St Croix Warranty ??

[Topwaterspook]

I just got off the phone with St. Croix's service representative. I'm not at all impressed with their warranty. I bought three new Tidemaster series rods for Mexico. The second day out our guide picked up my medium rod and broke the tip section, while setting the hook on a 3 1/2 lb. bass. I've never owned a St. Croix rod before this time. Upon contacting the service center, I find out that it is actually cheaper to buy a brand new tip than to use the warranty and pay the shipping both ways. What the heck kind of warranty is that ?  I think these will be the last St Croix rods I buy. Just a word of caution to those who may be considering purchasing their rods.

[F14A-B]

Yep.... Loomis about as bad... As for me I get the Gl2 series... After registration... They send you a wildcard..... That card allows a one time over the counter at any loomis dealer... Anytime anywhere

No time limit.

St. Croix has become troublesome.. I still like the rods but... Yea it's more$ at warranty time..

[ww2farmer]

It bugs the crap out of me that people who graduated high school, and who claim to be gainfully employable, can fail to comprehend St Croixs warranty. What do you want them to do? You want the CEO of the company to personally build you a new one and hand deliver it? Do you want them to take an ad out in the local newspaper saying how sorry they are to have committed such an injustice to you? God almighty..... Give me a break. Is it the best warranty in the business.... Probably not, but it's one of the better ones. I don't know what is so hard about sending a broken rod in, and paying for the shipping on a new one..... But I guess some people like to complain.

[JeziHogg]

Maybe your guide should pay since he broke your rod.

[S Hovanec]

I believe you can also print the shipping label from their website at a reduced rate. If I'm reading the post correctly, it was a multi-piece rod? They're pretty cheap to ship anyway. Not like you're mailing a 7'6" one piece across the country.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

You must have a 2pc rod if you can get just the tip portion. You would be much luckier to have purchased a 1pc and broke it, then pay more to get it fixed under warranty. I like that they offer tips I bought a couple tips at one time so saved on shipping so have spare if needed.

$40 for 2 top sections of an 8' $200 rod not bad to me.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

These aren't warranties per say, but rather replacement programs. The guide high-sticked your rod and broke it. He owes you a new rod, not St Croix. If this had proven to be a defect in material or workmanship I'm sure the resolution would have been different. There is no need to perform any movement that flexes a rod tip beyond 90* to the butt. You actually lose mechanical advantage in those situations. I say it all the time: I'd rather pay a fair price for a product on its own merits than to pay built in expense for a service I'll likely never use.

[DaveT63]

I have used St. Croix's warranty a couple times on rods broken through my own fault.  I actually consider it a pretty decent warranty.  It's much better than paying full price for a new rod.  As for the tip issue, you can put a new tip on it, but your action isn't going to be quite the same as a new rod.  Not sure how much different it might be, and maybe just very little, but I would much rather send it in and pay to get a new rod than be using a repaired rod.  JMHO.

 

Dave

[iabass8]

Do you now how many of these stories (not saying yours didn't happen but i'm assuming you understand this) a company as large as St. Croix gets? How are they to know what is manufacturer defect or a users own stupidity? A rod could have a nick in it from dropping it on your guides boat, could have been stepped on, or any number of things. All they are asking is you pay for the shipping and they will replace the rod for free.....you use their discount shipping label you are paying around 30-35$ for a brand new rod.... and you are complaining about not getting something for free when THE GUIDE you were with broke it. The shipping cost is just a small cost they charge because they have zero idea wheather it's user error or a manufacturer defect. Aside from that, it's a free rod. People rave about Dobyn's no questions asked 60$ replacement warranty. St. Croix's Silver Star plan is nearly half that. They have easily one of the best warranties in the business and I'm a Dobyn's guy.

 

and your idiot guide owes you a new rod. not st. croix. he at least owes you the money to ship it and get it back.

[Topwaterspook]

It seems rather strange that new tip section costs $30 including shipping. To utilize the warranty, you must pack up and ship the whole rod, send a check for $20 to cover return shipping. The prepaid, discounted shipping label costs $15. That adds up to $35. So, my point is...........what good is the warranty?

[iabass8]

Is that a serious question? You get a brand new rod for the cost of shipping.... Thats the point of the warranty. If you want it free in your hands right then and there you may want to start buliding your own or buy house brand rods and pray they take them back when you tell them a guide broke your rod and u want a new one free of charge.

[michang5]

Last time I checked it costs money to ship items from Point A to Point B.

It seems rather strange that new tip section costs $30 including shipping. To utilize the warranty, you must pack up and ship the whole rod, send a check for $20 to cover return shipping. The prepaid, discounted shipping label costs $15. That adds up to $35. So, my point is...........what good is the warranty?

[flyfisher]

I many are missing the point here too....this is not a warranty issue.  St Croix has a great replacement program too even if you aren't the original owner or you broke it yourself. 

