Zeiss "Lifetime" Warranty - refusal to stand behind its product

[Happy Antelope]

Yeah, I love the NX8's but the price on V4 is a little easier to explain to the wife lol

I think you will prefer the view through the V4 over the NX8.l by a lot. The big turrets and built is great on the NX8 as with all NF, but not quite the same quality glass IMO.

 

[Summitdog]

Interesting. When I wrote that post OP’s post said “about 25 years old” looks like the story has changed…

The story was never changed nor edited. If the post was edited it would be reflected at the bottom of the post.


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[Mojave]

Am I correct in my reading here?

-The product is 25 years old, and considered out of service.

-Zeiss offered a discount on a new product.

-The product's owner is upset because he can get an exceptional deal through industry discounts on Zeiss products that happens to be better than the discount Zeiss offered? (Presumably below retail?)

This is quite interesting...

Yes,

I think Ziess did the right thing.

I am going to take my 2017 Sequoia with 150,000 miles on it and tell Toyota I need a new one because the drivers seat plastic is broken.

Then be pissed when Toyota offers me a owners discount on a new Sequoia for twice what I paid for mine.

 

[flagstaff]

As for me, I sent my 85 mm Diascope back to Zeiss to have the course focusing knob work. I was ok with using the fine adjustment knob, but more important was a simple internal cleaning. They fixed the course adjustment knob. But as mentioned, I also sent it the scope back to have the internal lenses cleaned. They said they wouldn’t wouldn’t clean the internals but offered to sell their current model for like $3,400. I told them I just wanted the internal lenses cleaned. They said no. Buy the new model.

that‘s where they lost me forever as a customer.

I bought the scope with a lifetime warranty.

I guess lifetime warranty does not include just cleaning the internals.

 

[Stalker69]

Yes,

I think Ziess did the right thing.

I am going to take my 2017 Sequoia with 150,000 miles on it and tell Toyota I need a new one because the drivers seat plastic is broken.

Then be pissed when Toyota offers me a owners discount on a new Sequoia for twice what I paid for mine.

Toyota nor any other automobile manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty. Your comparisons are way off.

 

[rbutcher1234]

This would frustrate me to no end of a company said they had a lifetime warranty but refused to dec a legitimate issue. I’ve had to use customer service for every single optic company I have ever used equipment from. The best service from a communication, repair, and overall experience were Nightforce, then Armament Tech, then S&B. Aimpoint was great for one issue, not so great for the other. Given the issues, I’d say they were really good overall.

Either I need it buy a lottery ticket because lots of companies somehow managed to send me their one optical instrument that has issues, fails, or needs repair, or most stuff is actually crap when used. I’ll go with option B. Given option B, it really is great to use items that have the least amount of issues to begin with, and then rock solid customer service if something does happen. That’s why most of my non testing scopes end up being NF.

 

[Summitdog]

Yes,

I think Ziess did the right thing.

I am going to take my 2017 Sequoia with 150,000 miles on it and tell Toyota I need a new one because the drivers seat plastic is broken.

Then be pissed when Toyota offers me a owners discount on a new Sequoia for twice what I paid for mine.

Clearly you have not read the entire thread thoroughly, which is understandable b/c it is a long thread with a lot of extraneous junk in it. Nonetheless, the ocular in questions and the diascope body are both less than 20 years old. It is not as if some non-essential aspect of the ocular was the issue (like your silly example of the driver's seat plastic), it was the actual lens that had an internal obstruction, which was a manufacturing defect.
Scotty

 

[TNKnoxville]

Uggggg, sent my V6 scope in early this year as the parallax would not adjust. This happened during my mule deer hunt last year. Lucky my shot was only 80 yards. Joe said they checked it out and there was nothing wrong. He said the tube was slightly bent most likely due to over torquing the rings. I called him and said I use a Wheeler electronic torque wrench and set it at 18 in/lbs, he said maybe someone else tightened the rings. I told him I bought it new. He then said well it would take alot more than 18 inches to bend the tube and would not affect the sope. I told him it was then a defect from Zeiss he never responded.

