Tag Heuer Service Rip-off

Good to know, I need my Tag serviced soon. Where are you planning to send it locally?

 

Very interesting, I bought a Tag back in April and spent an extra $100 on an extended warranty, I figured that I saved 60% off the retail price I might as well get a warranty just in case. The saleswoman did tell me that Tag covers nothing but the movement under their warranty, and this covered the entire watch. I ended up thinking it was a bad idea then but now I wonder.

 

I bought a used Tag on ebay and as soon as I saw it I knew it had water damage. So for my own info, I took it to Ron Gordon in Manhattan. He confirmed that my suspicion was correct and I asked him for a price for a restoration since I didn't pay that much for it. The price was very reasonable but in the end we didn't do the job because of a part he couldn't get anymore (it was an old digital S/El). I was impressed by his honesty because he could have just replaced the hands which were slightly oxidized, cleaned it up a bit and I would haven't known.

 

A friend sent his Omega Speedmaster to service in Sweden, USD500-600 (X-ch rate fluctuations). I serviced my Monaco, some USD500.... So it's a lot of money, but that is what it costs, I am afraid. If you do not want the problem, buy a quartz

 

I had a similar problem with Tag in Nj, I sent my link to them for service and when I got the estimate it included a new bezel, I called and wanted to know what was wrong with the bezel and was told that the seal under it had been damage, did not know what to do cause it needed service so I opted to have it all done final bill was over $450 , last time I sent it to Tag, now I need a button replaced and am trying to find a place to do it, everyone so far is telling me I have to send it to the mfg. I don't want to, any options in the NC Charlotte area.



Wade

 

Buy a replica instead... it will last longer.

 

The crown fell of my Formula 1 back in December, foolishly tried to fix it myself, and broke some stuff on the inside of the watch. Took it to the service center and said that the damage was pretty bad on the inside. Got a similar estimate, although i think mine was closer too 300 USD. However they told me that it was still under warranty, so even though it was sent off to Switzerland I am only going to have to pay around 30 USD to cover the cost of the actual broken crown and maybe some other smaller pieces that broke.

 

You being frustrated and annoyed with them is very understandable. It sounds like the person you were dealing with at the service center was not too knowledgeable about watches and had the "take or leave it" attitude. Don't assume because the person works for a watch manufacturer or even sells watches for a living, that they know ANYTHING about watches.

Just to play devil's advocate (and I used to run a repair center for high end watches) here is their perspective

They didn't do anything to the crown on the last service, so they feel no obligation there. Crown's just don't fall off. They usually fall victim to people fat fingering them, winding the watch while it is on the wrist or getting them caught on something without the user being aware.

The reason they feel they need to charge to re-service the movement is this - even a minute amount of dust etc can ruin the movement's performance. When the crown came off, it created a path directly to the movement for what ever was floating around in the air.
They will re-service the movement to be sure nothing got caught in the fresh oil in the watch.

I am presuming this is a chronograph? If so, it has a ton of parts that need to be taken apart and cleaned then reassembled and re-oiled and timed.

Since they have to warrant their work, and the work takes a while to perform, they charge for it.

This situation would have been the same with Omega, Breitling etc etc etc.

 

I have sent my Tag in twice. They always send it back with no trouble found.
It looses a day a month. I will never buy another Tag watch.

 

I lost interest in Tag after learning it's Obama's watch of choice, and that they use a generic Swiss movement.

 

You point being what?

 

Your watch looses an hour a day?????

 

My wife has worn a Tag for approx. 10 years now and it still keeps great time. Maybe we were just lucky.