I just got an e-mail from HD advertising their new Ridgid "multi" tool. Looks pretty cool and I would probably be all over it if I did not already have the Fein tool.
Any way the cordless tool has interchangable heads.
Apparently there is a Multimaster style head, an impact hammer style head, right angle drill style head, an impact driver style head, and a ratchet style head.
Advertised with life time warranty on the tool and batteries.
The cleverly worded script indicates that the "lifetime service plan" is an additional option. In other words, an extra cost, extended warrantee.
Are you making an assumption? From what Ridgid tech support and their Life time service agreement has stated in the past is that you have to simply register the product to be enrolled in the lifetime service agreement. Simply having the receipt is good enough for the normal shorter term warranty. This is nothing new with the Ridgid tool line. IMHO however the need for registration is to prove when the tool was purchased. There were times long ago 5-6 years when the batteries were covered for life during the Christmas holidays. If you did not buy during that time the warranty was the typical warrantly. Since however they have reintroduced the life time warranty on the batteries.
latest version of the 6" ROS and their trim routers suck. I have zero confidence in Ridgid products.
I find Ridgid tools very uneven. Their drill press is fabulous, their latest version of the 6" ROS and their trim routers suck. I have zero confidence in Ridgid products.
That could be true. I am the first to say that if you are brand loyal you are not getting the best in every situation. BUT since this particular line of tools is designed to ease a particulat task that is not well suited by a more conventional tool the result may be more favorable if you are actually able to accomplish the task.
I have Ridgid 13" planer for about 7 years that I've been very happy with (now watch, the next time I fire it up it'll explode").
But most of their hands tools have too much of the China stink about them.
As to the Ridgid warranty ... if the tools dies, you better be able to prove it was "materials or workmanship", which leaves them a BIG out, otherwise when the tool dies, the warranty dies with it.
All you need is proof of purchase, usually in the form of a sales receipt.
Did you read the complaints on that page? Sounds like the warrantee is pretty much impossible to use anyway. They even told one guy who registered in 2001, that they only honored registrations made since
2005.Sounds overall, that the warrantee should not be considered when making a purchase decision for Ridgid tools. Buy it as though it has no warantee.
I much rather deal with the smell of sauerkraut.
*cough*F*cough*e*cough*s*cough*t*cough*o*cough*o*cough*l*cough*
Since I already have a Chinese multimaster of which I am very fond of now (thanks HF for a tool worth 3X more than $35), and have the Ridgid 12v Li mini drill/driver, I won't bite. But that is indeed a whole bag of tools for $199.
I too have found Ridgid tools to be a bit erratic in their usefulness. They seem to perform well for me and I haven't had any complaints on my part, but I know others have. But then again, unless we get into the upper end tool price range, I would say they do perform better than some of the DeWalt and PC tools I own.
I think the selling point there would be the bag and the "stuff" you wag around in it. Sometimes you just need enough tool to get the job done, no more. With truck space at a premium, it would be nice to toss that thing in the front seat and be off for a small repair or quick installation of one kind or another.
I haven't bought heritage style hand tools in a while, and since my older Makita, Bosch and Milwaukees are still doing OK, I tend to look at tools and other offerings like this towards their utility value for the buck, not as a life long investment.
I'd bet you would get $200 of work out of that setup.
As far as the batteries being covered in warranty, you are right Leon. I discovered (with the help of my buddy that worked there for a few years) that when Home Depot RELEASES a new tool, the extended lifetime warranty is part of the promotional period.
According to him, the lifetime warranty covering the batteries was available for the first 6 - 12 months depending on the tools and the promotion, then it dropped to 2 - 3 years.
Robert
Yeah, if you already have the problem solved like I do you don't need it.
I still don't own any and will say that 6 years ago when I was looking at them I thought the drill was heavy. But then again I think any thing over
9.6 volt is starting to get heavy. ;~)Precicely, and as I mentioned, if you are waiting to pull the trigger you probably don't need one for heavy or daily use, otherwise you would already have one. It looks like a lot of vlaue in variety for those type tools that are problem solvers rather than a daily use tool.
Exactly.
I think of those as purpose built tools.
Robert
That is precicely right. If the 3 year warranty is good enoug for you simply hang on to the receipt. If you want the lifetime service agreement you will need to simply register. NBD.
I don't take much stock in warranty complaints unless I know the exact conditions of the disagreement. As Robert indicated in another part of the thread, only certain tools purchased during a certain promotional period are eligible for the life time service agreement. Still the 3 year warranty is better than most. Some tools sold in 2001 have the life time warranty others did not. IIRC those tools had to be purchased during the Christmas promoton.
I think you are confusing warranty with life time service agreement. Just a
3 year warranty with proof of purchase would certainly weigh a lot with me if a particular Ridgid tool was in the lot to be considered. The particular Ridgid tool that is elegible for the life time service agreement would be a bonus.
Our shop is located quite near a large sauerkraut factory and let me tell you the stink is pretty brutal at times.
JP
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