Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Swarovski warranty

I have a question for Swarovski binocular owners regarding the warranty. I have a pair of SLC8x30 that quit focusing.
I pulled them from my pack in a padded case one day while hunting and they wouldn't focus. They had never been dropped or abused.
I sent them in for repairs. They sent me an estimate to repair and claimed the internal prisms are damaged and the bino's will need to be rebuilt.
Estimated cost $450.00. How can the internal prisms be damaged? they have never been dropped and the exterior shows no abuse.
What kind of warranty is this? Is this normal?
If this is normal for Swarovski , is it normal for other manufacturers? If not who has the best warranty?
I have never had to send bino's back for repairs. I have sent many scopes in of various brands and never been charged.

You do not say but are the original owner? Did you ever register the purchase with Swarovski? Were they bought in the USA from an authorized Swarovski dealer?

Welcome to the club...

Doug,
Thanks for responding. I am not the original owner. I did contact them and had the bino's registered in my name when I bought them. I was under the impression they had a lifetime transferable warranty.

It is a 10 year warranty on the unit and a lifetime warranty on the interior optical element

Doesn't matter. Happened to me three times. All bins I bought. Said the same thing as they said to you. Mine were more expensive to fix. I quit them years ago...

Thanks again Doug,
They claim the internal prisms are broken?
Seems that would qualify as interior optical element.
I will call them and argue.
But it appears these may be worthless.
So that leads to my next question, is this the industry standard?
Who has a better warranty.
Seems to me optics without a good warranty is a risky gamble

Thanks Greg for the input. Wish I would have known this before wasting my money on Swaro's. The fanboys never seem to mention this crap.

The higher end optics companies do not offer the "No Fault" warranty of the Pacific Rim manufactured brands. Reason being is it costs a great deal more to make a Swarovski or Leica then it would in a production line in China.
The only exception to this is Steiner who does have a no questions asked warranty

Gold Ring Leupolds. I'm the third owner on a spotter. Sent it in on Monday, and had it back on a Friday with a new front end. No charges

So if I want a good warranty I need to buy Japanese? how about GPO? how is their warranty?

GPO is no fault lifetime

Meopta Brian

Funny thing Jud , the Meopta's were at the top of my list , then a fair deal on these popped up here on the classifieds, I fell for the brand name. I am kicking myself

Ok , so GPO or Meopta's ? what's the consensus?

Going off other Campfire member recommendations, and if you are not stuck to the 30mm class objectives, I would also consider Tract Toric binos. I have several of their scopes (Toric, Tekoa and Turion) and think VERY highly of the brand.

Not sure if you are looking at Meopta MeoStars or MeoPros...I have a set of 8x32 MeoPros and my only complaint is the fast / touchy focus wheel. Love everything else about them. Just something to be aware of if these are on your radar.

I have a set of pre-SV Swaro EL 8.5x42's that I think highly of but I have not had to deal with any warranty issues.

I have no experience with the GPO's.

If I were buying another pair of quality binos, I would be leaning towards the Meo's or Tract.

War_ Eagle,

I have considered the Tract Toric, I have heard nothing but good about them, but I am now spooked by warranty issues, basically, will they be around in 10yrs.

Just got off the phone with Swarovski, they told me the inner prism's are cracked. I am the only one who uses these binoculars and can guarantee you they have not been dropped or had an impact of any kind. They have absolutely no external sign of damage.

They will not warranty the internals, so the lifetime warranty on the internals is a lie!!!! basically the warranty is worthless.

In my opinion they are a shyster company now. Fanboys beware you will get burned... just don't brag up your overpriced garbage to the rest of us.....not impressed

I would also like to thank GregW for being honest, upfront and helpful, I wish I would have read his thread before purchasing such garbage.

We’re they broke when you bought em? If not how long have you used em?

Jud,
This is my third season with them. The roughest treatment they have seen was last year on a horseback elk hunt, when the horse trotted they bounced around pretty good on my bino harness,

I keep them in a soft case in my daypack surrounded by gloves, jacket etc... I pulled them out of the pack the other day on a wolf hunt and they wouldn't focus.

Yep I’d pissed too...