Tesoro's warranty policy is a two edged sword

[Sven]

about warranty. Unless your prone to not caring for your detector when you own one.

It's not a soccer ball you can kick around, you throw back into your trunk until next time.
Even tho they are pretty tough and will take a lot of abuse but, its still an electronic piece of equipment.
Treat your detector with respect, care............and you will probably never have a problem with your Tesoro.

I have never had a stock "unmodified" Tesoro be in need of repair work. Old or new.


I know one company I would never buy a "used" metal detector from again, prone to needing repair work at a cost of a min $150 a pop.
Hence you see the resale value very low for this good performance machine, hard for anyone to take a gamble on buying one. Good design,
some poor materials prone to breakage even when owner is careful with them. No problem if your the orig owner and repair is within the 2 year warranty
with limitations.

A Tesoro 5 year warranty should be sufficent for orig. owner. Transferable the first 2 years of orig new purchase. Or how about an extended warranty purchase
for new or used machines by second, third, fourth etc. owners, $25.00 fee? Many Tesoros change hands numerous times, especially those of forum members.
Lets say one detector changes hands 4x and everyone buys an extended warranty for $25 each. The detector never needs servicing, then Tesoro now has a nice pool of extra cash
to draw upon for warranty repairs.

OK guys, stop worrying about your Tesoro needing repairs. I'm sure there's other things to worry about this winter that is more important.
To kill winter cabin fever, go ahead pick up your Tesoro, take a walk outside with it, take a deeep breath, turn it on and come back inside. Unless you
are lucky not to be living in the snow ice lands....................in that case, just go hunting..............

 

[dan b]

I've bought 2 used Tesoros that didn't work correctly. They needed to be sent in for repairs. One was from an online dealer who had to have known it was defective if had even bothered to turn it on. I spoke with James on the phone and he told me to send it in and they would fix it at no charge. Those days are gone, and now the only way I would buy a used Tesoro would be if I could see it in person. No more sight unseen purchase for me without the protection of a transferable warranty which limits me to a couple of makes that don't appeal to me. So only new Tesoros for me, which was probably the main point of the warranty policy shift.

 

[Sven]

I've bought 2 used Tesoros that didn't work correctly. They needed to be sent in for repairs. One was from an online dealer who had to have known it was defective if had even bothered to turn it on. I spoke with James on the phone and he told me to send it in and they would fix it at no charge. Those days are gone, and now the only way I would buy a used Tesoro would be if I could see it in person. No more sight unseen purchase for me without the protection of a transferable warranty which limits me to a couple of makes that don't appeal to me. So only new Tesoros for me, which was probably the main point of the warranty policy shift.

Guess your one of the lucky ones.
Of all the many Tesoros newer and older I bought used over the years from ebay, some dealers, "forum members", never had a problem.
Can't say that about some other brands old or new bought untested off ebay, Craigslist etc. Always a gamble.

 

[tabman]

Tesoro has the best warranty and the most bang for your buck. Nothing else comes close.

tabman

 

[BarryL]

JMHO here I see a few things happening here . Either the price of used tesoros will go down or the sales of new Tesoros will go up Good news for both parties "Tesoro" and Buyers of used Machines " I recently traded for a Tesoro Bandito II MMax and took it out and gave it a whirl and just could not get it stable . Sent it in and had it checked out found out the coil needed repair and retuned and also found out I was ground balancing in the wrong way on this machine . My mistake Rusty set me straight on this machine and helped me a Lot . I would love to be able to buy new machines but am on a limited budget and cant so that leaves me to the used market which I have bought and sold many Tesoros through and have never got a damaged one and the fellow I got the BII from is a very reputable guy and I have dealt with him many times and will continue to do so . The warranty issue is of no big deal to me as I will pay the cost if it is on a machine That I truly want to try and use and keep if not then it will go up for trade Tesoro is and always will be a great Company I am sure . Not saying the warranty issue could not be improved maybe they will see all these comments and take it into consideration . But like others have stated on here a company cannot survive working for free and we all want a new designed Tesoro to come out maybe the backlog of Used machines are delaying this maybe not but I for one will always be a Tesoro Fan . JMHO though on my Post!

PS I hope they pick a new name for the new model soon The waiting is killing Me!

 

[Larry (IL)]

I think you are right on the money Dan and Tesoro will almost have to come to the same conclusion as time passes. A two year transferable warranty is a huge selling point for both new and used machines. I think Tesoro would be wise to guarantee all new machines for at least two years.

Tesoro has gone from one extreme to the other for second hand owners and I think that will hurt new sales in the long run. It will make me think twice about buying a new machine when I can buy a nice used one half price. I think it will also hurt new sales when buyers know that if they want to sell their new machine to upgrade or for whatever reason, the new owner will not get a warranty and that hurts resale prices.

