So much for the vaunted Swarovski warranty.

[winmag]

At least Swaro will work on them. I sent a top of the line Zeiss spotter (which was almost $4000 new, and came with a "lifetime" warranty) in for repair that was 11 years old and they told me its "beyond its useful life", no warranty whatsoever, they won't even work on it if I pay them, but they did offer me 20% off their bottom of the line current spotting scope. I'm done with Zeiss.

 

[MTGomer]

I’ve had a similar experience. Except the shit I broke was my fault. One was a pair of ELs that banged from my chest to a Saddlehorn a little too hard, and the other was a scope that got rattled on the front of an ATV.

Both cost a little money to fix.

 

[MTGomer]

My dealing with Swarovski is much different. Mine fogged on one side during a hunt in Montana. I called them with a sliver of cell service and told them about it. The lady rep I talked with took down the serial number and looked for a local business at the closest small town I was near. She said, "tomorrow at 10 a.m. go pick up your loaner pair of EL'S. When you get home, mail yours in and keep the EL's until yours are repaired".

About 20 years later I sent them in for repair. Had an eye cup locked up, some tears in the rubberized armor, and just a metric shit ton of use and abuse. They called and said all the lenses fore and aft, needed replaced for a grand total of $200, including shipping.

My SLC's came back essentially spanking new.

Good enough for me, and I dont expect them to replace lenses for free after two decades of use/abuse I put them through.

I need to send my NLs in after season.
The left eye has always fogged. Like they forgot to treat that lens.

 

[okie archer]

I guess my problem is don't advertise lifetime warranty if it's not really a lifetime warranty. 20 years after purchase should still be covered if your still alive. No matter the company.
What's the point of offering lifetime warranty if you still have to pay for repairs. Otherwise just say we can repair your broke binos for a fee.

 

[geetar]

You can buy Vortex and pay more up front than they are worth to help cover everyone else's warranty or you can buy Swaro and get a good quality set of glass and pay some of your own repairs.

 

[406dn]

You can buy Vortex and pay more up front than they are worth to help cover everyone else's warranty or you can buy Swaro and get a good quality set of glass and pay some of your own repairs.

You have stated what should be obvious. Vortex has priced their warranty into the purchase price. To do that, their markup over their manufacturing costs is greater than other companies. Vortex is not some unique benevolent company, they decided that offering a lifetime warranty, and pricing it into their product, would result in more sales.

There is no free lunch. Vortex gets their money up front, and gives you some of it back, if there is a problem.

 

[golfer]

I sent mine in one time to replace a focus wheel spring, they inspected them. Turns out one of the barrels was bent. They replaced spring, fixed/replaced barrel applied new rubber coating at zero cost to me. Maybe I got lucky but I’d have no issue paying to repair them. That barrel didn’t bend itself.

 

[ashersdad]

I think people confuse a warranty and a guarantee. Warranty typically covers things like manufacturer's defects. It does not cover normal wear and tear on a product. I'm pretty sure Swarovski does not have a lifetime guarantee or warranty. I've never had to send in any of my Swarovski binos, scopes or spotter so I can't speak to their service. Regardless, their glass is top tier as far as I'm concerned.

 

[HSi-ESi]

what issue was free to repair?

It was in the eye-piece. Something came loose and they put it back together.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

THanks for the reminder, I forgot to register mine from last Xmas

 

[Hammsolo]

Why such strong product loyalty? Why make excuses for a company? Are they a fancy abusive spouse? Swaro’s = Land Rover?

These products should be built to be abused, especially at over 2k. At those prices shouldn’t the warranty be built in, like discussed about Vortex?

As I’ve aged I’ve tried to go with who earned my business. I don’t trust Sitka, for example. A buddy threw me a code, so I bought a bunch of stuff. Some is awesome, the Jet Stream jacket. Some of it is trash, Equinox Guard Pants are a joke. I hunted one turkey season in them and the ass wore through, and I don’t have much of an ass… The material is garbage.

I sowed them up in the field, contacted Sitka, and was told to mail them in at my cost, and they would charge me to have them repaired. Eff that.

 

[Art Vandeley]

Still worth it IMO. I’ve paid to have them fix spotter in the past, not free but no complaints

 

[geetar]

You have stated what should be obvious. Vortex has priced their warranty into the purchase price. To do that, their markup over their manufacturing costs is greater than other companies. Vortex is not some unique benevolent company, they decided that offering a lifetime warranty, and pricing it into their product, would result in more sales.

There is no free lunch. Vortex gets their money up front, and gives you some of it back, if there is a problem.

Exactly. I don't see why people can't see this. If you and your buddy both have Vortex and one of you runs over yours with the SxS the other helps pay for the " free " replacement one.

 

[geetar]

Why such strong product loyalty? Why make excuses for a company? Are they a fancy abusive spouse? Swaro’s = Land Rover?

These products should be built to be abused, especially at over 2k. At those prices shouldn’t the warranty be built in, like discussed about Vortex?

As I’ve aged I’ve tried to go with who earned my business. I don’t trust Sitka, for example. A buddy threw me a code, so I bought a bunch of stuff. Some is awesome, the Jet Stream jacket. Some of it is trash, Equinox Guard Pants are a joke. I hunted one turkey season in them and the ass wore through, and I don’t have much of an ass… The material is garbage.

I sowed them up in the field, contacted Sitka, and was told to mail them in at my cost, and they would charge me to have them repaired. Eff that.

Product loyalty gets people duped over time. Alot of companies get you stuck on their name brand and later drop their quality and expect you to stay with them. I've drove Ford, Chevy, Ram and Toyota vehicles. I'm in a Ford now because it was the most reliable option at the time I was looking. Doesn't mean I'd buy a brand new one today. My dad has always hunted with a Remington 700 but I won't buy one today because it's not the same gun he has even if it bears the same logo.

 

[jimh406]

Fwiw, Grok.com does very good comparisons of optics (other things to) from a variety of sources and includes things like performance, weight, price and warranty. At least you'll know what you are trading off.