Kimmo 

That's why class action suits are a thing, innit?

colnago62

But they really aren’t tho’, unless you are taking on a Goliath, and this company ain’t that.

Nachoman

Read the terms of the lifetime warranty and sue them if necessary.
But if the lifetime warranty stated something like the seller would perform the warranty repair for free so long as the buyer pays for materials, then you probably don't have much of a case. It sounds like they already made that offer to you. (And I don't blame you for turning down that offer. I would too.)

FrznTek

Internet Archive's Wayback Machine is handy some times. Here is the warranty page text as of the 23rd of February 2012 (with in a year of when the OP claims to have bought the bike.)

"Enigma is obsessed with the quality of our frames and we are committed to the satisfaction of our customers. Our extensive warranty is designed to reflect this commitment and explains your rights and privileges as an Enigma product owner.

PRODUCT WARRANTY
Enigma Titanium Ltd will at its sole discretion repair or replace any Enigma bicycle frame or component that fails due to manufacturing or material defects within the time periods detailed.

Any components not produced by Enigma or branded Enigma bear their own manufacturer’s warranty. Any claims on these components should be directed to said manufacturer’s service department.

Product finishes applied by Enigma (paint, decals, etc) carry a 1 year warranty against manufacturing defects in materials or workmanship. Damage caused by normal use or handling (dents, scratches, abrasions) are not considered defects.

TIME PERIOD
Warranty coverage on Enigma titanium bicycle frames extends to the lifetime of the frame*, from the date of purchase for the original purchaser only. *Any carbon content of frames is limited to a 5 year warranty.

Warranty coverage on Enigma steel (excluding stainless steel) bicycle frames extends to 10 years, from the date of purchase, for the original purchaser only.

Warranty coverage on Enigma stainless steel bicycle frames extends to 5 years, from the date of purchase, for the original purchaser only.

Enigma branded components are covered by a 1 year warranty, from the date of purchase for the original purchaser only.

LIMITATIONS TO WARRANTY AND LIABILITY
Proof of purchase via Enigma Titanium Ltd or an Enigma approved dealer is required together with completion of the warranty registration card (within 30 days of purchase) to validate protection.

Carriage charges to or from Enigma will be the responsibility of the original purchaser.

This warranty does not cover normal wear and tear and normal maintenance items. In addition the warranty does not cover any damage, failure, or loss caused by accident, improper use or assembly, neglect or improper maintenance.

There is no cash alternative to warranty repair / replacement.

The warranties detailed are in lieu of and exclude all other warranties not detailed herein, whether express or implied by operation of law or otherwise. This includes but is not limited to any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Enigma Titanium Ltd’s liability under this warranty is expressly limited to the replacement of the non-compliant Enigma products and under no circumstances will EnigmaTitanium Ltd be liable for incidental or consequential losses, damages or expenses (including but without limitation damage to property or other economic losses) whether under this warranty or in contract or negligence or otherwise.

Enigma products are NOT designed for extreme use i.e. stunt riding, jumping or similar activities. The warranty is void if damage occurs as a result of such use.

GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION
This warranty shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes arising.

HOW TO PROCEED WITH A WARRANTY CLAIM
Contact your nearest Enigma authorised dealer or alternatively contact us directly at: Enigma Titanium Ltd, Unit 11, Westham Business Park, Eastbourne Road, Westham, East Sussex BN24 5NP, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0)1323 741807 with details of your claim.

Please remember that this warranty is personal to you and only applies to the original purchaser and cannot be assigned and that proof of purchase and completion of our warranty registration card is required"

Kimmo 

This bit seems a bit off...

Pretty sure they can't substitute a warranty of their own for an expressed or implied warranty provided by law, unless it exceeds the law, in almost any jurisdiction.

905

The issue was never resolved. The frame is now an expensive souvenir. It was the subject of a documentary (in German with English subtitles, if you know what I mean),


and is always a hit for show and tell. Call it an educational tool.


Enigma: your mileage may vary

shelbyfv

Still broken after all this time? Bummer, that's got to be eating on you. What did you get to replace it?

