Shimano Customer Service

[iceintheveins]

Anyone here have much experience with their customer service? I sent my broken spooled curado in a week from yesterday, and they still haven't even looked at it, nor do they even have it in their system I was told. Meanwhile, from my pro qualifier that had the broken spool, I already got my replacement reel from Bass Pro Shops today. What a huge difference. I am not happy with Shimano right now. They told me to call back on Monday.

[Jake P]

I had issues with the reps on the phone but when i sent in my symetre i had it back in the time i was qouted. Good luck and keep bugging them.

[SirSnookalot]

My experience with Shimano service has not been good, in fact not good at all. Like the OP one of my reels was not in the system, finally got it back 6 weeks later only to be denied warranty as they said I did not use their oil. Another time I needed a line roller bearing for a stradic, the part were on back order until Feb, I called in October. I've had good communications with some of their reps, and very poor ones with others, Shimano is a last resort option for me.

This is not a reflection on their products, some are very good.

[smalljaw67]

I had 2 Symetres, one the bearings failed and the other had a bad bail spring, when I contacted Shimano I was told too bad and maybe I should have purchased one of their better reels....WOW, these reels were basically 100 bucks a pop and they told me to buy better ones, well I did, just not from Shimano. I know they make some great reels but dealing with a bad rep sure puts a bad taste in your mouth. The funny thing is I'm not a brand loyal guy, I have Quantum reels, Diawa, Pflueger, Okuma, Abu Garcia, and Shimano up to the point were they lost me as a customer but they do make some great tackle.

[jeb2]

I've had mixed experiences with them. Shimano handles all the Loomis stuff directly now. In the past, when Loomis was doing it themselves, the service was great and turn around time was short, usually about 2 weeks on a rod. Now it's well over a month. It took almost 6 weeks for them to replace a defective NRX for me recently. And my local dealer complains quite a bit about the service since they forced all the calls to go directly to Shimano.

I've called them a few times while considering new Loomis rods. The Shimano folks know next to nothing about the Loomis rods, in my experience. They've even transferred me to folks that are suppose to be more knowledable on the products. Not. Basically parrot back to me what is on the Loomis website. With rods that cost as much as most of the Loomis ones do, the least you'd think they could do is have pre-sale calls go to someone who actually works at Loomis and knows what they're selling.

So, like others here, I think they have some great products. But feel they need to pick it up some in the customer service area.

[0119]

Loomis rods are sent to a different location, a different state even than the reels are sent to. I cant see how the rods should tax the personnel at Shimano Americas offices.

Ive been waiting fince last August for a back ordered chromed plastic cover for a CI4 4000. Since January for a bail arm assembly for a CI4 2500.

I would expect BPS to do the same with their inhouse reels as Spirit Lake does with Revos. Simply send replacement as they do no repair work there. All damaged goods are sent back to Asia in bulk just as Quantum does.

[jeb2]

BPS does apparently fix and/or refurb at least some of their reels. They have an "outlet" store next to the Springfield, MO BPS and the reel cases are full of Johnny Morris reels that have been refurbed. Some other brands too, but mostly the BPS stuff.

[LuckyHandsINC.]

Purefishing also does repair work.

[A-Rob]

I prefer taking it to one of the Shimano satellite warranty centers.

They are family owned tackle shops that are licensed to repair your shimano...they tend to be more consistent with the friendly service you expect from the local tackle store

[Bair]

I prefer taking it to one of the Shimano satellite warranty centers.

They are family owned tackle shops that are licensed to repair your shimano...they tend to be more consistent with the friendly service you expect from the local tackle store

Yeah, or they just replace it and send the bill to Shimano

[SirSnookalot]

This topic regarding Shimano popped up yesterday on my SW board, unlike BR it is not as much pro Shimano. People were looking for alternatives to sending their reels back to California. Satellite centers do ok work but they may run into a parts problem as well. A couple of years ago I take a reel into an authorized center, not only for Shimano but other brands as well. I needed a bearing replacement for my brand xyz reel, the bearing was not in stock so the tackle store just swapped with a bearing of lesser importance, they told me that. If they will do it on brand xyz, they will do it Shimano as well. I won't mention the tackle store's name, except to say it's a big operation in Palm Beach county, with a great reputation, I'm sill looking for an alternative.

[roadwarrior]

I have found their customer service to be exceptional.

Our ole friend, Dan Thornberg is a designer and head

of Customer Service. If you have an issue with Shimano,

contact him direct...Dan answers the phone!

[iceintheveins]

I have found their customer service to be exceptional.

Our ole friend, Dan Thornberg is a designer and head

of Customer Service. If you have an issue with Shimano,

contact him direct...Dan answers the phone!

