11 replies to this topic

[CA Desert Dog]

My wife bought me a Bushnell range finder about 18-months ago. I have used it exactly three times. It looks brand spanking new and on a recent prairie dog hunt it crapped out and would not range anything. I contacted Bushnell two weeks ago and sent it in for repairs. I received it back yesterday with a note that said it was not warrantied and that it would cost more to repair it than to replace it. They offered me a "deal" on a new rangefinder (a golf model) that was easy to refuse. It was no deal because I could find it cheaper on line. Gee, that was really generous of them.....not.About four years ago, before we started RedHunterLLC, I purchased a Bushnell Elite 4200 rifle scope. Right out of the box, the side focus was not working correctly and it didn't range worth a darn. I sent it in and they said they repaied it. It was still screwed up. I sent it back again and it was returned but still not working correctly. I called and had a frustrating conversation with some "tech guy" that basically said they were done with it.After those two experiences, I am done with Bushnell. This is one of the main reasons we started our own company. Where is the state of customer service today? Yeah, I am somewhat aggravated righ now and I don't understand why some manufacturers don't bite the bullet sometimes and simply replace a defective product. No manufacturing process is perfect and there are bound to be occasional faults. However, when they are brought to light by a customer, the customer should be satisfied. Sometimes as a vendor or a manufacturer, you have to take a loss on paper but in the long run customer satisfaction will win the day.Sorry for the rant but my two experiences cost $800. plus and I have squat to show for it.

[Brant]

Tell me about it. My 30-06 recoil killed a Bushnell 3200 a few years ago and it took two trips back to Bushnell and the second person I dealt with was just unprofessional and couldn't have cared less about the scope problems. No more expensive Bushnells for this guy.

[OrneryOlMofo357]

Well, I have had good luck with my Bushnells. I have 2 3200's and 2 4200's and a 3.5-10 Banner I think it is, and have had no probs. Im holding my breath that they keep working if the Customer service is as bad as your experiences seem to be.

[CA Desert Dog]

It really cranks me off because all of us work really hard for our money and "expendable income" is getting harder and harder to come by these days. If we pay several hundred dollars for any device that is used occasionally, why should it be subject to a brief warranty period? I could understand if a device was abused, misused or soaked in water but if is simply an electronic defect or a design flaw, the manufacturer should back the product.In my engineering job, I do a whole bunch of fault analysis on military electronics and related equipment. I can tell you that there are specific "trends" that become immediately obvious when the statistics are laid out in spreadsheets and graphs. In short, briefly after fielding a device manufacturers are well aware of problematic equipment and specific components that are destined to fail due to a bad production run, poor manufacturing or design flaws. I will bet you that this device (my rangefinder) has a fault history that is nothing to be proud of.OK, I think I have vented my venom enough to get through the day.

[Baja_Traveler]

And there is the reason I only buy Vortex optics now (besides the fact they are awesome):Our warranty is about you, not us. It's about taking care of you after the sale.The VIP stands for a Very Important Promise to you, our customers. We will repair or replace your Vortex product for any reason at NO CHARGE TO YOU. It doesn't matter how it happened, whose fault it was, or where you purchased it. You can count on the VIP Warranty for all riflescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes and monoculars. Unlimited Lifetime Warranty Fully transferable No warranty card to fill out No receipt needed to hang on toIf you ever have a problem, no matter the cause, we promise to take care of you.

[Frank]

Red, that REALLY sucks how you were treated...I know you received that note, but it may depend on WHO sent it to you. My wife & I have had many, AMAZING results over the years by contacting a given company's customer service dept. Especially by snail mail. Something about regular mail really gets their atttention / results; unlike semi-inconsistent (results) by E mail or phone.In other words, if it were me, I would send a nice, but firm letter to the CEO or customer service (where it will end up) stating what happened & your displeasure. In today's world of desperate economy, heavy competiton and superior service by other businesses, there is simply no excuse for that kind of lousy treatment.Frank

[ratassassin]

That sucks, Red. Bushnell's customer service is pretty bad. I sent them a Trophy 4-12x40 to repair the elevation turret and they sent it back optically centered but the adjustment "clicks" were just as mushy and unintelligible as before I sent it to them. They said it was within spec. I could still rotate the elevation turret without feeling any clicks whatsoever. And it took 3 months to get it back. I know it's an inexpensive scope, but come on Bushnell. Fortunately, I've had good luck so far with my 4200 6-24x40 side focus mildot and the two 3200's I've got. I suspect it's because those were models that were designed by Bausch & Lomb before Bushnell bought them. I've got a Bushnell laser rangefinder that has held up pretty well but it won't range anything farther than 200 yards despite being rated to 450. Guess there's no such thing as false advertising liability when it comes to Bushnell rangefinders. The next scope I buy will be a Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44 PA mil-dot because of their quality and great warranty.

[CA Desert Dog]

Rat, you really need to check out the Hawke Optics too. That is another reason I choose to do business with Hawke Optics. The back their equipment 100% with a no bull warranty. They are great folks to deal with and customer satisfaction is important to them. The products are top notch too.I hear you Frank. I am tempted to write a letter and I most likely will. I agree that there are times when the squeaky wheel does get the grease. I will drop them a letter and see what happens.

[oz_fox_hunter]

The mushy elevation turret must be common on Bushnell trophy scopes. Mine does that in one direction and the 1/4" click value is pretty unreliable. Learning the hard way that cheap scopes just aren't worth the trouble.

[204destroyer]

Who did you buy the Bushnell from? They wouldnt take care of my problem a few years back so I just returned it to Cabelas and they had no problem taking it back. You know when Cabelas says they have one to return to Bushnell I promise you Bushnell takes it back no questions ask. Worth a try, good luck.

[Desert Fox]

I have a Bausch and Lomb Elite 4000, before Bushnell bought the company. One of the best scope I ever own. Still working flawlessly after 16 years atop my 40X Remmy.

[ratassassin]

Yeah, those Bausch & Lombs are great scopes. Oz, I have a love/hate relationship with my Trophy. I love the glass, the amber bright coating and sight picture, and it's very lightweight -- perfect for a light hunting rifle. I have it on my .22LR at the moment and it's great, as long as I don't have to mess with zeroing it. At least once it's set, it stays set. Red, I've got 3 Hawkes. One is on my R7, my primary rat killing gun. Another is on my RWS Panther and the third is on my CZ 452 American .17 HMR. They're decent scopes.