A Campbell River man put Midas Muffler鈥檚 lifetime guarantee to the test lately when he brought in his 30-year-old muffler for replacement.
鈥淚 got this Midas Muffler guarantee, lifetime guarantee as long as you own the vehicle,鈥� Richard Miller said.
Miller owns a beautiful, cherry red and white 1966 Mercury pickup truck that he restored 30 years ago in North Vancouver, which included getting a new muffler and tail pipe put on it in 1994.
鈥淚 discovered a few weeks ago, I鈥檝e got a hole in my muffler and I kept this in the glove compartment,鈥� he said holding up a Midas Muffler guarantee in a branded envelope. 鈥淚 go to Midas (in Campbell River) and I said, 鈥業鈥檝e got a guarantee, are you gonna honour it?鈥欌��
He said there was a little bit of humming and hawing 鈥渂ecause they鈥檙e like, 鈥楴obody keeps a vehicle for 30 years.鈥欌��
In addition, the guarantee says on it that after one year, there is a service charge of $9.95 to replace the muffler, and the local dealer called up head office to get some direction. He came back with 鈥淵ep, we鈥檙e going to honour it.鈥�
Their computer didn鈥檛 have anyway to process the $9.95 so they didn鈥檛 even charge them the service fee.
鈥淪o, I got my free muffler,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淣ow, I thought that was really, really good of them after 30 years.鈥�
The whole situation put Miller in mind of an old Midas Muffler TV ad from 1975 when they launched the guarantee. It involves 鈥極ld Man Crane鈥� rolling into the Midas Muffler shop in his old Ford Model A.
鈥淎nd the boys are standing there. 鈥楳r. Crane, we haven鈥檛 seen Old Man Crane since 鈥� and he interrupts, 鈥業鈥檝e got this Midas guarantee that says that Annabelle here is going to get a free muffler.鈥� And they give him a free muffler. So, I鈥檓 Mr. Crane!鈥� Miller said with a laugh.
Miller鈥檚 1966 Mercury pickup hasn鈥檛 exactly been sitting idle for 30 years but he does baby it.
鈥淚鈥檝e only put 30,000 miles on the truck since 1994,鈥� he said.
So, he鈥檚 a little surprised that the muffler rusted enough to get a hole in it.
鈥淢aybe lack of use, I don鈥檛 know,鈥� he said.
