When my DeWalt 18V XRP Hammer Drill broke, I was almost in tears because we had been through so much together. So much material that is. See, that’s what did it. I stopped drilling wood and concrete to try and mix some mortar. The 5-gallon bucket full of tile mortar and large mixer attachment finally did me in. At the time, I wasn’t aware of the DeWalt ServiceNet warranty and repair program.
I had already done like two buckets of mud without any incident, but something changed on this last mix. Complete with smoke and that nasty burning electrical smell, the drill gave up the ghost. The motor froze up solid. I begrudgingly had to get out my corded DeWalt 1/2″ drill to finish the task. Berating myself for not getting the right drill to begin with, I chalked it up to a lesson learned. I figured I was out of luck because that 18V XRP Hammer Drill was about 5 years old. The warranty must have expired by now.
DeWalt ServiceNet to the Rescue
I didn’t have the heart to get rid of my old friend just yet. I put it under my bench and forgot about it for a while. One day, a few months later, a friend told me about DeWalt ServiceNet, their official repair service program. I figured I needed to check it out. Let’s face it, in these tight times, the last thing I wanted to do was fork out three hundred bucks for a new drill.
Before You Throw Away That Broken DeWalt Tool…
At the DeWalt ServiceNet website (which you can get to from their main website), I found my nearest factory service center by entering my zip code. Conveniently, the factory sits just an hour away. I gave them a call, and they explained to me the whole scenario. It took the guesswork out of the repair process. They promised the price of a repair would not exceed the published replacement price for that tool. What that means is if you send in your drill because it has a broken switch, they only fix the switch and charge you for that plus the shipping back to you. The repair cost is NEVER more than a set amount for that tool. Most times it is less.
Take my toasted drill… I sent it in via a flat rate shipping box from the post office to the indicated address. Within a few days, I received a call from the DeWalt ServiceNet tech. He said that my drill was beyond repair, but they would send me a newly remanufactured drill that was the exact same model as the one I sent in. Get this: The total price for the new drill and the shipping was less than a third of what the drill cost new! I received the drill a few days later and was back in business again. The only problem with the new drill is that it did not have my name written all over it like the old one and the over-molded rubber grips were not polished smooth yet!
How DeWalt ServiceNet Works
As part of the DeWalt ServiceNet program, they do a complete teardown inspection, which includes a thorough cleaning & lubrication, replacement of worn & damaged parts, and a full performance & safety test on the tool. The service works for the following Stanley Black&Decker brands:
- Dewalt
- Craftsman
- Black & Decker
- Bostitch
- Porter-Cable
- Proto
The DeWalt ServiceNet network includes over 85 factory-owned locations so chances are that there is one near you. Should you need to ship a tool to a service center for either warranty or non-warranty service, please be sure that the tool is packaged securely and that it is sufficiently insured to cover any loss or damage that may occur while in transit. For additional information regarding service-related issues or service related questions please contact the service center nearest you.
So don’t throw away that broken DeWalt tool. For more information on the DeWalt repair service, go here.