 

I don't see $35 to replace a rod as a big deal for a $200+ rod.  You could have it "warrantied" what, 6 times before you pay for another rod.  Seems like a good deal to me.

[5fishlimit]

Is it too early to make nominations for "Most asinine post of 2014"?

[ww2farmer]

Is it too early to make nominations for "Most asinine post of 2014"?

No.............in fact I'm pretty sure that on Jan 1st some one thought that about something I said.

[MacP]

That's why I stick with over the counter warranties.  Shimano and Okuma for me.

[rawjuice]

I understand that you dont want to spend more money on a rod for shipping but, thats just how it is, you get a brand new rod, I dont see whats wrong with that?

[tomustang]

Why was your guide using your rod? Why did he break it and you have to pay for the damage?

[Jeff H]

LOL....you guys can be brutal bastages!  My daughters boyfriend broke the tip off my AS68MXF, took back to my favorite local independent where I buy everything (Capra's Sporting Goods) and they took care of it for me.  I gladly paid $15 for St. Croix to ship me a new $180.00 rod!  I rather like their warranty options but I hope not to use it again.  Also, this is EXACTLY why I buy from Capra's....they will go to bat for me when needed for anything and just don't get that kind of service from internet shopping or big stores.  Support your local independent retailers!!

[jerzeeD]

Sssooo let me get this straight. Your guide broke your rod and you are upset that St. Croix will not eat 100% of the cost of his mistake?! Makes sense.... said no one.

[SirSnookalot]

I just got off the phone with St. Croix's service representative. I'm not at all impressed with their warranty. I bought three new Tidemaster series rods for Mexico. The second day out our guide picked up my medium rod and broke the tip section, while setting the hook on a 3 1/2 lb. bass. I've never owned a St. Croix rod before this time. Upon contacting the service center, I find out that it is actually cheaper to buy a brand new tip than to use the warranty and pay the shipping both ways. What the heck kind of warranty is that ?  I think these will be the last St Croix rods I buy. Just a word of caution to those who may be considering purchasing their rods.

Upon reading this how can people be certain the guide did something wrong.  All I see is that the guide set the hook on a fish, I would like to think a guide knows what he is doing.  Without actually being there no one but Topwaterspook knows how or why the rod broke.  Questions that need to be addressed are, was the rod defective in the first place, did some one step on it, what about being jostled around during transport.  Without really knowing the answers I don't know if it's a warranty issue or not.  From the sound of it I might be a bit agitated at St Croix or any rod manufacturer, a rod on it's second outing should not normally break.

[y2jamie1]

While lifting my StC Mojo Bass rod out the back of my Scion xB the top portion...about 4 eyelets down broke for some reason.  I purchased the rod at Sportsman Warehouse here in Columbia.  Instead of contacting StC, I just took it back to them, no questions asked, they gave me a new one.  Sweet.  Love my SC rods...maybe that just one just had a void or flaw in the carbon layup.

 

Jamie

[F14A-B]

I have never broken a rod that wasn't my fault!

Conversely , I have never seen so many/ heard of

So many broken rods.. As I have the last 5 years.

My son broke 2 Avids of mine last year! It was his fault! Man one was a fave of mine.... But I toss those out... No warranty claim here..

He won't use any of my equipment now! He has to learn to care for things better than that. He has

Still got rods and reels I have given to him.. Good

Stuff too.... But now he can spend his money as he works, on his own equipment ... He will learn!

[Kevin22]

I broke a st. croix eyecon. Was not my fault at all, I set the hook on a 12" walleye and it broke right at the transition from tip to backbone. I used their warranty program ($10 shipping label printed online + $20 check) and sent it in. The next day I got a call from their head service guy telling me that they were going to cover it under warranty. Then tried to upgrade me, which was nice, but I declined. I asked if it was possible to switch to a premier for my replacement rod instead of the eyecon (same retail price, but 5 year warranty instead of 2yr) he said sure and 2 days later I got a band new premier rod. For $30 it wasn't a bad deal. They are not the worst out there. 

 

I've used st. croix, daiwa, and abu garcia over the years and all have been great. 

 

Daiwa experience was the best. I had a iaconelli rod break, I paid $75 for it at TW on sale. I sent the rod in and got an email a few days later telling me that they no longer make that rod and do not have any to send me. They asked if they could upgrade me to the next model that has the same power and action rod (6'6 MXF spinning). I said that would be okay and about a week later a rod tube showed up. Was a team daiwa fuego spinning rod, MSRP $250. So for the $15 or whatever it was to send in the rod I got a $175 upgrade. 

 

Abu garcia was great as well. They did not require me to send the rod in, just send them a picture with my receipt next to the broken rod. A few days later I Got a new rod in the mail at no charge. 

[NorcalBassin]

I watched in horror as my dad grabbed the tip of the LTB DS rod I bought him to break off a snag last year. It broke off alright. Anyhow, their warranty process went incredibly smooth and he got a brand new next generation rod out of it. Nothing but positive things to say about St Croix.