jedimaster

DAAMMMMNNN... Miami better fricken win this year otherwise lebron and bosh will go down as the biggest losers of all time.

Yep, likely the pedal, those things are annoiying as hell. You can take the cover off and clean up the contacts but other than that you are likely gonna need a new one.

I'll make sure to post back when I hear back from Irvine or from Canada. Like I said from the begining I am not trying to slam shimano, I just want a clear explaination as to what the story is on the warranty, not only for us Vrod owners but for anyone buying a Shimano rod expecting a lifetime of limited lifetime warranty. I still love shimano rods and reels, but I just want to know. I just wish shimano hats were nicer looking then I could put my Gloomis and St.Croix hats on the wall.

Looks like you are getting to the bottom of things here, that is good. I've been doing some research and trying to decide who has the best warranty.

It seems that there is a discrepency between the Canadian Shimano and Shimano down in the US. Your experience is a far cry from some of the stories I have read on American forums, things like, "my idiot buddy slammed my 8 year old rod in the door, but they gave me a brand new one no questions asked, right over the counter at my tackle store"

This is no suprise as customer service is typically more of a priority down there. What I get from all of this is that it would be best to deal directly with the Americans for warranty claims.

 

Unfortunately that probably means shipping a rod south, unlesss its possible to get to one of those US repair centers. Do you know if there are any located in the Buffalo area?

 

I just picked up a shimano voltaeus rod (to get me by until more $$). $60 CAD, limited lifetime warranty, I figured why not. Any problems and I will go south.

 

Good luck with this, hopefully the Irvine office will talk some sense into their Canadian arm. Keep us posted on how things go.

JB's has triump rods for a good price, 401 and Martin Grove you can see it from the highway. Also I agree with the guys above the Mojo Bass rod is a far better rod for not a whole lot more. JB's has the full range of St. Croix rods. Lebaron may have some as well but I think JB's is gonna have the best selection.

I got a call back while I was on my way up to a tourney this weekend from one of the VP's at the Irvine office. He was flabergasted by what was going on out of the Canada office. He said unquestionably Vrods are still covered and if they break they wil be replaced with a cruicial. He said that the limited in limited lifetime warranty refers to the type of damage not the length of time the rod is warranted for. Also he said that Guides, finish and grip are all covered under the warranty. If I send them back to the US or bring them to a US repair center they will be replaced. He tried to get a hold of someone from the Canada side but they were already closed. He said that he will follow up with me this week when he is able to find out what is going on north of the border.

Personally, if I am going to spend $200+ on new rod, its going to be a Loomis or a St. Croix.

I would agree but I held the Legend Tournament in my hand allongside with the gloomis and the cumara, and I liked the cumara better. I wish I didn't like it better, but what can i do. I guess I'll always be a shimano guy, i just wish I could get a straight answer from shimano. Even when I called shimano canada they were not able to give me any idea of when the cumara rods limited lifetime warranty will expire.

I called, Shimano in Irvine, They said unconditionally Vrods are still warranted and he gave me the number to call in canada. In fact he also said my clarus with lifted guides is also covered and should be replaced. I called the canadian number and they said the Clarus was only 70 dollars and as such its not covered for anything other than breakage after a few uses. They also said Vrods also have no more warranty on them.

I called back the irvine office they said no that is not right vrods are covered for life to the original owner. The clarus I have is also covered for life the price of the rods means nothing. Its backed by the limited lifetime warranty and its covered too. He is going to investigate directly with the canadian office and see what is going on. He was very surprised when I explained to him the situation and was noticibly pissed off. He said without a doubt if I brought it in to a US repair center they would replace them both over the counter. He said the limitations are limitations to the cause of the damage not to the length of term of the warranty.

Canadadude, I think you need to give your head a shake. Your telling me that the intention of the warranty is not to cover rod breakage? So have you never bought a shimano rod new from a store? The first thing out of every sales persons mouth is that if you break it they will replace it for life, Bass Pro, Lebaron, Gagnons, JB's, AV, Fishing world all say this during the sales pitch. Even if you talk to the shimano reps at the shows, or the repair centers, they all say if it breaks we replace it. Defects in quality, and workmanship are NOT covered. The only thing that is covered is if the rod actually breaks. As I said I took a rod in that had defects in the workmanship and they are NOT covered as the rod was not broken. The guy at Aikmans even said the guides, paint, finish handles are NOT covered for any reason. Only the blank is covered if the rod breaks. That is the limitation. The limitation specifies nothing about a length of time the rod is covered. It only limits what parts of the rod are covered and under what circumstances the rod will not be covered as I posted. No mention of a time limitation or a number of casts limitation.

Dude you posted the warranty yourself, read it and try to understand it, if your under the impression that if you break it you automatically get it replaced your very wrong. The warranty dosn't state that at all or anything close to it, it's a limited warranty

If there is a problem in workmaship ie: misaligned guides,poor finish, ect the purchaser will find this out quickly. Limited lifetime warranties only protect you from getting a product that should have probably been rejected at the factory.

This is not the case at all. I bought two Clarus rods at the same time 4 years ago, both have seen equal treatment and use. One of them just this year the epoxy has started to peel off at all of the guides. I went to Aikmans with the one where the epoxy on the guides has started to come off and he said nothing he can do only the blank is guaranteed against breakage. When it breaks he will replace it, but the guides, finish misalignement etc are not covered. This warranty as we all know is against the rod from breaking.

