Shimano Stopping The Lifetime Warranty As Of 8-1-14

[Arv]

I agree that the problems with manufacturing will more than likely show up in the first year. I've only ever broken one rod which was totally my fault. I do think the price of the rod should reflect whether or not the warranty is included, as others have stated. In saying this, I'm hopeful that the Cumara might drop in price since the lifetime warranty will not be a service provided anymore. I doubt it though.

[SirSnookalot]

I highly doubt prices will go down.  The objective is more profit for Shimano, not a savings for the consumer.

[Jrob78]

Amen. If a rod doesn't break the first few times you load it, the manufacturing is fine. After that any breakage is related to use and handling.

Exactly, there is isn't any reason whatsoever for a rod to have more than a one year warranty.  In turn, Shimano should, at the very least, keep prices the same on new models of rods and not raise them.

[F14A-B]

Guys, on first few uses and then it's fishermans fault? That's just not true.... I won't call out company's, but I have had a reel seat / hood break... As a well as one other oddity , true, these were only one time ever, but still happens, never had a blank break that wasn't my fault, I am sure it happens though, I still think 5 year is fair, maybe company's should tighten up on what's a actual warranty claim, instead of the current system of replacement . Just my opinion.

[Arv]

Guys, on first few uses and then it's fishermans fault? That's just not true.... I won't call out company's, but I have had a reel seat / hood break... As a well as one other oddity , true, these were only one time ever, but still happens, never had a blank break that wasn't my fault, I am sure it happens though, I still think 5 year is fair, maybe company's should tighten up on what's a actual warranty claim, instead of the current system of replacement . Just my opinion.

Also a good point. I've heard a bunch of ttestimonies from people where they void the warranty by breaking the rod by their own doing, telling the company they broke the rod by their own doing and the company still honors the warranty. Does it make the customer happy? sure. Does it put the company in a position similar to what may have brought shimano to eliminate the lifetime warranty? maybe. Not trying to state "facts" as these are only my speculations.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Guys, on first few uses and then it's fishermans fault? That's just not true.... I won't call out company's, but I have had a reel seat / hood break... As a well as one other oddity , true, these were only one time ever, but still happens, never had a blank break that wasn't my fault, I am sure it happens though, I still think 5 year is fair, maybe company's should tighten up on what's a actual warranty claim, instead of the current system of replacement . Just my opinion.

I was speaking strictly blank failure. In cases like you mention, a reputable company will stand behind the product in the absence of an expensive replacement plan. If they don't, the free market will eliminate them.

[sparky241]

Hmm I guess I look at diawa from now on. I like shimano but if you bought. Rod with lifetime warranty and OTC exchange in mind when you bought it them you just lost a lot of reason to get them. Craftsman did try that, they lost a lot business because of it

[ColdSVT]

Amen. If a rod doesn't break the first few times you load it, the manufacturing is fine. After that any breakage is related to use and handling.

Exactly...if the rod doesnt break withing the first season of use its not a manufacturing problem

99.9% of broken rods after a few months are operator error imo

[DTack]

I highly doubt prices will go down.  The objective is more profit for Shimano, not a savings for the consumer.

Exactly... I wouldn't mind if a company dropped their existing warranty since it IS expensive to the company... but you would think there would be some type of price drop as well.  Doubt you'll see it, doubt Shimano will lose many fans anyways... They have a lot of guys gut-hooked. 

If I were the type to buy a Loomis rod in the next couple years I would DEFINITELY hang on to my receipt as I wouldn't be surprised to see this carry over to Loomis in the next 2-4 years.

[gulfcaptain]

I don't fish Shimano Rods, but have a buddy that does.  He has had to replace 4 or 5 rods in the last 2yrs.  This is gonna suck for him.  Time for him to move over to the darkside and enjoy fishing with other brands and see what he has been missing.

[ColdSVT]

I don't fish Shimano Rods, but have a buddy that does.  He has had to replace 4 or 5 rods in the last 2yrs.  This is gonna suck for him.  Time for him to move over to the darkside and enjoy fishing with other brands and see what he has been missing.

