Fuck WeatherTech (car mats and liners)

The BBQ Pit
1

Wow. Just wow.

Anyone who reads any of the car magazines knows what a big deal MacNeil Automotive makes about their WeatherTech mats, US manufacturing and bend-over-backwards customer service. Until this week, I’d have heartily endorsed that image and the products - I have three WeatherTech mat sets and a cargo liner for my Odyssey and they are good-fitting, durable and trouble-free products. They were nice in California; such wet-snow-and-slush-proof mats are essential here in the Northeast.

So it took no second thought to order a set for the '03 Subaru Outback I just acquired for my daughter to drive. Went on line, flinched a little a the price of mats+shipping, ordered.

They arrived… and aren’t even a close fit. Completely wrong shape, interfere with the gas pedal, retention peg hole on the wrong side. A random set of mats from their inventory would probably fit better.

So I go on the web site again and figure it out: WeatherTech has fitted mats for the '03 Impreza and Legacy, none for the Baja or Forester… and these completely wonky ones listed for the Outback. For those of you who aren’t Subaru experts… the Outback is the Impreza, just with some suspension and body changes. (In some years, there is also a Legacy-based Outback. It gets confusing.)

Anyway, the images of the Impreza/Legacy mats look like a perfect fit and should be assigned to the Outback of that year as well. So what, big deal, they have database error. So I write a nice, ingratiating, concise email to their sales address explaining all this, especially their need to reevaluate the assignment of product to this vehicle.

No reply.

I forward the message again.

Two days later (about five in all), I get a long, cut and paste, boilerplate reply that half-addresses my issues, explains at length that some mats are generically fitted (which is the complete opposite of their multi-page, every-month ads crowing at how many computer-designed mats they make) and Oh Well. No return info. No acknowledgement that they have mats that will fit this vehicle and indeed look like their usual meticulously-fitted product. No real help at all, in several hundred words, except to boost their much more expensive Digitally Fitted LIners… which, oh, sorry, aren’t available for your vehicle.

What the fuck?

So I finally wait out the holidays and call today. I sit on hold for ten minutes, listening to almost Billy-Mays like ads for their products. Amusing for a minute, fingernails on a blackboard after two or three, ready to hang up after five. Only their automated countdown and wait announcements keep me on line.

A grumpy drone answers the phone. I start to explain the problem. “HELLO? HELLO?” “Um, hello?” I reply. “Oh. Okay. What can I do for you?” (with the tone that fucking off would be the best option.) I explain the problem in about three concise sentences. I can practically hear the button click as she starts to rattle off the bit about some mats being generic fit. I repeat that these mats are about as far from a fit as possible, even generically, and that they have some exact-fit mats, and part of the reason I am calling is to suggest they look into it and update their catalog. (There are, after all, a hell of a lot of Subarus on the road, and they are prime candidates for WeatherTech products because of where and how they’re driven.)

Exasperated sigh. “Let me give you a return number.” She rattles it off. I wait. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

Nope. And not ever again, thanks. Floor mats aren’t exactly something needing a lot of customer support, but paying a high premium price for them, and $15 shipping on top of that, and having imbibed four to ten pages of hype per car magazine for decades, I’d really expect that (1) they’d at least pay return shipping, since it boils down to being their error; (2) try to keep the sale by shipping the mats I was requesting in exchange; (3) be just a tad more on the polite or at least civil side and (4) be at least slightly interested when I tell them, in specific detail, that they are selling the wrong product.

I guess Bob MacNeil is too busy finding US suppliers, building his new factory in Buttfuck Idaho and posing for ads to actually hire people who boost his business.

2

Sorry you had issues with weathertec mats. I have them in three current vehicles and they fit perfectly. They’ve always fit my prior vehicles as well.
At least they are finally taking them back though.

3

When you get the right product, they do indeed fit as well (and perform as well) as all the hype suggests. As I said, I’ve had three sets and not any slightest complaint.

Yes, they’re taking them back… on my shipping cost. I don’t expect a refund on the (overpriced) outbound shipping, either.

I’m just in total shock at some of the very worst customer support I’ve experienced in a long time, from a company that does have good products and spends millions every year telling everyone how great and caring they are.

4

Maybe you should have bought through Amazon? But I am sorry you had problems. I wonder if asking for a supervisor might have helped?

5

Based on their advertising I’d would agree that I would also expect a custom-fitted product (or at least hope when placing the order I would be notified that the mats matched to a specific vehicle were a generic fit). I’d be pissed, too.

