Thread: Bushnell's 'BS' Warranties

I have a Bushnell scope that needs service due to specks of paint on an internal lens.
Bushnell offers 3 types of warranties for their riflescopes and binos that are handled by Ampro sales NZ.

ALL 3 warranties require the purchase receipt from an authorized NZ retailer to prove the optics were not overseas imported (and how many people keep receipts long term....or if bought s/h even get the purchase receipt?).

1 - Bushnell's first warranty is their 'Ironclad warranty' but it should be renamed the 'Wet cardboard warranty'.
It is supposedly 'fully transferable' to other owners - but only if you have the original NZ purchase receipt.
In 2022 it "covers the lifetime (20-30 years) of any Bushnell product made on or after April 2018".

But here's the problem....after every April, the year increases for eligibility. Therefore it is really only a four-year warranty, ie in 2020 it covered products made from April 2016 onwards, while in 2021 it covered products made from April 2017 onwards, and this year it only covers those scopes made from April 2018 onwards.
As my scope was made in 2016 it is no longer eligible for this warranty.

2 - The second warranty Bushnell offers is their 'Limited Lifetime Warranty', which covers defects in materials and workmanship for the 'reasonable lifetime' of the product (whatever Bushnell decides that is). But this only covers riflescopes if you are the original purchaser with the original NZ purchase receipt made out in your name (I bought my scope s/h).

3 - The third warranty Bushnell offers is their 'Yes, that's covered' Lifetime warranty.
However, that only covers the later Elite series of riflescopes: Elite Tactical, 6500, 4500, 3500 (not 4200 or 3200), and the Legend Ultra HD or Trophy scopes.
Plus it only covers those above scopes purchased on or after 1st July 2017 with a NZ purchase receipt.

At the end of my phone call with Ampro Sales, I was told that the only option left is I can get the scope cleaned by them which will be around $70-$80 plus postage there and back.

So much for Bushnell warranties...

.....never had this issue with a Leupold - just saying.

Originally Posted by Nickoli

.....never had this issue with a Leupold - just saying.

leupold warranty is unreal. you just cant fault the service

What does the factory warranty state, NZ wholesalers are quite good at having their own version of "warranties" Have more than once found documentation with the item offering a longer warranty than the NZ outlet offers.

Originally Posted by tetawa

What does the factory warranty state, NZ wholesalers are quite good at having their own version of "warranties" Have more than once found documentation with the item offering a longer warranty than the NZ outlet offers.

The factory warranty is the same as I quoted, the only difference is that the NZ version states that a NZ proof of purchase receipt is required that shows it was not parallel imported. But even with that NZ stipulation removed, I am still outside their year of manufacture eligibility as made in 2016.
An email to Bushnell USA might still be worth sending though...

Maybe try contacting Bushnell international. Often manufacturers will direct local agents to come to the party to help protect their brand.

Was it purchased second hand or new? If new and paid for via eftpos often the bank transaction is enough to convince them, or at least should be enough to get a copy of the receipt from the retailer. If purchased new and it had the defect from new (obviously if it's paint flecks inside the glass) then point out to them that it was never fit for the purpose it was sold for and under the CGA it should be replaced or repaired, CGA rights can not be overwritten or removed by a warranty.

But you bought it second hand. You bought it off some joker. Why does Bushnell owe you anything?

I have had a Bushnell scope replaced no questions asked under their warranty, after some nasty impact damage. But I had a business relationship with Bushnell. I was a customer.

I don't understand this, your going to have to type it out slowly for me to grasp.

"1 - Bushnell's first warranty is their 'Ironclad warranty' but it should be renamed the 'Wet cardboard warranty'.
It is supposedly 'fully transferable' to other owners - but only if you have the original NZ purchase receipt.
In 2022 it "covers the lifetime (20-30 years) of any Bushnell product made on or after April 2018".

But here's the problem....after every April, the year increases for eligibility. Therefore it is really only a four-year warranty, ie in 2020 it covered products made from April 2016 onwards, while in 2021 it covered products made from April 2017 onwards, and this year it only covers those scopes made from April 2018 onwards.
As my scope was made in 2016 it is no longer eligible for this warranty."


If your scope was purchased in 2016 with and ironclad 20yr warranty
Please explain how it is now out of Warranty?

Ps, I've have had a Bushnell Elite 4200 replace by ampro no questions asked, but.... the reticle was quite clearly on the piss and it was some time ago.

Originally Posted by jakewire

I don't understand this, your going to have to type it out slowly for me to grasp.
If your scope was purchased in 2016 with and ironclad 20yr warranty
Please explain how it is now out of Warranty?

Yeah, this is a good point as it seems to be a 'loophole' Bushnell is using to get around the 20 or 30 years stated
This is because Bushnell's 'Ironclad warranty' turns out to be really only for 4 years NOT 20 or 30 years.
Bushnell gets around this by every year increasing by one year the manufacturing date of the scope so that only that year onwards is covered.

For instance, in 2020 they state that if your scope was made on or after April 2016 then you are covered by the Ironclad warranty. So if your scope was made in June 2018 send it in and they will fix or replace.
However, when the next year rolls along (2021), your scope is only covered by the 'Ironclad warranty' if it was made in or after April 2017 (so those made in 2016 are no longer covered by the 'Ironclad' and fall into the 'Limited Lifetime Warranty' which requires original purchase receipt in your name.

What model scope is it, how much did you pay for it, from who and when?

Was it new or second hand?

I think this will help you get objective opinion as to whether or not you have a legitimate grievance or whether you are just whingeing.

Originally Posted by Mintie

Was it purchased second hand or new? If new and paid for via eftpos often the bank transaction is enough to convince them, or at least should be enough to get a copy of the receipt from the retailer. If purchased new and it had the defect from new (obviously if it's paint flecks inside the glass) then point out to them that it was never fit for the purpose it was sold for and under the CGA it should be replaced or repaired, CGA rights can not be overwritten or removed by a warranty.

Originally Posted by Hermitage

But this only covers riflescopes if you are the original purchaser with the original NZ purchase receipt made out in your name (I bought my scope s/h)

...

Originally Posted by JohnDuxbury

But you bought it second hand. You bought it off some joker. Why does Bushnell owe you anything?

Originally Posted by Hermitage

1 - Bushnell's first warranty is their 'Ironclad warranty'... It is supposedly 'fully transferable' to other owners - but only if you have the original NZ purchase receipt.
.

..

Originally Posted by Hermitage

..

Did you ask for a receipt?

Originally Posted by Pengy

Did you ask for a receipt?

If I contact the original owner to see if he has the original receipt then that would only work if he bought the scope after April 2018.

You see this scope was made in 2016 so under Bushnell's' Ironclad' fully transferable warranty I can only claim on it if it was now back in 2020.
However because it is now 2022, the scope would have to be made in April 2018 onwards.

This Bushnell 'Ironclad warranty' is BS because they keep advancing the year of eligibility so that it turns out to be a 4 year warranty only.

For those who are lost with this Bushnell Ironclad warranty in regard to years, it was explained to me like this by an Ampro salesperson (who when I said I will do a write up on this forum about the Bushnell warranty.....stated "Yes you should write it up to warn others about the way the warranty works"). Direct quote.