Leatherman Warranty Experiences/Turnaround time?

[Glockfan]

Live chat? What's that, where? I did not see anything like that on their website.

It’s the round button, bottom right corner.

Yeah, I just finished a chat with them. After you mentioned this business hours thing, I checked it again, and voila, it turned out that because of the time difference, I just looked at the wrong times. Thank you for the tip!

Happy to help!

 

[Higgins617]

Just sent my Charge in for repair/replacement on 12/5. Will keep everyone posted on the goings on. The plier guide in the handle cracked/popped, the blade is beat and looks to have tar or something similar on the edge, and the small bit is snapped off.

I got it used, and I know a lot of people frown on sending second hand tools in for warranty repair. But this is about the only way I could have a Charge. I do sort of feel bad, but I have zero intention to ever sell or try to profit from their work to fix or replace it. So it'll just keep another tool in use.

Plus I have purchased many tools from them. So I'm excited. The guide issue was bad enough to keep the tool from folding up correctly and it drove me crazy to carry as is. Tried for 8 months

[mybabybook]

Hi,
from what I know, for people leaving outside US, the broken tool must be sent to distributor and customer pays only for postage to distributor. Is it normal for the distributor to ask customer to cover the postage of the tool to US as well? Or they have to bare that cost?

[Exeter]

Hi,
from what I know, for people leaving outside US, the broken tool must be sent to distributor and customer pays only for postage to distributor. Is it normal for the distributor to ask customer to cover the postage of the tool to US as well? Or they have to bare that cost?

For us here that is the case, or at least that was the case the one time my tool was sent off to Portland through the local distributor. I only had to pay for the shipping to the local LM dealer and the return from them when it was repaired.

Is your local distributor asking for the US shipping as well, or this only a theoretical question?

[mybabybook]

Hi,
from what I know, for people leaving outside US, the broken tool must be sent to distributor and customer pays only for postage to distributor. Is it normal for the distributor to ask customer to cover the postage of the tool to US as well? Or they have to bare that cost?

For us here that is the case, or at least that was the case the one time my tool was sent off to Portland through the local distributor. I only had to pay for the shipping to the local LM dealer and the return from them when it was repaired.

Is your local distributor asking for the US shipping as well, or this only a theoretical question?

Yes, they are asking to pay for the shipping to US as well, which is about 20EUR. I think that it is too hight considering they are sending bulk returns and also that they should be responsible for the return shipping cost from distributor to US leatherman.

[Exeter]

Hi,
from what I know, for people leaving outside US, the broken tool must be sent to distributor and customer pays only for postage to distributor. Is it normal for the distributor to ask customer to cover the postage of the tool to US as well? Or they have to bare that cost?

For us here that is the case, or at least that was the case the one time my tool was sent off to Portland through the local distributor. I only had to pay for the shipping to the local LM dealer and the return from them when it was repaired.

Is your local distributor asking for the US shipping as well, or this only a theoretical question?

Yes, they are asking to pay for the shipping to US as well, which is about 20EUR. I think that it is too hight considering they are sending bulk returns and also that they should be responsible for the return shipping cost from distributor to US leatherman.

Sounds pretty customer-unfriendly to say the least, or even shady. Although I guess they have the right - at least legally - to ask for some/any fee or whatever if you haven't bought the product from them, but it's still not nice at all.

I had a very-very nice experience with the Hungarian Leatherman-guys just this week concerning my old Pulse mentioned above. I'll update my story in a separate post soon.

[Exeter]

Update concerning my old Pulse:

As I mentioned earlier, I had an old Pulse with a very loose roller lock, and as I live outside the US, I have to go through the Hungarian LM distributor with warranty/repair issues, but they simply send the tools in need of repair to Portland if you haven't purchased the item from them originally. Or at least that was my information from an earlier repair (just a Micra, got replaced in Portland and sent back to me).

