G Loomis Lifetime Warranty Over?

[Bandersnatch]

I've heard some rumblings that Loomis was going to do away with their lifetime warranty. I've also heard that they already started this and made rods non transferable with serial numbers registered and printed on the rods,however, I haven't seen anything official or on their site. Can anyone confirm? Also, if you they do go that route do you believe if you buy their rods before they do (if they didn't already) do you think they will Grandfather previous owners rods in? 

[Dwight Hottle]

Absolutely they will cover all rods sold under a previous warranty. If they change the warranty it will only apply to new stock that comes after the change. 

[FishTank]

The rumor I had heard last year is that Loomis was changing their new stock to a 15 year warranty similar to St. Croix when you mail in a rod but they will still offer the Xpeditor service.  Old rods will be replaced with the new version but the new rod will have a 15 year warranty instead of lifetime. 

[Junk Fisherman]

I don't blame Loomis for doing this.  I broke a 843GLX this past year that I had used HEAVILY for nearly 20 years.  For $110 I received a brand new version that retails for $480.  I already got the value of my original rod.  While I wouldn't do it, you can easily see the value in intentionally breaking a rod in order to upgrade it.   

[Johnbt]

"with serial numbers registered and printed on the rods"

 

There's a button on their site to Register Your Rod and you need the serial number or manufacture date.

 

"All G. Loomis rods require warranty registration within 30 days of purchase. Registration has the benefit of the following warranty and service programs outlined in this guide:

1. Locate either the serial number or manufacture date on your rod and have it ready to enter in the form below."

 

 

I'm 70 and I expect a lifetime warranty.  

[BrianMDTX]

24 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

I don't blame Loomis for doing this.  I broke a 843GLX this past year that I had used HEAVILY for nearly 20 years.  For $110 I received a brand new version that retails for $480.  I already got the value of my original rod.  While I wouldn't do it, you can easily see the value in intentionally breaking a rod in order to upgrade it.   

Nor do I. Nothing built by man lasts forever. If you fish a lot, you put constant stress on a rod. Any rod. If it snaps in 15-20 years you’ve gotten great service from it. That’s not a warranty issue for a faulty rod. It’s simply age and wear-and-tear. 

[FishTank]

11 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

Nor do I. Nothing built by man lasts forever. If you fish a lot, you put constant stress on a rod. Any rod. If it snaps in 15-20 years you’ve gotten great service from it. That’s not a warranty issue for a faulty rod. It’s simply age and wear-and-tear. 

 

I agree as well but my only gripe and stems from about 20 years ago is that the old Loomis reps would say something like...  "You will never need to buy another rod.  The lifetime warranty has you covered".  Of course times have changed and 15 years is good enough for me.  

 

I hope they stay with a lifetime warranty. Also, what I rumored about above was mentioned to me by a St. Croix rep as I was buying a new NRX at, what may be, the last trade show I attended. 

[BrianMDTX]

14 minutes ago, FishTank said:

 

I agree as well but my only gripe and stems from about 20 years ago is that the old Loomis reps would say something like...  "You will never need to buy another rod.  The lifetime warranty has you covered".  Of course times have changed and 15 years is good enough for me.  

 

I hope they stay with a lifetime warranty. Also, what I rumored about above was mentioned to me by a St. Croix rep as I was buying a new NRX at, what may be, the last trade show I attended. 

I would think your existing rod is likely grandfathered into the lifetime warranty, but new rods will likely have a limited warranty. I would think if I paid $400+ on a rod and it was defective, I’d know it way before 15 years. 

[TigerBassAU]

I think the key current change is you having to register the rod within 30 days of purchase. As it currently reads your "registered" product has warranty and qualifies for the Xpeditor service.

 

Now I have heard only one rod replacement is coming. If you are grandfathered in, your new rod will be registered and not qualify for replacement. Again, this what I have heard and can not say it is fact. 

 

I have not registered a rod since the change so I am unaware if your name will be linked with the process. If so I would think the Xpeditor may one day be tied with the original owner too? 

 

But in their defense, with the covid supply issues, I am sure the replacements are killing what inventory they have and bottom line something has to change. They have been increasing prices for years on both cost and replacement fees so I would assume to stay "as is" would require  a hefty price increase. Option 2 would be to reduce costs by changing replacement/warranty policies. In the end it may a be a combo of both.

 

Since they now put serial numbers on the rods, it is in my opinion option 2 is only starting and more like stated above will be coming later. It would be in their best interest to slowly make the changes to prevent sudden backlash! I know a lot of folks are already mad due to the current replacement waits. Some have been waiting for more than 1/2 a year. 

 

[Boomstick]

18 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

Absolutely they will cover all rods sold under a previous warranty. If they change the warranty it will only apply to new stock that comes after the change. 

I would hope so, but I've seen certain cases where they are able to essentially remove the lifetime warranty for many people by requiring a proof of purchase. So who knows.

[Bandersnatch]

Okay, everything I've read is speculation. It woukd appear Loomis hasn't done anything with their warranty as it currently stands 

[NOC 1]

8 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

Nor do I. Nothing built by man lasts forever. If you fish a lot, you put constant stress on a rod. Any rod. If it snaps in 15-20 years you’ve gotten great service from it. That’s not a warranty issue for a faulty rod. It’s simply age and wear-and-tear. 

100%....Add to that the number of people, who trash their own rods with carelessness like whacking them with car doors, high sticking, ceiling fans etc., and then want to send them in for warranted replacement.

 

It seems that through the less than ethical behaviors like this that the warranty, originally a bond that protects the buyer from manufacturing failures, has become more of an insurance policy that requires the manufacturer to pay for the failures of the buyer.

 

We all know that a rod that fails after 100 uses isn't going to be failing from manufactures' defect, but many of us will turn in rods like that anyway pretending that it's not fraud.

