pen companies and their warranties

[bushido]

the article about warranties among the pen companies in the current penworld magazine got me thinking. there is an obvious divide on warranties by manufacturers, where we basically have only two major types of pen companies: those that cover your pen as long as you live and those who cover it until the next celebrity's sex scandal.

 

some shockers: lifetime for monteverdes and deltas, but 1 yr for sailors and 2 yrs for auroras? come on, sailor and aurora, you disappoint me with your lack of trust in your customers! mb (one of my fav pen companies) should also be ashamed for only offering 2 yrs. it's obvious to tell whether a pen's been dropped or damaged versus a mechanical or material flaw or malfunction.

 

that leads me to this conclusion: any pen manufacturer worth its salt should offer lifetime. if a pen company can't guarantee its pens will work after 5 yrs has no reason to exist.

[Pen Is Mightier]

I completely agree with you, if a manufacturer isn't sure enough about covering their product why should we be sure enough about purchasing said product. Not many manufacturers guarantee their pens that well these days, so it can be mighty upsetting if your beloved and expensive pen breaks down and the company wants an arm and a leg to fix it.

[rwilsonedn]

Lots of nuance in this question. First, how a manufacturer respects their warranty is more important that the length. If your MB fails during the first two years in the United States, you will probably get exactly the same free service you will get after ten years: none. There are plenty of testimonials to this policy here on FPN. Unfortunately, this can vary from country to country as well as from brand to brand.

Second, warranties aren't intended to guarantee you against wearing out your pen. No company in these days of enforceable contracts would promise that nothing you could do to the pen in the course of a lifetime would cause it to stop working. Rather, warranties are intended to insure you against defects in materials or workmanship. Such defects will certainly become visible within the first few months of use, so in this sense even a year's warranty is excessive. A year is nice, because it allows for the possibility that you might not use the pen heavily right away. Two years is a marketing ploy, as, I suspect, were the "lifetime" warranties on major-brand pens in the golden era of fountain pens. Of course they were not lifetime warranties at all. The rubber parts in the filling mechanisms could not have lasted for the lifetime of any but a relatively aged or sick owner. And in fact many of the pens were still in the service of their original owners, maintained at the owner's expense, long after the companies ceased to honor the warranties.

A company that offers a one-year warranty against defects is being honest and supportive. A company that offers a lifetime warranty is selling you a line.

ron

[jar]

Warranty on a fountain pen is a "who cares" type subject.

 

I can't remember ever checking what the warranty was on a pen as part of the decision process.

[bushido]

Lots of nuance in this question. First, how a manufacturer respects their warranty is more important that the length. If your MB fails during the first two years in the United States, you will probably get exactly the same free service you will get after ten years: none. There are plenty of testimonials to this policy here on FPN. Unfortunately, this can vary from country to country as well as from brand to brand.

Second, warranties aren't intended to guarantee you against wearing out your pen. No company in these days of enforceable contracts would promise that nothing you could do to the pen in the course of a lifetime would cause it to stop working. Rather, warranties are intended to insure you against defects in materials or workmanship. Such defects will certainly become visible within the first few months of use, so in this sense even a year's warranty is excessive. A year is nice, because it allows for the possibility that you might not use the pen heavily right away. Two years is a marketing ploy, as, I suspect, were the "lifetime" warranties on major-brand pens in the golden era of fountain pens. Of course they were not lifetime warranties at all. The rubber parts in the filling mechanisms could not have lasted for the lifetime of any but a relatively aged or sick owner. And in fact many of the pens were still in the service of their original owners, maintained at the owner's expense, long after the companies ceased to honor the warranties.

A company that offers a one-year warranty against defects is being honest and supportive. A company that offers a lifetime warranty is selling you a line.

ron

 

whether use your pen 1 yr or 5 yrs, if it breaks due to use, its cause is material and manufacturing. if a $500 pen can't last 5 yrs without it failing, the company should and must go out of business. nibs, barrel, feed, etc should last you a lifetime; that's why some companies are willing to make that commitment. but for those who offer only 1 to 3 yrs, what a joke.

 

bottom line: make the warranty (and thus the commitment) clear. don't play this 'depends on a case by case basis.' guarantee your pen, or don't sell it at all or make the pen cheaper.

[bushido]

Warranty on a fountain pen is a "who cares" type subject.

 

I can't remember ever checking what the warranty was on a pen as part of the decision process.

 

i never cared about warranty before either. it's more than the yrs but the message it sends: which company is willing to put money where their mouth is.

[rwilsonedn]

 

 

whether use your pen 1 yr or 5 yrs, if it breaks due to use, its cause is material and manufacturing. if a $500 pen can't last 5 yrs without it failing, the company should and must go out of business. nibs, barrel, feed, etc should last you a lifetime; that's why some companies are willing to make that commitment. but for those who offer only 1 to 3 yrs, what a joke.

