Done with Nikon

[Naches Sportsman]

Stay away from Nikon. Their customer service is terrible. I've been battling them the last month to repair my rangefinder due to defective workmanship and they told me it'll come at a cost upfront. Pure bologna in this day and age. I for one told them to pound sand. I will see what my buddy can do for me since he's a Nikon dealer, but know after dealing with Nikon, I will never buy or say good things about them again.

[JDHasty]

Stay away from Nikon. Their customer service is terrible. I've been battling them the last month to repair my rangefinder due to defective workmanship and they told me it'll come at a cost upfront. Pure bologna in this day and age. I for one told them to pound sand. I will see what my buddy can do for me since he's a Nikon dealer, but know after dealing with Nikon, I will never buy or say good things about them again.

They have ways of doing that to folks
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,220597.msg2940484.html#new

[Naches Sportsman]

I commentend on that thread as well. Thought I'd make a new thread though.

[Bob33]

Nikon makes great products. It's unfortunate their customer service lacks. Id rather have great products with mediocre customer service than poor products that require great customer service, but Nikon needs to catch up in this regard.

[huntnphool]

 Sorry to hear that, I've had the complete opposite experience. http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,138569.msg1840304.html#msg1840304

[buglebuster]

Anybody had any experience with Zeiss customer service?

[Jellymon]

I left Nikon years ago. We've had 3 pairs of monarchs and all of them were broken within 1 year. Eye cups and other hardware were falling off. $500 is my budget for binos so I don't have experience with thier more expensive stuff, but I've never had these issues with other brands at that price point. Never tried to get them warrantied, just bought a different brand.
I will admit the glass seemed pretty good for the price, the build quality just was lacking IMO.

[NRA4LIFE]

I have had one pair of Nikon Binos and they were garbage.

[Timberstalker]

Had an issue on the eyecups last year.  Contacted Nikon, sent them in and they sent me a brand new pair of binoculars, 5 days later.
Pretty solid CS.

[Antlershed]

Sorry to hear that, I've had the complete opposite experience. http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,138569.msg1840304.html#msg1840304

Same here. Had a pair of Monarchs that were 10+ years old. Something came loose and was rattling internally. Sent them in, and was sent a brand new pair of binos within a couple weeks. 

[deerlick]

Nikon fixed my scope and returned within 10 days at no charge. I'm happy

[Born2late]

Zeiss was great to deal with on my bino's. filled out their form sent it in and got it back 3 weeks later no questions asked.
Leica on the other had has lost my business forever.

[BKMFR]

The worst customer service I have ever dealt with is Leica. Been getting rid of a number of Leica pieces ever since. Always been a fan of Swarovski, Leica, and at times Ziess. But the customer service at Leica took them out of me ever purchasing another bino, spotting scope, or range finder from them ever again. I have never went wrong with anything from Swarovski...

[Buzz2401]

Two of my hunting partners have sent in their nearly 10 year old monarch binoculars to simply have Nikon send them a brand new pair.  I think the main problem is with electronics like a range finder they aren't as easy to build to be tough.  I'm a Zeiss guy but this is the first I have heard of Nikon having bad service.

[W_Ellison2011]

Vortex is the way to go. 0 questions asked! its broke or has an issue send it in! They either fix or replace and send it back at no cost!

[jackelope]

Vortex is the way to go. 0 questions asked! its broke or has an issue send it in! They either fix or replace and send it back at no cost!

The problem with Vortex is the need to send the product in. 3 of the 5 Vortex products I own have had to go back for repair and that doesn’t include my spotting scope that pretty much broke in half in the middle of my mountain goat hunt this year. Luckily I was able to screw it back together but why did I need to in the first place?

[W_Ellison2011]

Vortex is the way to go. 0 questions asked! its broke or has an issue send it in! They either fix or replace and send it back at no cost!

The problem with Vortex is the need to send the product in. 3 of the 5 Vortex products I own have had to go back for repair and that doesn’t include my spotting scope that pretty much broke in half in the middle of my mountain goat hunt this year. Luckily I was able to screw it back together but why did I need to in the first place?

Idk what to tell you man.. I have been using a vortex Viper HS LR 4-16x50 on my 300 wby mag for 3-4 years now with 0 issues. That rifle REALLY thumped hard before I got the brake put on it but the scope has held up to all of it and even being knocked around in the truck and through nasty weather while hiking and looking for bears. Maybe I got lucky? Idk. my buddies have had the same experiences as me with their Vortex scopes. 0 issues.

