Leica's Enigmatic Passport Protection Warranty (1 Viewer)

My understanding from posts that I have read is that it is necessary to mail in the green registration card within 30 days of purchase. This card is in a postcard format so I'm assuming that an accompanying copy of the receipt is not required. My question is, does Leica really know and/or investigate somehow when and where the binoculars were sold. Do they contact the dealer? Do they have a log of where each serial number was sold and when? Is each serial number logged somewhere as to whether it was sold to an authorized dealer?
It just seems that this warranty registration card doesn't give Leica the information they would need to enforce their "rules".
I didn't know that companies could actually withhold a warranty for not mailing in the registration (big brother) card.

WHAT IS THE REAL DEAL ON THIS THING?????? What information does Leica have access to? What do they really enforce and how do they enforce it?

The warranty card for my Zeiss FL has a printed sticker with the serial number. I registered the product on-line (& received e-mail confirmation), so that's why I still have the card. I haven't seen a Leica card, but I suspect that Leica's USA arm does indeed know which serial numbers have been shipped to them. Some attorney here will have to answer in detail about the laws concerning warranties, but I believe in most states (maybe it's even federal law) they cannot deny you warranty service simply for not mailing in a card, but they can certainly demand to see your receipt, and it better have an authorized dealer on it. It could be, too, that extra levels of service, e.g. "passport protection," could require the card, that without the card you revert to a lower level of standard service.

I can tell you how the Passport warranty works if you fail to send in your card. My wife gave me a Duovid for Christmas. In my shock and surprise, I never sent in the card. Eighteen months later, the diopter adjuster failed to keep its adjustment when the magnification was changed. I called Leica tech support and they said it needed service, sent me to warranty service. She found all of my Leica warranty cards except for the Duovid. I pulled out the original box and there the card sat. The Leica lady said, "That might be a problem."

I brought the Duovid in the original box with all the accessories and cards to my dealer, and he overnighted them to Leica with a cover letter stating the problem, SN, date of purchase, verified I was the original owner, and my address for shipment back. A week or two later I received a letter from Leica that my Duovids were being repaired under warranty at no charge and they would be returned in 4-6 weeks. Eight weeks later I called for a progress report and was told they were scheduled to ship out the following Monday. They were, and I received them the following day.

They were heat sealed in a plastic bag, inside a classy black velvet drawstring bag with "Leica Customer Service" printed in silver, inside another plastic bag, in the original box (or a new box). All assorted bits (strap, rainguards) were brand new. The Duovids appear brand new as well; I am fanatical about my equipment and they looked almost new when I sent them in, but these look pristine. They either were cleaned perfectly or they substituted a new Duovid. I couldn't find the SN in a cursory look, but work has intervened and I haven't had a chance to check for the SN to see if they repaired mine or sent me a new one.

Nice job, Leica!

I just bought a Zeiss 7x42 FL and feel a bit unprotected by their restricted warranty. If I am going to be using binoculars in a challenging environment, I'll leave the Zeiss at home and take my Leicas.

sent mine back to leica Uk and the turnaround was lest that a week (5 days) very good i thought. I would have been lost without them.