 

bottom line: make the warranty (and thus the commitment) clear. don't play this 'depends on a case by case basis.' guarantee your pen, or don't sell it at all or make the pen cheaper.

I'm sure that is true for you because you are a careful user with a light hand, always use appropriate papers, and never allow incompatible inks to mix, or any inks to dry, in your pens. (no, seriously--no sarcasm intended.) But many fountain-pen users these days never learned the discipline, and treat a good fountain pen like a showy but inconvenient ballpoint. Most of the failures they experience will have nothing to do with workmanship or materials, and everything to do with hard use. But they would cause an enormous fuss if told that their years of hard use constituted abuse and voided the warranty.

ron

[bushido]

 

 

whether use your pen 1 yr or 5 yrs, if it breaks due to use, its cause is material and manufacturing. if a $500 pen can't last 5 yrs without it failing, the company should and must go out of business. nibs, barrel, feed, etc should last you a lifetime; that's why some companies are willing to make that commitment. but for those who offer only 1 to 3 yrs, what a joke.

 

bottom line: make the warranty (and thus the commitment) clear. don't play this 'depends on a case by case basis.' guarantee your pen, or don't sell it at all or make the pen cheaper.

I'm sure that is true for you because you are a careful user with a light hand, always use appropriate papers, and never allow incompatible inks to mix, or any inks to dry, in your pens. (no, seriously--no sarcasm intended.) But many fountain-pen users these days never learned the discipline, and treat a good fountain pen like a showy but inconvenient ballpoint. Most of the failures they experience will have nothing to do with workmanship or materials, and everything to do with hard use. But they would cause an enormous fuss if told that their years of hard use constituted abuse and voided the warranty.

ron

 

i agree with you, as evidenced by some people who I let borrow my pens in the past just for a few minutes. imagine those same schmucks using fountain pens for 5 yrs! so i can see your point. the companies must be fair in following their warranties; only material and workmanship defects only. protects those who genuinely take care of their pens, those who devote their time and money to fountain pens. those who abuse their pens will never be good future customers anyway.

[jar]

Warranty on a fountain pen is a "who cares" type subject.

 

I can't remember ever checking what the warranty was on a pen as part of the decision process.

 

i never cared about warranty before either. it's more than the yrs but the message it sends: which company is willing to put money where their mouth is.

 

The one that pays attention to detail during manufacture seems more important to me than the one that doesn't and just claims they will fix what's wrong.

[79spitfire]

Warranty on a fountain pen is a "who cares" type subject.

 

I can't remember ever checking what the warranty was on a pen as part of the decision process.

 

+1

Non issue for me. Many "lifetime" warranties require the original receipt anyway, and or a "registration". I can seem to fill in the registration, but keep those flimsy register receipts? Then to honor the warranty you have to "send" it to them (or take it), which costs money and time, and often pay a "warranty fee". (not legal in some states, BTW). So just don't worry about it, besides most "warranties" are just a selling gimmick anyway!

[dval]

God, I didn't know Montblanc has such a lousy policy. I've read Cross and Pelikan offer lifetime guaranties, and I've read here stories that Cross service is very good. I suppose that it may be an exceptional policy, but at least repairs shall be offered at very reasonable prices.

[bushido]

it's not logical to think companies offer warranties just for marketing because it does cost them real $$$ to repair pens beyond the obligated 3 yrs other companies offer. also it's illogical for pen companies to continue bad mfg practices and carry a lifetime warranty because they won't be around for very long. the ONLY logical explanation for companies that truly want to be around long would be they can offer a lifetime warranty because they make their pens to last, or at least charge the customers upfront. the disgusting part is those companies that charge high prices but offer 1-2 yr warranties. if it's so, ahem, 'precious' how come you consider it (Potty Mouth) after 2 yrs? i'm so upset i will never buy a mb or from any pen mfer like it again.

[cpsantillan]

I completely agree with you, if a manufacturer isn't sure enough about covering their product why should we be sure enough about purchasing said product. Not many manufacturers guarantee their pens that well these days, so it can be mighty upsetting if your beloved and expensive pen breaks down and the company wants an arm and a leg to fix it.

