Getting hosed on Optical warranty repair

Pigsticker · May 15, 2015

So I bought a new Zeiss spotter last year and noticed that there was a fleck on one of the lenses. I sent it in for warranty repair after I realized this issue was internal, which cost me over $50 in freight and insurance. The body showed up about 5 weeks ago and said it had been cleaned. The eyepiece did not show up at the same time. I called and they stated it had been sent to Germany as that is where they do the cleaning and warranty repairs for the eyepieces.

So the eyepiece shows up yesterday and I open the box to see an enclosed letter. It states that the eyepiece had been exchanged for a refurbished model. Now...I don't know about most people and what they expect but this angers me to no end. I had the scope for less than three months when I first tried to contact them with no reply on their end (but should have contacted them sooner but didn't want to be without the brand new scope for the hunting season). My question is, and maybe I'm out of line, but shouldn't I have received a new eyepiece instead of a refurbished? Especially since it was defective from the get go?

My idea is that I didn't pay for a refurbished scope to begin with so in a sense I'm getting the screws put to me for their lack of quality control. I have no idea what the refurbished eyepiece had previously been sent in for (ie dropped, cracked or whatever) and don't expect that I should be getting this in return for a new eyepiece.

Thoughts?

shorthairsrus · May 15, 2015

I agree with you 100% ---- its not a car --- and more so the fleck was internal. I would have to write a letter to the chief baby boomer in charge and tell them just that ----- the babe boom world of cheatem and how --- these companys merge, combine and get bought out and they try to rely on a name that was formed with a generation of trust and now all they do cheap the system. IMO warranty is built into the price -- without the warranty the product is no better then some of the rest. Add Zeiss to the list along with Shimano of broken promises.

Kurtr · May 15, 2015

I guess if it works like it should the refurbished part would not bother me. What gets me is the long waits and bad q.c. I had my cheap 300 dollar vortex spotter get sat on by a dumb ass and break the eye piece clean off. Called vortex and the nice lady on the other end.asked.how soon I was needing it as 7 days is normal turn around. Told her deer season.starts on Saturday it was a Wednesday so I was not expecting to have it back. She said I will get a new one on the way had it by Friday and they paid to ship the one that I broke back to them. Q.c goes along ways and this is not the.first time I have heard the same story about Zeiss just like yours.

Wrkn2hunt · May 15, 2015

I had recently sent a scope in to Zeiss for repair and had a very good experience. Timing wasn't too bad and the scope I sent in was discontinued so they let me choose a new scope and ended up with a much better scope than I originally had.

Norske · May 15, 2015

1. The image quality of a spotter is much more dependent on the eyepiece than on the big part of the scope. The big part is easy to make, the eyepiece is complicated.
2. That dust fleck in the eyepiece was of no importance. Those were somewhat common in new camera lenses back in 35mm days. You shouldn't have bothered with it. But, a refurbished eyepiece from the maker was hand-rebuilt. Don't give yourself an ulcer over it. It will be just fine.

Pigsticker · May 19, 2015

Just got the call back from the warranty repair lady. It would seem that the scope I bought was manufactured in 2011 and sent out to a field rep in 2012. I purchased it from Macks Prairie Wings (online site) as a brand new scope that was being clearanced out since they no longer were carrying that product. I even verbally called them and verified this before I made my purchase.

She said that on new scopes I would have received a new eyepiece as a replacement but mine was "obviously not new" according to her system log. Turns out I am getting hosed in this deal. The old saying: "if it's too good to be true, it probably is" is really starting to kick me in the teeth on this one.

Kurtr · May 19, 2015

Does it perform like it should

SDMF · May 19, 2015

Pigsticker said:
Just got the call back from the warranty repair lady. It would seem that the scope I bought was manufactured in 2011 and sent out to a field rep in 2012. I purchased it from Macks Prairie Wings (online site) as a brand new scope that was being clearanced out since they no longer were carrying that product. I even verbally called them and verified this before I made my purchase.

