Repair Vs. Replace On Limited Editions Pens...am I Being A Sore Loser?

[Raiche58]

Firstly, I dropped a Pilot M90 Limited Edition Pen on a hard floor. The nib bent accordingly. I sent it for repairs and I got a replacement. My limited edition number went from 309 to 809.

 

The replacement/repair was no charge.

 

Should they have sent back the 309 with the replacement nib?

 

 

[FarmBoy]

I'd be happy they replaced the pen at no charge. Could be there was damage to the numbered part and it couldn't be repaired and the only option was replacement.

[mitto]

I'd be happy they replaced the pen at no charge. Could be there was damage to the numbered part and it couldn't be repaired and the only option was replacement.

+1

[Chrissy]

I'd be happy they replaced the pen at no charge. Could be there was damage to the numbered part and it couldn't be repaired and the only option was replacement.

 

+1 for this. I would be more than happy that I had received a brand new pen as a replacement.

[praxim]

You, yes you, dropped and damaged a Limited Edition pen and have been returned a same Limited Edition pen at no charge. How fortunate can you be? If 809 vs 309 is that significant then you need to, um, no further comment.

 

edit:extension

Edited March 17, 2018 by praxim

[jmnav]

Firstly, I dropped a Pilot M90 Limited Edition Pen on a hard floor. The nib bent accordingly. I sent it for repairs and I got a replacement. My limited edition number went from 309 to 809.

 

The replacement/repair was no charge.

 

Should they have sent back the 309 with the replacement nib?

 

No, I don't think they should, specially when they did replace the nib (for a problem that was obviously your enterily fault) at no cost. In fact, I think this was a very gracious gesture from their side.

 

But, then, being a limited edition, which means the unit you have gets a value on its own, I do think they'd better let you know in advance about your options so you could make an informed decision on what to do.

Edited March 17, 2018 by jmnav

[Ron Z]

A Limited Edition pen that was made 10 years ago, and they gave you a new pen? Free? I call that amazing customer service.

[Raiche58]

No, it's not a new replacement nib. Just another nib. I was told I could expect a contact before action was taken on my pen. By the time someone got back to me, the pen was already returned with the replacement nib.

 

I don't know if I would have done anything different, but I was told I could expect to be contacted before repair/replacement/whatever would occur.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

Edited March 18, 2018 by Raiche58

[jmnav]

No, it's not a new replacement nib. Just another replacement nib. I was told I could expect a contact before action was taken on my pen. By the time someone got back to me, the pen was already returned with the replacement nib.

sooo... it seems the person you contacted in the begining just shared my view on how this should be managed.

 

I don't know if I would have done anything different, but I was told I could expect to be contacted before repair/replacement/whatever would occur.

And surely you should make them know. I think they deserve it.

 

But be realistic: your only concern (tell me otherwise if I'm wrong) comes from the fact that your current unit number is higher than the older one (would you have a concern if it had been replaced with #7?). But still, your original number wasn't neither #1 nor #1000 (or whatever it was the last number of the series) so, unless your unit had in origin a special value for you (i.e.: "hey! I explicitly chose #309 because it remembers me the birth date of my firstborn, MAR/2009"), the fact is whatever value you feel you lost because of the number being higher is more than compensated by the fact that you had a broken nib and now you have -for free, a nib in perfect shape. So, it's my opinion that if you are honest to yourself you do know what you would have done given the chance ("you know, these are your choices: either you get #809, now and for free, or you'll get back you #309 if you pay us 100$, wait for an extra month and no 100% garantee that it'll return perfect as new").

 

So, send them a letter telling how grateful you are for the explendid customer service you got (I didn't know, but if it's true that this is a 10 year old series, and even then they sent you a new/recrafted nib for free, they deserve an olimpic gold medal) but then tell them how all that worthy effort was tarnished just because a "mere" (just find a word to say "stupid" without sounding rude) miscommunication.

[FarmBoy]

My mother in-law kissed a telephone pole with her 1998 Honda Accord. We called Honda and they didn't give a (bleep).

[marlinspike]

Is what you're saying that you sent them a pen number 309 and got back a pen numbered 309 but with a nib number 809? In this case, yes, they should have included your original nib in the return. If what you're saying is they sent you an all new pen, numbered 809, then I think they should have told you in case the number had significance but that otherwise it was fine.

[Flounder]

Bear in mind the M90 'nib' is an extension of the section, Pilot wouldn't have much choice in the matter. Where is the serial number on these anyway?

[Raiche58]

This photo, if it loads, will show where the edition number is found--it is as Flounder described--the section and the nib are a single piece.

Edited March 26, 2018 by Raiche58

[Raiche58]

Here's a shot of the damage.

[kpong11]

For Pilot pen 309 and 809 seem to be a manufactured date, not the pen number.

[Raiche58]

Could be, I can't rule that out.

[Flounder]

If that number is the edition, I think that you got the 'best' outcome in repair terms - it would have been impossible to preserve the original number short of rolling out that bend and sending it back to you.

 

There's only so many times steel can be bent and rolled straight before it work hardens and snaps, so in the serendipitous scenario a replacement is available, I'd be happy to take it.

[LanceSaintPaul]

For Pilot pen 309 and 809 seem to be a manufactured date, not the pen number.

I think so too.

[FarmBoy]

I think you got lucky getting the manufacturer to replace a nib unit like this on a 10 year old pen. Most manufacturers don't replace nibs due to user damage under a warranty.

[octatonic]

Yes the numbers are definitely the month and year of manufacture, just like the original Pilot Myu 701. So, 309 was made in March 2009 and 809 was made in August of 2009. Amazing that Pilot replaced the pen! I have heard other great customer service stories about them, but this might top all of those.