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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Zeiss warranty service -- how good? (1 Viewer)

Curtis Croulet

Curtis Croulet

Well-known member
It's been a long time since I posted here.

I purchased one of the very first Zeiss FL 8x42 bins in the U.S. in early Aug 2004. They have been my constant companions for birding and astronomy. Last week, coming into a darkened house late at night and trying to evade a zig-zagging cat, I tripped over an errantly placed stool and fell with my full weight on the bins, severing the housing adjacent to the hinge. I sent an inquiry to Zeiss's VA office, and I was told that "accidents" are usually not covered by the warranty, but that I should send them in anyway. And I've done that. I already knew that this accident is probably not covered, but I've hoped for a generous application of the warranty rules. It's a premium product, and I hope for premium service.

What has been the experience here with Zeiss service? I assume loose focus or misbehaving diopter adjustments are taken care of -- eventually (there seem to have been some problems getting them to actually do the work), but what about items that are not strictly covered by the warranty? It's my understanding that Swarovski often does cover issues beyond a strict application of warranty rules, and their repairs are done in the U.S.
 
I recently sent my 8x42 FLs in for warranty service to VA. It was just a seized eyecup that needed replacement. But it was done at no cost under warranty and I had my bins back within a week. Excellent service!

Not sure what they will do in your case. Best of luck.
 
JohnJos said:
I recently sent my 8x42 FLs in for warranty service to VA. It was just a seized eyecup that needed replacement. But it was done at no cost under warranty and I had my bins back within a week. Excellent service!

Not sure what they will do in your case. Best of luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks. It sounds as though I may have a resolution -- however it goes -- pretty quickly.
 
There doesn't seem to be much interest in this topic. For the record -- per phone call today from Karen Bookout at Zeiss in VA -- they are charging me $129 to replace the housing on my 8x42 FL. I think it's fair. If they don't have to send to Germany for parts, I'm supposed to have them back in 7-10 days. Mine have the small eyecups, and I'll be interested to see if they replace them with the newer, larger ones. I didn't ask.
 
<< It's my understanding that Swarovski often does cover issues beyond a strict application of warranty rules, and their repairs are done in the U.S.[/QUOTE]>>

I have a friend that left his Swar EL on the roof of his car, lost them on a busy highway, at rush hour! He and a friend returned at mid-night, once the traffic eased and pickup up the pieces...the barrels broken apart and the insides just shards of glass. Swarovski now has an addition to their "wall of shame", my friend has a new Swar 8.5 X 44 EL (free of charge).
 
Alurap said:
I have a friend that left his Swar EL on the roof of his car, lost them on a busy highway, at rush hour! He and a friend returned at mid-night, once the traffic eased and pickup up the pieces...the barrels broken apart and the insides just shards of glass. Swarovski now has an addition to their "wall of shame", my friend has a new Swar 8.5 X 44 EL (free of charge).
Click to expand...

They did that free?!? Now that's some customer service!
 
Curtis Croulet said:
There doesn't seem to be much interest in this topic. For the record -- per phone call today from Karen Bookout at Zeiss in VA -- they are charging me $129 to replace the housing on my 8x42 FL. I think it's fair. If they don't have to send to Germany for parts, I'm supposed to have them back in 7-10 days. Mine have the small eyecups, and I'll be interested to see if they replace them with the newer, larger ones. I didn't ask.
Click to expand...

That doesn't sound at all bad for a totalled bin repair. This has got to be below cost in terms of the tech's time: how long does it take to dismantle a bin and then put a bin back together from it's parts with a new enclosure.
 
I had to send a pair of the Conquest 8x40s to Zeiss NA for repair as I dropped them off th back of my pickup (it wasn't moving). They hit right on the focusing knob and the knob itself cracked right off the central hinge. Zeiss NA had to send them to Germany for repair. I received them back 3 months later along with a new cleaning kit and hat. Cost was around $228 if memory serves me.
 
I sent my 10x32's for diopter repair within 6 months of purchasing and it took several months (4?) to get them back. They were sent to Germany. The repairs were done well, but I got them back with a different case (black, not green) and with no strap on the case. I called and wrote but never got the strap. I realized I never should have sent the case in, but all the same, that aspect was disappointing. I thought if they might be replacing the bins I should send the complete kit.... They did send me a pair of 10x50's for use after several weeks and calls.
 
I think like a couple of other bin firms (Nikon comes to mind; and perhaps Leica too?) have set themselves up to have at least some repair capability in the US so they can speed up turnaround time and I presume reduce costs. Extensive repairs seem to go to Europe (or Japan).

Nikon used to have a terrible reputation but (anecdotally) they seem to have turned that around especially with fixed price repairs over a 25 year warranty period.

