Lifetime Warranty Question

[Pez D Spencer]

I recently purchased an EVGA 680i A1 mobo and so far it's been a great board. I'm still waiting until I get some extra cash to complete my build, but as it stands I haven't had a bit of trouble with it.

The thing is, I was wondering about this lifetime warranty that EVGA offers. I mean, what if the board cooks five years from now? I won't be using it in five years but I'm just asking. Do these companies that offer lifetime warranties keep a stockpile of old hardware to fufill RMA's years from now? Or do they just send you a comparable product based on the technology at the time of your RMA?

Since this board is one of their top of the line boards right now, if it cooks five years from now and I send it back, would they send me one of their year 2012 top of the line boards, a 2012 board that's equal in value to the current value of the RMA'd board (which would probably be next to nothing), or do they do like I said earlier and send me one from their stash of old hardware?

If the first option is correct and they would send a top of the line 2012 model board, what keeps people from waiting a few years until their board or other piece of hardware that's backed with a lifetime warranty starts to get old, damaging it in some unobvious way, and just sending it back and getting a better, more current replacement?

I hope all of this makes sense.

 

[o1die]

I have a solution. Want to keep your pc and file system more than 3 years? I found a spare identical board in newegg's open box section for less than half the new cost. I also have a spare hardrive with all my files loaded for backup. If the drive goes capute, I change drives. Same for the board. This saves hours doing a fresh install. Even if EVGA honors the lifetime warranty, you'll probably get a different board by the time you need it.

 

[Pez D Spencer]

Originally posted by: o1die
I have a solution. Want to keep your pc and file system more than 3 years? I found a spare identical board in newegg's open box section for less than half the new cost. I also have a spare hardrive with all my files loaded for backup. If the drive goes capute, I change drives. Same for the board. This saves hours doing a fresh install. Even if EVGA honors the lifetime warranty, you'll probably get a different board by the time you need it.

That's not my point. My question was simply a "what if". Personally, I'll probably run this board for a year or 18 months. The point I was trying to make is that suppose I DID keep this board for 3, 4, 5 or more years. Then what? I'm just curious about how a high end tech product like a board or a video card that carries a lifetime warranty would be replaced.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Replace it with the equivalent "current" board.

 

[Chunky Monster]

I was wondering the same thing.

I have a Gigabyte board that puked out recently. It is no longer carries a valid warranty (I stupidly voided it), so I asked if they could just sell me one, since they are nearly impossible to find for sale now. I was told that they did not have any more.

That got me to wondering about anyone who wanted to RMA the boards that were still under warranty. What are they going to tell them? Are they going to give them something else, if they really have none? It is a 939 board, so they are mostly discontinued now. What would they offer to do, if there are none available?

 

[Aluvus]

They will most likely offer a similar, more modern replacement or a voucher that you can spend on a replacement.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

I only look for 3 year warranty. I probably don't want to keep the MB beyond this point. 3 to 5 years is more than adequate for any high tech toy.

 

[Zap]

Their warranty probably states that they will replace with an equivalent item, not necessarily an identical one and not necessarily a new one. A friend of mine had gotten warranty on an old video card from BFG and he received a lower end card from a newer generation, which ended up being a hair faster.

For the OP, did you register the motherboard? IIRC EVGA requires the original owner to register the product with them on their web site to get the "lifetime" warranty, otherwise you only have a one year warranty.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: Pez D Spencer
The thing is, I was wondering about this lifetime warranty that EVGA offers. I mean, what if the board cooks five years from now? I won't be using it in five years but I'm just asking. Do these companies that offer lifetime warranties keep a stockpile of old hardware to fufill RMA's years from now? Or do they just send you a comparable product based on the technology at the time of your RMA?

"Lifetime" = market lifetime of the product, not the purchaser's lifetime. e.g. here is PNY's definition of lifetime on its RAM modules:

"Lifetime is defined as the lifetime of the product on the market. Outdated technology is not covered by lifetime warranty if the item is no longer available on the common market as a new product. Lifetime replacement warranty does not cover items out of production if the company no longer stocks them."

