Just what does that mean?
Just what does that mean?
A 'lifetime guarantee' basically just means they guarantee that purchasing their product will provide you with a lifetime of regret.
In less hyperbolic terms, generally they're confident that you'll just throw the product away when it inevitably fails, or give it away from disuse, as you'll either come to the conclusion that it's not worth your efforts to bother jumping through the hoops (limitations and exclusions) necessary to collect on their guarantee or that you wouldn't actually want to collect on the guarantee even if there were absolutely no effort required on your part to do so.
Most don't seem to be worth the paper they're written on.
in 2010 i bought a house that has Wallside Windows vinyl multi-pane whatever the berkeley they're called windows that have a lifetime warranty. i have no idea when they were installed. a couple of the weather seals have failed and allowed moisture between the panes. so i called Wallside. they asked me the address, put me on hold for a minute, then asked when i'd like the tech to come out to replace the windows. one week later, at no cost to me, those windows were replaced with new. so maybe it depends on the product and the company standing behind that product. Wallside FTW (for the win-dows).
Tommy Callahan said:Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of E36 M3. That's all it is, isn't it? Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time. But for now, for your customer's sake, for your daughter's sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality product from me.
It often means lifetime as long as the original purchaser owns it.
Not necessarily transferable.
To me, it means that they guarantee it will last effectively forever if I don't abuse it. I also try not to abuse the policy's. A leatherman tool that the pliers broke on? Yeah, I'll return that. LL Bean boots that I wore through the rubber after 10 years of use? No, I won't return those. I did return the pair that I broke through the eyelet after 2.5 years.
It varies from warranty to warranty, but usually it's as SVreX describes. If the product suffers a failure while still owned by the original owner, the company will provide some measure of compensation.
Doesn't mean the product is junk or short lived. It can mean the exact opposite. And of course there's the expectation that this will not be a forever commitment on the part of the company - our exhaust systems have a lifetime warranty for the original owner, but we also know that cars get sold. We'll get some coming back in 20 years for replacement parts, but most of them will eventually change hands.
It means Lowe's will hate you for breaking all their shingle scrapers trying to pull up VCT tile one day.
It also means you will learn to hate rigid because you can't mail the broken power tools into repair, you have to drop them off at service centers conveniently located in BFE.
Patrick said:Tommy Callahan said:Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of E36 M3. That's all it is, isn't it? Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time. But for now, for your customer's sake, for your daughter's sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality product from me.
Came here to post that.
I have a friend that is still getting his JC Penny's lifetime battery replaced in his TR-6. It hasn't been easy. It seems Firestone bought out some of the Penny's stores and they assumed the liability. The last time it was replaced, the dealer offered him $200 for the warranty paper.
RevRico said:It means Lowe's will hate you for breaking all their shingle scrapers trying to pull up VCT tile one day.
It also means you will learn to hate rigid because you can't mail the broken power tools into repair, you have to drop them off at service centers conveniently located in BFE.
I do believe the RIGID repair depot is about 40 miles from me. 
Don't forget that "lifetime" in the "lifetime guarantee" can also mean "lifetime of the company"...
Sears recently came up with an interesting way out of a lifetime warranty.
For 20+ years I've been trading in old Craftsman tape measure for new ones when they wear out. I would save them, and when I had a few, go to Sears and swap them. They always honored it, anywhere in the country.
The last time I tried I discovered that Sears no longer had Craftsman tape measures. They traded me Stanleys for my old Craftsmans (which means no more lifetime warranty)
I thought it was an interesting way to honestly terminate a deal that was clearly costing them a lot. They still honored their warranty, which is a big part of their brand reputation.
I cant complain. I'm pretty sure I got over 50 free tape measures over the years!
spitfirebill said:I have a friend that is still getting his JC Penny's lifetime battery replaced in his TR-6. It hasn't been easy. It seems Firestone bought out some of the Penny's stores and they assumed the liability. The last time it was replaced, the dealer offered him $200 for the warranty paper.
That is awesome!
I tend to get things like: I bought CFL lightbulbs that all burned out within a month or so and had a ten year warrantee. I called the company and was told to simply "wrap them up in their original packaging and return them to their service department with my original receipt and they would mail me new ones".
Except those things were long in the landfill (who keeps the packaging light bulbs come in?? I called them bad names and hung up.
Home depot are particular asses about the husky hand tools. I broke the 10mm socket from a set that came with a toolbox. I was told they could not just replace the socket, that i had to bring the receipt back with the entire set for a refund because it was discontinued. I basically buy tools as if the warranty means nothing, except at harbor freight where i’m likely to kill the item on day 1 if it’s going to die. At least they’re clear on the 90 days.
Lifetime warranty means VatoZone didn't make a dime of of me with the brake pads I bought when I owned the 9C1 for 12 years.
I have sent 10-year-old worn out Calphalon pans back and had them replaced without question.
Ditto Kraftmaid kitchen cabinets. There is a serial number tag for every order inside the sink base cabinet. Call Kraftmaid, give them that number, and they pull up exactly what was shipped in that order. Tell them what you need to have replaced and you'll have it in hand in a few days.
Also, I have sent utterly abused Victronox Swiss Army knives back - knives with broken blades that are too gummed up to open anyway - and received shiny new ones in replacement, no problem.
VW used to (maybe still do) have a fuel filter with a lifetime warranty. I asked an engineer how they can offer a lifetime warranty on a consumable. I asked if they replace them for free at certain intervals or what.
He said, "Oh. No, when the filter is plugged, we figure that's the life of the unit. The warranty is all used up". Lost respect for VW that day.
To me, lifetime warranty/guarantee means I'll never have to buy another.
Depends on the company, I've had great luck with Kershaw knives purchased places other then Wal-Mart. The American made ones have a lifetime warranty on the blade. I've had terrible times getting snap on too warranty hand tools. That's apparently because of our local driver although corporate was no help. S&K has been great to deal with, although the last time they rebuilt my ratchet they informed me it would be the last time because the teeth are worn off in the handle and there's obvious signs of hammer abuse.
I think it would means " When this thing breaks, bring it back and we will replace it", "When this wears out we will replace it, but we will find another thousand dollars worth of stuff to sell you" or something in the middle.
It mentions the lifetime mufflers at 1:10.
I like the ones that read "for the lifetime of the product with the original purchaser." It died? It's dead....
Datsun310Guy said:It mentions the lifetime mufflers at 1:10.
You would think they would put something better that cold rolled steel muffler that will rust out in two years. I bet they are just waiting for her to pass on.
I wore out my first pair of Chaco sandals after 7 years of pretty heavy use. I recalled them having a lifetime warranty, so I got in touch with Chaco, emailed them some pictures, and they agreed that they should be replaced under warranty. They had me fill out some paperwork, and since my color/pattern of sandals was long since discontinued, they had me pick my top 3 choices for replacement. It cost me like $13 out of pocket to ship my old sandals to them, and they shipped me a brand new pair of my 2nd choice of sandals about a week later.
I've you're in the market for some hippy shoes, Chacos are worth it!
I wear Native sunglasses with a lifetime guarantee. If anything at all happens, scratch a lens, bust your frame, lose a nose piece. You send them in with your original receipt, and they will replace no questions asked. If you don't have the receipt you have to pay a shipping and handling charge which I figure is actually their cost of the glasses, and they will send you a new pair. They are super high quality glasses, and I would highly recommend.
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