Its not a money factor, as obviously if I am spending money on new Cumara rods I have money to spend. Its a principle of the fact that every one of us that has bought a shimano rod bought it knowing full well if it breaks we are gonna take it back and get a new one. Heck people even sell used shimano's with a disclamer saying if you break it you get a new one. It's just very disapointing. I tend to think when you put the word lifetime it means for life, weather or not the word limited is put in there with limitations on what has been limited int he warranty. Especially when the limitations do not state anything to do with the length or time it will be under warranty.

So how many uses or how long does a limited lifetime warranty last then? 1 time on the lake? 1 year? 2 years? 5 years? 20 years? Do you not think it would be a good idea to define how long a limited lifetime warranty lasts for?

Limited lifetime warranty as stated in the shimano warranty does not indicate any such description of any term or number of uses before the rod breaks. This is the warranty as stated on the shimano website..

Shimano and Shimano Canada Ltd. / LTÉE warrant to the original retail purchaser that this rod will be free from non-conformities in materials and workmanship. Shimano's sole obligation under this Limited Lifetime Warranty is to repair or replace, at Shimano's option, a non-conforming rod at no cost to the original retail purchaser other than the cost of packing, insuring, and shipping the rod to Shimano. This Limited Lifetime Warranty will be considered VOID if the rod is found to have been subjected to repairs not authorized by Shimano, or if it has been modified, neglected, improperly maintained, misused, abused, or the appearance of the product reveals damage by your failure to provide proper maintenance.

You will notice the part in bold states nothing about the length of time I use the rod. These two rods look brand new not a nic on etither of them. They have not been repaired, they have not been modified, nor neglected, improperly maintained, misuused or abused. The only damage is where the rods are broken. So explain to me how in this limited lifetime warranty it states that if you have it for X number of years or use it X number of times, its warranty is now void?

Thats exactly what I mean, offer up something. A coupon or something. Some companies have a disclaimer that when a product is discontinued the lifetime warranty is nullified after X number of years. The shimano warranty makes no such references. Oh well, live and learn. I can see alot of Crucials and compres breaking by accident when the crucial and compre line get discontinued.

Like I said the point is not how much money or use you got out of it. The point is if it says lifetime, that generally means lifetime, not until you get your use out of it. What if I fish 3 times per year? Then in 7 years that 21 outings. Is that sufficient use to have a lifetime warranty pulled on a product? What if I fished twice per week then sufficient use would be what 2 months warranty? I have had a few rods break on the first hook set, I have also had a few rods break after several years of use. If there is a time limitation on the use of a rod before it is no longer covered under warranty then the company should put a time limit on it. I doubt you guys would be too happy if you took your tranny in with 6 months to spare on the warranty and 50k left on its warranty and they said to you well you clearly got your use out of it. What about a tool that has a lifetime warranty? Are you going to not expect a new ratchet that you bought with a lifetime warranty if it breaks in 5 year or 10 years?

Doesn't change the fact that shimano puts out great products, just that the warranty is not lifetime as shimano has lead us all to believe thats all. At least offer to replace them with a fee or something like some other rod makers do or offer a rebate on a new rod of equal or lesser value.

Watching Japan take it to Denmark right now.

Its just important for current and new customers to understand a few things

1) Vrods are no longer being replaced under the warranty.

2) The Limited Lifetime warranty does not last a lifetime. It is limited to some number of years determined by Shimano.

Well I have been a long time Shimano purchaser, in fact I just bought a new cumara yesterday to add to my other dozen shimano rods, not to mention the doze or so shimano reels. I am now very dismayed with shimano. I heard from a fellow angler that someone was refused warranty replacement on a Vrod due to the age. Now we all know Shimano has an excellent history of replacing broken rods. My initial reaction was "No WAY, Shimano wouldn't do that" I mean I have had rods and even a Vrod replaced. I sent an email to Shimano and in fact the reply I got implied that Vrods are too old. to be covered by the Limited Lifetime warranty.

This is not a good situation as far as I am concerned.

Here is the unedited email response I got back from Shimano with regards to the Vrods.

To me this sounds as though they will no longer be replaced, and if the break near the tip they may be repaired, otherwise we are out of luck. I have sent a reply back and I will follow that up on here.

Now we all know that Shimano puts allot of money and work into fishing and conservation, and that yes a Vrod is now a very old rod, however a lifetime warranty limited or or not should last a lifetime under the conditions of the limitations.

Label the batteries 1-4

Take 1 and 2 and connect negative on 1 to positive on 2

Take 3 and 4 and connect negative on 3 to positive on 4

take positive on 1 and 3 and join them with a Y cable and this is your positive lead

take negative on 2 and 4 and join them with a Y cable and this is your negative lead

bada bing bada boom 24v

6'6" Medium Fast action.. Check out the StCroix Mojo Bass rods they are relly nice. I have a Mojo Bass crankbait rod and I love it. For Jerk baits I use a 6'6" Medium Fast action Shimano Vrod.

Thanks will do....

I have a nice v rod in great shape minus te grip. It is pretty hard and very slick. Whats the best way to resurface it? I was going to sand it but not sure if this is the best way to fix it.

Whatever this is obviously Big Foot

I agree, thats gonna be a tonne of cash just in parts. You could just re buy the motor for less than the parts to fix her up.

Hey guys, I just want to dip in and out for 10 minutes to try out the boat after de winterizing. Anyone know of one?

Good rates but access hours are no good. Thanks. anyone else? Definatly need a place with access on sundays, early and late as well.

anyone know of any cheap outdoor or indoor summer boat storage? Somehwere east end of toronto out to the oshawa/port perry area or up towards newmarket?