Does warranty matter?

[gmcunni]

been shopping for new skis. Seen some decent prices online, including EBAY and some private sales. One ebay listing caught my attention in that it claimed to be an authorized dealer with "full warranty". Anyone know/have an opinion on warranty service when a ski is purchased from an unauthorized shop or individual? Does it really matter?

 

[SkiDork]

for me these days? no.

Whenever I show it the shop they tell me its user abuse and isn't covered by warranty

 

[drjeff]

If you have a warranty you probably won't need it, if you don't have a waranty, you probably will end up needing it

 

[Trekchick]

I've used my warranty on ski gear exactly twice in the years I've been skiing.

Most often, I trade up and swap gear before I experience a need for warranty.

 

[madskier6]

As a practical matter, when you're buying from an internet retailer & you have a problem, you'll have to ship the skis to them to have a warranty claim dealt with. Unlike if you buy from a bricks & mortar local place where you just take them in & the shop will deal with the claim & handle the shipping.

I would say it's better to have than not to have, just in case you run into a manufacturing defect problem with the skis. I ran into this with my Atomic Metrons where all 4 edges cracked on my skis I bought from an internet retailer with warranty coverage. This is a well known problem with the Metrons & so would generally qualify for warranty coverage.

The seller is being decent about the claim over the phone but I still have yet to have the problem fully addressed. I'm a little frustrated. At this point, I wished I'd have bought them locally so I could just bring them in & have the shop deal with the problem.

 

[tjf67]

been shopping for new skis. Seen some decent prices online, including EBAY and some private sales. One ebay listing caught my attention in that it claimed to be an authorized dealer with "full warranty". Anyone know/have an opinion on warranty service when a ski is purchased from an unauthorized shop or individual? Does it really matter?

If you know the rep for the company it wont matter much. If you have to bring it in to your local shop to have them get the warrenty work done they will be pissy with you. May even tell you they cant do it because you did not purchase them there.

Warranty matters. I have had my AC-4 back twice with broken bindings

 

[Trekchick]

Most often, a product can be returned to the mfg for warranty by any authorized distributor, as long as the store is willing and able to work with you.
Some times, a store is not eager to work with someone who has bought off the internet for cheap.
Can't say as I blame them.

 

[gmcunni]

Some times, a store is not eager to work with someone who has bought off the internet for cheap.
Can't say as I blame them.

i can't blame them either .

 

[skidon]

It sure CAN matter. If you buy skis from an authorized dealer and have a problem, you can return the skis to any other authorized dealer (IF YOU KEEP YOUR RECEIPT). Say you buy Volkls in New Hampshire, but the skis delam within the warranty period in Colorado - you don't have to take them back to the original dealer. If you don't have your receipt, the original dealer will usually have a record of your sale and can service them anyway. Some dealers will even go so far as to replace warranteeable skis off their wall, as long as they know the claim will be covered by the manufacturer. Ebay, private sale and fly-by-night discounters usually do not provide the level of warranty service the more established dealers do. It's not that different than buying a car from an authorized dealer versus privately.... Anyway, I'd NEVER buy a pair of skis I hadn't seen first, inspected, and flexed out (unless I had a guarantee that I could send them right back) - even new ones.