Warranty Stories.........Share the good/bad UGLY on ROD warranties.

[smuckey41]

i dont understand how people brake so many rods. everyone that i have broke has ben my fault. and just chalk it up as a loss but i have only broke four rods and three happend at the same time when a deer decided to hit the side of my truck then my boat and the deer broke three rods. the other i steped on. the proublem i have is trying to keep my sons from droping them in the lake. mason has lost two good rods and andrew lost one good rod. kids gotta love em iguess i will have to start dropping their rods in the water.

[Swift1]

i dont understand how people brake so many rods. everyone that i have broke has ben my fault. and just chalk it up as a loss but i have only broke four rods and three happend at the same time when a deer decided to hit the side of my truck then my boat and the deer broke three rods. the other i steped on. the proublem i have is trying to keep my sons from droping them in the lake. mason has lost two good rods and andrew lost one good rod. kids gotta love em iguess i will have to start dropping their rods in the water.

225 pound man , seven foot heavy rod , 20 pound flouro , 8 foot of line out , 12 ounce bass under a limb , a hook set that would remove jaws two front teeth equals plenty of broken rods , Not to mention Im married with two new babies, you got to take your aggression out on something........Thats my experience... SHimano , Shimano ,Shimano, Jarrod

[Shimano4Life]

225 pound man , seven foot heavy rod , 20 pound flouro , 8 foot of line out , 12 ounce bass under a limb , a hook set that would remove jaws two front teeth equals plenty of broken rods , Not to mention Im married with two new babies, you got to take your aggression out on something........Thats my experience... SHimano , Shimano ,Shimano, Jarrod

Me -- 230lb, 7ft heavy rod, 25lb fluoro, flippin @ KY Lake, hookset like an angry Viking swinging a battle axe.

I put this is another previously posted thread by GeoFisher:

"I made a decision a long time ago to only buy Shimano, mostly for the lifetime warranty. Basically, buying a rod without a good warranty was like burning money for me. Seemed like the rods I would always break would barely be outside their warranty grace period. Then I would have to buy another, and maybe another, and another -- you get the picture. Buying anything without a lifetime warranty is like giving away money.

For those of you who think the more expensive rods with lifetime warranty aren't worth the money, imagine the money you will save in the long run. Why risk buying rods over and over again instead of spending another $50 or $100 dollars to purchase one that will pay for itself down the road??? I plan on fishing for the rest of my life. If I break one, oh well -- I might have to pay the shipping for a new one (at the worst). I have broken some of my Shimano rods in the past couple of years and guess what?? No questions asked, replaced for free over-the-counter. The more expensive rods with the great warranties pay for themselves in the long run.

Shimano makes several models that are VERY affordable for serious fishermen. Even some of their "entry level" rods that cost around $70 carry a lifetime warranty with them. You don't have to go out and buy the most expensive model, but you can definitely find something from Shimano that will fit your budget.

In conclusion, when it comes to warranty and spending a little extra money to help yourself down the road -- do the math"

Enough said.

[reeldad3]

My fishing partner bought the Cummara from BPS last year.... He loves it !! BUT.... late in the season last year the insert in the tip popped out after only a few times using it. He took it back to BPS and the salesman gave him a hard time saying that wasn't covered under the warranty. He said that was considered maintenance.? Really sounds like a defect to me, anyway he finally agreed to let my partner upgrade from the 6'-8" to the 7'-2" plus the differance in $. He said he wouldn't replace it again from the eye inserts coming out! Inspite of all that my partner liked the light weight and the sensitivity of the Cummara so much that he bought another one with his BPS giftcard that he got for Christmas. I guess the warranty isn't unconditional. Oh well it still is a good warranty and a good rod!

[Shimano4Life]

My fishing partner bought the Cummara from BPS last year.... He loves it !! BUT.... late in the season last year the insert in the tip popped out after only a few times using it. He took it back to BPS and the salesman gave him a hard time saying that wasn't covered under the warranty. He said that was considered maintenance.? Really sounds like a defect to me, anyway he finally agreed to let my partner upgrade from the 6'-8" to the 7'-2" plus the differance in $. He said he wouldn't replace it again from the eye inserts coming out! Inspite of all that my partner liked the light weight and the sensitivity of the Cummara so much that he bought another one with his BPS giftcard that he got for Christmas. I guess the warranty isn't unconditional. Oh well it still is a good warranty and a good rod!

Tell your buddy to NEVER take those rods back to Bass Pro if they're going to hassle him. Tell him to find another reputable Shimano dealer in the area and to take any Cumara he has a problem with to that particular location.

