Is 1 year just like most things are nowadays. You could have sent it to BPS reel repair & payed them to fix it with the new part/parts that have gone bad as it is out of warranty. Some evidently think that a 1 year warranty somehow means a life time which it doesn't. As far as reels go I have 3 EXTREMES that I had rebuilt last year by the local reel repair guy that are 2000 models. Took him awhile to find the parts because of their age though. I've striper, catfish & bass fished with each very hard & had never cleaned them so I sure can't complain about these reels for sure. Sorry for your bad luck, but you definitley talked to someone that needed customer service skills training. I myself however wouldn't have traded it for another with it being out of warranty, but would have made arrangements if possible to have it repaired on your dime because it was out of warranty. Not holding up for BPS at all, but seems as some think that simply because it is a huge & very wealthy company that they should have just given you another reel no questions asked & in my opinion that is definitley wrong. Now if there had been a known issue with this particular series of reel I would have tried to talk to someone higher up to try to get it replaced or atleast repaired at no cost to you with new upgraded parts. Research it & see if this was a known issue with these reels & go from there. I know people that use the Johnny Morris series reels & really like them & they hold up well for them.