 

The maker has to be careful, he can't just accuse the buyer of a con job like I just have, because he needs the customer to stay in business but at the same time he can't afford to pay for endless insurance policy on rods either.

 

A 15 year warranty is very generous. That is in most cases going to be a decade and a half after any cases of actual factory defects show themselves.

[jbsoonerfan]

I bought a brand new Shimano Poison Adrena 7'3 MH in March of last year. In Sept of last year it snapped(exploded) on a hook set. I filled out the warranty, sent the rod and receipt back and I have yet to hear from them. Am I upset? NOPE, not at all. They replaced a Zodias in 2019 and they replaced a Crucial that I had used for probably 15 years with a Curado rod. Honestly, I feel like I got my $370 out of that rod as I used it a LOT last Summer. It is what it is. I have reached out through email numerous times and I have yet to receive a response, but I won't hesitate to keep buying Shimano products. 

[Cigarguy]

There's a difference between warranty between manufacturer's defect vs user abuse. 

 

Interesting thing is "warranty".  Buy a half million dollar home you get 1 maybe 2 years warranty.  On my 60K car it's 1-2 years on most things 5-8 years on major components.  1-2 years on electronics including some very expensive (relative to fishing tackle) electronics.  None will cover accidental damage, abuse or wear and tear.

 

When it comes fishing tackle I have the same approach.  I use it and break it then it's my fault.  Manufacturer defect I will know within a month or 2. Having said that, the extended warranty that Loomis and St Croix offers along with their reputation of taking care of their customers definitely is a huge factor for me at time of purchase.

[fissure_man]

There was a time not that long ago when salespeople and reps marketed some of these high end rods by explaining that you could snap the tip off as you walked out the door of the store, and they’d hand you a replacement off the rack.  “Unconditional” they would say.

 

I have a few Shimano Crucials bought during that era and a big part of the purchase decision was their offer of ‘over the counter’ replacement. That program no longer exists and I didn’t use it once, though I’m sure I paid for it in the original price of the rods. For Shimano at least (and probably others), despite what salespeople would tell you, there were warranty limitations in the fine print all along – defect vs. abuse, proof of purchase, etc. However, they didn’t enforce them. Times change and surely the program became too expensive, so they’ve since moved to enforce the limitations that already existed, and dealers will no longer participate in “over the counter” because they're on the hook for claims that Shimano rejects. Legally I’m sure there’s nothing they’re doing wrong, but the fact is that many people expected they were purchasing an unconditional replacement policy “for life” and that’s no longer the case.

 

If I broke a 15-20 year old crucial rod tomorrow, I’d send it in for replacement and see what Shimano says. I’m quite sure at this point it wouldn’t be a failure due to defects, but when I purchased the rod it was my (naïve) understanding that that wouldn’t matter.

[The Maestro]

1 hour ago, fissure_man said:

If I broke a 15-20 year old crucial rod tomorrow, I’d send it in for replacement and see what Shimano says. I’m quite sure at this point it wouldn’t be a failure due to defects, but when I purchased the rod it was my (naïve) understanding that that wouldn’t matter.

Most likely, they'd offer you the current equivalent rod at half price.  This makes good business sense on their end since I'm sure they're still making money even at 50% off especially since they're selling it directly and at the same time they keep the customer happy and loyal.

 

[jbsoonerfan]

37 minutes ago, The Maestro said:

Most likely, they'd offer you the current equivalent rod at half price.  This makes good business sense on their end since I'm sure they're still making money even at 50% off especially since they're selling it directly and at the same time they keep the customer happy and loyal.

 

They sent me a new Curado rod as a replacement. Kind of makes me wish I wouldn't have sent it in now that I think about it. I should have just wrote it off as a loss.

[The Maestro]

1 hour ago, jbsoonerfan said:

They sent me a new Curado rod as a replacement. Kind of makes me wish I wouldn't have sent it in now that I think about it. I should have just wrote it off as a loss.

I don't quite understand. Did you have to pay for the Curado or was it free of charge? I got an Expride at half price for a broken Cumara. 

[jbsoonerfan]

Free

[CFDoc]

1 hour ago, jbsoonerfan said:

They sent me a new Curado rod as a replacement.

lol

 

I know who I won’t be contacting if I break one of my PA’s.

[jbsoonerfan]

2 minutes ago, CFDoc said:

lol

 

I know who I won’t be contacting if I break one of my PA’s.

They replaced a Crucial that was probably 15 years old with a Curado. Still haven't heard a thing from them on my PA.

[CFDoc]

Oh that’s better.

 

I misread your other posts. Still curious to see how they handle the PA.

[fissure_man]

3 hours ago, The Maestro said:

Most likely, they'd offer you the current equivalent rod at half price.  This makes good business sense on their end since I'm sure they're still making money even at 50% off especially since they're selling it directly and at the same time they keep the customer happy and loyal.

 

 

You may be right, but it’s still a crappy deal in comparison to lifetime “over the counter” replacement.

 

My post was mainly just in response to others above about warranties vs. insurance policies and the ethics of asking for replacement of old rod broken after years of regular use.  In at least some cases, this is exactly the kind of replacement program we thought we had paid for.

[The Maestro]

38 minutes ago, fissure_man said:

 

You may be right, but it’s still a crappy deal in comparison to lifetime “over the counter” replacement.

 

My post was mainly just in response to others above about warranties vs. insurance policies and the ethics of asking for replacement of old rod broken after years of regular use.  In at least some cases, this is exactly the kind of replacement program we thought we had paid for.

I get the point that they're the ones who offered these warranties but it's not sustainable when people were just outright abusing it to the point of fraud.  I also believe the warranty in most cases specified manufacturing defects which clearly it's not after years of use.