Edit: Very Happy with Shimano Now!

While surf perch and salmon fishing in Tillamook Bay with Ndogg and Jammer last fall, I snapped the tip of a $199.99 Salmon rod made by Shimano.  It had a lifetime warranty.  It was the first time I ever used the rod.  I bought it a couple years ago, but just didn't use it until this fall.  The dropper weight snagged the bottom and before I got a chance to free spool and turn around to unsnag it, the tip snapped.  I have never had that happen before.

My Fisherman's receipt, (the heat print kind) had blackened so you could no longer read it.  Fisherman's was kind enough to send the rod to Shimano for me (for $10).  The model I purchased has been discontinued.  Shimano's brilliant "fix" for it was to offer to offer to replace it with a Clarus Salmon rod of the same line rating.  It is worth $100 less .  WTF? 

Fisherman's offered me store credit for it, but since I could not prove how much I paid for it, they could only give me the last sale price of it.  Guess what, it was the clearance sale of this discontinued model at $64.95.   I guess I need to store all original receipts in the freezer .   Why is it that you need an original receipt for an object that has a lifetime warranty when the receipts are printed on a type of paper that easily fades or is made unreadable by high temps?  How does the store expect a receipt to last the lifetime of the object?  I prefer to buy local, but maybe I need to shift to online shopping for expensive stuff. It is easier to prove a purchase price because you can print your own receipt and save copies of the receipts electronically.

Since I won a nice salmon rod with a similar line rating and action at the Next Adventure Bass Classic, I chose the credit. 

That sounds like a crime to me.    Maybe it could get turned over to the crime lab and do some forensics on it.

This was really ticking me off so I called Shimano.  The very friendly, English as a first language speaking, lady said she could not help me with out knowing the control # associated with this rod and suggested I contact Fisherman's. 

I called Fisherman's again and told the nice woman that was helping me that I needed this number and that I was dealing with Shimano on the phone because I was a little upset that I was getting a rod worth half the value.  She said that they were actually giving me two of those rods to make up the difference and she forgot to say that the first time.  Well, this changes everything!

I got the number and called Shimano back.  I explained to the gentleman that I had already replaced the salmon rod and I really didn't need two more just like it.  He said that I could get one of equal value out of their current line-up.  Well, hello new Trevala.  Welcome to my home.  Then came the bonus round.  He said that was only $119 retail so I needed to pick another to get me up to the $199.  I had no clue what to ask for so I panicked and went for the 6'9" convergence inshore. 

This obviously made me really happy because I love all my Shimano gear and had other items I had intended to purchase from them.  In fact, I caught my first two trout for the AOTY this year with a Shimano Z2 reel that is damn near as old as me.  It still works as good as it did brand new in the early 80s.

I am glad I took matters into my own hands and called Shimano myself or that little misunderstanding could have cost me some scratch.

Now if only I knew how to permanently preserve original receipts.

Nice!  That's great to hear.  I know that I will eventually have to work with Shimano to get something fixed since I have so much stuff made by them and it is nice to know they care. 

Instead of a second rod you should have asked them for a credit toward a nice scanner so you can preserve future receipts!
I can't blame you for going with the convergence rod though.  I just bought a 6'10" Med Heavy convergence rod for $40 on clearance at Wholesale Sports and I can't wait to get that thing salty.

Nice!  That's great to hear.  I know that I will eventually have to work with Shimano to get something fixed since I have so much stuff made by them and it is nice to know they care. 

Instead of a second rod you should have asked them for a credit toward a nice scanner so you can preserve future receipts!
I can't blame you for going with the convergence rod though.  I just bought a 6'10" Med Heavy convergence rod for $40 on clearance at Wholesale Sports and I can't wait to get that thing salty.

I implemented a program of receipt scanning after this incident.  Hopefully, it will still count since it isn't the original.  I was going to send my Drysuit (also a lifetime warranty) back to Kokatat, but I can't find that receipt either.  It was just for leak testing, so I hope I don't need it.

Nice I am glad Shimano finally came through, you were waiting on them forever.  Are you putting your new Alphamar on the Trevela?

Good news,Craig. I broke a 9'Clarus(my bonehead fault) last summer and they replaced it with no
reciept and no questions. Just had to wait a bit since the rod was in production. okay by me. Sent back the broken and recieved the new. English is music to my one good ear.

Nice I am glad Shimano finally came through, you were waiting on them forever.  Are you putting your new Alphamar on the Trevela?

I may put the Alphamar on it for the bigger stuff.  But I have a C4 6500 that needs a home, too.  I guess it is easy to swap 'em out.

Good news,Craig. I broke a 9'Clarus(my bonehead fault) last summer and they replaced it with no
reciept and no questions. Just had to wait a bit since the rod was in production. okay by me. Sent back the broken and recieved the new. English is music to my one good ear.

Glad to hear it.  Did you send it directly to them, or go through a retailer?

Craig. Even though I work at a tackle shop where I bought it before I worked there, I sent it in on my own with a letter stating I loved the rod and was dissapointed it broke. No other explanation or
reciept.

I know the pains of a thermal receipt fading.......many years ago I started using my HP Laser printer to make a copy and just file it in a folder.
No more faded/blacked out receipts!