Craftsman tools not warranted/guaranteed forever

Today I tried to return my Craftsman clicker /ratchet torque wrench for a replacement because the lock-unlock switch is defective. Sales associate told me they only guarantee hand tools having moving parts for one year. Hammers and screwdrivers are examples of those with the "forever" warranty. Since ratchets have moving parts they are only warranted for one year. I don't know what to say about adjustable wrenches, pliers, gas torches,universal joint sockets, hand braces,tape measures, micrometers, and so on into the night. Any others run into this policy? Jim

Reply to
Jim L.
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Salesperson smirked when I brought back a 1/2" Craftsman drill for repair/replacement. It was two years old.

"Unless you bought an extended warranty when you bought the drill, there is nothing we can do for you."

I went home, tossed it in the trash and bought a Makita. It works real well.

--Winston

Reply to
Winston

Reply to
RoyJ

I used to think highly of Craftsman tools. I don't know about that nowadays. It seems to me that their quality is going south. Think about this: if they know how long their tools will last with average use, they can make a profit off lesser quality tools. Let's take a tool that cost them $2 to make and an average consumer *might* trade it in three times during their lifetime. If they can sell that tool for $10, let's say, they're still making a profit off their tools. (I'm just picking numbers out of the air, here, and this is just my theory. YMMV) So, what this means is that they can put out lesser quality products than they used to and ride on their name.

I've been buying Husky lately and have been satisfied so far. They have the same guarantee IIRC and I like their ratchets a lot better.

Relz

Reply to
Relz

Ask to talk to the manager. It used to be that Sears managers had discretion on items like this. At least you'd get a second opinion.

I wouldn't trust a Sears sales droid to know the real answer.

--RC Sleep? Isn't that a totally inadequate substitute for caffine?

Reply to
rcook5

Hand tools so tough, they're guaranteed forever.* Did you know that the first Craftsman hand tool we sold back in 1927 is still under warranty today? So are all the hand tools we've sold since. That's what is known as having confidence in our quality. As the Craftsman Unlimited Hand Tool Warranty clearly states... If any Craftsman guaranteed forever hand tool fails to provide complete satisfaction, return it for free repair or replacement. Period.

"taken from craftsman site."

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Link to bob vila site where bob states that a ratchet is covered by the above policy.

I'd ask a manager

Reply to
Modat22

I think we're witnessing the end of an era guys.

Gawd only knows WHAT it will be like now that Kmart and Sears are getting married.

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Does this mean we'll be soon able to buy a Martha Stewart "designer" hack saw at Sears, guaranteed to cut through prison window bars?

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Wisnia

Unless they changed something in the last few days, he's full of it. I've had Craftsman ratchets replaced with no problem. They sometimes will give you a free rebuild kit if the model is right, instead of a whole new ratchet, but they will always make good on it.

GTO(John)

Reply to
GTO69RA4

Wait a minute, scratch my last reply. Ratchets and most moving-part hand tools are warranted forever, but torque wrenches are for one to two years depending on model. It's been that way for years. Try it with different staff in the future and someone might bite.

GTO(John)

Reply to
GTO69RA4

"Jim L." wrote in news:yTrnd.21868$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr19.news.prodigy.com:

As far as I am aware (last week), the salesman had no clue what the real policy was. I've returned several over the years, including last week. I have only once been questioned, a few years ago, and it was as he was handing me a brand new 3/4" drive long wratchet in exchange for the broke one. He asked 'so just how long a pipe did you have on that?" I replied "Oh, about 6'", he just smiled. I went about my way.

Now, there IS a difference....if the wratchet says "Sears", there is no warranty to speak of, the wratchet must say "Craftsman" to be covered under the warranty. The "Sears" brand of tools is cheap China/Tiawan/whoever shit.

Reply to
Anthony

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 22:50:50 GMT, Anthony calmly ranted:

Yes, I've been fighting it since the late 1970s--on nearly every Crapsman tool I've broken and taken in to return.