Anyway, as the Pulse is a retired model, I wanted to see what LM would replace it with if they won't repair it, so first I wrote an email to the Portland HQ, but got no reply at all. I wrote them again a week later, again nothing. 

Here, thanks to Glockfan, I learned they have a live chat as well, so I got into contact with them on Monday. The lady, well, how should I say this, was very polite, but not really helpful, she practically ignored my questions, repeatedly told me to turn to the Hungarian distributor, and then she just thanked me for contacting them and finished the chat. 

So, still in the dark, on Tuesday I called my local LM dealer, and the response was even better than expected. The guy there told me to just send it there, no questions asked, I mean literally, he didn't even ask about the particular problem with the tool. He offered me two options: 1) they send the Pulse over to Oregon, and in 6-8 weeks I may get it back repaired or replaced with something, most likely a Rebar or 2) they just replace it with a Rebar for me locally. As there was nothing certain about the first option - apart from a lengthy wait period - I took the second option, and lo and behold, three days later I'm the happy owner of a new Rebar.

Pretty nice experience if you ask me, and in this case I feel the distibutor outdid the parent company in helpfulness.

I just started familiarizing with the tool, in a couple of days I guess I'll post an initial review as well. (On a relevant thread of course. )

[Poncho65]

Very glad to here that your turn around time was that quick I do wish LM had handled the questions you had asked a bit better though At least the local distributor handled the situation very well Congrats on the new Rebar It is a great tool for sure and it should give you many years of great service

[Nix]

Nice!

I wonder if that is a Leatherman policy? I bought a ST 300 yesterday, and the dealer said that it had a "15 year warranty". He then went on to say,  if I had any problems with the tool, to bring it into the dealership and they, the dealership, would take care of it.

 

Not sure how that would work if one buys a LM from the big river. Interesting.

[ThePeacent]

Pretty nice experience if you ask me, and in this case I feel the distibutor outdid the parent company in helpfulness.

I just started familiarizing with the tool, in a couple of days I guess I'll post an initial review as well. (On a relevant thread of course. )

that is a very nice and worthy substitute and one of the best LM you could get 
Enjoy it!

as for outside US Warranty, my experience mimics yours and I have to agree fully with your statement, in my case Spanish distributor was fast, polite, excellent and very helpful!  They deal with good, trustworthy companies in most countries it seems   

[Higgins617]

Well, not Leathermans fault, but my package is now 3 days late getting to them with no recent update on tracking. said it went out for delivery yesterday, hoping maybe it got delivered end of the day so it wasn't received yet.... I have insurance on it though

[Higgins617]

Delivered this morning, should get an email tomorrow saying it was received?

[mybabybook]

Got a reply from leatherman which was pretty disappointing. They say that if distributor is requiring the fee, then it is OK. What is more disturbing, is that the distributor is asking for a postage fee that is 3 times higher than what post is asking for.

[Poncho65]

Got a reply from leatherman which was pretty disappointing. They say that if distributor is requiring the fee, then it is OK. What is more disturbing, is that the distributor is asking for a postage fee that is 3 times higher than what post is asking for.

Did you tell them that the distibutor is asking way more than what actual shipping is?

[mybabybook]

Yes, I did. And they answer was that  fees and instructions are established from my distributor and that they wont reply any of my messages anymore. A very friendly and helpful customer support.

[Higgins617]

Contacted them via Live Chat just a moment ago, was told their warranty department is about a week behind on opening and processing tools that have been sent in currently

[gregpost]

I got it used, and I know a lot of people frown on sending second hand tools in for warranty repair. But this is about the only way I could have a Charge. I do sort of feel bad, but I have zero intention to ever sell or try to profit from their work to fix or replace it. So it'll just keep another tool in use.

Plus I have purchased many tools from them. So I'm excited. The guide issue was bad enough to keep the tool from folding up correctly and it drove me crazy to carry as is. Tried for 8 months

 I never understood this. If Leatherman warranties the tool itself who cares how many owners its had?

