Both Autozone and Advance have lists of years , makes, and models they don’t install batteries on.
None of our Walmarts istall batteries because none of ours have an auto shop anymore. No great loss, they were pitiful.
What do they tell the customers?
Do the customers ever get mad and/or irate when they’re told they’ll have to install it themselves, or pay somebody else to do it?
I might not last long working for a McParts store. If an able bodied man wanted a battery installed in his vehicle even on a beautiful spring morning I might feel compelled to clean the restrooms, sweep the floor and take out the trash first.
@Rod Knox: I know what you’re saying, but you refuse to install a battery or make yourself scarce and next thing you know there’s a guy nursing electrical burns and another employee is helping him wash acid out of his eyes while the local FD puts out a car fire in your parking lot that’s spread to 2 other cars…
Both Autozone and Advance have lists of years , makes, and models they don’t install batteries on.
Does anyone know if these lists are available to the public?
@oblivion
Speaking Of Batteries And Burns… A Couple Decades Ago, When I Hadn’t Earned The Wisdom I Have Now…
I was installing a 12v battery in my lawn tractor and didn’t heed the admonition about connecting the ground cable last. I figured I’d be careful where the wrench was going. Next thing I knew I was wearing a very hot wrist watch band. Stoopid (with 2 "O"s). Sitting here right now, if I move my watch band, I can still see 2 little scars from that incident.
From that day forward I have connected grounds last and disconnected grounds first.
Experience is the best teacher. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
CSA
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Or at least wiser 
Nothing in life is truly free. These companies that provide “free” installation services have already absorbed those costs in their overhead and spread that across the price of their goods. When someone doesn’t take advantage of that service, they don’t discount anything, they just get higher profit margin. It’s not unlike merchants that do not discount for cash payment. The cost of credit has been spread with a butter knife across the business. If you pay with cash, they gladly accept the extra profit…
If that was the case then the battery price would have been lower for a carry-out.
I think perhaps you’re underestimating what depths a lazy employee will sink to. The employee will get in trouble if he puts in a “I refused to install the battery because I didn’t want to go outside” discount to the transaction, and so he won’t apply any discount.
Just because you do it the sensible way doesn’t mean everyone does.
I bought a new battery for my 2008 HHR at a local auto parts store last year and they refused to install it. I worked that into a small discount. After changing the battery…I now understand why they won’t do it. The battery is hidden in the back under the rear storage compartment. It wasn’t hard to accomplish but it did require a lot of time and attention to detail to get the job done right.
Ew. I recently replaced batteries on our cars (98 Lumina and 04 Grand Prix). I bought the batteries with 3 year warranties from an auto parts store (nameless for now), and although the website insists this place does free installation, they refused to install both batteries since items had to be removed in order to install them. In other words, this place would only install a battery if the battery was resting right on top with easy access to the posts. I don’t know a single car that doesn’t have at least a support bar of some sort in the way.
Oh well, the batteries were fun projects.
Everyone feels entitled.
Everyone feels entitled.
Well I think I’m entitled to.
And so do I.
OK wait…do you mean you agree that I’m entitled to feel entitled or that you yourself also feel entitled to feel entitled?
Abbott and Costello we’re not!
But Rod Knox, what if he doesn’t want to get his $80 khakis soiled? And don’t forget the $80 knit Polo shirt!
But I don’t want to get my hands dirty or skin my knuckles.
I am curious as to just how many batteries the McParts stores sell and what percentage are installed there for ‘free.’ I have seen a local A-Z store unloading a pallet load of batteries and there were likely more than 100 and they seem to get a weekly restock.
I have a clue…
I don’t even know that I have a clue anymore…ha!