Mares not honoring warranty

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jhendrick

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I would like to know when Mares stopped honoring the warranty on new equipment purchases, and if anyone else is experiencing similar problems. I purchased a new Mares wetsuit, 7 mm, full-length for cave diving in March, 2013. Three months into using the wetsuit, the seams under both arms started to separate. I stopped using the suit, contacted the store where I bought the wetsuit and was told they didn´t honor Mares warranty. I contacted Mares directly, explained that I had purchased the wetsuit from an authorized dealer, submitted my receipt, sent copies of the defective wetsuit, and was assured that my defective product would be replaced. To this date, I have not had my defective wetsuit replaced under the terms of Mares warranty (two year warranty period from date of purchase). My emails, phone calls and skype messages go unanswered. Right now, I am dealing with local agencies to try and force the company to honor its warranty. I cannot believe that Mares would show such disregard for customer service. It´s a slap in the face to all divers.
 
Wow I'm kind of shocked. Definitely not a store selling grey market or something like that?

My only mares gear is a set of x-stream fins. They were damaged due to my kids getting them and playing in the pool. I had mentioned it to the LDS guy as I was browsing for new fins and he told me to bring them in a few weeks later when a mares rep was going to be around for a promo event. Brought them in and the rep handed me a new set. No paperwork or hassle or anything. The damage was clearly not their fault, too.

Sorry to hear that you're pretty much having the exact opposite experience. I would think consumer agencies you are talking to would be the way to go. That or small claims court.

Here's info on what to do from the FTC: Warranties | Consumer Information
 
jhendrick,This is not how Mares handles the warranty and we work hard to satisfy all of our customers in a short period of time. Warranty is 2 years from date of purchase, as long as purchased from an authorized dealer, and it must be a manufacturing defect. If all of the mentioned steps were taken, you should have been taken care of no problem.

Since I don't know the details of your issue, or wetsuit, or store I can't provide a solution in this text, but if you would send to me a private message or email outlining the following; I'll be happy to help (as long as you are in the U.S.) (I will also send you my direct email address in a PM to you). I have to say, none of what are saying makes sense. If you called Mares U.S. directly during normal business hours, you would have been picked up by one of our many excellent customer service representatives, we also respond to email promptly, and we don't use Skype externally for consumer communications.

Please send me your details and I'll look into the issue.
  • What store have you been dealing with?
  • Who did you speak to in Customer Service
  • What wetsuit did you buy
  • When did you buy it
  • Pictures of the suit and damage if you have it
  • Forward your emails and correspondence with Mares to me for follow up on my end
  • Your full name and contact information.

I am more than happy to help you if I can.

Best,
Zak

I've been using Mares gear for a long time, and have always gotten excellent service for any issues. In fact, Zak personally assisted me with one specific problem, and it was handled in a quick, professional fashion.

Greg Barlow
 
I just had an experience with Mares that really took me by surprise. Quite the oposite of the OP. They went way over and beyond what I would have expected from any company.
 
I bought a brand new, not used, not a demo, not a grey market wetsuit, from an authorized Mares dealership. In my dealings with trying to get the warranty honored (I am now in my ninth month of dealings), I have been told by representatives of Mares that my wetsuit wasn´t sold by the store where I purchased it. When I obtained the purchase order of the company for the wetsuits that I bought, they then said that the store hadn´t carried the wetsuit since 2005. The store where I purchased the wetsuit from still has similar models of the wetsuit on display in their store- I took pictures of these along with the date on a current newspaper and forwarded those to the Mares´ representative. It turns out that the wetsuit that I purchased, although sold as new, was of an older model line. Rick Trapp from Mares assured me that even discontinued or close-out items all carry the full manufacturer´s warranty. Despite all of my efforts, I was told that if I paid $232 US dollars, I could receive a similar wetsuit (one from the Atlantic series?). I asked the local Mares representative for copies of contracts/documents/etc. that show where a local representative is allowed to alter the terms of the manufacturer´s warranty. Of course, since these don´t exist, they couldn´t provide me with one. Soon thereafter, the Mares people I had been dealing with stopped responding to my emails, phone calls and skype messages. In my last email, I promised that I would take to any and all available social media outlets and government agencies to resolve this problem since they obviously were not going to honor the terms of the warranty. I encourage all divers to buy their own equipment- diving is safer and more enjoyable that way, in my opinion. BUT being able to get the dive gear serviced, repaired or replaced under warranty terms is an important covenant between consumer and manufacturer. From my experience, any money spent of Mares equipment is money pissed away. IF YOU ARE A DIVER, I ADVISE YOU NOT TO BUY ANY PRODUCT FROM MARES.
 
Perhaps you should consider the posibility that the store where you bought your suit is dealing in grey market goods and they effed you. My experience with Mares (in contrast to what I may have previously posted - time lag) is that they bend over backwards and go the extra (more than a) mile. I'd take a closer look at the point of sale.
 
I've never had an issue with mares warranty myself. I would look at talking to the lds about it. If I have ever had an issue with mares typically my lds will provide the replacement and they will deal with mares on getting their replacement. (as long as they have another item in stock and there is an issue that wasn't caused by misuse etc).

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 
If the shop is selling grey market goods, Mares should simply state the item is counterfeit and they will not honor the warranty. What sounds probable is the shop bought out another shops inventory and Mares is not going to honor the warranties.
 
If the shop is selling grey market goods, Mares should simply state the item is counterfeit and they will not honor the warranty. What sounds probable is the shop bought out another shops inventory and Mares is not going to honor the warranties.

Grey market is not counterfeit; but that is another topic.

jhendrick - What did Zak say when you contacted him with the information he requested in his now removed post?
 
Grey market is not counterfeit; but that is another topic.

jhendrick - What did Zak say when you contacted him with the information he requested in his now removed post?

yes, should have split the two, my bad, but if the LDS is selling grey market or counterfeited goods, Mares should not have them listed as a dealer.
 

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