Didn't Swaro have a bad repair reputation at one time too? And they turned that around.

Perhaps its a recognition that if you are a premium brand you better have premium customer service to go with it too. And perhaps a realization that the repair department is not a profit center if you want the user to buy another pair of your bins. After all if you "badly damaged" a pair of expensive bins and you get shown a huge repair cost then that opens you to decide maybe to get another pair of bins instead. Perhaps from a different manufacturer. If you repair below cost then perhaps you retain the customers goodwill for a future purchase or future recommendations.
 
I once had trouble with loose particles inside a 1x 4 zeiss rifle scope. I knew that they had discontinued the model with one inch tube diameter, but bought it new. The loose mystery particles kept showing up in the view and finally zeiss offerred me one of their newer models with 30mm tube free of charge--quite an upgrade in pricepoint. My contact with them was in Virginia. Steve
 
My experiences with Nikon USA have been mixed. Turn around time has always been good. 2-3 weeks on average. In some cases the bins came back fully repaired, looking like new. I did have one experience though where I asked them to remove a fleck of dust on the inside of the ocular of an 8x32 SE. Two trips back and forth and the spec was still there. If it wasn't for Henry Link instructing me how to remove it I would probably still have had the problem.

No, it wasn't the pair I sold you Kevin. ;)
 
ColonelBlimp said:
They did that free?!? Now that's some customer service!
Click to expand...


Indeed they did, I can't speak about that being regular policy but I do know in this case they did. Also, I mentioned them being 8.5 X 44, of course EL come in 8.5 X 42, the 44 being a Swift spec. This friend now goes the name of "Swaro-man"!
 
It took three weeks to get my binoculars back. Repairs were performed in VA. They replaced the broken housing. They didn't replace or upgrade anything else: same eyecups, exact same pieces of rubber armor, same "Zeiss" medallion on the armor. Focus is a little stiffer, and the focus knob is a bit more prone to pop out. But it doesn't pop to a position that would accidentally change the diopter adjustment, which is now very stiff. Once set, it's not going anywhere. It seems to me that the mutual collimation of the tubes is even a bit improved. Star images are better than before, or at least better than I recall. I've looked through several "big binoculars" for astronomy lately, and, apart from light-gathering, the Zeiss blows away all of them.
 
zeiss repairs

i cannot comment on Zeiss repairs in the US, but I can comment on the service I received here in the UK.

I stupidly left my 65mm scope on it's tripod in something more than a stiff breeze and the whole set-up blew over, locking the eyecup on my zoom lens into its 'down' position. I posted a request for help from all the more knowledgeable people who regularly post items on this forum, but before anyone responded, Zeiss UK got in touch with me and said 'Do nothing except send the eyepiece to us'. They were brilliant - rang me within a couple of days and said they had repaired it, but would prefer to have the whole lens overhauled in Germany if I was agreeable. I went ahead with this request and within two weeks the lens was back in my hands, all cleaned and repaired free of charge. As the whole episode was my fault, I cannot praise Zeiss enough.

My Zeiss scope is great, my Zeiss bins are great and Zeiss service is great.

Old Grouse
(who actually had nothing to grouse about on this occasion).
 
Just got my Zeiss FL10x42 exchanged for new! After 4 years of use! Took 3 weeks. For no cost, because of loose eyepiece. All I needed to do is to send them with German guarantee to Germany.

Lang lebe die alte gute Teutonische Technische Zuverlässigkeit! (or whatever ;) ).
 
I recently placed my Zeiss Victorys on the roof of my car, forgot about them while dealing with a crying baby (mine), and drove off. They fell off about four miles down the road on a busy highway. When I found them several hours later both eyecups had broken off and one of the strap anchors had snapped off, I assume when it got run over. Barrels and lenses were still perfect, which says something about Zeiss quality.

I sent the bins in this week to the facility in VA fully expecting to have to pay since it was my own stupidity. Having not received a phone call from them to discuss the cost or repair I called them the other day to hear they were covering them under warranty and I'd have them back in 7-10 days. Great service!

I'd heard mixed reviews about Zeiss customer service (especially in comparison to Swaro), but I'm happy to say they've been great so far. We'll see when I get my bins back in a couple weeks, I guess.

Nate
 
I am genuinely glad to hear all of the positive responses about Zeiss NA's policies and performance. I can honestly say that it was instrumental in my purchasing another 7x42 FL.
 
I recently sent a pair of 8x30 conquest back to Germany under a warranty claim (dust on internal surface of lens) and have just received a replacement pair, complete with new strap, case etc..
In my view that is great service.
Mark
 
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