+1 this is a good point,we should think more about what kind of warranty the pen manufacturers offer us

[Tumbleweedtoo]

Though I now have many other brands of fountain pens, I own more Cross pens than all the others put together. Why? Because of my excellent warranty experience with them, and there pens started me collecting. My first Century I bought in the 1980's had an accident after a few years of use when a department store door caught the pen in my pocket and tore up the clip as it tore the pen out of my pocket and threw it on the ground. I returned it to Cross expecting to pay something for a new cap. Back in those days they replaced the cap and sent the pen back to me without charge. Later, I damaged the cap once again, and they did the same thing without charge. Now, that was service way beyond the warranty, and it made me a loyal Cross customer for life. Now, when I have needed to have Cross pens repaired a couple of times (user error or an ebay "find"), I am happy to pay the $10.00 service charge, because I know they will do their best to meet my needs and the charge is nominal. I would rather pay the $10.00 in support of Cross employees working in the United States than not have their excellent service because the company could no longer afford them (even with pens made outside the USA). In any event, I am writing this e-mail in praise of Cross warranty and repair service, so I would guess they have bought a lot of good will over the years with their excellent customer and warranty service practices that has helped Cross in the long run. These other companies may be very shortsighted in their practices, it seems to me, though I own their pens.

 

All the Best,

T

[mahkie]

Many lifetime warranties are contingent on having an original receipt. A receipt printed on thermal paper that will not be legible after 1-2 years after purchase under the best of conditions.

 

I am a big proponent in the belief that the overwhelming majority of defect in a product will show up within a short period of time after purchase. The rest is almost always caused by wear and tear. I do expect manufacturers of mature products to take steps to mitigate common wear problems with their products though.

 

Also, I like it when the manufacturer trusts people enough to let them fix their own product. I am a tinkerer and love products where the manufacturer has a complete parts list and order form

[InkyWinky]

Though I now have many other brands of fountain pens, I own more Cross pens than all the others put together. Why? Because of my excellent warranty experience with them, and there pens started me collecting. My first Century I bought in the 1980's had an accident after a few years of use when a department store door caught the pen in my pocket and tore up the clip as it tore the pen out of my pocket and threw it on the ground. I returned it to Cross expecting to pay something for a new cap. Back in those days they replaced the cap and sent the pen back to me without charge. Later, I damaged the cap once again, and they did the same thing without charge. Now, that was service way beyond the warranty, and it made me a loyal Cross customer for life. Now, when I have needed to have Cross pens repaired a couple of times (user error or an ebay "find"), I am happy to pay the $10.00 service charge, because I know they will do their best to meet my needs and the charge is nominal. I would rather pay the $10.00 in support of Cross employees working in the United States than not have their excellent service because the company could no longer afford them (even with pens made outside the USA). In any event, I am writing this e-mail in praise of Cross warranty and repair service, so I would guess they have bought a lot of good will over the years with their excellent customer and warranty service practices that has helped Cross in the long run. These other companies may be very shortsighted in their practices, it seems to me, though I own their pens.

 

All the Best,

T

 

I had a similar experience with Cross. I once dropped a rollerball and it was run over by a truck, totally smashed. Sent it in and new one was mailed, no questions.

[hari317]

God, I didn't know Montblanc has such a lousy policy. I've read Cross and Pelikan offer lifetime guaranties, and I've read here stories that Cross service is very good. I suppose that it may be an exceptional policy, but at least repairs shall be offered at very reasonable prices.

 

MB will provide free service only for two years, but they will service almost any MB pen, purchased from anywhere(including ebay) for a very nominal fee of 80USD in the US and UK. I think they have a very honorable after sales service policy. YMMV.

 

Thanks!

Hari

[bushido]

God, I didn't know Montblanc has such a lousy policy. I've read Cross and Pelikan offer lifetime guaranties, and I've read here stories that Cross service is very good. I suppose that it may be an exceptional policy, but at least repairs shall be offered at very reasonable prices.

 

MB will provide free service only for two years, but they will service almost any MB pen, purchased from anywhere(including ebay) for a very nominal fee of 80USD in the US and UK. I think they have a very honorable after sales service policy. YMMV.

 

Thanks!

Hari

 

i'm sorry to say that $80 isn't nominal for something that should be done without charge for the original owner.

Edited April 25, 2010 by bushido

[hari317]

God, I didn't know Montblanc has such a lousy policy. I've read Cross and Pelikan offer lifetime guaranties, and I've read here stories that Cross service is very good. I suppose that it may be an exceptional policy, but at least repairs shall be offered at very reasonable prices.

 

MB will provide free service only for two years, but they will service almost any MB pen, purchased from anywhere(including ebay) for a very nominal fee of 80USD in the US and UK. I think they have a very honorable after sales service policy. YMMV.

 

Thanks!

Hari

 

i'm sorry to say that $80 isn't nominal for something that should be done without charge for the original owner.

 

Yes, probably unfair to the original owner since they probably paid full retail price, but very fair/reasonable to the second or the nth owner who did not buy the pen new but can still get the pen serviced and put it to use without burning a big hole in their pocket.

 

There are not many companies around that will still service(FWIW) a pen made by them in the 1960's and that too for a standard fee.

[pkoko]

My biggest concern about things that can go wrong in FP are piston fillers that are made out of plastic. How long can they really last? and How much will they cost to fix?