Both of my garage doors have Genie screw drive openers. My parent's had one for their garage and replaced it once in over 40 years. When I built my house with an attached garage 17 years ago, there was only one choice for me for an automatic opener.
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| The original 2005 vintage Genie HP6000A-2K where wifey parks. It got lots of hard use. |
When I bought my Goldwing in 2018, I knew I was going to finally need
an opener on the other bay. When I had my classic car, it was no big
deal to get out and manually lift the door because I hardly ever drove the car. The bike is a different story. First, I use it way more than I did the car, and second getting on and off to open the door is a pain in the ass.
In the extreme cold weather this past winter, the garage door opener where my wife parks started having issues bringing the door down. It would go down about a foot and then reverse back up. I quickly sprayed some silicone based lube on the screw drive and it started working again. Well, it didn't hold up very well, because we recently had a cold snap and the door was refusing to go down again. This time I put some Lucas Oil Red-n-Tacky #2 grease on the screw drive and tweaked the "close" reversing mechanism. It is working for now, but I believe I am on borrowed time so I wanted to secure a replacement.
I located the same model I have over the bike at Home Depot, a Genie Model #4063. Moves the door up and down fast and it is super quiet. Listed for $278.00 and plenty in stock. I boogied over to the store closest to home right after work to grab one. Found it in two minutes and headed for the register to cash out. That's when the problem started.
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| Genie model #4063. Wi-Fi capable, but not in my house! |
The girl asks me if I would like to save $25 by opening a Home Depot credit card account. I pulled out my existing card I held since 1993 and said I didn't think so. The total came to $295.65 so I stick my card in the reader. It says "DECLINED" she says to try it again and I get the same result. She does an account lookup by my social security number that I punch in on the keypad. Now she tells me the account is closed and asks when was the last time I used my card? I said it's probably been a couple of years, and she tells me that's why. They automatically close accounts after 6 months of inactivity. Now I start to get pissed and tell her I think that's BULLSHIT! I had that account about 29 years with never an issue, and I probably charged well north of $50,000 in home renovation projects at two houses in that time frame. Fine... let's open a new account and I'll take the $25 off.
The process is done right at the register, by me entering data on the P.O.S. keypad. Well, something fucked up somewhere because now the girl has to call the Home Depot Credit Center... but she doesn't know how to use the phone system to call out. She asks for help, and another woman shouts over the simple instructions, but she still can't do it, and she's still carrying around my drivers license. I look over at the other associate standing there watching and loudly say, "You guys are NOT scoring any favorable points this evening!" THAT statement is overheard by and attracts the store supervisor who comes over to try and smooth things over. I tell her I am about 30 seconds from walking out the door without my purchase. She tries to convince me to be patient while they try to open my new account. I am starting to boil... and say "Forget the new account, gimme back my ID, I will just pay for it with another card, screw the $25!" I get my ID back and pull out a Platinum VISA with no balance on it, and the supervisor now sees how close she was to losing a sale AND a long time customer. She tells the cashier to give me the $25 off I would have gotten for opening a new account anyway in the interst of customer service. Finally, a break my way for a change. I got my receipt, thanked them both and got the hell out of there. When I got home, I promptly did this:
One less card to have in my wallet is fine with me. I will chop up wifey's card when she gets home.
Might be too little, too late. Have the same opener. Finally found the correct lube that works. PAM cooking spray. Does not freeze or gather dirt/dust. Just a FYI.
ReplyDeleteI believe the motor is getting weak and makes the reversing circuitry think it hit something. I tried to find a replacement motor, first from Genie, then other online sources... no dice. The one replacement motor Genie did offer for newer models was $230. For a little more I got a whole new unit, and most of the hard install work is done.
DeleteBut... Home Depot did the right thing in the end.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, I bought a shower door for a construction project -- due to complication didnt get to putting it in for a year. it was the wrong size!!! still in the box, I took it back -- store refused it, but I sat in the parking lot and called the corporate cust. serv. myself and told them to tell the store to take it even if they didnt give me $ back. They called the store, who took it and even gave me $500 store credit. I am a 70yr old female, and could not get it out of the truck if they wouldnt take it. So HD did the right thing.
@sdharms: I'm not sure how it is now, but they used to have a very liberal return policy. I knew a guy that had a sheet of plywood sitting in the corner of his backyard. It was starting to turn black and grow mushrooms. He brings it to Home Depot, with no receipt, and asks them "what kind of crap are you selling here?" They gave him a refund on what was essentially garbage.
Deletehome depot credit is goofy - i have had similar problems - hell with their credit
ReplyDeleteI got rid of any cards I had for specific stores like HD and Exxon. You can only usde nthem at those stores! What if Lowes is the closest? I use a rewards style bank CC that works anywhere I want and pay off every month. No fees and discounts on fuel etc.
ReplyDeletei have an even older one. had problems local genie lady said put in new eyes brought both at the time30$ IT STILL WORKS!
ReplyDeleteThe best track lube is fluid film $$ but stays on forever
ReplyDeleteGood to know about their cards though. That could screw with your credit rating and make other things more expensive. I don't use credit much if ever. If I do it is paid off the following month but it could really mess with someone first starting out.
ReplyDelete@James: I thought about that too. I just checked my ratings on Credit Karma. The closed Home Depot account shows up on EquiFax as being closed Dec. 1st 2021. My TransUnion score is 810, but the EquiFax one shows 804. I will not ever reopen the account only to have this nonsense happen again.
ReplyDeleteI never have that problem, GD. I’m too crook to work now and only get the disability pension, so I don’t qualify for a credit card.
ReplyDelete