 

[Mr Fox]

Originally posted by: tcsenter

Originally posted by: Pez D Spencer
The thing is, I was wondering about this lifetime warranty that EVGA offers. I mean, what if the board cooks five years from now? I won't be using it in five years but I'm just asking. Do these companies that offer lifetime warranties keep a stockpile of old hardware to fufill RMA's years from now? Or do they just send you a comparable product based on the technology at the time of your RMA?

"Lifetime" = market lifetime of the product, not the purchaser's lifetime. e.g. here is PNY's definition of lifetime on its RAM modules:

"Lifetime is defined as the lifetime of the product on the market. Outdated technology is not covered by lifetime warranty if the item is no longer available on the common market as a new product. Lifetime replacement warranty does not cover items out of production if the company no longer stocks them."

How did you make "Lifer" with such uninformed mis-information ?

It just goes to show that numbers of posts do not equate to expertise.


You are using one manufacturers warranty definition(PNY), to attempt to explain another's warranty (EVGA).

PNY has a "Product Lifecycle" type of warranty.

I believe that you should refrain from Rectal Extractions and present only relevant facts...






EVGA has a Limited Lifetime Warranty :



"EVGA is recognized through customer loyalty and the highest levels in customer satisfaction. We continuously work to make sure that each purchase results in a customer for life! This is part of the EVGA Difference - known for offering value and performance, as well as top notch customer service.

EVGA is proud to announce the EVGA Advanced RMA (EAR) Program with all products purchase on or after November 1, 2006. To sign up for EVGA Advanced RMA Program all you need to do is register your product with us and you will have several options to choose from. For more information please visit http://www.evga.com/ear.

In keeping with our valued ideology, we are pleased to offer our customers the EVGA Limited Lifetime Warranty Program.

Please Note: As EVGA strives to honor the best limited lifetime warranty in the business we have made, and will continue to make, policy changes. Make sure you read this document carefully and check back for updates.

For our retail Graphics Card and Mainboard products purchased on or after June 22, 2005, EVGA will provide a limited lifetime warranty to the original purchaser of each retail product that the product will not suffer, in material or workmanship, from any defect that adversely affects the performance of the product. This limited lifetime warranty is valid for the life of the retail product, so long as the original purchaser owns the product, based upon the following conditions:

* All EVGA Products purchased ON or AFTER November 1, 2006 MUST be registered within 30 days from ORIGINAL DATE OF PURCHASE to receive limited lifetime warranty. (All products not registered within 30 days will ONLY receive a 1 year limited warranty.)
* Removal and or Defacing of Serial/Part number sticker(s) on ANY EVGA products WILL void ALL warranties.
* ALL Defective products sent in for RMA replacement MUST INCLUDE A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL INVOICE / RECEIPT. (Products NOT including invoice/receipt will be returned to the customer at customer?s expense.)
* Limited Lifetime Warranty is for all retail Graphics Card and Mainboard products ending in the part numbers A1, AR, AX, BR*, BX*, DR, DX, FR, FX, SG, SL, or S2.
* [Replacement products are shipped out as ?BR or ?BX and will carry the same limited lifetime warranty that your original purchase had based on your registration.]
* There is no physical damage to the PCB, GPU/chipset, or components that are caused by: Damage due to improper installation, damage during modification of any kind, damage during any type of Aftermarket cooling installation, and water damage of any kind.
* All replacement products shipped out for replacement are recertified by EVGA to uphold the quality and guarantee of our products.
* All RMA products will require the customer to pay for shipping to EVGA. EVGA will cover all return shipping back for the RMA replacement with (Ground) Shipping through UPS.*

*Shipping into Canada is sent through USPS (United States Postal Service) as Standard shipping. All RMA replacements to Canada will state ?Warranty Replacement? on the package to Canada to assist in avoiding any Brokerage Fee?s through Canadian customs. EVGA is NOT responsible for any fees charged by the Canadian government or brokers due to brokerage fees.

