, if it ever does (another topic). I’ve moved since I bought my large, so I called an Ace in the area. They flat out told me they don’t handle warranty service, and to contact BGE. I contacted BGE and got a letter from them to take to a dealer, saying everything was cleared. I called a different Ace in my area, a little further away. The woman who ran the store was super helpful and was able to tack in on to an order she had already sent in for her store. When it arrived, she brought it out to my vehicle (this was pre-vaccine days). Super easy. So I guess to answer your question, it varies by store, at least for me. 

RRP

mpenacho said:

My firebox crack in the large started getting bigger, so I figured I’d get a replacement for when it becomes unusable, if it ever does (another topic). I’ve moved since I bought my large, so I called an Ace in the area. They flat out told me they don’t handle warranty service, and to contact BGE. I contacted BGE and got a letter from them to take to a dealer, saying everything was cleared. I called a different Ace in my area, a little further away. The woman who ran the store was super helpful and was able to tack in on to an order she had already sent in for her store. When it arrived, she brought it out to my vehicle (this was pre-vaccine days). Super easy. So I guess to answer your question, it varies by store, at least for me. 

Sounds great! 

RRP

loco_engr said:

very good question Ron

Thanks for understanding, Dan. I figured that just like you then surely other of us “older eggers” may have moved miles away from where we bought our eggs. Granted ACE is a huge network and I hope the warranty promise hasn’t been lost in interpretation of what a BGE dealer means service wise.

WeberWho

My local Ace where I picked up one of my smalls turned into a Kamado Joe dealer. I'm thinking my BGE warranty claim probably wouldn't get very far...

njl

If you didn't register and didn't keep any proof of purchase, it could be tough.  I had my cracked base replaced about a year ago by an Ace near where I worked (back when working meant going to an office 5 days a week).  The dealer I'd bought it from (a small grill store) had gotten out of BGE and finally gone out of business years ago.  I had to produce proof of purchase and pictures to get them to order the replacement base, and then swap my cracked base for the new base (months later) when the new base came in.

RRP

njl said:

If you didn't register and didn't keep any proof of purchase, it could be tough.  I had my cracked base replaced about a year ago by an Ace near where I worked (back when working meant going to an office 5 days a week).  The dealer I'd bought it from (a small grill store) had gotten out of BGE and finally gone out of business years ago.  I had to produce proof of purchase and pictures to get them to order the replacement base, and then swap my cracked base for the new base (months later) when the new base came in.

Thanks for your reply. As a person who bought his 4 BGEs back when a man’s word meant something which is how Ed Fisher started the BGE company “we believed”. Back then there was often no card to mail in and certainly no online registration. 

Call a bunch of us suckers…but when many of us bought our eggs we believed in honesty. 

RRP

What KIND of clown disagrees and then slams me about Honestly?
What a jerk! 

fishlessman

local ace is a hundred miles from my camp, first they wanted pics of the twenty something piece firebox and ring so one weekend lost. then they wanted a pic of the serial number, another 200 mile round trip and another weekend lost(i was going up there anyways but). hint.... early 2000 eggs the serial was penciled in or they put it under the lower gasket, i have both versions, the penciled in ones i just make up a serial number as bge does not keep those records apparently.  ordered a dome therm when finally filling out the warranty claim which took basically 3 weeks to do.  was over 3 months for the box and ring after the claim, still waiting after two years for the thermometer. i have high hopes it will be in any day now. the pool stores shut down late fall and reopen early spring, i think ill plan around that and wait on things during the winter, atleast im dealing with an owner that still works there year to year

alaskanassasin

Do aftermarket gaskets void the warranty?

Legume

RRP said:

What KIND of clown disagrees and then slams me about Honestly?
What a jerk! 

Have you tried making a claim yet?  It seems like lots of blood pressure is being wasted on this when what you probably want is to pursue a claim and see where you get with it.  We know everyone has different experiences.  If you tell the store manager your history, drop Ed Fisher’s name, etc., I’m sure a good store manager will understand and appreciate the loyalty.

cookingdude555

Ive never provided my proof of purchase when getting warranty replacements. They ask a few questions, and it’s about a month until the order shows up. Complaints of issues are talked about far more online than success stories. 

fishlessman

cookingdude555 said:

Ive never provided my proof of purchase when getting warranty replacements. They ask a few questions, and it’s about a month until the order shows up. Complaints of issues are talked about far more online than success stories. 

have never provided a proof of purchase.  im ok with waiting, just as long as it eventually gets to me and even with the 20 something piece box and ring it took a decade just to decide to replace it

dstearn

I had a cracked cast iron charcoal grate replaced by my local Ace. You just need to contact BGE support send them a picture of the damage and they send you an email that you can give to Ace. 

SGH

They say that Ace is the place of the helpful hardware man. Maybe this is a good way to test that saying out 👍

loco_engr

since I moved from my small town BGE dealer (marysville ks) to a town just south of Leavenworth, KS that has an ACE Hardware that sells BGE's. So it'll be interesting if something comes up under a warranty issue.  
So far they were able to get me new bands for my lrg & mini.