Warranty warning for Bosch pro (blue) tool buyers

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siggy_7

Full time tool collector, part time woodworker
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A warning for those who own or are buying any tools from the Bosch professional (blue) range. I bought a Bosch GST140BCE jigsaw last March, which has seen very light use. At the weekend it packed up - the motor doesn't respond to the trigger, although power is still getting through somewhere as the LED worklight still works. Anyway, it transpires that the professional range only have a 1 year warranty, and you need to register the tool with Bosch within 4 weeks of purchase to extend this to three years. Must have been something I missed in all the booklets that came with the saw. So I'm now with a broken tool that's three months out of warranty, all for failing to register when I purchased. Don't make the same mistake I did!

As an aside, it's a bit galling that the DIY/green range come with a 2 year warranty as standard with no registration, whereas because I didn't register a pro tool I actually have less warranty than a DIY tool owner. An odd state of affairs for the pricier and allegedly better-built professional range.
 
Is it worth looking into EU consumer law for electrical goods? I'm sure they're supposed to last longer than a year - I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me will be along soon.
 
I'd contact them for a quote to mend it. They will pick up for free. It may only be £10
 
did you speak to Bosch direct? or through the company you bought it from? I have found they can be reasonable in situations like this. Best to get on the phone to them.

HTH
 
Another one! As I and others have said lately, Bosch blue seem to have a poor reliability record with some of their tools, or are we just more surprised when their kit goes wrong? My Makitas never seem to have trouble and I think some of their stuff may be made in the UK.
 
Siggy-7

Sorry to hear about your problems with the Bosch; it may be worth talking to the retailer as they are the ones responsible for the warranty.
Not wishing to hijack the thread but, for the information of others, Makita are now offering a 3 year warranty on some tools, but registration is required within four weeks and there was NOTHING in the box telling me this when I bought a chainsaw from Axminster recently. Fortunately Axminster's website displays a Makita 3 year warranty logo on the appropriate products but, as Siggy has found out, you've really got to keep your eyes peeled.

Duncan
 
siggy_7":3f551cth said:
A warning for those who own or are buying any tools from the Bosch professional (blue) range. I bought a Bosch GST140BCE jigsaw last March, which has seen very light use. At the weekend it packed up - the motor doesn't respond to the trigger, although power is still getting through somewhere as the LED worklight still works. Anyway, it transpires that the professional range only have a 1 year warranty, and you need to register the tool with Bosch within 4 weeks of purchase to extend this to three years. Must have been something I missed in all the booklets that came with the saw. So I'm now with a broken tool that's three months out of warranty, all for failing to register when I purchased. Don't make the same mistake I did!

As an aside, it's a bit galling that the DIY/green range come with a 2 year warranty as standard with no registration, whereas because I didn't register a pro tool I actually have less warranty than a DIY tool owner. An odd state of affairs for the pricier and allegedly better-built professional range.
Have a look at http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/cgi- ... 4-1011.txt, in particular the bit about goods under the EU Directive viz
EU Directive 1999/44/EC states that all European Union member states must allow consumers to make a claim for faulty or misdescribed goods under their consumer rights for a minimum of two years. English law already allows you to make a claim for up to six years from the date you bought the goods and for up to five years in Scotland. Therefore if you buy any goods from any other EU member state, you can assume that you can make a claim for faulty or misdescribed goods for at least two years after.
Regards Keith
 
I haven't actually spoken to the retailer or Bosch yet. I'll give them a try tomorrow and see what they say. Thanks for the suggestions chaps!

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
 
Even when they honour the warranty it is disappointing to have something new and supposedly premium quality break when new. I used to really rate Bosch highly, but wouldn't go near their stuff now.

Incidentally anyone wanting electric chainsaws or other garden stuff chipper etc. take a look at Ikra. They manufacture their own stuff in Germany and guarantee to hold spares for 15 years after a product is discontinued. 2 year warranty. they sell direct factory to customer from their website ikra.de have service centres in most EU countries or you can deal direct with them in Germany.
 
An end to the story - after opening it up, I spotted a burnt-out wire that feeds the field coils. Decided to send off to Bosch for repair - they were very helpful and within a couple of days had collected and diagnosed the fault. Unfortunately because I'd opened the tool up it invalidated the warranty (I think they would have honoured it had I not done so, dammit!) and so the repair came to about £70 which included a new speed controller - possibly the cause of the burnt-out wire in the first place. My only complaint is that having managed to collect, diagnose and fix the tool in a week, it then took another week for them to post it back to me after the repair had apparently been completed. Still, I now have my jigsaw back and can get on with all the jobs that have been waiting for it. Funny how you never think you need something until you don't have it, then it becomes a real nuisance not having it available.
 

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