I ordered a cargo liner for my SUV from them some years ago and it fit like a glove. However they have gotten really expensive. My Dad wanted some floor liners for his Taurus - I ended up getting them from Husky instead. They fit just fine and are every bit as heavy duty.

6

You’re hitting all my points. Neither the rep who responded email nor the one on the phone gave a flying fuck about the order - they were utterly indifferent, shoving the problem back on me (because I’d chosen mats that were an approximate fit… well, no I didn’t, I chose the mats THEY said fit), not listening to a word about their having the correct mats, not offering an exchange, not in the slightest way trying to address my problem, my concerns or my suggestions to fix their problem. I would have been delighted to be passed to a supervisor or someone in a position to address the fit/product problem; part of this is that I felt a certainly loyalty to them because of prior product satisfaction.

But in the end, neither Ms. CutAndPaste nor Ms. Hostile gave a flying fuck whether I kept the mats, sent them back, bought the correct ones or ever bought another MacNeil product in my life. For some companies, I’d expect nothing else. From a company that shouts its care, concern and quality from the automotive rooftops, and has the very highest prices in the accessory bracket… I would.

7

Sue the fuckers, take 'em to small-claims court and/or take it to Twitter in the hope it’ll go viral.

8

This appears wrong. The 2003 Outback was based on the Legacy. The Outback Sport was based on the Impreza. They’ve since killed the Outback Sport and it’s been replaced with the Crosstrek. But the Outback has always been the jazzed up wagon (and sometimes the sedan) version of the Legacy.

9

Correct. Got it backwards in haste.

Subaru has mixed around body styles, base/upgrade models and designations more than any maker I know. It gets confusing.

AFAIK, though, the passenger pans are the same for both vehicles, making the floor mats identical. Many other parts are interchangeable.

10

Why the hell are you rolling over and letting them get away with this? They sent you the wrong product, pure and simple - doesn’t matter if they pulled the wrong item at the warehouse, or if they advertise a mat fits a car that it doesn’t. Return shipping and all original costs should be on their dime, not yours. I’d call back, complain, and if they don’t agree to refund all your money and pay return shipping, go ahead and open a dispute on your credit card.

11

Send an email explaining all of this to the Consumerist web site. Consumerist is the blog site for Consumer Reports. The web site often takes a snarky approach with many of their stories in an attempt to publicly shame poor customer service. It works, too.

12

Dear Mr. MacNeil,

Until this week, you could have counted me among your most dedicated customers. I’ve had three sets of WeatherTech mats and two cargo liners (on two Honda Odysseys and a Volvo XC90), and they live up to every bit of your advertising claims for fit and durability. I also have to admire your recent moves towards 100% US-based production.

So when I needed mats to protect a 2003 Subaru Outback from our Northeast conditions, it was a no-brainer. I went online, found the mats in your catalog, and ordered. (With a little flinch at how high prices and shipping have gotten, but just a little one.)

The mats arrived… and weren’t even a close fit. They were completely wrong shapes, interfered with the gas pedal and had the retention peg hole on the wrong side. I probably couldn’t have found a worse-fitting set. So I go on the web site again and figure it out: WeatherTech has fitted mats for the '03 Legacy (W52’s), but these completely wonky ones (W34’s) listed for the Outback. I understand you manage hundreds of products and vehicles, but for most years, the Legacy is the Outback. Same vehicle with some suspension and body changes. (The Impreza is a little smaller but has the same interior, and even as the Outback Sport all four models should share the same floor mats, the W52’s.) I am not sure how the unbelievably ill-fitting W34’s were selected as being correct for the Outback, not when you have the correct ones in your line, but I assure you: the W34’s don’t fit any Subaru I’ve seen. Maybe a much older model?

So I wrote a detailed email to [EMAIL=“Sales@MacNeil.com”]Sales@MacNeil.com, explaining all of this, asking how to swap the mats for the correct ones and suggesting that someone look at your database of fitting and correct what seems to be significant and unnecessary error.

No reply for three days. I resend the email.

Two days later I get a long, obviously cut-and-paste boilerplate reply from an Amanda Kwiat that half-addresses my issues, explains at length that some mats are generically fitted (which is the complete opposite of what the catalog page and your extensive ads say) and basically conclude “Oh well.” No return info. No exchange info. No acknowledgement that you have mats that will fit this vehicle though a listing error sold me the wrong ones. No acknowledgement that there might be a catalog error. No real help at all, in several hundred words, except to suggest that if I want precise fit I should buy your much more expensive Digitally Fitted Liners… which she then adds, oh, sorry, those aren’t available for your vehicle.

