Old Manitou elastomers wanted!! - Page 2

B. Sanders wrote:

> "Eurastus" <sam@spade.com> wrote in message news:WsidnVZ34byR4fKjXTWcrg@giganews.com...
>> Update...I called Answer back and was able to speak with the Customer
> Support
>> manager. Nice chap. He repeated the message that no elastomers were to
> be
>> found. Because of the warranty phrase on the literature, he offered to
> send me
>> a 2001 SX-R fork as a replacement. I suppose that's OK, though I'd really
> like
>> to get the old Manitou running instead.
>
> That's the best possible outcome - the SX-R is a sweet fork. Much better than the old Manitou I
> (of which I've owned 2). I replaced my Marzocchi Bomber with a Manitou Magnum, and find it to be a
> superior fork in all respects. The SX-R is even better than the Magnum, from what I hear; but have
> never tried it myself.
>
> Your paperwork and follow-up really paid off. Let's give Manitou some kudos for honoring the
> warranty without too many hassles. They probably get a lot of "my fork is trashed; but I only did
> an 8 ft drop on it" kind of calls; and it must get tiresome trying to differentiate between legit
> claims and abusers wanting a free ride (pun intended).
>
> Glad to hear your success story. Enjoy your new fork - hope it lasts you another 10 years.

Excellent! This says a lot about the company. I'd take them up on the offer -- the SX-R is a great
fork, way better than any old-style bumper Manitou.

Matt O.

On Wed, 12 Mar 2003 , Eurastus <sam@spade.com> wrote:

>Update...I called Answer back and was able to speak with the Customer Support manager. Nice chap.
>He repeated the message that no elastomers were to be found. Because of the warranty phrase on the
>literature, he offered to send me a 2001 SX-R fork as a replacement. I suppose that's OK, though
>I'd really like to get the old Manitou running instead.

Wow, that's interesting. When I called Answer for bushings for my 97 FS Ti and qouted the "lifetime
warranty" line from the manual, I was told that the term "lifetime" referred to the "useful life" of
the fork, which they had determined to be 3 years - therefore no warranty claim would be honored.
They did offer me a "discount" on a new last-year's-model fork.

I bought a Marzocchi instead.

-Ed

"Ed J." <ej_000@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:56rv6vc19pksd1av0obn92bo6j7k4rh1k7@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 12 Mar 2003 , Eurastus <sam@spade.com> wrote:
>
> >Update...I called Answer back and was able to speak with the Customer
Support
> >manager. Nice chap. He repeated the message that no elastomers were to
be
> >found. Because of the warranty phrase on the literature, he offered to
send me
> >a 2001 SX-R fork as a replacement. I suppose that's OK, though I'd
really like
> >to get the old Manitou running instead.
>
> Wow, that's interesting. When I called Answer for bushings for my 97 FS Ti and qouted the
> "lifetime warranty" line from the manual, I was told that the term "lifetime" referred to the
> "useful life" of the fork, which they had determined to be 3 years - therefore no warranty claim
> would be honored. They did offer me a "discount" on a new last-year's-model fork.

Wow, that's quite a difference. Maybe Answer/Manitou has had a change of policy in the interim
period since you contacted them. That could happen. (Or maybe the received threats of lawsuits for
failing to honor their warranty terms.)

> I bought a Marzocchi instead.

Can't go wrong there. They're good forks - a little heavy; but well made.

-Barry

B. Sanders wrote:

>
> "Ed J." <ej_000@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:56rv6vc19pksd1av0obn92bo6j7k4rh1k7@4ax.com...
>> On Wed, 12 Mar 2003 , Eurastus <sam@spade.com> wrote:
>>
>> >Update...I called Answer back and was able to speak with the Customer
> Support
>> >manager. Nice chap. He repeated the message that no elastomers were to
> be
>> >found. Because of the warranty phrase on the literature, he offered to
> send me
>> >a 2001 SX-R fork as a replacement. I suppose that's OK, though I'd
> really like
>> >to get the old Manitou running instead.
>>
>> Wow, that's interesting. When I called Answer for bushings for my 97 FS Ti and qouted the
>> "lifetime warranty" line from the manual, I was told that the term "lifetime" referred to the
>> "useful life" of the fork, which they had determined to be 3 years - therefore no warranty claim
>> would be honored. They did offer me a "discount" on a new last-year's-model fork.
>
> Wow, that's quite a difference. Maybe Answer/Manitou has had a change of policy in the interim
> period since you contacted them. That could happen. (Or maybe the received threats of lawsuits for
> failing to honor their warranty terms.)
>
>> I bought a Marzocchi instead.
>
> Can't go wrong there. They're good forks - a little heavy; but well made.

Here's a nice warranty story.

One of my friends rescued a bike from a junk pile in another friend's backyard, where it had
probably been sitting for over 20 years. It was a Schwinn beach cruiser, a little rusty and with a
few parts missing. But after a good cleanup and a few new pieces, it was pressed into daily service.

He rode it for several weeks, until one day the frame broke when he rolled off a curb. He thought
nothing of it, but his dad insisted Schwinns had a lifetime warranty that could be pursued. So
feeling a little silly, he called Schwinn, who told him to bring the bike to the local Schwinn
dealer for inspection. About three days later, the dealer called back, and told him to come in and
pick up his new bike -- not just a frame, but a whole brand new beach cruiser!

Maybe that's why Schwinn went bankrupt. However, my friend has ridden only Schwinns ever since --
maybe not new ones, but he's sure spent plenty on parts, fixing up old ones. (The one he got for
free was stolen just a few days later.)

Matt O.