We will repair or replace the defective parts free of charge (no refunds). All you pay is the shipping charge to return the product to EVGA.

EVGA reserves the right to claim for shipping fees along with a service charge* from the customer for any incomplete or modified product that is returned and requires repair or replacement, or when the customer is not entitled to any coverage under this limited lifetime warranty. EVGA provides this same limited lifetime warranty to any graphics card and mainboard repaired or replaced pursuant this limited lifetime warranty. All replacement products shipped will have ?BX or ?BR at the end of the part number and carry the same warranty as original product. EVGA limited lifetime warranty is for North America, Latin America, and Canada only.

Please feel free to call us first for any needed support at (888) 880-EVGA (3842) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We stand behind the products we sell, for their value, quality, and reliability.

Don't forget ? EVGA offers the VGA Industry exclusive Step-Up Program.

* EVGA reserves the right to change this policy without advance notice. Service charge is variable based upon the actual material cost to replace missing or modified parts back to their original factory condition.



Copyright © 2007 EVGA® Corporation

Legal Info | Privacy Policy | e-Store Terms | All rights reserved"

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Mr Fox
You are using one manufacturers warranty definition(PNY), to attempt to explain another's warranty (EVGA).

PNY has a "Product Lifecycle" type of warranty.

EVGA has a Limited Lifetime Warranty :

This limited lifetime warranty is valid for the life of the retail product

That line is suspect.

I'd like a manufacturer to state something like, "Yes, if it breaks in 20 years we will replace it," and state it in writing. Most of the fine print for "lifetime" warranties for computer parts make it sound as if it is for however long they sell it or until it is outdated.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: Zap
That line is suspect.

There's nothing suspect or questionable about it. That statement is exactly the same as PNY's:

LIFETIME WARRANTY

PNY Technologies, Inc. warrants the product, to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for the life of the product as sold to the original purchaser

Notice that PNY never uses the term "product lifecycle" as Mr. Rectal Extraction asserts (in quotes). PNY uses the exact same language as EVGA; "LIFETIME WARRANTY". The only difference between these two is that PNY offers more clarification as to whose "lifetime" the warranty covers (as though it is needed), whereas EVGA uses the typical language that is often construed to mean something it does not.

I'd like a manufacturer to state something like, "Yes, if it breaks in 20 years we will replace it," and state it in writing.

Want no more! In fact, there are companies who put this in writing, but EVGA isn't among them. Here is the lifetime warranty that BFG offers on qualifying products:

BFG Technologies is proud to warrant the original purchaser of the graphics card included in this package ("Product") that the Product will be free from defects in material or workmanship for as long as the original purchaser owns the product

Clear as a bell. XFX goes a step further and covers qualifying products "for as long as you live", and also allows the warranty to be transferred to a second owner. EVGA is aware of this and refuses to change its warranty statement, which is 100% consistent with all 'product market life' warranties.

In response to numerous criticisms that XFX and BFG have stronger warranty language, EVGA sends low-level employees into forums to make promises that EVGA refuses to put in official company statements. These low-level employees have absolutely no authorization or legal standing to make statements or promises that legally bind the company.

Most of the fine print for "lifetime" warranties for computer parts make it sound as if it is for however long they sell it or until it is outdated.

That's the way ALL lifetime product warranties are, unless explicitly stated otherwise. The warranty is on a product, not a human. It should follow that the meaning is "life of the product", not life of the human. I'm not sure how this ever became the subject of misunderstanding. "Life of the product" warranties have been around for 50 years.

This works out well for durable consumer goods like auto parts, since auto parts have a market life of 20+ years. Not so good for commodity computer components that have a MAX market life of two...maybe three years at most.