Thanks man!

[iceintheveins]

They just got my reel in today and the tech is going to look at it. If it's just the spool that's the issue they will pop in it and send it back quickly they said. Shouldn't take 4 weeks to do that they told me.

[tomustang]

when I contacted Shimano I was told too bad and maybe I should have purchased one of their better reels

They pulled the same crap on me. "Should've bought a better rod, I did, and now own over 10 Croix's. Customer service goes a LONG way.

I have found their customer service to be exceptional

Exceptional as in lead me in another direction, then I agree.

[iceintheveins]

Yep, now they are telling me 3 weeks minimum again. Probably two weeks before they even look at it. Lousy service for sure.

[00 mod]

Did you call Dan?

Jeff

[Capt.Bob]

Ive had nothing but excellent results with their service, I had 4 instances where I told them what was wrong or broken and had the parts to fix it within a week, NO CHARGE! I have never sent my reels in to them, just told em what I needed and thats it, they just told me we will get it right out to you and ask if there was anything else?? oh ye and all were 3 to 6 years old, but all there top shelf reels also? Good luck when it comes back I'm sure it will be no charge and fixed rite!

[iceintheveins]

I will call Dan and follow Captain Bob's advice.

[SirSnookalot]

If one has to ask for some one special to get good service, doesn't sound like it bodes well for someone that has no knowledge of who Dan is. Not everyone that calls Shimano is even a BR member, until yesterday I had no idea of who Dan is. I've made calls where the rep was polite and tried to be helpful, other calls the rep talked down to me and was anything but helpful. A customer with a $50 reel should be treated no different than one with a $900 reel. I rate their customer service as not being one of the better ones out their, this is not a reflection on their original product.

I have been to several repair shops here in Florida, even the authorized service centers can't get part if they are not in stock. There is a difference between the parts department and the repair department, they are different entities. My roller bearing was on backorder for better than 4 months, part totally unavailable, sent the reel in instead and was back to me in a mere 4 weeks, luckily at no charge.

[J Francho]

My experience with them is limited to ordering parts. Most of the time, unless they are very expensive parts, they send them under good faith warranty. These are old reels, and that they stand by them speaks volumes to me. In fact just last Friday, I ordered a new worm drive and pawl to replace on a VERY well used Calcutta. No charge.

Now, as far as sending reels in for repair....I have to assume they probably do have a back log of a few weeks. Heck, I have a backlog of up to 4 weeks in the winter for cleanings.

Just curious, what happened to the spool?

[cfout4050]

Well I am sure this is going to ruffle some feathers. I had a Calias actually 3 that I used and they were great reels and not cheap right around 400.00 dollars. One of them started making noise it never made before so I took it in to a warrany center as you guy and paid to have it cleaned and lubed as I thought it was just dirty and needing lube. I was called a day later and told the real had a bad worm gear. I said ok what do we do call shimano and ask them to warranty this. I was shocked at what came next the service center told me sure but you should do it we have no luck getting parts. Oh boy here we go so call shimano tell them the problem and I was told should have bought better reel. I said I DID 400.00 was no were near a cheap Shimano at the time I think the Calcutta was 499.99 and that was there top reel at that time I could be wrong. So any way I send it I call them 3 weeks after I sent it certified mail. We dont have it here I said yes you do well we cant find it.I said send me a new one to replace the one you lost fair is fair. Well no luck 3mnths later I recieved my reel back not fixed normal wear and tear stated for the non warranty . I since realised that there is other companys that make just as good reals or better that have fantastic customer service. I will never buy Shimano again period.. My brother also had problems similar to the postings here I am not mad about non warranty as much as I am about the way it was handled I felt I was not good enough to own there reels so I Ebayed them all screw Shimano with a Big studded stick .....

[McAlpine]

I bought a Calcutta 200B and the drag did not work right. Just can't lock it down. I called up and they suggested replacing drag disks but the parts were on back order until January. This was last fall. Come Februrary I still had not heard anything. Called them up and they said they had the parts but I would have to pay for them. I bought the parts just to get my reel working. Parts arrived, replaced what I had....drag still does not tighten up correctly. Then a week later another set of parts shows up, which they also billed me for.

I gave up. I don't buy Shimano's any more.

[J Francho]

I buy a reel and it is defective, I return it to the store, not try to fix it.

[McAlpine]

The trip to the store would have been a pretty long one since I was out of town when I bought it. Customer service should have taken care of me but did not. I ended up mailing it to the store for a refund I'm sure they just sent it back to Shimano for a replacement which is exactly what Shimano should have done with me to start with.