[Peril]

Bail broke on one of my reels last month. Never been bent, no stress marks around the break. Simple warranty claim I thought.

Put it in at my local, even though I'd bought it elsewhere. Went to get it last weekend and they gave it to me, apologised for not calling (sh!t happens) and said "$30 dollars". When I pressed the warranty claim I was told that this distributer doesn't usually accept warranty claims on bails because they get knocked around too much, but that he would check on Monday and call. As I was travelling next day I said I'd come back this weekend.

Went in today, the same guy went and got the reel and handed it to me, with a quick look in the bosses direction, no comment made. I got the impression that the distributer stuck to his guns but the store employee was not happy with that.

What does this all mean? Well for a start a warranty is only as good as the word of a distributer. Though I wonder what the distributer thinks he's doing when the reel can easily be purchased cheaper by international mail order. The only thing he's got going for him is the warranty. When he renegs on that he's got nothing.

So next time I buy that brand of reel, if I do, it will be direct from overseas. The next time I buy any other reel, I will give my local tackle store first and last chance to quote. They are often expensive, but they'll match prices and they do try to look after people.

BTW, I won't identify the reel because I don't have absolute proof that the distributer reneged. Just the way it went it definitely seemed to me that something was not said.

How often have you made warranty claims on reels?

 

[Scott]

Dave, I sued to assess warranties for Dawia, Silstar/Okuma, Penn and Shakespeare at retail level and prior to that at wholesale level for Penn. I would certainly have given that warranty and the reps would have had no choice not to do the same to me as I would have taken the part of a stock reel. This is assuming that it wasn't bent or had the sh#t scuffed out of it. What brand was it?

Things may very well have changed since I was out of the industry. The other thing is if the store went to bat for you. The first thing the rep used to ask is "is the guy a good customer". Of course I would always reply yes so even if it was a borderline claim the rep would figure that a goodwill gesture was required.

The amount of times a guy would bring a new rod in with the tip broken off and say it happened showing his mates ect was amazing. while these dry land breakages aren't warranty I would scam warranty and then explain to the customer how I had gotten warranty for him even though he had broken the rod due to bad angles applied to the tip. End result, the customer loved the tackle wholesaler, the tackle shop and generally wouldn't do it again as they learnt from the lesson.

Catch ya Scott

 

[troppo]

I have never made a warranty claim on a reel as (a) the reels I use are so expensive they never break and (b) I have so many reels if one breaks I just dump it.

Nah, only kidding. I have had reels break after warranty but never in. The ancient reels I mostly currently use just keep on working with regular maintenance. They went out of warranty about 15+ yrs back.

Here's a true story: I once bought my wife a light Jarvis Walker combo for whiting and bream. My wife had been sick for a while so it was great for her to get out fishing and try the new rod n reel. Out on the estuary, I found it had 15 kg or similar line and could hardly cast. It was a major disappointment. I wrote to Jarvis Walker saying the line was totally wrong for the rod and reel. They sent me an apology plus a free new reel. I was wrapped. With the right line, 3 kg - 4.5 kg, it performs fantastic. Sorry to say, it is one I love to take with me on my yak .

 

[milansek]

Warranty is simple to claim if the store wants to but the problem is you got it at some other shop so take it were you got it . Scott is right on

 

[polylureosis]

Touch wood I won't have to make another warranty claim on a rod or reel.

However from my experience that your best bet is to ......

a) Take it back to the place of purchase
or
b) Send it directly to the Aust distributer. (include a story of what happened, why it has been such a great product, clean it, and pack it well so it looks like you care about it)

The best service I have ever got was from sending a product directly back to shakespeare Aust.

Ash

 

[Peril]

Warranty is simple to claim if the store wants to but the problem is you got it at some other shop so take it were you got it . Scott is right on

Milan, I bought it from an online store so not feasible to send it back. The problem here wasn't my local, who accepted that the reel was under warranty. It was the distributer deciding not to honour the claim. Don't think it would have mattered how I submitted it. My local has earned serious goodwill with me by copping the distributer's cost on this one and I intend to repay them