All Searz tools are cheap chiwanese chit AFAIC.

-- Friends Don't Let Friends Eat Turkey and Drive --

Reply to
Larry Jaques

I am sure ratchets are covered under their warranty, but not torque wrenches. Do you still have a receipt? Return it under their "satifaction guarenteed" policy!

I bought a set of Craftsman hand tools that came in a plastic case. The case fell apart and Sears did not have a suitable replacement. I then told the tools manager that I was not satisfied, I got my money back! Greg

Reply to
Greg O

It was a torque wrench, not a rachet! Sorry, no warranty! I believe they are warranteed for 90 days! Greg

Reply to
Greg O

replacement because the lock-unlock switch is defective.

I had a similar experience earlier this year. The ratchet mechanism on my torque wrench wasn't working. First, I went to the local Sears repair center. They wouldn't touch it. Next, I went to my local retail store. The clerk stated the limited warranty on torque wrenches. I said, ok, but the ratchet is the problem. He said leave it. I did and they repaired the ratchet. Maybe I got lucky.

Gary Repesh

Reply to
GJRepesh

Power tools have never been covered under their forever policy.

I have, however, gotten a replacement on one of their DigiTork digital torque wrenches before - no questions asked. In fact, they didn't have the same model as I brought in so I got to pick whatever one I wanted. Got a real nice upgrade in the process.

Robert

Reply to
Siggy

That just jogged my memory. I had a 1/2" breakover type Craftsman torque wrench that had the rotating sleeve that locks the torque setting. The plastic sleeve split, took it back, and talked to a guy I know had worked there for years about it. He couldn't do me any good. Torque wrenches didn't have the lifetime warranty. I've time and again taken broken ratchet wrenches and they gave me the rebuild kit, however. I hope that hasn't changed. The torque wrench episode was about two years ago.

Garrett Fulton

Reply to
gfulton

First of all, ratchets are covered by the lifetime warranty, His problem is that he has a TORQUE ratchet, Sears does NOT warranty this for life. Only the year as stated.

Reply to
Searcher

presuming you have a crafstman hand tool, that was originally guaranteed for life, the sales person is just plain lying.

Here's a story: I went into a local sears store to return a small allen wrench that I had broken. the sales person said "those aren't guaranteed". I asked a second person, same answer. So, I took my sears catalog and cut out the lifetime warranty statement, taped the statement and the broken wrench to a piece of paper, and wrote a note explaining how it was fraudulent to offer a warranty and then not honor it. I packaged it up, addressed it to the president of sears in Chicago, and sent it off. Within 3 days I had a letter from the senior manager saying: "I really wish you hadn't written that letter ....." with a replacement allen wrench attached. The replacement wrench was defective (large piece of flashing), so I went back holding the wrench in my hand. When I entered the tool area, a salesman saw me holding the wrench and literally RAN over to me and said "I'll replace that right away for you, SIR", and RAN into the back and got me a new one.

You can imagine the local manager getting a call from the president's office asking if he wanted to keep his job.....

You may wish to follow this approach.

Reply to
william_b_noble

I bought a new 3/8' VSR drill from Sears many years ago while working on the castle. Died in about ten days. I returned it and was told that they would gladly repair it for me. Probably take a week. Nope, says I, I just bought this drill and need it now, not next week or in two weeks. Now!!

I was handed a second drill. Same routine. Lasted a few days less than the first one. Took it back. Same routine from them, same rebuttal from me. Got a third one.

It lasted about a week. Took it back. Same routine, but this time I said I'd had enough fun driving back and forth exchanging drills that aren't worth owning. Talk about a slow learner! Got my money back and bought a similar drill, B&D, one of their top end models. Cost (lots) more money, but it's still running after 20 years. I'll never again buy a Craftsman electrical tool Not worth it if you use them for serious work, at least not to me.

Harold

Reply to
Harold & Susan Vordos

I have warranted many, obviously old, ratchets with out complaint.

Reply to
John Keeney

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