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Guarantees (1 Viewer)

H

helenol

Well-known member
Is there a difference between the various optics companies regarding guarantees they provide when purchasing binoculars? I'm thinking more along the lines of Leica/Zeiss/Nikon/Swarovski et al.

Or are they pretty much standard these days, and does it depend on which model one purchases?

Thanks.
 
I gather from some of the remarks I've been reading that warranty policies for these products in the UK and continental Europe differ from those in the US. In the US warranty service is often used as a competitive advertising device just as product features or perceived sexiness are (e.g., you'll pick up beautiful women if you have the right car). In the US, Zeiss offers a "Lifetime Transferable Warranty." So, if you give away or sell the bins, they're still covered. But this seems contrary to the "lifetime" bit, and when I asked them, they said it's the bin's lifetime, not the owner's. So does that mean the warranty ends when the binocular breaks, in which case there is effectively no warranty at all? Zeiss has a generally good reputation for warranty service, for being generous and accommodating, so I'm counting on that if I have a problem. However, an American in one of the scope threads has an unhappy experience with a Zeiss scope. Zeiss in North America apparently has no way to test a scope the owner feels is not up to par and must send the scope back to Germany. Swarovski offers a "lifetime" warranty that is not transferable. This is the original owner's lifetime. If you die or sell the bins or scope, they are no longer covered. Swarovski also has a reputation for good service. Someone else will have to describe the details of Leica's "Passport Protection Plan," which I guess is only available in North America.
 
Helen.

There seems to be a difference btw Europe and the US.

Until recently some companies gave 30 year warranties on certain models (not all), but it would appear that in recent times the warranty period has been reduced, this I gather is more of a commercial decision and not to do with manufacturing quality. I was told, that it does not make economic sense to have to make parts for 30 years, after a model has been discontinued, thinking about it it does make sense even though we would prefer much more cover. Models which came with the longer warranty periods are still valid.

I would suggest that you contact the manufacturers and check which model has what warranty.
 
Here's a pretty good one:

Eagle Optics Platinum Protection Warranty

"If any Eagle Optics Ranger Platinum Class binocular is found to have defects in workmanship or materials, Eagle Optics will repair or replace it. No warranty card is necessary. No time limit applies. The guarantee is transferable, it applies whether you are the original purchaser or not.

At Eagle Optics, we are dedicated to total customer satisfaction. If your Ranger Platinum Class binocular requires service or repair not covered by our lifetime guarantee, Eagle Optics will repair or replace it (even if it was your fault) for just $20, plus return shipping and handling."

http://www.eagleoptics.com/index.asp?dept=1&type=19&purch=1&pid=2991
 
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mak, "lifetime" warranties usually give the vendor the right to substitute a similar product if the warranted item is unrepairable (e.g. no parts) or obsolete. Also, the manufacturer does not make parts forever and ever. They make a lot of parts during the production run of the product. Most parts get assembled into finished merchandise. The remaining parts are kept in stock as spares. When the stock of parts is exhausted, they are truly gone -- they don't make any more.
 
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Not quite well versed in this but just for your info my Bushnell Legends are guaranteed for 30 years. All I would need to do is return them to the shop for a new pair. If the shop is closed then send them in.

Recently I complained that the wheel label fell off and they sent me a new one!!! (Yes, I know I am fussy!)
 
helenol said:
Is there a difference between the various optics companies regarding guarantees they provide when purchasing binoculars? I'm thinking more along the lines of Leica/Zeiss/Nikon/Swarovski et al.

Or are they pretty much standard these days, and does it depend on which model one purchases?
Click to expand...

The big 4 all offer some sort of long term or lifetime warranty. Some claim to be no-fault, some claim to be transferrable.

It's my understanding the Leica Passport warranty is a no fault warranty. As long as you could ship the pieces in they would fix it or give you a new one. When I bought my BAs several years ago, the Passport warranty was good for 3 years. Near the end I was tempted to toss them under some heavy equipment, but I was either too honest or too chicken.

Perhaps something to be more concerned about is how those companies interpret their warranty when you have a problem to fix. Relatively cheap repairs are certainly more likely to get addressed than expensive ones. I think any company can find an out when they want too.

