CTFishTalk.com: Shimano Rod Warranty Service - Connecticut Bait, Tackle, Rods and Reels etc… ( CT Bait, Tackle, Rods and Reels etc… ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

Well, I broke three more of my Shimano rods. Confused

Here's my post from the last three that I sent in:

http://www.ctfishtalk.com/shimano-rod-warranty-service-t11854.html#.UsGg7I2A200

I'm pleased to report that, once again, Shimano honored the lifetime replacement warranty on the three rods that I broke (i.e., a Crucial, a Compre and a Clarus), and got them back to me fairly quickly and with no fuss. I just filled out a Rod Warranty Form from the shimano.com website ( http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content/global_fish/en/us/index/customer_service0/Rod_Warranty.html ) for each broken rod and sent them in with the rods, which I cut in half to fit into a 42 inch long shipping tube. Shipping by FedEx Ground cost me less than $12. Shimano didn't charge me anything.

You might be thinking that Shimano rods are really fragile, but, no, I'm just a clumsy oaf. Rolling Eyes

And if anyone needs rod shipping tubes, I have a bunch of them, now. If you need any, please let me know. I really hate clutter, but would hate to just throw them in the recycling bin.
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fishfinder · Joined: 19 Jun 2011 Posts: 1672 Location: Naugatuck, Ct.

Dang Phil, tale it easy on your rods man!!!!! LOL
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Aroz · Joined: 12 Jul 2012 Posts: 70 Location: Wethersfield

Good to hear they honored their warranty. I love Shimano products and now have even more confidence in them if they ever do fail. Worth the money in my opinion.

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

I broke two Clarus medium heavy rods, yesterday! Crying or Very sad

The two I use for striper fishing. Not through use, but stupidity and clumsiness. Rolling Eyes

At this rate, Shimano is going to blackball me. . . . Confused

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Redneckangler · Joined: 05 May 2012 Posts: 851 Location: Meriden, CT

DirtyDawg10 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 2238 Location: Granby, CT

fishfinder · Joined: 19 Jun 2011 Posts: 1672 Location: Naugatuck, Ct.

Ive never heard of anyone breaking as many rods as you and Im pretty rough on them! Did you step on them in the boat?
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Redneckangler · Joined: 05 May 2012 Posts: 851 Location: Meriden, CT

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

Apparently, Shimano has changed its rod warranty:

Redneckangler · Joined: 05 May 2012 Posts: 851 Location: Meriden, CT

Thanks to you! Laughing

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PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

I sent four broken rods to Shimano in Irvine, California, for replacement under its Lifetime Limited Warranty: three Clarus spinning and one Crucial spinning. All were purchased before Shimano changed its Lifetime Limited Warranty to a One Year Limited Warranty. I was able to stuff all four cut-in-half rods into a four inch diameter shipping tube that was 37 inches long and it cost me $17 using UPS Ground Shipping.

On Monday, a representative from Shimano called me. He said that Shimano would replace the three Clarus rods under warranty. All three had broken near the tip of the rod. However, he said that the breakage on the Crucial rod indicated it had been crushed closer to the reel seat, which would not be covered under warranty. He explained that although a broken rod tip might indicate a brittle rod blank, a crushed rod indicated accidental user breakage. I told him that while I'm not certain how or when the Crucial rod was broken, it might have gotten caught under a cleat on the gunwale of my boat. He said, "Yeap, been there, done that, too." He also said that since I was candid about how it might have been broken, he'd go ahead and replace it for me under the Lifetime Limited Warranty. Whoo hoo!

I asked why Shimano changed its rod warranty policy from a Lifetime Limited Warranty to a One Year Limited Warranty. The rep said that the Lifetime Limited Warranty was always intended to cover only breakage due to manufacturing or materials defects. Since those typically show themselves within the first year of use, the appropriate length for the warranty is really only one year. He said that Shimano would routinely receive 10 to 15 year old rods for warranty service that obviously didn't break due to any manufacturing or materials defect. However, he pointed me to Shimano's Express Rod Service Plan, under which you can replace Shimano rods that break for any reason for only half of the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). And Shimano even pays for the shipping, both ways! You call them and pay for the replacement rod, and they'll ship it to you by FedEx 2-Day Priority Shipping. After you receive it, you put your broken rod in the shipping tube, stick the provided fully-paid return label on it and have FedEx ship it back to them. That works for me! Here's more information about it:

http://fish.shimano.com/content/sac-fish/en/home/customer-service/shimano-rod-services/_jcr_content/bodycontent/content5050/leftcontent/download/downloadFile/file.res/Shimano%20EXPRESS%20Rod%20Service.pdf
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ChaoSki · Joined: 23 Jun 2014 Posts: 169

Nice to see company stand behind their products. Especially for things that they shouldn't even cover (like physical damage).

PS. I broke # of my rods (tips) too.....never thought of returning them though.