I did some minor sighting in at 25 yards scope was perfect. Took it out today to sight in at 100 yards. 10 shots perfect dead on. Then the parallax got blurry, just like before. It was clear and blurry for the next few shots, then it started shooting high, low, left, right and the windage and elevation was not adjusting. Then it got really blurry and did not clear up.

I checked the rings and they were still 18 in/lbs. I was shooting a 7 mm mag and 180 Berger VLDs and Terminal Ascent 155 grain. When it was shifting my holes were touching with 2 shots with both ammo.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH just left a message for Joe at Zeiss. I hope they take care of this. I am very unhappy right now!!!!!!!!!!

This scope has been in my safe since it was returned and was in a padded case on my truck back seat for the 45 minute ride today. I didn't want to believe Forms test as this is a $2000 scope, sadly I was wrong.

 

[TNKnoxville]

Update on my scope. Two days after sending it to Zeiss I got a call that they agreed my scope had failed and were sending me a new scope via FedX. Carrie the lady that called me said to make sure I register the scope so that I have the 5 year warranty. Got the scope today. Not bad!!!!! Just hope it doesn't fail for the 3rd time!

 

[HuntHigh]

This is a forewarning to anyone who is considering buying Zeiss product(s), in part, because of the Transferable Limited Lifetime Warranty.



I have multiple Zeiss Diascopes and Victory line scopes. I have never needed to request warranty repair from Zeiss, which is a very good thing indeed. One of the oculars for an 85mm Disacope developed a small opaque “globule” on an internal lens. The globule was static indicating that it was not water. I tried a number of possible solutions, i.e., placing the ocular in a bowl of dry rice, storing it with desiccant, etc. Naturally these efforts were fruitless because the ocular is waterproof.



Because I have multiple Diascope bodies and eyepieces to choose from and Zeiss has a Limited Lifetime Warranty I wasn’t rushed to send in the ocular for warranty repair. The warranty states in relevant section:



Limited Lifetime Transferable Warranty

"ZEISS Sports Optics Optical Systems are warranted against defects in workmanship and materials for the life of the Product.

The Optical System means (a) all the components between and inclusive of the optic’s objective and ocular lens, and (b) any functional and mechanical operating system associated with the optical performance of the Optical System.

If a defect covered by this Warranty is found, ZEISS will, at its sole discretion, repair or replace the Product with a new or reconditioned ZEISS product of comparable specifications."


The response I received was surprising: “We have completed the inspection on your Vario-Okular 15x-45x/20-60x, Serial # *****40 and have determined that your optic is either beyond economic repair or not repairable.” And with that, Zeiss would not honor the lifetime warranty even though Zeiss did acknowledge that it was not due to consumer abuse or mistreatment.



I spoke to Joseph “Joe” Israel at Zeiss whose offer to resolve the matter was to sell me a used Vario-Okular at retail price but without a warranty. He went on to explain that "Lifetime" does not really mean "Lifetime" but rather what Zeiss holds to be a reasonable period of time.

Needless to say, I will no longer be purchasing or supporting Zeiss products. Swarovski’s warranty and repair department has handled all my warranty issues without pause or issue. (the range finder in a pair of Swarovski El Range stopped working. Even though the binoculars were beyond the five year warranty, Swarovski fixed the issue and at no charge. I was fully expecting to have to pay for the service and repairs because it was outside of the warranty. The point being, one manufacturer stands behind its products, even if outside of warranty coverage, and Zeiss refuses to stand behind its lifetime warranty.

Pretty much the exact same thing here. My focus mechanism stopped working. They wanted to charge me $595 to fix it. They also offered a new Gavia(sp?) for $1000. I just wanted my scope repaired for no charge as stated in their warranty. Sadly their warranty seems to be just marketing.

 

[Marshfly]

Update on my scope. Two days after sending it to Zeiss I got a call that they agreed my scope had failed and were sending me a new scope via FedX. Carrie the lady that called me said to make sure I register the scope so that I have the 5 year warranty. Got the scope today. Not bad!!!!! Just hope it doesn't fail for the 3rd time!