She said that on new scopes I would have received a new eyepiece as a replacement but mine was "obviously not new" according to her system log. Turns out I am getting hosed in this deal. The old saying: "if it's too good to be true, it probably is" is really starting to kick me in the teeth on this one.

Your problem is with Mack's not representing the product correctly though there's little to nothing you'll get out of them for satisfaction @ this point since they don't carry that product anymore.

On the other hand, if the eyepiece they're sending you had to be refurb'd, you might be getting a superior product back. Depends on the QC process of refurb vs. regular production.

Norske · May 19, 2015

I'm of the opinion that refurbished is often better than the original assembly line product. I've had repaired binoculars returned sharper than when bought new, and have purchased refurbished laptops (seller had to replace one battery after purchase) and a gas-powered weed eater. I now consider refurbished like a new car that spent some time at a good dealership to get minor things, which got past the factory QA, repaired.

LOV2HNT · May 19, 2015

Don't buy a refurbished trolling motor. Bought one for my boat when I got it trying to save a few pennies as costs where adding up getting everything a guy needs for a boat. Long story short, that trolling motor was possessed. I took it to a repair shop and by the time I was done replacing parts I could have bought a brand new one. Never again will I buy a refurbished one, and it has scared me so that I won't buy anything that is refurbished.

SDMF · May 19, 2015

LOV2HNT said:
Don't buy a refurbished trolling motor. Bought one for my boat when I got it trying to save a few pennies as costs where adding up getting everything a guy needs for a boat. Long story short, that trolling motor was possessed. I took it to a repair shop and by the time I was done replacing parts I could have bought a brand new one. Never again will I buy a refurbished one, and it has scared me so that I won't buy anything that is refurbished.

Interesting, I bought my 1st TM a 24V 65# Auto Pilot in '01 as a re-furb. I sold it after having it on 3 different boats and the guy I sold it to is still using it as far as I know.

FishReaper · May 19, 2015

Kurtr said:
I guess if it works like it should the refurbished part would not bother me. What gets me is the long waits and bad q.c. I had my cheap 300 dollar vortex spotter get sat on by a dumb ass and break the eye piece clean off. Called vortex and the nice lady on the other end.asked.how soon I was needing it as 7 days is normal turn around. Told her deer season.starts on Saturday it was a Wednesday so I was not expecting to have it back. She said I will get a new one on the way had it by Friday and they paid to ship the one that I broke back to them. Q.c goes along ways and this is not the.first time I have heard the same story about Zeiss just like yours.

Vortex has great customer service and Warranty. I had a few scopes go bad after abuse( I told them I beat them pretty bad) They fixed and sent back to me in a timely manner. Im very impressed and will continue to use their products as long as they keep it up.

LOV2HNT · May 19, 2015

SDMF said:
Interesting, I bought my 1st TM a 24V 65# Auto Pilot in '01 as a re-furb. I sold it after having it on 3 different boats and the guy I sold it to is still using it as far as I know.

I suppose it depends on if it was refurbished on a Monday or a Friday...betting mine was done on a Monday. Glad to know they aren't all lemons.

johnr · May 19, 2015

Well I had a factory warrantee on a optimax 225. It blew the head in 2007, first year of use. Then again in 2013, this time it was not warrantied. $7000 out of pocket is a hard damn pill to swallow. I am babying that motor like you wouldn't believe. Half the time I think I hear ticks or knocks in it, worrying every time, Mrs. johnr says next time we dump another $7000 into the boat "we be shore fishing"
will be such a damn relief to not have to worry about a rebuilt motor on the next boat, makes me worry just talking about it.

Mort · May 19, 2015

7 G to fix a motor thats insane! What the fudge did they do?????

NodakBuckeye · May 19, 2015

Ouch that is a chunk o change. I usually have decent luck with refurbished items; I can see getting fired up when something you expect to be new and under warranty not be.

Getting hosed on Optical warranty repair

Pigsticker

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shorthairsrus

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Kurtr

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Wrkn2hunt

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Norske

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Pigsticker

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Kurtr

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SDMF

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Norske

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LOV2HNT

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SDMF

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FishReaper

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LOV2HNT

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johnr

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Mort

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NodakBuckeye

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