[jdb]

With all due respect I will not buy a vortex as long as they continue to use names like viper. Very mall cop ninja imho

[lokidog]

Vortex is the way to go. 0 questions asked! its broke or has an issue send it in! They either fix or replace and send it back at no cost!

The problem with Vortex is the need to send the product in. 3 of the 5 Vortex products I own have had to go back for repair and that doesn’t include my spotting scope that pretty much broke in half in the middle of my mountain goat hunt this year. Luckily I was able to screw it back together but why did I need to in the first place?

Years ago on my moose hunt, the guide was talking up his Vortex that they sent him to replace the one that quit working... why did it fall apart in the first place?

[Jellymon]

With all due respect I will not buy a vortex as long as they continue to use names like viper. Very mall cop ninja imho

Yep, because the #1 thing i look for in my optics is a good name.

[Karl Blanchard]

Vortex is the way to go. 0 questions asked! its broke or has an issue send it in! They either fix or replace and send it back at no cost!

The problem with Vortex is the need to send the product in. 3 of the 5 Vortex products I own have had to go back for repair and that doesn’t include my spotting scope that pretty much broke in half in the middle of my mountain goat hunt this year. Luckily I was able to screw it back together but why did I need to in the first place?

BullBlasters spotter broke in half too!  IN HALF!!!!

That's been my experience as well.  Everything vortex I've owned required fixing within a couple seasons.  Thank goodness I had my Nikon topped. 243 with me in 2015 when my reticle broke and would spin with my power ring on the vortex viper.   No more for me.  Fantastic CS though I will give them that.  Wish all companies did it that way

[jdb]

With all due respect I will not buy a vortex as long as they continue to use names like viper. Very mall cop ninja imho

Yep, because the #1 thing i look for in my optics is a good name.

i know it sounds ridiculous.. but seriously there are several comparable brands of at the very least equal quality and price point so why would I choose the one that sounds like it was named by a 7th grader

[Bob33]

Back in the 70s and 80s some car manufacturers started offering 100,000 mile warranties. I always figured it was better to buy a car that didn't need one.

[wastickslinger]

Fought Nikon one time. Never will buy again. Vortex on my last dozen or more purchases. Not a single complaint. But after reading this I may not buy any more vortex. Last thing i need is a product that sounds like it belongs to a mall cop. Lol

[W_Ellison2011]

Fought Nikon one time. Never will buy again. Vortex on my last dozen or more purchases. Not a single complaint. But after reading this I may not buy any more vortex. Last thing i need is a product that sounds like it belongs to a mall cop. Lol

don't let the haters scare you away. Every brand has their issues. I would rather buy a product with a strong backing from the company than something at the same price point that I will have to either fight with them to fix/replace or they won't cover. I mean I take good care of my optics so I really don't worry that much but I know that IF something ever did go wrong with my vortex pieces that I can just contact them and send it in and bam fixed or replaced. I will also put vortex glass up against any leupold of the same price and I do like leupold as well! Also... who cares about the name? If the glass is good and it works really well then the model name shouldn't matter.

[Karl Blanchard]

Failure in the field is not an option.  It's a pass fail test.  Best warranty on earth wont get a scope or binos up and running when they fail in the middle of the hunt.   Call it hating or whatever you want.  If ditching a brand that fails me is hating then guess I'm a hater.

[Timberstalker]

Fought Nikon one time. Never will buy again. Vortex on my last dozen or more purchases. Not a single complaint. But after reading this I may not buy any more vortex. Last thing i need is a product that sounds like it belongs to a mall cop. Lol

I’m with you, 100%.

[cbond3318]

I own Nikon and Vortex. No complaints on eitherand haven’t had to use either’s customer service 6 yrs running. But I also have great luck with buying cars FWIW.

[wastickslinger]

Fought Nikon one time. Never will buy again. Vortex on my last dozen or more purchases. Not a single complaint. But after reading this I may not buy any more vortex. Last thing i need is a product that sounds like it belongs to a mall cop. Lol

don't let the haters scare you away. Every brand has their issues. I would rather buy a product with a strong backing from the company than something at the same price point that I will have to either fight with them to fix/replace or they won't cover. I mean I take good care of my optics so I really don't worry that much but I know that IF something ever did go wrong with my vortex pieces that I can just contact them and send it in and bam fixed or replaced. I will also put vortex glass up against any leupold of the same price and I do like leupold as well! Also... who cares about the name? If the glass is good and it works really well then the model name shouldn't matter.

