On Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at 10:50:47 AM UTC-4, -MIKE- wrote:
On 3/18/15 6:32 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at 5:08:28 AM UTC-4,
wrote:
On Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 2:52:16 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
Apparently, that is not the case. Please see my earlier response
to MM. I have since learned that there is a difference between
Rigid's "Full Lifetime Warranty" and their "Lifetime Service
Agreement". The warranty doesn't cover normal wear and tear, but
the "Service Agreement" does.
I was mistaken when I said I was curious as to why the batteries
would be covered under the Lifetime Warranty. They weren't. They
were covered under the Lifetime Service Agreement because they
were eligible for that coverage and properly registered by the
original purchaser.
That explains why Ridgid has different pages for the "Full
Lifetime Warranty" and the "Lifetime Service Agreement". They
are not the same thing.
You got it.
When you buy their tools, it is important to recognize which
warranty you are getting and what is covered. When I bought those
two drills year ago I asked my commercial rep over and over if the
batteries were covered and he always said "yes". He showed me the
warranty, and it clearly stated that they were.
Note that any kind of misuse or abuse negates both of the
warranties were are speaking of from Ridgid. So (as they told me
on the national hotline) if you take a tool to them that has had
the hell beat out of it, they don't have to cover it.
My commercial rep told me that HD intended to back their product,
but they were counting on (as do all manufacturers) that most
tools wouldn't be registered at all, registered incorrectly, or not
in time. How many have put off registering because they knew they
had 3 months, then forgot about it?
Then the registration process at that time required that you
actually cut the UPC bar code off the box and send it in with your
registration request. They sent me an email that told me my
account was ready to go, then I registered everything online. I
don't know how they do it now, but I am sure they still make it a
bit of a task.
The registration process was pretty simple. The instructions in the
package said to register the serial numbers on-line, print out the
completed form and then mail in the form, receipt and bar code.
However, once you enter all of the serial numbers, there is a
message that says you can streamline the registration process by
entering the numbers under the bar code on the receipt instead of
mailing the paperwork in. Only if there is a problem will they
request that you mail in the paperwork. I've got everything ready to
go if they request it.
That was my experience. I hear people complaining all the time about
how difficult their registration process is. I think the internet and
instant results to everything have spoiled a lot of people. Any time
you have to mail anything in and wait a couple weeks, people act like
they're making you cross the Rockies in a covered wagon.
I don't know when the last time those "people" tried to register a product, but - unless they contact me - I won't have to mail anything in.
My experience was indeed the "internet and instant results" we have become accustomed to. I have to hand it to HD for making the process so simple. One could argue that it is to their disadvantage to have eliminated the need for us to mail in the paperwork. The easier they make it, the more people will register, the more it may cost them. On the other hand, they don't have to pay as many people (or a service) to handle all of the registration paperwork and match it up with the information submitted on line. (Imagine doing *that* job day in and day out!)
The only issue I had was this:
I entered the product number of the combo pack and the on-line form listed all of the items included, along with the individual model numbers. The on-line model number for the charger did not match the model number on the bottom of my charger. I called their 800 number and the rep said "Don't worry, you have the newer model charger. Just go ahead and enter your S/N and you'll be fine."
I followed her instructions, but I also sent in a separate request via their on-line contact form just to get it in writing, since my registration page shows the old model number, not the one on my charger.
Other than that, I am (so far) completely satisfied with the registration process.
My drills/driver/batts are all registered and listed on my account page
on the Ridgid website. I bought the tools specifically for the LSA and
"free batteries for life" that they were advertising at my local store.
I'm extremely satisfied with the performance of these tools, so overall
I'm glad I bought them and would do so again without the free batteries
or LSA.
However, if they ever give me a hard time about giving me "free
batteries for life" I will absolutely blow a gasket on them. I think I
even took a picture of the sign they had on their display. :-)
--
-MIKE-
"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
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