Bushnell warranty is fraudulent

[Mtnoneputt]

I’ve had a Bushnell tour v4 slope edition for about one year.  I believe I paid about $400 for it.  It began to be very slow in returning a distance and the slope feature would not work.  I sent it back to Bushnell under their warranty policy.  They returned the laser along with some codes indicating that they found water damage and the warranty was void.  This is troubling because this laser has never been exposed to rain or water in any form.  Further the letter indicated the product was obsolete and their were no parts available.  

The popular golf sites can give reviews of a product brand new out of the box but they do not reflect how the product will hold up and how the company will honor its warranty.  It this case Bushnell has failed completely!!

 

[mchiller]

Maybe give Nikon a try. I've had good experience with them. Bought a rangefinder from them about 6 years ago. After a little more than a year (past the warranty date) the eyepiece broke off and they sent me a brand new model to replace it. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

I know several people who have had similar experiences. For a company of that stature their customer service is very poor. I was looking at a GPS watch and the customer service reviews made me do further evaluations. I wound up going with a TecTecTec laser and the same brand gps watch. The cost is about a quarter of the Bushnells and they have very good customer service and just as accurate. I had an issue with the yardage read out image disapearing on the laser after about two years. They told me how to fix it within 15 minutes of sending an email. I followed the email instructions and it was corrected. Then they followed up with a call a day later to make sure everything was ok.

For any airline travelers with clubs. Do not put your laser in your golf bag or luggage. The cold air in the belly of the plane will cause you optics to fog between the lenses. Solution per the manufacturer: Leave the laser on the dashboard  of your car in the hot sun for a couple of hours. The optics will turn entirely black so dont panic. Go back inside and it will turn back to normal within 10 minutes. Problem fixed.

[PMookie]

If I ever have to shop for another rangefinder I will only buy from Precision Pro. Their service can NOT be beaten, and their lasers are as good as anything else out there.

[SlowNLow]

On 8/10/2020 at 3:22 PM, Mtnoneputt said:

I’ve had a Bushnell tour v4 slope edition for about one year.  I believe I paid about $400 for it.  It began to be very slow in returning a distance and the slope feature would not work.  I sent it back to Bushnell under their warranty policy.  They returned the laser along with some codes indicating that they found water damage and the warranty was void.  This is troubling because this laser has never been exposed to rain or water in any form.  Further the letter indicated the product was obsolete and their were no parts available.  

The popular golf sites can give reviews of a product brand new out of the box but they do not reflect how the product will hold up and how the company will honor its warranty.  It this case Bushnell has failed completely!!

 

Terrible.    And despicable.  They should have done something to help.   Credit towards another product would have worked,  if they cared about taking care of their customers.

Maybe their damn diagnostic codes don't work right.   As a programmer, I can tell you for certain that we never put our hearts and souls into diagnostics codes, it is necessary evil that never gets the attention it requires.

I will support you and vow never to buy a Bushnell product. 

Maybe more people will join us.   They willfully made the decision that they were going to lose one customer,  they need to lose more.

[Kanoito]

5 hours ago, PMookie said:

If I ever have to shop for another rangefinder I will only buy from Precision Pro. Their service can NOT be beaten, and their lasers are as good as anything else out there.

I haven't had to use use their customer service *knocks on wood*, but the product is still working flawlessly and much cheaper than Bushnell.

[Middler]

20 hours ago, PMookie said:

If I ever have to shop for another rangefinder I will only buy from Precision Pro. Their service can NOT be beaten, and their lasers are as good as anything else out there.

+2. I bought Precision Pro NX-7 Pro Slope this year and I’ve been very pleased*. I considered paying the premium for a Bushnell, glad I didn’t after reading this thread.

* I didn’t know what I was missing on approach shots relying on GPS, big difference. I still use GPS from way out, but not inside 150 yards or so if the round counts for something.

[PMookie]

6 hours ago, Kanoito said:

I haven't had to use use their customer service *knocks on wood*, but the product is still working flawlessly and much cheaper than Bushnell.

That’s great! The best part of their services is that they allow for the trade-up to another new model and giving the value of the model one has toward the new one. Unreal. No other company does this!