Sorry I should have inserted mr eye rolling emoji. Poor attempt at sarcasm.  Vortex rocks.

[birddogdad]

long gone are the days of true top customer service. My grandfather told me the story of when he was young and big time into skeet/ comp, he had a superposed browning O/U that was about 500$ at the time... (talking early '40's) that was big money back then.. he shot the rib off the barrel. Called browning, they said to send it in. He did and about a week later a gentleman knocked on his door, said he was from Browning and handed him a brand new shotgun. Customer care has very much changed over the years......

[huntnphool]

long gone are the days of true top customer service. Customer care has very much changed over the years......

 I disagree, there are still quality companies out there. http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,143206.msg1900531.html#msg1900531

[grundy53]

Vortex is the way to go. 0 questions asked! its broke or has an issue send it in! They either fix or replace and send it back at no cost!

The problem with Vortex is the need to send the product in. 3 of the 5 Vortex products I own have had to go back for repair and that doesn’t include my spotting scope that pretty much broke in half in the middle of my mountain goat hunt this year. Luckily I was able to screw it back together but why did I need to in the first place?

My Vortex spotter did the same thing during my elk hunt this year. They are fixing it right now. First problem I've had with any of my Vortex items. But it's pretty much  soured me on them.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[jackelope]

Vortex is the way to go. 0 questions asked! its broke or has an issue send it in! They either fix or replace and send it back at no cost!

The problem with Vortex is the need to send the product in. 3 of the 5 Vortex products I own have had to go back for repair and that doesn’t include my spotting scope that pretty much broke in half in the middle of my mountain goat hunt this year. Luckily I was able to screw it back together but why did I need to in the first place?

My Vortex spotter did the same thing during my elk hunt this year. They are fixing it right now. First problem I've had with any of my Vortex items. But it's pretty much  soured me on them.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

pm sent.

[Okanagan]

I've had extremes of great service and being ripped off by Nikon customer service.

Years ago I bought fairly low end Nikon binoculars that came with a warranty of a year or so.  We baby optics, but within weeks the insides came loose and one side would no longer focus.  Nikon sprang a service fee ($35 ?) to honor their warranty and I grudgingly paid and sent them in, paying shipping both ways.  They came back with the same problem.  I phoned Nikon Customer service and got a rude woman who told me that I had broken them again and that they would fix them again for the service fee.  No way.

Several years later I was talking to a Nikon rep at the Sportsman’s Show in Puyallup and mentioned my experience.  He said that Nikon had set out to improve CS and to send in the binos again.  They sent me  new Monarchs, a significant upgrade at no cost.  That was over five years ago.

[Pinetar]

Vortex is the way to go. 0 questions asked! its broke or has an issue send it in! They either fix or replace and send it back at no cost!

The problem with Vortex is the need to send the product in. 3 of the 5 Vortex products I own have had to go back for repair and that doesn’t include my spotting scope that pretty much broke in half in the middle of my mountain goat hunt this year. Luckily I was able to screw it back together but why did I need to in the first place?

  I have a Vortex as a truck spotting scope and had the same thing happen. It just rides on my back seat with the neoprene cover and always comes apart in the middle. At the factory for warranty now.
 
They told me I was the first one with this problem, ya right. Hope they fix it

[TheSkyBuster]

If only there were a top quality optics manufacturer that stood behind their products forever, 100%, no questions asked, and manufactured them in America?    Wait, I seem to remember my grandfather talking about such a Place.

[Jellymon]

If only there were a top quality optics manufacturer that stood behind their products forever, 100%, no questions asked, and manufactured them in America?    Wait, I seem to remember my grandfather talking about such a Place.

The majority of Leupolds binoculars are made overseas.

[CAMPMEAT]

My $55,000.00 Duramax had an issue. I really don't understand why all the complaining. Send it in, get it fixed or buy a $1000 pair of binos, scopes, whatever and hope those don't have a problem... Stuff does happen.

[Timberstalker]

My $55,000.00 Duramax had an issue. I really don't understand why all the complaining. Send it in, get it fixed or buy a $1000 pair of binos, scopes, whatever and hope those don't have a problem... Stuff does happen.

Be careful getting all reasonable, Campmeat.

[CAMPMEAT]

My $55,000.00 Duramax had an issue. I really don't understand why all the complaining. Send it in, get it fixed or buy a $1000 pair of binos, scopes, whatever and hope those don't have a problem... Stuff does happen.

Be careful getting all reasonable, Campmeat.

Thanks. I try to be fair and balanced in my comments....