Kowa Warranty Experience?

[Rodéo]

Anybody have any experience with Kowa's warranty? Specifically looking at getting one of their spotters and I have not come across any comments on Kowa's warranty. I read the info on their website but with everyone claiming lifetime warranties nowadays, one can never be certain what you're really getting.

If you have any experience at all I'd appreciate you sharing it.
Thanks

 

[tdhanses]

Might be a good sign if you can’t find anyone having had to use it in a day of many using other companies warranty.

I have a Kowa spotter and it is well worth the price.

 

[BluMtn]

Kowas are built to not need warranty. And I am sure if something did need repaired Kowa would make it right.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

Kowa stands behind their products without issues.
As stated, Kowa, as opposed to many other optics companies, do not have hundreds of posts about their warranty because their products are built amazing and there's very very little failure.
The best warranty is the one you, nor anyone you know, has had to use because the product is built on quality not on it's warranty

 

[wannakillabigbull]

Kowa stands behind their products without issues.

I've been interested in getting a Kowa 554 for a while, but the warranty information confused me. On their webpage for the product they list a "10 year warranty"

https://www.kowaproducts.com/Kowa-TSN-550-Series-Spotting-Scope/Kowa-TSN-554-compact-spotting-scope/

But if you just google Kowa warranty it takes you to a webpage that lists a "lifetime limited warranty"

https://sportingoptics.kowa-usa.com/content/17-limited-lifetime-warranty

Can Doug, or anyone else shed light on that? Is it a difference in how warranties are applied in different countries? Specifically that Kowa products bought in the U.S. have a better warranty than elsewhere?

I'm all for the "best warranty is one you never need" but accidents do happen, and it would be nice to know what my options are if my wonderful and very attentive wife decided to run my spotting scope over with her car.

 

[tdhanses]

I've been interested in getting a Kowa 554 for a while, but the warranty information confused me. On their webpage for the product they list a "10 year warranty"

https://www.kowaproducts.com/Kowa-TSN-550-Series-Spotting-Scope/Kowa-TSN-554-compact-spotting-scope/

But if you just google Kowa warranty it takes you to a webpage that lists a "lifetime limited warranty"

https://sportingoptics.kowa-usa.com/content/17-limited-lifetime-warranty

Can Doug, or anyone else shed light on that? Is it a difference in how warranties are applied in different countries? Specifically that Kowa products bought in the U.S. have a better warranty than elsewhere?

I'm all for the "best warranty is one you never need" but accidents do happen, and it would be nice to know what my options are if my wonderful and very attentive wife decided to run my spotting scope over with her car.

If your wife runs your spotter over it better be insured, Kowa isn’t vortex and doesn’t warranty stupidity to gain sales. My take, if you are accident prone and feel you need that security without an insurance policy then I’d go with a company that will warranty anything, no fault, etc but you’ll not own a single high end optic as none of them warranty stupidity or accidents, but they may give you a break on the repair bill.

Most lifetime warranties are on material defects, not accidents. I would say all the high end optics have a very similar warranty on the product.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

I just read the warranty.
Lifetime of the product. Parts will be available for 7 years after product is no longer current.

Basically, it is a lifetime warranty (with any company this means life of the product, not the owner) and then once it is no longer being made parts will still be available for at least 7 more years.

OH, and FWIW, that Kowa TSN-554 is as amazing as you've read. Incredible spotter that you'll always take with you.
Give me a call, 516-217-1000, to discuss it

 

[wannakillabigbull]

Give me a call, 516-217-1000, to discuss it

Oh don't worry Doug, you'll be the first person I call. Just gotta get taxidermy bills and this house purchase out of the way first

 

[AGPank]

I bought a used Kowa TSN-663 last summer as a gift for my mom. The unit arrived with a loose prism. The box/packaging was pristine. It was carefully packaged in factory box well padded inside another box.

I sent the unit into Kowa. I understand the damage likely occurred during shipping and was insured, but with no packaging damage, my view was that this was some type of default with the spotter.

Kowa charged me $285 for repair. I was able to recover that from USPS insurance. I was disappointed that something that severe could happen during shipping for a “rugged” product. I would expect a box to be damaged for that type of break to occur.

I called and spoke to Kowa, they weren’t helpful with explaining how something like that could happen. Since I wasn’t the original buyer, they didn’t seem to care.


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[tdhanses]

I bought a used Kowa TSN-663 last summer as a gift for my mom. The unit arrived with a loose prism. The box/packaging was pristine. It was carefully packaged in factory box well padded inside another box.

I sent the unit into Kowa. I understand the damage likely occurred during shipping and was insured, but with no packaging damage, my view was that this was some type of default with the spotter.

Kowa charged me $285 for repair. I was able to recover that from USPS insurance. I was disappointed that something that severe could happen during shipping for a “rugged” product. I would expect a box to be damaged for that type of break to occur.

I called and spoke to Kowa, they weren’t helpful with explaining how something like that could happen. Since I wasn’t the original buyer, they didn’t seem to care.


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Makes one wonder since you bought it used, did the seller drop it or something and then just sell it instead of sending it in for repair. Just seems weird considering how it was packaged etc.

 

[AGPank]

Pretty trusted seller. He even offered to refund my money if insurance didn’t cover it.

Even a drop to the body I would have expected to see visual damage for something as severe to knock a prism loose. The scope looked new/unused.


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[tdhanses]

Pretty trusted seller. He even offered to refund my money if insurance didn’t cover it.

Even a drop to the body I would have expected to see visual damage for something as severe to knock a prism loose. The scope looked new/unused.


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Oh well then that takes that theory away.

 

[Rodéo]

Thanks for all your replies. Especially tdhanses and Doug. It is appreciated.
I looked through Kowa's products for the first time at sheep show and to say I was impressed is an understatement. The spotters are excellent and the prominar binos surprised me.
Was just curious about the warranty because I am a little accident prone and would like my first premium optic to be covered in the case anything ever happens to it.
You've all been very helpful with the info you've provided.
Special thanks to Doug at cameralandny for being so attentive with these posts and answering questions for us gear junkies. When/if I look to buy a Kowa or another high end spotter, Doug will be the first person I call.