Bald Paul

(Enigma) "We sell this frame with a lifetime warranty!"
(Owner) "My frame cracked."
(Enigma) "Well, that was the lifetime of the frame."

Enigma should change the company name to Enema.

tomato coupe

This thread reminds me of the person who has been listing a broken frame on eBay continuously for many years, because the manufacturer didn't replace it under warranty. At some point, you just gotta move on with life ...

905

@shelbyfv It hasn't been replaced.
@Bald Paul I was thinking Edsel, but yours also works.
@tomato coupe This was a follow-up.
If my posting helps nudge them (and others watching) in the direction of improving their customer service, it will have served its purpose. You're welcome.

tomato coupe

Just a follow up? It seems to be just a small part of your media-wide campaign. How much time have you spent on this?

seypat

Riddle me this:

What will be the replacement? You have to move on sooner or later.

905

@tomato coupe I don't understand. You want me to account for how I spend my time to a stranger? Can't help you there. Meanwhile, if you want to spend your time bumping the thread, be my guest.

@seypat, Not sure, still looking around. As for moving on, it's been all of 8 months. If I'm still rending my garment years from now, I promise I'll see someone.

tomato coupe

It's a rhetorical question.

905

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion. You can't win 'em all.

I try to spend my time on things I think are worthwhile (though don't always succeed, as my Netflix history will show). Posting about this qualifies. I know that if I was in the market for a bike – what do you know, I am! – I'd want to read about people's experiences with companies when things go wrong.

shelbyfv

Actually it has been 5 years since your original thread about this in 12/16. Time flies, right? Go ahead and get some help with this, life is short!

905

That was the first crack, yes. There were two more to go.

TPL

Just keep posting this ....maybe every day

Also, send copies of the link of all future posts directly to Enigma .... on a daily basis

I have a hunch they will contact you

905

Not sure about your every day plan TPL, but I'm happy to reply where warranted, so I guess we'll see.

genejockey 

I'm not sure why people are suggesting you aren't letting go. As I read it, at the end of May it was still pending resolution, and then there's a gap of 7 1/2 months before you posted again that it never did get resolved and you'd moved on. That seems reasonable enough to me.

PeteHski

While this story seems to go on forever, it does act as a reality check for those who believe the myth of "forever" bikes.

Rage

Ten years ain’t that long, though, considering some people, like many on this forum, have bikes far older’n that.

I still have a couple bikes I got from way back in high school, not even including the RB-1 I got as an eighth grade graduation gift.
And, sure, I’ve busted a couple bikes along the way but that enigma was a pretty high end bike. I’m not super-sure about this but I think that RB I’m talking about might’ve been 250 bucks or so, 300 tops. Not crazy expensive but still on the road. And maybe I could use a replacement fork to spiff it up but it still looks pretty good for what I’ve put her through.

I think OP’s got a legitimate grievance. Those guys at Enigma should have held up their end of the bargain.

shelbyfv

That's a good point. I don't know why manufacturers even bother with advertising a "lifetime warranty." Does anyone really expect a bike to last forever? Would folks not buy a bike that had a three or five year warranty? I doubt many even consider the warranty as part of the initial purchase decision. We happily pay 10 or 20 times as much for an auto and most have three year warranties. IMO, bike companies would be smart to limit warranties to three to five years. It would be fair enough since manufacturing defects would show up in that length of time and it would lessen the chance of getting caught up in something like this.

genejockey 

I think a lot of companies get around "lifetime guarantees" by limiting them to the original owner. For a bike, if it's a high-dollar bike, the owner is likely to be well-heeled and will buy newer bikes and either sell the old one - voiding the warrantee - or ride it a lot less, extending the life of the product. Or they could go out of business, like some watch companies that sold watches with "lifetime guarantees".

bblair

I am sorry to read this because my LBS sells them and they look absolutely gorgeous. But I have friends who had ordered bikes only to wait a year for delivery.

FWIW, he was a Lynskey dealer...and I bought one....but conflicts with those folks caused him to switch to Enigma.What's with those Ti people?