Why wouldn't you sell it immediately and purchase something that is more reliable?

 

[Unckebob]

Pretty much the exact same thing here. My focus mechanism stopped working. They wanted to charge me $595 to fix it. They also offered a new Gavia(sp?) for $1000. I just wanted my scope repaired for no charge as stated in their warranty. Sadly their warranty seems to be just marketing.

I would take them to small claims court out of spite. To serve them with the lawsuit, you may need to reach out to the Secretary of State to find out who their registered against for service is.

Counts: Breach of Contract, Fraud and most states have a Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

I would demand a new scope of similar quality (at no cost and with a full warranty) if they would not fix the old scope + court costs.

It will cost them $2k just to answer the lawsuit.

Note: this not legal advice. It is just what I would do.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Lol

 

[DeuceIsWild]

You Just made my decision to return my recently purchased conquest hd binos for a full refund a lot easier.

 

[Summitdog]

Since my last post I found out my Zeiss Diarange’s range finder wasn’t working beyond 125 meters. I contacted Zeiss, explained the problem, received my warranty tag and sent it in. Receipt confirmation on 8/30/23.

Zeiss let the scope sit on the shelf for nearly two months before I received the following email:

“We have completed the inspection on your 3-12x56 VM DIARANGE Y ILL RAPID-Z 800, Serial # xxxxx and have determined the necessary repair(s) will not be fully covered by your warranty.

We will be happy to service your product and have estimated that the following costs will be associated with the repair:

Remote Button for Diarange $47.00

Replacement of DiaRange Remote Button

We anticipate a completion date of 1-2 weeks .”


The response was perplexing. Per Zeiss’ instructions, I had removed the remote button prior to shipping it. Additionally, it did not even address the incorporated range finder problem. I followed up with Carrie about the rangefinder problem. She reviewed the technicians notes and said in a surprised voice: “I’ll have the warranty and service technician look at it. He didn’t make any notes that he examined the range finder. My guess is that the tech just eyeballed the exterior of the scope and called it a day. A few days later I received a notice that the scope needed to be sent to Germany for further evaluation.

Over a month later I received the following update:

“After completing inspection on your 3-12x56 VM DIARANGE Y ILL RAPID-Z 800, Serial # XXXXXXX, we have determined the necessary repair(s) will not be available at our Hebron, Kentucky repair center. We have forwarded your case to our headquarters in Germany to complete the repair(s), which will not be fully covered by your warranty.

Inspection results from Germany:
Rangefinder out of alignment
Parallax deficient
Lens(es) loose

We will be happy to service your product and have estimated that the following costs will be associated with the repair:


$776


We anticipate a completion date of 8 to 10 weeks.”

Wait a minute!!!! “Loose lens(es)”and “parallax deficient” aren’t considered manufacturer defects? There is no allegation of owner abuse or mistreatment so what gives? I need to request an itemized estimate of repairs.

Later Joe called, I told him what I received from the warranty department and he said he’d look into it and get back to me.

Despite all of Zeiss’ chest thumping about one of the best warranties in the industry, they don’t even come close to a meeting the expectation they create.


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[JGRaider]

Pitiful excuse for service, again, by Zeiss. Too many good products out there anymore than to put up with this crap. Good luck!

 

[PokeTheBear_]

i think this thread literally just talked me out of buying a pair of zeiss conquests. The search continues.

 

[BadEarth]

I read this thread after getting victories. They’re so great tho I’ll take a chance with a warranty issue. I have heard some great things too from people who have dealt with them

 

[Tmcgarrigle]

i think this thread literally just talked me out of buying a pair of zeiss conquests. The search continues.

Just get Swaro or Leica. I sold my Victory SF's for NL Pures and have never looked back

 

[General RE LEE]

Interesting but my ex wife works for Zeiss for the medical division.

I ask her a a few times a year if she can get me a discount on optics.

She can get a discount but always tells me no.