It’s been a long time since I had a reputable company, or even a no-name one, take so long to give an utterly useless reply to a product purchase problem. It wasn’t even an apology.

So I call today, noting your lack of an 800 number, and sit on hold listening to ten minutes of bombastic and annoying sales pitch for all your other products. (Thanks for the call-response countdown, anyway.)

So finally a grumpy representative answers the phone. I start to explain the problem. “HELLO? HELLO?” she yells in my ear. “Um, hello?” I reply. “Oh. Okay. What can I do for you?” (in a tone that indicates she has better things to do). I explain the problem in about three concise sentences. I can practically hear the button click as she starts to rattle off the canned bit about some mats being generic fit. I repeat that these mats are about as far from a fit as possible, even generically, and that you have mats that are an exact fit, and that part of the reason I am calling is to suggest they look into it and update their catalog. (There are, after all, a hell of a lot of Subarus on the road, and they are prime candidates for WeatherTech products because of where and how they’re driven.)

Exasperated sigh. “Let me give you a return number.” She rattles it off. I wait. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Nope,” I said. And there won’t be, ever again, thanks. Floor mats are not something needing a lot of customer support, but paying a premium price for them ($55, fronts only, plus $15 shipping), and having read your many pages of hype in every issue of every car magazine for decades, I’d really expect that (1) you’d at least pay return shipping, since it boils down to being your error; (2) try to keep the sale by shipping the mats I was requesting in exchange; (3) be a tad more on the polite or at least civil side and (4) be at least slightly interested when I tell you, in specific detail, that you are selling the wrong product. As it is, I will be out the return shipping cost and doubt I will see a refund on the outbound shipping.

So I’m sorry, Dave, but I will be buying another brand of products when I need floor mats and liners and such. For all your quality, for all your US commitment, for all your promises of great customer service, and for all your endless pride about careful computer fitting of mats and so forth, you don’t seem much interested in the actual, you know, customer. That your grumpy customer service drones can’t be bothered to address what’s being said to them and didn’t care in the slightest about completing the ready sale, all cost issues aside, much less attempt to make good on your internal catalog error and the associated costs and hassles… Well, I may have never needed any support for your products or services before, but seeing as you essentially don’t offer any, I will never again pay your top dollar prices for any product. You have competitors, and I will cheerfully put up with a slightly irregular fit at one-third the cost and one-hundredth of the hassle and annoyance.

Have a nice day, Dave.

13

Are you just hoping he’ll see this here?

14

The Legacy and Outback share a platform and the floor plan may or may not be identical. I’m not sure that they are - I haven’t checked for sure. There are many small differences in the interior.

But the Impreza and Outback Sport are not the same platform and I wouldn’t expect them to be similar. That platform was used for the Forester as well IIRC, but it was never shared with the Outback/Legacy. Are you sure they all have the same interior? The Imprezas I’ve driven don’t seem to resemble the Outbacks I’ve owned.

15

Posting it here in lieu of writing a long response to suggestions. I’ve crossposted it in more meaningful locations and may fax it to them as well.

16

Not a defense of the manuf, but I would imagine being a online inbound rep for problems with weather mats is going to consist of “Here’s your return number” 99.99 percent of the time." Other than size or defect issues it’s a pretty low tech item. The problem solving flowcharts for the reps is pretty basic. Engaging her in a discussion of how the company needs to address it’s online cataloging database error is essentially the same as speaking Chinese to her.

What do you imagine this person making 8-9 dollars an hour working for a inbound call farm whom Weathertech has hired as the low bidder addressing problems with auto mats is going to do with that info other than offer to allow you to return them? I think you need a very different level of the corporation re the specific problem you are trying to address.

Discussing catalog database errors in model fit with the call center rep is almost guaranteed to have been waste of your time before you picked up the phone.

17

I am reasonably sure that all four models - Impreza, Legacy, Outback and Outback Sport - share enough of a floor pan that the mats for the two base models will fit all four (possibly with some irregularities). Even if I’m wrong about the OB Sport, I am not wrong in that the Legacy and Outback are nearly identical and the W52 mats would be a near-perfect fit… certainly better than the ones I got.

18

I would think the standard first response would be an offer to exchange the item for the correct one, especially since the customer himself has already identified which mats he needs. Indeed, you usually have to talk CSRs out of exchanges - no one wants to just give your money back.

19

The SDMB is indexed by Google and some companies do web searches for mentions of their products, so it is possible that they’ll see it here. I’ve heard of people getting a positive response from complaints on Twitter as well.

20

Even better, why not email it to him? dmacneil@macneil.com