Sounds to me like your buddy should make an attempt to take better care of his gear

[Tywithay]

I don't think that the price should go down, but the performance should go up. They added the cork handle that people were clamoring for; cork costs money. They upgraded the blank as well. As long as you're getting more rod for your dollar, it's still worth it, in my opinion. The sad part is when company's axe a warranty, then bring out the same product or a cheaper product. That's an obvious cost-cutting move. I don't think Shimano will make a huge profit from this deal, but obviously they had to see something to make a business decision. Customers are one thing, but your business always has to be number one.

[gulfcaptain]

Sounds to me like your buddy should make an attempt to take better care of his gear

I'd like to say it's from his fish catching abilities, but yes I agree, think he needs to take better care as well.  But when they are your friend you have to take them the way they are.

[Capt.Bob]

I'm not impacted here since I only really purchase Shimano spinning reels but it's pretty crappy that they killed both the lifetime warranty AND the OTC part at the same time

X2 the warranty they offered for a rod at an inflated price should be a contract between them and the person they promised it to that was willing to pay for it. But doesn't surprise me, for the past 5 years shimano customer service has been in high speed reverse! It started with reels, and some small inexpensive parts that failed often, they used to just send me without a charge, now if it was a 2 dollar part the reel pit is they want 3 or 4 dollars to ship it also.

 

I've always looked at it in an opposite light. They're confident that their product will not fail. I think if people are buying rods for the warranty, they're selling themselves short. There's a lot of rods that far outperform the lifetime rods, but have a shorter warranty. If the price is paying for performance, instead of a warranty; I'm all for it. If they still put out a mediocre product and do away with the warranty to up their profits, they can KMA.

This is very true, but only about some rods. I assure you the very finest rods with the highest performance in the world carry lifetime warranties, and most like NFC, G. Loomis (owned by Shimano now),  and St Croix, say right in the warranty it is "against factory defects". I am sure that their are those who try to tell them it wasn't their fault. But on the best rods in the world the companies even then replace them for a very reasonable price. Shimano tried to sell rods like you mentioned, made in china by companies that make no namers, and inflate the price ridiculously, claiming no fault or questions asked warranty, for rods that can't come close to rods that are world class, and it drew many who bought it strictly for the warranty regardless of  performance. I am not saying they were junk rods, but I am saying there are several companies doing this and selling rods that while nice, are nowhere near as good as it get's!

 

I'm a Shimano fan, but I think if you spend above a certain price point you also should be buying at least a 5-yr warranty. Kind of disappointing.

 

I guess this will just mean I switch to a Dobyns or G. Loomis next time around huh?

I would never buy a rod just for a lifetime warranty, every rod I own I would buy again without the lifetime warranty, if those rods are so great why would you spend money for a rod that didn't do everything as good as they do.

 

I think this is the kind of thinking that ruined the policy, to many claiming they did nothing and getting something for it. Many of these same models sold 6 or 7 years ago for less than 50 buck's on flea bay, but didn't have a lifetime warranty then, this should tell the fan boys something also,,,,,,but know Shimano spelled it out for you,,,,,again!

[tomustang]

That does seem lame. one year to make sure you rods are good from defect? Say you bought a new lineup of your favorite rods but now have the one year warranty, fish maybe 4 times a month, for the whole warranty year, not every technique produces and you put them back down for the rest of the year. You finally break one of those lesser used rods next year but it's not covered now. There's a lot of people out there that don't use their gear religiously,  can't find the time, or have too many rods in there rotation to use them all. A 2-3 year warranty would help at least.

 

I received a new soft plastics rod in january, been six months now and I used it less than 10 times and haven't caught a fish with it, because I'm producing more on other techniques, that's half a year already with out seeing if the rod can handle a fish. If I had that warranty I guess I should better tell the fish to jump on my line before time runs out.

