Reels - correlation between price & repairs

[Zel]

I have several reels that are not working.  Most of them I paid in the $30 to $60 range.  I don't buy expensive reels anymore since the only one I did buy went deep six it's first tourney.  My question is... Is there a correlation between original price paid, and the decision to get repairs?  I can't see paying $40 for a reel and then after several years sending them out and costing $25 for repairs and shipping.  I've never sent a reel out for repair.  I either fix them myself (which usually doesn't work see below on how much I know about reels), use them for parts, or throw them out.  

[firefightn15]

For that kind of money, unless they are relatively new and under warranty, scrap um!  Still at that price and proper maintainance,  you should be able to get your monies worth from them.  Everybody's idea of "monies worth" isn't gonna be the same though.  That's a personnal evaluation.

[Alpster]

I had a ABU 5600 break down on me on the day I caught my PB. I wound up cating my largest bass on a little zebco that my friend had in his truck for his kid. I haven't bought a cheap reel since and  I have not had a reel break and never had one repaired since. I have sent them to reel guys like Reelmech and had them cleaned & tuned. This is one of the reasons I spend more money on higher end Shimano Reels, they have never let me down. Rather than spend $50 several times and take a chance on my equipment breaking in a tournament or on a dream trip, I will spend $200 or $300, fish with the best and never worry about it breaking. JMHO

Ronnie

[The Rooster]

Wouldn't you just be sick if they did though?? At those prices I could only afford one reel maybe. And if it fouled on me then I'd be out of anything to fish with.

I feel the pain of cheap reels not lasting though. Been there, done that MANY TIMES OVER. Still doing it though to some degree. Finally did spend just a bit more for a spinning reel, $60 for a Pflueger President. To me that's a lot for a spinning reel, but I'm trying to make myself come around to buying better quality gear so it does last longer. $100 for a baitcaster is about my limit on that, and until recently I never paid more than $30 or so for a spinning reel. Even the Shimano Sedona I paid $50 for last year, I wound up hating it and thought for a while that the extra money I paid was just wasted. But this Pflueger is changing my mind on that now. Even the Trion I also bought which was only $40 is better than average in my opinion.

Maybe Zel would like one of those?? They are really good reels for the low price they are, I'm amazed actually. Just awesome for that little bit of money.

Oh yeah, and I'm sure there will be some people who think that if I'd only spent all that money the first time on a good reel, I wouldn't have had to replace so many over the years.  That's probably right........but having that much money on hand at one time was never an option.  So it always just worked out that I bought cheap spinning reels.

[.RM.]

Zel...

Here is the way I look at servicing reels. When I get a reel in the shop, if it will (at my service price) cost more to clean and repair (service+parts) a reel then it cost to replace the reel (buy new), then I will suggest replace the reel to the customer. If the reel is over 7 years old, it is most likely discontinued (no parts available) and the reel most likely can't be repaired anyway.

Just my .02¢ from the bench....

Tight Lines!