4 Lifetime Lines

Although 4LifetimeLines doesn't have any online reputation to speak of, their lifetime warranty on all of their products is outstanding. Every business has to get started sometime; I thought I would give them a chance. Ordered a bunch of copper-nickel line and various fittings. Everything arrived as described. So far, so good...

So what? Well, I ordered a flaring tool on the basis of some pretty big claims. In particular, there was a claim that it could flare stainless steel lines. So I ordered it. I had a regular-steel line to flare, which on the difficulty scale is a bit below stainless. I followed the instructions, even watched videos on how to flare, etc., and for the record I've done a number of successful flares with other tools. Well, the new flaring tool couldn't do it. And I had tried very hard to make it work. So I decided to return it.

The returns page doesn't provide any instructions, but it does list their main number and email address. So I emailed them. Waited several days, and no response. FInally I filed a dispute via my credit card. Soon after I got a response to my original email. Ended up both trading a few emails and talking to them on the phone, and I have to say they were nice about it. I got the return address and sent the flaring tool back. And then... nothing. Again. They never did issue me a refund, and instead the credit card kept the dispute open for a long time before closing it and telling me to keep the temporary refund they (the credit card company) had given me.

This is a real business. They really did ship me every product that I ordered. The only trouble I had was when I did a return. But what's the value of a lifetime warranty when returns are this difficult?