[Dave Stewart]

My fishing partner bought the Cummara from BPS last year.... He loves it !! BUT.... late in the season last year the insert in the tip popped out after only a few times using it. He took it back to BPS and the salesman gave him a hard time saying that wasn't covered under the warranty. He said that was considered maintenance.? Really sounds like a defect to me, anyway he finally agreed to let my partner upgrade from the 6'-8" to the 7'-2" plus the differance in $. He said he wouldn't replace it again from the eye inserts coming out! Inspite of all that my partner liked the light weight and the sensitivity of the Cummara so much that he bought another one with his BPS giftcard that he got for Christmas. I guess the warranty isn't unconditional. Oh well it still is a good warranty and a good rod!

Next time tell him to break the rod over his knee and take it back to Bass Pro and ask them if it was broke enough now to replace it.

[eddie_m]

Louisville-area guys, a2o, right down the street from Bass Pro, is a local boat and fish shop. They say they'll beat BPS prices on Shimano rods, and the owner is local.I'm not against BPS. Trust me, I spend PLENTY there, but local shops with good people deserve a look too. And maybe they won't give you a hassle about the warranty.

[troutman]

Shimano and G Loomis are worth thr $. Replaced both, several times with no problems.

[GeoFisher]

i dont understand how people brake so many rods. everyone that i have broke has ben my fault. and just chalk it up as a loss but i have only broke four rods and three happend at the same time when a deer decided to hit the side of my truck then my boat and the deer broke three rods. the other i steped on. the proublem i have is trying to keep my sons from droping them in the lake. mason has lost two good rods and andrew lost one good rod. kids gotta love em iguess i will have to start dropping their rods in the water.

Rod Breaks that I can remember:

* 4 rods broken in Canada - 1 broken by me falling on it, 1 broken by me portaging it with too much OTHER JUNK in my hands, and 2 broken the same day, 1 I stepped on, and the other I broke trying to get it out from under the canoe thwart........I'm glad I had 3 on that trip.......None of these were fixed or repaired or replaced under warranty, even though 3 of them were from GOOD COMPANIES with 5 year or lifetime warranties.

* Allstar rod broken 2 ft from the tip. ROD failure, but no replacement.

* G. Loomis Bronzeback - Broken Tip. My fault. Stepped on it. 50 dolla no Holla.......G. Loomis replaced it via Expeditor.

* G. Loomis IMX - Cork pulling up on the handle. 50 dolla no Holla....G. Loomis Replaced it via Expeditor.

* G. Loomis IMX MH Casting - Crushed Eye, and Eyeseat. 50 dolla no Holla.....G. Loomis Replaced it via Expeditor.

Later,

Geo

[elnutsmalljaws]

Rod Breaks that I can remember:

* 4 rods broken in Canada - 1 broken by me falling on it, 1 broken by me portaging it with too much OTHER JUNK in my hands, and 2 broken the same day, 1 I stepped on, and the other I broke trying to get it out from under the canoe thwart........I'm glad I had 3 on that trip.......None of these were fixed or repaired or replaced under warranty, even though 3 of them were from GOOD COMPANIES with 5 year or lifetime warranties.

* Allstar rod broken 2 ft from the tip. ROD failure, but no replacement.

* G. Loomis Bronzeback - Broken Tip. My fault. Stepped on it. 50 dolla no Holla.......G. Loomis replaced it via Expeditor.

* G. Loomis IMX - Cork pulling up on the handle. 50 dolla no Holla....G. Loomis Replaced it via Expeditor.

* G. Loomis IMX MH Casting - Crushed Eye, and Eyeseat. 50 dolla no Holla.....G. Loomis Replaced it via Expeditor.

Later,

Geo

Let me help you out George, their called "FISHING RODS" for a reason. You are supposed to go fishing with them. That is where you cast and reel and occasionally, very occassionally in your case, you catch a fish with one. I have 4 Loomis rods for going on 5 years now and have NEVER replaced any of them but I have not stepped on them, used them as winches to portage my boat, tried to cut down trees and used them as axes, or any other purpose than FISHING. When I put them in the rod box, CAREFULLY, they are removed just as CAREFUL. Try FISHING with them and you will NEVER and I mean NEVER break them because like I have said before you catch less fish than me and I don't catch any. Unless the rod breaks in half on the cast then you will have no worries.

[cumberlandguy1]

I've only had one warranty claim in 30 years. I broke a 6 year old All Star rod and they replaced with no questions asked.

[Chubminnow]

Next time tell him to break the rod over his knee and take it back to Bass Pro and ask them if it was broke enough now to replace it.

That's funny right there...actually, better yet...since the sales guy was not very quick to give a full replacement, why not break it in half right there in front of him and ask the same question?