Apparently.......it's perfectly acceptable to change the terms and conditions of a rod warranty in retrospect. You can buy a rod and it's warranty which specifies the cost of section replacement due to damage; then claim on said warranty 2yrs later only to be informed that the cost has doubled. Even though the rod in question is no longer made, even though they do have replacement tips in stock.
Apparently the terms of the warranty had been changed when I bought the rod, so the warranty that came with it was out of date at the time of purchase. I've been up front with the manufacturer and told them the damage was totally my fault; it's a rod I've only used four times (bought for a specific use, boat fishing) and for which I paid full retail price. I'm not amused as you can imagine, and considering my next action.
Surely rod manufacturers have a perfect vehicle by way of this forum and one or two others to advise the angling fraternity of changes like this? It's a much more cost effective way to contact their customer base other than by post to every registered owner? They do argue that the changes were posted on their website, but not as a bulletin, only in the T&C's. I'm even considering buying a new Shakey Trion instead (similar cost as the warranty replacement tip) and telling them to stuff it.
I also noticed that any email comunication is considered confidential and priveleged so I can't be specific other than to say "It's somewhere between Blacks and Whites

Yep, there's another thread running on this subject with the same company.

It's completely wrong that rod companies can change the conditions of their warranty.

BK

I accept that they need to change as costs increase (that's a p*sstake anyway) but it should be on new rods/purchases, not back-dated to older transactions and waranties sold at the time. Let's face it, we buy the rod and warranty available at the time. Imagine if we bought a rod then got a letter from them following year asking for another £20 because the rod price had gone up? I can't help feeling like a victim here and I hate that feeling!!

It's a basic tenet of contract law that the terms can't be changed unilaterally after the event. The terms of the warranty were what they were when you bought the rod and as advertised to you. To change the terms, the manufacturer would have to have reserved the right to change the terms... which any sensible manufacturer would do. Check the small print and if the that power to change the terms is not there, I'd be tempted to press them further on it. It's all time and hassle though. Is it worth it?

I get your point. There's a £20 difference, probably not worth the hassle, grief and ill-feeling. What it will mean though is that they'll never again be my first choice; possibly a mutual loss because I do buy lots of gear and they have some really good products. My go-to rod is one of theirs. What makes it worse is that I'm aware the rod cost them around $6.00 to import, so what the hell do they have to lose by honouring the original terms of the warranty? A customer? Maybe that's not important to them.
Time to move on I think. Any worthy cause need a 10' 6/7# GRXi butt, middle section, rod tube and sock in mint condition?