[Jgolf]

13 hours ago, PMookie said:

If I ever have to shop for another rangefinder I will only buy from Precision Pro. Their service can NOT be beaten, and their lasers are as good as anything else out there.

I actually just went through a very similar headache with my Leupold rangefinder where the display stopped working. Replaced it with a precision pro as well precisely because of their customer service. I'm having a harder time picking up the flag (seem to be getting the trees behind the green a disproportionate amount of the time), but for the price point I think it'll stick with it...

[Golfspy_CG2]

15 hours ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

IFor any airline travelers with clubs. Do not put your laser in your golf bag or luggage. The cold air in the belly of the plane will cause you optics to fog between the lenses. Solution per the manufacturer: Leave the laser on the dashboard  of your car in the hot sun for a couple of hours. The optics will turn entirely black so dont panic. Go back inside and it will turn back to normal within 10 minutes. Problem fixed.

This is interesting to know, thanks.  But I have to admit the process fo "unfogging" it seems rather scary...LOL

[Tom the Golf Nut]

1 minute ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

This is interesting to know, thanks.  But I have to admit the process fo "unfogging" it seems rather scary...LOL

I know exactly what you mean. But I had nothing to loose because they said if it didn't work they would replace it. Seems like the cold temperatures and pressure changes can cause this. I forgot to take it out of my bag on another trip and actually did it a second time and it worked out fine again. 

[fixyurdivot]

19 hours ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

For any airline travelers with clubs. Do not put your laser in your golf bag or luggage. The cold air in the belly of the plane will cause you optics to fog between the lenses.

Great advice Tom and something a good many never think about.

[WaffleHouseTour]

I’ve had TWO Bushnells die from RAIN... 
 

TWO...

RAIN!!!
 

im in the Precision Pro camp now. For the money I’m happy with the PPro

[Kenny B]

I got the Bushnell Tour V3 as a present in 2015.  It has been flawless, but then I live in the desert and don't play much in rain.  It has gotten wet a little, but not drenched.  My wife uses it mostly, as I like the GPS.

[NRJyzr]

Reading this thread makes me feel even better than I have been about my choice to buy a Precision Pro NX7...

Edited August 23, 2020 by NRJyzr

[fozcycle]

I want to support Precision Pro but my MG Golf Rangefinder won’t die....the first one I had developed some display issues within a year and they offered to replace it. So for $25 I upgraded to their newer version with jolt and display. Still working 3 years later....btw on my 3rd battery.


Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

[golfish!]

On 8/12/2020 at 5:14 PM, Tom the Golf Nut said:

I know several people who have had similar experiences. For a company of that stature their customer service is very poor. I was looking at a GPS watch and the customer service reviews made me do further evaluations. I wound up going with a TecTecTec laser and the same brand gps watch. The cost is about a quarter of the Bushnells and they have very good customer service and just as accurate. I had an issue with the yardage read out image disapearing on the laser after about two years. They told me how to fix it within 15 minutes of sending an email. I followed the email instructions and it was corrected. Then they followed up with a call a day later to make sure everything was ok.

For any airline travelers with clubs. Do not put your laser in your golf bag or luggage. The cold air in the belly of the plane will cause you optics to fog between the lenses. Solution per the manufacturer: Leave the laser on the dashboard  of your car in the hot sun for a couple of hours. The optics will turn entirely black so dont panic. Go back inside and it will turn back to normal within 10 minutes. Problem fixed.

I second TecTecTec. Bought their DLXS slope laser rangefinder about 3 years ago. I actually dropped mine from the cart on a bumpy cart path. Although it was completely my fault, the guys at TTT were interested in seeing what happened internally i guess to try and beef up their next model so they asked me to return my damaged unit and sent me a new one. The replacement actually wasn't working so they sent me another replacement and i returned the replacement. Really good customer service from these guys and the product is just as accurate as my friend's Bushnell. 