In the US, Swarovski has an excellent reputation of replacing small parts and doing small repairs free of charge. I had Pentax USA repair a scope with a non-functional focus knob for just a nominal fee to cover shipping (and I had never sent the registration in). A friend of mine had a Fujinon scope come apart in the middle as a result of a major auto accident. Fujinon put it back together for free. He's not real critical about optics, so I dont' know if its as good as it was, but he is happy.

Among photographers in the US, Nikon had a horrible reputation. I see within the last few years their warranty offerings have been greatly enhanced. Don't know if they are "walking their talk".

I'm going to try out Leica's service soon by sending in my BAs for a tuneup. We'll see how it goes.

IMO, no matter what is in writing, its still abit of a crap shoot. If you really need the gauge the issue, I suggest talking to other optics owners and store personnel to see how brand performance has been.
 
Curtis Croulet said:
Interesting that the question comes from the UK, but most responses come from the US!
Click to expand...

Might have something to do with the time at which it was posted. Take another look tomorrow.
 
H - the guarantees were published in a recent issue of Birdwatching, I'll look them up tonight or if someone has the review of top bins to hand maybe they could post them.
 
Curtis, maybe the companies put a bigger emphasis on guarantees in the states than they do this side of the pond? I don't know.

Are guarantees an important factor for the purchaser when buying equipment in the States? Maybe stuff is just "marketed" in a different way in the there? Personally, a guarantee doesn't figure that high on my list of priorities when purchasing stuff. I figure, if it's broke, through no fault of my own, they'll fix it ;)
 
Helen, I haven't had the pleasure of visiting the UK, so I don't know the psychology of a UK buyer who is contemplating purchase of an expensive recreational item such as birding optics. To a US buyer, the most important parameter is price. Cheap, regardless of quality, almost always trumps expensive. I'm saying that the prospect of a better view may not be sufficient to sell the binoculars in the desired quantities. So marketers use additional tools to hook buyers. One tool is to massage the buyer's ego, to make them feel they will become part of an exclusive club -- hence, "lifetime" warranties, "no-fault" warranties, and things like Leica's "Passport Protection Plan" -- coverage rarely encountered with cheap optics. Fancy warranties cost the seller almost nothing, since most problems with the product will be apparent out of the box or certainly within a short time after purchase, and even cheap bins will have this level of coverage. Very few buyers will be research ornithologists whose binoculars spring a leak after ten years in a tropical jungle. So the prospect of occasionally having to give a new binocular to such a user because his old one is unrepairable is a small cost to bear. But the advantage of such warranties may be that many ordinary birders may be persuaded to dip into their childrens' inheritance to buy the expensive bins.
 
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H - sorry about the delay I was out last night.

Swaro, Zeiss& Leica 30 years, curiously Nikon only 10 years. I think Opticron do 30 years as well

On scopes all the "big" names offer 10 years, opticron offer 30 years on their more expensive scopes like the HR66.
 
I never thought of this when I bought my Canon IS binoculars - didn't belong to BF then (and it didn't exist either - this was back in 1999)! I looked at the handbook today - and it's only 12 months, but fortunately I'm still very happy with them.
 
pduxon said:
H - sorry about the delay I was out last night.

Swaro, Zeiss& Leica 30 years, curiously Nikon only 10 years. I think Opticron do 30 years as well

On scopes all the "big" names offer 10 years, opticron offer 30 years on their more expensive scopes like the HR66.
Click to expand...

Pete.

I'm pretty confident that this has changed, not all binoculars have 30 years.

I'm not sure about Curtis reply on manufacturing and when parts are exhausted so is the product, contrary to the warranty period, unless he has inside knowledge!

mak
 
mak said:
Pete.

I'm pretty confident that this has changed, not all binoculars have 30 years.

I'm not sure about Curtis reply on manufacturing and when parts are exhausted so is the product, contrary to the warranty period, unless he has inside knowledge!

mak
Click to expand...
Mak

could be right. I took it from the last Birdwatch survey. The Zeiss Conquest is 10 years. But I'm sure H is aiming slightly higher!!
 
My fairly new Opticron ES80 GA ED scope has a 30 year warranty. Last year my Opticron bins (about ten years old) were mended free of charge and very quickly when they went out of alingnment. Therfore I have no complaints so far about Opticron service.
 
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