If Tesoro wants to keep the lifetime warranty, fine, but they really need to protect their secondary market customers too.

 

[dan b]

The distinction is whether the warranty is bound to the product or to the purchaser. Tesoro's current policy binds the warranty soley to the purchaser, and the machine is almost irrelevant. The fact that a 2 day old detector can exist without warranty if it is re-sold is evidence of that.

I agree that they shouldn't work for free. I wouldn't and neither would anyone else. I'm not suggesting that they go back to the the way James ran it, because that was too generous. I would re-iterate that I believe a lifetime warrany for the original buyer, but a 2 year transferable warranty on the machine would be the best warranty for everyone.

Dan

 

[Scanman]

Thats understandable Dan if you have been burnt twice, I learned an expensive lesson purchasing a used coil, and will not risk it again. As far as the topic of this discussion, It does not really concern me if there is no warranty on a used newer machine. I see folks purchasing used Tesoro's for 30 bucks less than the cost of new, this defies all logic to me? For me there has to be a certain price delta before I purchase anything used. I feel bad for folks that purchase a new detector and decide they hate the hobby or machine, but maybe choosing a good dealer with a good return policy would be in order for those folks.

 

[dan b]

I see folks purchasing used Tesoro's for 30 bucks less than the cost of new, this defies all logic to me?

Most Tesoros are reasonably priced to buy new. I don't get it either why people would buy used Compadres or Silvers for less than a $50 difference from a new one. I think part of that was due to the fact that you could get warranty coverage if there was a problem. Now it's worth paying a little more for a new one and having zero risk.

One machine that is still worth the gamble is the Cortes. Most used ones go for around $450, and even having to pay for Tesoro to fix a defective one is still going to be cheaper than paying $720 for a new one (when that kind of money could be used to buy machines with way more functionality if a TID machine is a must have for you).

 

[Elton]

I've bought 2 used Tesoros that didn't work correctly. They needed to be sent in for repairs. One was from an online dealer who had to have known it was defective if had even bothered to turn it on. I spoke with James on the phone and he told me to send it in and they would fix it at no charge. Those days are gone, and now the only way I would buy a used Tesoro would be if I could see it in person. No more sight unseen purchase for me without the protection of a transferable warranty which limits me to a couple of makes that don't appeal to me. So only new Tesoros for me, [size=x-large]which was probably the main point of the warranty policy shift.

[/size]

I think the main reason for the change was the cost of repairs on used machines plus the labor to a repair person.. Maybe a little of Sell new on Tesoro's part but not as much as we all think.

A fee is built in on a machine when sold new for a potential repair.. So years later that fee is no longer factored in to Tesoro's operating costs..... Labor costs has gone up, Parts prices have gone up, and we all know shipping is out of this world expensive lately.... Tesoro must , repeat must turn a profit to stay in business... Making repairs, and shipping for free is not a good way to accomplish that goal..

Yes their goal is to sell new machines.... But their goal may be fix and repair for a profit too.. Auto dealers make most of their money on Service and repair.. Any Sell and service company should do the same...

We need to stop complaining..Buy new ..get the lifetime warranty. Or buy used and expect to pay a fee for needed service.. .. This will allow Tesoro to grow, be profitable, and design new products that are better than todays..... Just an opinion from a business point of view.. Publicity is nice..but it doesn't pay the bills unless your selling and making profits or servicing and making profits..

Nice guys finish last all say... Well take a look Tesoro is last in the market per some figures someone posted... They need to Grow..!!!

 

[yowow#1]

I wonder if anyone would be willing to pay a little extra for a transferable warranty just in case they think they might want to sell later on. That way Tesoro could offer a non-transferable warranty and a transferable warranty for a little added cost.

 

[hardrockminer]

If you buy a new Tesoro, it's great (generally). If you have issues that they feel shouldn't happen under normal use, not so much. But for the most part, the warranty is good.


Dan

Dan,

Sounds like your whining.

I think their change of policy is because of the abuse of a few, so let me thank all you morons who send in a perfectly good detector " For A Tune-Up" & tie up the repair department on frivalis things..............Like a bike, if you want a tune-up there should be a set cost.

Also some people have a lot of guts trying to claim defect when it's not (& they know it), it's abuse !

HaRM

 

[Scanman]

Dan was comparing warranties from a 2 year perspective. $50.00 bucks is probably the break even point for bench time, courtesy call, and shipping back to you. I think thats more than fair.

