Shimano warranty change

[AdamS]

Thought I'd share this info incase anyone out there didn't already know...I guess too many greedy people tried to take advantage of Shimano and unfortunately, they decided to change their rod warranty.

 

Shimano is changing their warranty and will be discontinuing their limited lifetime, and replacement program. Instead, they will now offer a limited 1-year warranty. This came into affect August 1, 2014

 

sorry for the really poor quality, I got the pictures off another site. theres more pages but these are the main ones.

 

Shimano's site confirms and now states this:

http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content/global_fish/en/us/index/customer_service0/Rod_Warranty.html

 

 

[PikeMolester]

I just sent 2 back last month that were 5 years old and they exchanged them no questions. Then one Compre they sent me broke the 3rd time I used it while casting. I've stuck with them because of their old warranty. This sucks.

[captpierre]

for what they are charging now for their rods, this is not good.

[FrankTheRabbit]

Does this apply to Loomis products as well?

[sneak_e_pete]

I can understand the change somewhat. I guy has a rod for 30 years, snaps it to get a new one....but a 1 year warranty?!?! Please. At least give a 5 year to show you stand behind your product.

 

I have always owned nothing but Shimano, and have had some warrantied too, but this will make me think twice about buying another.

 

I can buy 10 cheaper rods for the price of one of their higher end and I also believe that a quality reel does more than a quality rod.

[Old Ironmaker]

Time to reconsider when shopping, that warranty was big for me. I have 2 with the tips gone, never took them back. If I close a trunk on it I'm not asking for another. Too late now regardless.

[Christopheraaron]

I can understand the change somewhat. I guy has a rod for 30 years, snaps it to get a new one....but a 1 year warranty?!?! Please. At least give a 5 year to show you stand behind your product.

 

I have always owned nothing but Shimano, and have had some warrantied too, but this will make me think twice about buying another.

 

I can buy 10 cheaper rods for the price of one of their higher end and I also believe that a quality reel does more than a quality rod.

The problem is that a five year warranty opens them up to ware and tear cases, the warranty is there incase there is a defect in the rod and if there is that rod won't last a week of fishing.

 

Just a heads up that next year's line looks like it's going up again...

[Lunatic]

damn.ive never had to use their warranties but knowing my luck ill break all my shimano gear somehow. it does make me reconsider when buying new rods tho,and might go to st.croix.

[Christopheraaron]

Remember no warranty (that comes with gear at least) covers damaged inflicted by yourself.....

[Moosebunk]

Does kinda suck! Tend to break everything eventually... doesn't matter the make. Last two Shimano rods I've bought (a Crucial and Clarus) had issues from the get-go though... alot of crumbling cork immediately once the plastic wrap came off of the Clarus and a loose reel seat with the Crucial. Still like the rods enough, St. Croix have been worse for me with eyelet issues, won't buy Abu logs, not about to pay for Loomis, Fenwick...... maybe, Daiwa...... haven't yet but maybe too.

 

Whatta ya do???

 

One year warranty is a rather substantial amount of time if fishing enough to know whether or not you got a lemon...

[FrankTheRabbit]

Depending on the type of rod, 1-year may not be sufficient. Shimano has a lot of species/technique specific rods. Eg., being bass. Bass season being open from 3rd week of June till end of November, which is five months. Realistically, a lot of casual bass anglers stop fishing after October, so you only have 4 months to fish that rod. And you may only have two or three weekends per month to fish, so really, you'd be taking the the rod out about 12 times during a season. That really isn't a lot of time to know whether or not your purchase is a lemon. And what about more hardcore anglers who have an array of rods. So that rod you purchased might even see even less water time.

 

I'd say, bump it to two years. That's more reasonable than having a one year warranty.

 

Gonna re-ask…but anyone know if Loomis rods are affected by the same warranty coverage?

Edited August 14, 2014 by FrankTheRabbit

[Regan Thompson]

So much for buying one Calcutta and one Compre for a lifetime! Thought it might be too good to be true!

[Christopheraaron]

Depending on the type of rod, 1-year may not be sufficient. Shimano has a lot of species/technique specific rods. Eg., being bass. Bass season being open from 3rd week of June till end of November, which is five months. Realistically, a lot of casual bass anglers stop fishing after October, so you only have 4 months to fish that rod. And you may only have two or three weekends per month to fish, so really, you'd be taking the the rod out about 12 times during a season. That really isn't a lot of time to know whether or not your purchase is a lemon. And what about more hardcore anglers who have an array of rods. So that rod you purchased might even see even less water time.

 

I'd say, bump it to two years. That's more reasonable than having a one year warranty.

 

Gonna re-ask…but anyone know if Loomis rods are affected by the same warranty coverage?