[russtopherb]

I guess I'm a cynic. I understand airing grievances online (any of you who follow me on Twitter saw my continued rants against Southwest for refusing to refund $8k to our band kids, which eventually helped us get the kids' money back) however I take them a lot less seriously when it's someone with no background, no posts, no followup, etc. Sometimes I wonder if it's spite just to get the thread to show up in search engines, if it's marketing tactics by a competitor, if there's info that's been left out, etc. I'm certainly not discounting the claims made by the OP, however it should be noted that it's a lot easier to push a certain narrative when it's anonymous. 

[zrumble]

I was thinking about adding a laser to my bag, but stories like this make Bushnell take a backseat of products I’m interested in. I don’t know how in 2020 companies haven’t learned that customer service is probably the most important thing your business can offer.

[golfish!]

On 8/25/2020 at 2:41 PM, zrumble said:

I was thinking about adding a laser to my bag, but stories like this make Bushnell take a backseat of products I’m interested in. I don’t know how in 2020 companies haven’t learned that customer service is probably the most important thing your business can offer.

For sure. Customer service makes or breaks companies these days especially with social media being word of mouth on steroids. Definitely look at TecTecTec or PrecisionPro. Both are excellent products with great customer service.

[tony@CIC]

For sure. Customer service makes or breaks companies these days especially with social media being word of mouth on steroids. Definitely look at TecTecTec or PrecisionPro. Both are excellent products with great customer service.

Absolutely, I'd rather buy a product from a company that has great customer service than one that offers the latest technology.

I'm a very happy PrecisionPro customer who had a problem and they immediately took care of it. No questions asked"

[MDGolfHacker]

On 8/10/2020 at 3:22 PM, Mtnoneputt said:

I’ve had a Bushnell tour v4 slope edition for about one year.  I believe I paid about $400 for it.  It began to be very slow in returning a distance and the slope feature would not work.  I sent it back to Bushnell under their warranty policy.  They returned the laser along with some codes indicating that they found water damage and the warranty was void.  This is troubling because this laser has never been exposed to rain or water in any form.  Further the letter indicated the product was obsolete and their were no parts available.  

The popular golf sites can give reviews of a product brand new out of the box but they do not reflect how the product will hold up and how the company will honor its warranty.  It this case Bushnell has failed completely!!

 

Sorry to hear about your issues work Bushnell.  Surprised they didn't take care of you.

 

On 8/12/2020 at 8:14 PM, Tom the Golf Nut said:

I know several people who have had similar experiences. For a company of that stature their customer service is very poor. I was looking at a GPS watch and the customer service reviews made me do further evaluations. I wound up going with a TecTecTec laser and the same brand gps watch. The cost is about a quarter of the Bushnells and they have very good customer service and just as accurate. I had an issue with the yardage read out image disapearing on the laser after about two years. They told me how to fix it within 15 minutes of sending an email. I followed the email instructions and it was corrected. Then they followed up with a call a day later to make sure everything was ok.

For any airline travelers with clubs. Do not put your laser in your golf bag or luggage. The cold air in the belly of the plane will cause you optics to fog between the lenses. Solution per the manufacturer: Leave the laser on the dashboard  of your car in the hot sun for a couple of hours. The optics will turn entirely black so dont panic. Go back inside and it will turn back to normal within 10 minutes. Problem fixed.

I've flown several times with a Bushnell 1500 and never had any issues that I would have to do this. Thanks though for the info!

On 8/12/2020 at 9:01 PM, PMookie said:

If I ever have to shop for another rangefinder I will only buy from Precision Pro. Their service can NOT be beaten, and their lasers are as good as anything else out there.

As a previous tester of the NX-7 Pro, I have to say that I've been very impressed my my nx-7 prep.  Still going strong after several years of user.  They took care of the battery a year ago for free 

MDGolfHacker

[Scotland blue]

As I mentioned in a previous thread, I had a warranty issue with a Bushnell rangefinder and their offer was 20% of MSRP, which means no warranty.  

Bushnell used to make quality products in the optic world about 30-40 years ago and were well known for that quality.....lately it is non existent.