 

[HateTabs]

I agree to a point, just think how many years Tesoro has been doing so called "tune ups" because the person wants to make sure everything works like it should, and most of those were probably on used machines. There is no way a company can stay in business doing that, they have to have a way to cover their time and labor. I know some of the cost is built into the machine but look at how many older units are still out there that may have been sent in multiple times, the cost built into those have long been gone. Whatever they decide to do I hope it is something that will let them grow and continue to make some of the best detectors out there. I'm rooting for you Tesoro!

 

[dan b]

Dan,

Sounds like your whining.

Nope, not in the least. I applaud their decision to stop working for free, even though it has benefited me in the past. However, I would rather see Tesoro prosper and continue to produce top rated machines for a long time than to save myself a few bucks. However, I think their change in warranty policy creates a disadvantage for the person who wants to use a Tesoro but can not afford a new one. And when you consider the typical buyer of a metal detector, it's more likely than not that that person is retired and on a fixed income. Cost becomes a factor, and the risk of buying a "lemon" (like I did twice) now has to be considered.

 

[tabman]

Let me remind you that there's one prosperous metal detecting company that offers a short non-transferable warranty and sell their detectors at a premium.

Others sell their detectors at a premium with a short warranty that's transferable.

Bottom line, Tesoro offers the best warranty and customer service in the business. All at a great value!

There will always be whiners and people wanting something for nothing. There's no getting around that.

Years ago when I first went into business I wanted to offer the lowest price and best value. Which I clearly did.

Buyers wanted to know why I couldn't come off my price like the other sellers. I didn't want to waste my time trying to explain.

Back to the drawing broad. I raised my prices up to and above my competition's prices and offered big discounts and lots of freebies.

Bottom line, the shoppers rushed to buy, but they didn't get any better value in the end.

tabman

 

[mudpuppy]

Great topic for all Mfg's to consider, not just detector companies...In my business, we offer a one year warranty, that said, I allow my guys a bit of discretion and want them to think about building good will in the customer base. Even if a product is YEARS out of warranty, depending upon the part required, its price etc. we take care of the customer depending upon who they are and the situation. Some companies dont care and just order the part, but others you can tell it really means a lot to them when you go above and beyond the industry norm and just take care of the problem for free. That builds "goodwill" and almost a friendship type of relationship. Anybody that buys a product "used" and tries to abuse the warrantee/goodwill system is dealt with in a professional and friendly manner, but they gotta pay the price for taking the risk, that's just a given...

Takes a knowledge of the customer base and a good ear to determine which way to go...I would certainly think that now a days a company can have all good customers flagged in the system to handle a "warrantee" situation appropriately, you sure dont want some customer service person pissin off long time brand loyal user for a 2 dollar part. And, you dont want it to get known that you will roll over just because somebody thinks you should... As I heard one old service tech say to a customer, in a discussion concerning an obvious attempt on their part to get something for nothing " Hey wait a minute guy, you dont call Ford when your tires wear out do ya?"

So Yeah, warrantees should be industry standard with a floating discretionion type of thing..
Mud

 

[Minas man]

In a era when most electronic devices are disposable it is nice to have a company who's products are actively supported and not just disposed of in a land fill.
Most defects in any product show up in the first years of use so I think that Tesoro could do just fine with a 3 year transferable warranty if its present policy is putting the company in jeopardy.
As Canadian Tesoro owner my prospective of this issue is is it worth it to send a detector to another country at today's shipping costs to have it repaired as I do not think that they are serviced here in Canada. Tesoro detectors are lower priced machines in today's market and I would have to weigh the pros and cons of sending the detector away especially if I do not no the final charges.
My mothers washer lasted over 30 years our first washer lasted 8 years and was I disappointed as my expectations were not met even though I bought the same brand.
I did not buy my Tesoro for the Warranty I bought it for its performance and quality build and my expectations have been met.
This is taken from the top of Tesoro.com Home page
Quality Built Metal Detectors Backed With A Lifetime Warranty
32 Years Of Quality Metal Detectors

 

[Woodchuck]

Lets face it you can't beat a Tesoro machine for quality and the company , They often repair free plus they don't charge you for shipping it back to you.They ship your detector back in a new box to boot also . It all cost money parts, labor, shipping, and shipping supplies .How much money has the company spent over the years doing this. I have no problem begrudging them money for the fine service they have done me over the years on second hand machines I have owned, where they did not charge me to look at or repair. I would much rather pay a fee to see them stay in business than go belly up in this day and age. Its a small price to pay to keep Tesoro if it gets sick. What would you rather have? a detector that is up and running or one that is down and can't be repaired because company went out of business in debt and went bankrupt. After all they are a business and a dang good one ! Just my 2 cents worth on subject