Schuco Warrantee

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Dean S
Posts: 77
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 9:36 am

Schuco Warrantee

#1 Post by Dean S »

I've read a lot about Schuco on this board so I requested a brochure and warrantee information. I have never seen a Schuco window so I cannot comment on their performance or appearance but the warrantee is typical of a vinyl company's "lifetime" warrantee.

A few things to read in your warrantee:

- The lifetime warrantee is for as long as you own and reside in your home where the windows were installed. A second homeowner can extend the warrantee for only five years by registering and sending in a $75.00 fee within 20 days of closing

- The warrantee is in effect if the windows are "properly maintained." What that means is not defined.

-The moving parts are not warranteed for "normal wear and tear" and "other external forces." These aren't defined either.

- The screens are not warranteed against "pollution or other external forces" and you will only recieve "new screen material," not a new screen.

- I just received this warrantee a few weeks ago and it reads that the glass is prorated for 80% in years 21-30 and 90% beyond 30 years for seal failure. "This warrantee is limited to providing you with replacement parts." You're on your own for installation or hope the dealer will provide the installation. If there is a new warrantee out there it came out very recently.

- Bay/Bow windows; "Wood window frames are warranted to be structurally sound for five years."

- "Schuco Homecraft is not responsible for condensation."

- "The vinyl will maintain its manufactured color closely as it ages." That means it will fade and it's not specifically covered.

- If a part is covered under the warrantee, it will be shipped to "our designated distributor closest to you at no charge, except for freight involved."

- The warrantee "shall not be effective unless you complete and return this attached registration card within 30 days of installation."

- The warrantee does not cover any commercial applications such as "multi-family dwellings, ... schools, churches, apartment complexes, government owned structures, office buildings, etc."


If your window needs to be replaced or repaired, Schuco does not bear responsibility. You are depending a lot on your local dealer for additional warrantees regarding installation and lifetime craftmanship. Keep in mind that your local dealer may go out of business (or Schuco could for that matter), or Schuco may pull out of your area.

windowshopper
Posts: 144
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2004 7:04 am

Schuco warranty

#2 Post by windowshopper »

One of the things I look for when shopping for products is will the company stand by me and help if the person I buy it from goes out of business and most of the better companies want to take care of people especially in this day and age of such close competition when the consumer has so many options. From what I am reading Schuco does not feel that way. I have actually asked a few window companies about this and they said they would see that I was taken care of. I guess you would only know for sure when that situation arose. Personally I would not consider buying a product from a company that will not take care of customers if the dealer that sells their product goes out of business.

FenEx
Posts: 553
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 11:18 am
Location: Illinois

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#3 Post by FenEx »

The fact remains, that Schuco stands behind it's products. As for Schuco going out of business... they are one of the largest window manufacturers in the world... think they are going anywhere to avoid replacing a window?

Windowman PA
Posts: 121
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:06 am

Schuco Windows

#4 Post by Windowman PA »

schuco is the largest window manufacture in the WORLD! : :D

Dean S
Posts: 77
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 9:36 am

#5 Post by Dean S »

FenEx,

The fact remains that this is not a good warrantee. The company may or may not stand by their products. If they do stand by their products it's because they want to for customer relations sake.

If the company has a change of philosophy or a sales downturn they are not legally obligated to do very much about windows that malfunction.

There are enough holes in this warrantee to drive a truck through. For example, if you put these windows in an apartment building you have no warrantee at all. If something goes wrong, the dealer or Schuco may fix the problem, but they are not mandated to do so. They would do it to be nice. The same can be said if the windows fade, you didn't send in your registration form on time, or didn't "properly maintain" your windows.

Many vinyl manufacturers have similar "lifetime" warrantees. My favorite is when companies exempt "normal weathering" from the warrantee.

windowshopper
Posts: 144
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2004 7:04 am

#6 Post by windowshopper »

Very well put, I think the warranty speaks for itself.

Mark
Posts: 67
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 9:26 am
Location: Atlanta

#7 Post by Mark »

So what window do you all think has the best written warranty?

FenEx
Posts: 553
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 11:18 am
Location: Illinois

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#8 Post by FenEx »

Dean

What warranty are you reading????? Get CURRENT information before posting "supposed" quotes too.... and than adding your own garbage to them. Schuco has about a dozen basic and justifiable exclusions to their warranty... most of which are covered by homeowner's insurance and should be and the rest is common sense:

Accident, fire, flood, acts of God, explosion, misuse, abuse, vandalism, riots, civil disorder, polution or other external forces. Some additional exclusions do apply to commercial use and "YES" they have guidlines for registering their product owners like every other company in America.