You do raise a good point there, but really if you know that you have to check it out before the year is up you could at least take a few casts with it in under a year, no?

 

I believe the loomis warranty is unchanged.

[Old Ironmaker]

Buying anything off season is a good point FranktheRabbit where warranty's apply. Buddy bought a new GPS combo because he saved a few bucks in October. By the time he got around to hooking it up it was July for Walleye here on Erie. So really he only has 6 weeks left on it. Something to think about.

[sneak_e_pete]

My latest Compre was used on 3 fishing trips. I baby my rods like they are one of my kids. On the 4th trip it snapped between the lead guide on a 1/2 pound walleye.

[musky_hunter]

G.Loomis warranty is still lifetime for defects and workmanship. All warranty rods will be inspected and approved.

 

G.Loomis has discontinued the wild cards for any rods. They now offer expeditor program. $125+tax for imx-NRX and $100+tax for gl2-gl3. Old wild cards will be honoured.

[Lucky Linda]

I bought a crucial for my trip to Nipigon. Fished with it for 15 min. Went to put the hook in the holder the tip snapped off. I bought it at Sail. They replace it no problem but are 4.5 hours away! For $60 or so I can mail it in. So I called Shimano. When you press #1 for English it disconnects me. So, after 3 try's i press #2 for French. That hangs up too. Lol. Called Sail again...they offered to make arrangements to return to Shimano for me or they said I could just wait till I was through Oshawa again and get my money back as they don't have another one. They have the Shimano rods on clearance. So I am not too impressed with Shimano at this time, however thrilled with the customer service at Sail.

 

It 's my first lifetime warranty rod and my first rod to break like that.

 

I did really like it for the few moments I had it.

 

Linda

[Steve]

just keep an eye on their RAISING prices.

 

BEFORE, Shimano claimed almost 15% of a rod cost (in some cases 20%) is for the expected warranty returns.

 

So, right off the mark, the prices should have dropped 15%.

 

OF COURSE they didn't.

 

I've been told by a local shimano rep that next year we will see another raise in prices.

 

Shimano is only out for one thing - your wallet.

 

Their quality has been dramatically decreasing over the last five years.

 

Their unwillingness to work with left handed bait casters is remarkable.

 

I personally hope Shimano's sales drops drastically over the next couple years - that way whom ever made these decisions get shown the door.

THANKFULLY they are some real nice rods currently in the market with MUCH better warranties...and in some cases, cheaper.

 

Like Bunk, when you use your tackle a lot - and I mean every week/weekend (not just for a "season"), you will see broken rods....I can't count on both my hands the number of broken rods I've had over the last 10 years.

[BillM]

lol @ the left handed conspiracy theory.

 

I don't run Shimano rods, but use their reels pretty much exclusively.

[bushart]

My go to rods these last years are St Croix

 

"And man do they catch fish"

 

Reels are shimano tho

 

Not sure on any warranties tho---I try hard these days to take care (at these prices espesh)

[John]

So much for buying one Calcutta and one Compre for a lifetime! Thought it might be too good to be true!

Haven't bought a Shimano rod for quite a while prefer St Croix muskie rods myself. My last walleye rod was a Spiel special and I couldn't be happier.

[miller]

The thing with warranties is they are designed to cover manufacturers defects, which in general will fail within the first few trips if there is one. Many people take advantage of it and get a rod covered that is 10+ years old and Shimano loses their shirt on it, I wouldn't be surprised to see other companies follow suit and shorten their warranties within the next 5-10 years. It must have been pretty bad if they can afford to hire several staff to work full-time inspecting rods.

Edited August 15, 2014 by miller

[AKRISONER]

It always seems the more money i spend on fishing gear, the more it breaks? Anyone else with me in this boat ahahhaa

 

now im really worried about my g-loomis rod i just picked up. I did however see that now with G-loomis you can pay 100 bucks and they will replace your rod no matter what happens to it...not such a bad deal.

[Christopheraaron]

The thing with warranties is they are designed to cover manufacturers defects, which in general will fail within the first few trips if there is one. Many people take advantage of it and get a rod covered that is 10+ years old and Shimano loses their shirt on it, I would be surprised to see other companies follow suit and shorten their warranties within the next 5-10 years. It must have been pretty bad if they can afford to hire several staff to work full-time inspecting rods.

^This^

 

Also, just a heads up that SAIL has changed their policy on returned rods, you now have to send them to the manufacturer, we can mail them as well but they will not be replaced by SAIL.

[Sinker]

now with G-loomis you can pay 100 bucks and they will replace your rod no matter what happens to it...not such a bad deal.

Great deal for loomis, it only costs them a fraction of that to build them!

 

I have a lot of shimano lifetime rods. This new deal sucks.

 

S.