[Capt.Bob]

That does seem lame. one year to make sure you rods are good from defect? Say you bought a new lineup of your favorite rods but now have the one year warranty, fish maybe 4 times a month, for the whole warranty year, not every technique produces and you put them back down for the rest of the year. You finally break one of those lesser used rods next year but it's not covered now. There's a lot of people out there that don't use their gear religiously,  can't find the time, or have too many rods in there rotation to use them all. A 2-3 year warranty would help at least.

 

I received a new soft plastics rod in january, been six months now and I used it less than 10 times and haven't caught a fish with it, because I'm producing more on other techniques, that's half a year already with out seeing if the rod can handle a fish. If I had that warranty I guess I should better tell the fish to jump on my line before time runs out.

That's thinking to rational,,,,

[Tywithay]

That does seem lame. one year to make sure you rods are good from defect? Say you bought a new lineup of your favorite rods but now have the one year warranty, fish maybe 4 times a month, for the whole warranty year, not every technique produces and you put them back down for the rest of the year. You finally break one of those lesser used rods next year but it's not covered now. There's a lot of people out there that don't use their gear religiously, can't find the time, or have too many rods in there rotation to use them all. A 2-3 year warranty would help at least.

I received a new soft plastics rod in january, been six months now and I used it less than 10 times and haven't caught a fish with it, because I'm producing more on other techniques, that's half a year already with out seeing if the rod can handle a fish. If I had that warranty I guess I should better tell the fish to jump on my line before time runs out.

You can still fish with them out of warranty. They don't expire or anything.

[tomustang]

You buy the rod with the warranty so a part of it does expire.

[JGBassinAL]

I almost posted the same thing as DVT before he did, but I knew there would be those people with instances where they believe a manufacturer defect caused their rod to break after the first few uses, so I held off. DVT is right though about the blank, and a reputable company will replace the rod if something like the reel seat breaks. This is why I use all custom rods. First, you really get to know the person who makes them if you use a lot of their rods, so you build a good relationship. It's different than buying from manufacturers. Then, if something happens to your rod, they are always happy to replace it or fix it for you, a lot in part to the relationship you have built with that rod builder. I actually travel a couple of hours very often to fish Guntersville with the guy who makes my rods, and a great friendship has been formed from it!

[FishTank]

This is shame...  I like Shimano stuff but companies should be taking steps forward in customer service not a step or two back.  Maybe moving forward, they will see if it is a bad idea or not.

 

Also, IMHO, if you buy a rod with a lifetime warranty, the company should stand behind it.  It is figured into the cost/

[ColdSVT]

I'd like to say it's from his fish catching abilities, but yes I agree, think he needs to take better care as well.  But when they are your friend you have to take them the way they are.

Oh i know lol

i got one of those too lol

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Just buy a uglystik.7 yr warrenty and tough as a anvil

[LMB KING]

Just buy a uglystik.7 yr warrenty and tough as a anvil

You're right. LOL a $40 rod has a higher warranty than a $150+ rods made by a very profitable company. Its all making sense now and clear. I will spend my money wisely. 

[Tywithay]

You buy the rod with the warranty so a part of it does expire.

The rod will still catch fish.

[gulfcaptain]

Well if I bought a rod based on warranty only, well then how am I  gonna fish?  I buy a rod as a tool, to be used as it was designed and if we push it past that point it will fail and to be honest if we take care of our gear it will last.  Now I have broke 2 rods, both the same blank and in the same spot.  I decided right there that although I liked that companys rods, well that rod wasn't going to perform the way I wanted it to in the technique I was fishing.  Came to the reality that for me a flipping/punch rod needed to be more of a moderate action for me instead of a X-fast especially when you blow apart the first 18" of the rod both times into 3 pieces.  Was it the company's fault, nope....it was mine.  I ate the cost of the 2nd one and moved on to a different brand with the action I needed. I could have warrantied it but to me I wasn't their fault it broke, it was mine.  Sounds like most people that have Shimano rods are more worried about being able to replace it when they break it then having faith that their equipment will do the job that they want it to.....although yes have a friend as stated that really needs this warranty since he breaks them more often.