I moved on to Vortex and their hunting rangefinders that carry a lifetime no questions warranty for the same price..... Simple

[dhartmann34]

I've never had to use their warranty as my V3 is 5 years old and still going strong. But I would say that didn't shed a very good light on them. I've been preparing for when this one does a d from the great stories I've heard, I think the Precision Pro will be a strong consideration.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[DaveP043]

Between my wife and I' we've had 3 different Bushnell units over the years (I won one in a raffle, didn't really need a new one), and never had a problem.  Obviously I can't speak to their customer support, I've never needed support.  But since this thread came back from the dead, I'm struck by the Original Post.  It was the first post by someone who joined on that day, apparently simply to slam Bushnell.  He's never posted again to answer or clarify anything.  To me, that diminishes his credibility a bit, just like one-time posters in Tripadvisor or any other forum that features customer opinions.  So that lack of credibility leads me to look at his claim that this unit has NEVER been exposed to rain or any other kind of moisture.  Really, not once in using the unit for a year?  Perhaps he's in the desert somewhere, perhaps its the truth, but for most golfers, rain and other moisture is something that we deal with pretty regularly.  I know that mine is out in the rain regularly (in its rubberized protective coat), and I don't have problems.  I'm not here to defend Bushnell, as I said I have no experience with their customer service, but the word of a drive-by Bushnell slammer doesn't really cause me much concern.  It seems just as likely that he dropped the unit in a pond, and was angry when Bushnell wouldn't replace it for free.

[Golfforshank]

I found this topic a bit late. Wish I would have found it earlier and went with a different product. 

I purchased the V5 Shift with slope in August of last year.  My first unit I had issues with the eye piece not focusing. I returned it to Bushnell under warranty and after a 2 MONTH turnaround I received a new unit. A few months passed and I started having issues with the slope not switching off. Contacted customer service and went through the t/s processes. New battery, resetting unit. Nothing would fix my inoperative slope switch. I wasn't really excited about sending it back and not having my range finder for another 2 months. I decided to try the the retailer which was a local golf shop I bought it from. They messed around with it and after explaining my previous incident they replaced the unit for me. Fast forward 3 weeks. Im putting a cap on a drink. my range finder is attached to the cart roof rail. My drink was over filled. When I push the cap onto the drink a drop shoots into the air and lands on the lens of the range finder. I quickly clean it off. I look through the range finder and I see a blemish that wont clean off. I send my third unit back to Bushnell for warranty. I get back and email saying warranty is voided. Water damage. You have got to be kidding me, They offer a 20% discount on the purchase of a new unit. Yea, no thanks. Wont be needed. I will never be buying another Bushnell product. Absolutely absurd.,

[Kanoito]

10 hours ago, Golfforshank said:

Fast forward 3 weeks. Im putting a cap on a drink. my range finder is attached to the cart roof rail. My drink was over filled. When I push the cap onto the drink a drop shoots into the air and lands on the lens of the range finder. I quickly clean it off. I look through the range finder and I see a blemish that wont clean off. I send my third unit back to Bushnell for warranty. I get back and email saying warranty is voided. Water damage. You have got to be kidding me, They offer a 20% discount on the purchase of a new unit. Yea, no thanks. Wont be needed. I will never be buying another Bushnell product. Absolutely absurd.,

I wonder if it's really 1 drop that caused the damage...

[Golfforshank]

Well what do you think caused the damage? Please enlighten me. That’s the only liquid that’s been close to it 

[cnosil]

9 hours ago, Golfforshank said:

Well what do you think caused the damage? Please enlighten me. That’s the only liquid that’s been close to it 

We can’t tell you what caused the damage.  My guess is that like phones, the rangefinder has a liquid contact indicator that changes color indicating exposure to water and that is why Bushnell is saying water damage.    I doubt it was the drop that you are mentioning and the damage proceeded that incident or occurred when the unit was not in your possession. 
 

sounds like you have had bad luck with Bushnell products. The Bushnell products I have had have been great.  

[Golfforshank]

I had the V3 for over 15. Flawless. This product not so much. It’s literally a piece of junk. I just had the slope switch fall off now too. This v5 I’ve had just at a month. Just trying to save someone else from experiencing what I just did. This original post was from 2020. It’s sad this crappy customer service has been going on with Bushnell