[Higgins617]

I got it used, and I know a lot of people frown on sending second hand tools in for warranty repair. But this is about the only way I could have a Charge. I do sort of feel bad, but I have zero intention to ever sell or try to profit from their work to fix or replace it. So it'll just keep another tool in use.

Plus I have purchased many tools from them. So I'm excited. The guide issue was bad enough to keep the tool from folding up correctly and it drove me crazy to carry as is. Tried for 8 months

 I never understood this. If Leatherman warranties the tool itself who cares how many owners its had?

No free lunch? I'm not sure I totally get it either, company wants their money and people who have spent to buy the tools probably don't get amped that other people are getting the same thing for less. But I do agree with you, the warranty is on the tool, not so much a promise to the person who bought it

[Syncop8r]

If someone buys a tool that has been abused really cheap though, how is that Leatherman's duty to make it right for the new owner? 

[Higgins617]

If someone buys a tool that has been abused really cheap though, how is that Leatherman's duty to make it right for the new owner? 

It isn't their duty, but on paper there isn't much a difference with who is sending the tool in. If it's deemed worthy of warranty repair I don't see it making a large difference who is sending it in. The new owner may be getting a great deal, but if it isn't being done for resale benefit I don't see it as bad. The tool had at one point been paid for in full. And it's going to keep on serving it's purpose that had been paid for, or another in its place.

Sorry if people don't like sending in a second hand tool, but at the time there was no chance I could swing the price of buying a new charge, and I got so ahead of myself that I didn't realize the plier guide was broken. Now the refurbed tool is going back to someone who's a MT freak who will keep it forever.

[Syncop8r]

I don't feel strongly either way.

If it's deemed worthy of warranty repair I don't see it making a large difference who is sending it in.

I guess sellers should send them in for repair before selling them. Then they are the one who will benefit, rather than the new buyer.

[gregpost]

Sorry if people don't like sending in a second hand tool, but at the time there was no chance I could swing the price of buying a new charge, and I got so ahead of myself that I didn't realize the plier guide was broken. Now the refurbed tool is going back to someone who's a MT freak who will keep it forever.

And this is the point. Leatherman is not really a large company, they make a niche product. I have no doubt that the thing that sells more Leatherman tools than anything is people actually seeing a tool in use or buying one and using it.

[Higgins617]

Got the/a Charge back, all told just under a month from me shipping it our to me receiving it.

[Samuelcox]

I managed to snap the awl on my leatherman surge. any experience of this being a warranty claim?

[Dutch_Tooler]

I managed to snap the awl on my leatherman surge. any experience of this being a warranty claim?

No experience with this particular mishap, but the consensus seems to be that the odds are good to get it repaired or better.
 

[Poncho65]

They should warranty that for sure Are you in the US or from somewhere else in the world You may have to contact your local retailer/dealer if outside the US Still a broken tool as that is a valid warranty claim to me Also do you have the new Surge or older style Surge the plier head is the easiest way to tell the difference. If it is newer then it will have replaceable cutters if older then regular non replaceable cutters

[Poncho65]

Also welcome to

[Zezima]

Got the/a Charge back, all told just under a month from me shipping it our to me receiving it.

New/refurbished or just repaired?

[ThePeacent]

I managed to snap the awl on my leatherman surge. any experience of this being a warranty claim?

I sent in my old Surge for repairs, to the LM Dealer and distributor in my country
I went on person to bring the tools myself. They were very kind, allowed me to meet Tim Leatherman  who was there (and signed the Surge and Juice I had brought) and then the Surge got repaired in the time it took me to talk to TIm and chat about stuff, as well as getting Tim peen the Juice's pivot by himself to repair the wobble.   

Nice experience, the old Surge was perfect after that (aside from scratches, OFC) and they replaced the Mini screwdriver holder, the flathead screwdriver, the SE blade and half of the scissors. 

No cost, no delay, everything was great. 

[Syncop8r]

Great experience TP! 
You should have showed him Sam's plier pivot fix.