Seems to me .. you are a little disgruntled being a Marvin dealer. You provide Limited guaranties instead of Lifetime, 25 years on glass (which Marvin doesn't even produce, Cardinal does), 30% less energy efficiient than Schuco, Supposedly stronger Ultrex Integrity windows (with a 20% lower DP rating than Schuco vinyl windows), and all that at an average of 30-40% more cost.

I guess others in your shoes might be posting the same kind of garbage you are too... as I know you can't sell Schuco in Chicagoland... they have the market locked with successful dealers already.

My next post could very easily break down the Marvin warranties... line by line.... with commentary (as you did). If you have ever actually read it... you know damn well it would be lengthy and brutal. Would you like me to continue???? The only thing holding me back is it would hurt other Marvin dealers... and I see a healthy place in the market for Marvin's products. They, and Schuco have earned a place in the market... why should you diminish either one.

It was my understanding that this new site was to be MOSTLY positive, and partially controversial. If you wish to compare products and warranties... I'd be more than happy to oblige.
Last edited by FenEx on Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

Dean S
Posts: 77
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 9:36 am

#9 Post by Dean S »

FenEx,

I don't know why you're taking things so personally. I didn't bring up Marvin or any other window. I felt compelled to offer my opinion after reading such good things about Schuco and their warrantee.

If you'll read my original post, it clearly states that a few weeks ago I sent an e-mail to Schuco and requested a brochure and warrantee information. I find it hard to believe that the warrantee could have been overhauled in the past three weeks or so. Everything in quotes from my original post is accurate and taken verbatim from the warrantee.

I would be happy to mail it to you if you send me your address.

Everything you wrote after "Seems to me..." is nonsense.

1. Of course companies should have exclusions for acts of God, etc. I just pointed out a few things I thought should be noted for the readers of this board. Salesmen sometimes imply that a "lifetime warrantee" is comprehensive. It isn't.

2. I am not a Marvin dealer. I work as a saleman for a family-owned business that sells Marvin. I have no interest in selling vinyl windows. If I wanted to sell Schuco or any other product I'd apply for a job there.

3. Go ahead and critique the Marvin warrantee. But you should start a new topic line because Marvin's warrantee has nothing to do with my post. Marvin has a 10/20 warrantee which, of course, has exclusions. They could easily play word games and make it a "limited lifetime warrantee" but they choose not to.

Several weeks ago someone mentioned that they bought Schuco because of their warrantee. I was curious to read it and when I saw some problems with it I wrote my post. It was a legitimate topic of discussion. Maybe their window is great. Maybe they stand by their window. I just think their warrantee should be more comprehensive.

4. You're turning this into a discussion about me which is something that doesn't sound "mostly positive." After previously being accused of having an agenda you should be more careful about slinging mud. Accusing me of inventing quotes, posting garbage and not reading the warrantee of the window I sell seems a bit disingenuous. Are you sure you're not Grasshopper posing as FenEx?

RC
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 5:28 pm

Re: reply

#10 Post by RC »

How does Schuco's warranty compare now?

FenEx
Posts: 553
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 11:18 am
Location: Illinois

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#11 Post by FenEx »

That's still to be determined... just like any other warranty issued. It's value or dependability can't be set until it's actually needed. I can't even count the number of people I know that have been screwed by Pella and Andersen amongst others.

As stated.. time will tell. I'll be one of the first to say how Schuco is handling this. They certainly have the financial resources to do it right. The choice is theirs. If they protect the dealers and their clients, then I'd say they have moved on responsibly. If not, then I'll be one of the first to lead the charges against them.

windowmannjny
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jul 15, 2006 3:18 pm

#12 Post by windowmannjny »

WOW a lot has changed since fenex posted on Sat. Oct. 16, 2004 at 6:04pm

FenEx
Posts: 553
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 11:18 am
Location: Illinois

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#13 Post by FenEx »

LOL... why am I the only one here getting time-stamped by the board historians? I am a victim here too and was also deceived. The last wave of Schuco contracts that I just refunded cost my company 68k in sales. Alot can happen in three years.

All of a sudden I have a conference call with Schuco scheduled for the beginning of next week. I'll let you know how it goes.

windowmannjny
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jul 15, 2006 3:18 pm

#14 Post by windowmannjny »

Fenex- i only kid with you because i have much respect and admiration for your posts. thank you

insiderinfo
Posts: 32
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:37 am

#15 Post by insiderinfo »

Fen-Ex,

How did the conference call go?

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