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Random Quote: fishin' is lake a box of chocolate.. u never no what your gonna catch.. and sometimes you catch nothing!
I was a little concerned about sending a couple of pair of Costa's in for repair after reading some of the negative responses for a recent thread but my experience was just the opposite.
One of the two just needed a screw in the frame, the other a new nosepiece. Neither had lense issues so maybe therein lies the difference but I filled out the forms and in they went. Shortly thereafter I received an email message that they had been received along with some tracking numbers to keep tabs on the progress. About a week later they are both in route back and supposedly repaired. This may be somewhat premature in that I haven't seen the repairs yet but so far the experience has been great. Very organized and professional. I am pleasantly surprised and happy with the customer service from Costa. (I am in no way affiliated with Costa Del Mar).
Never sent a pair off for repair, but the first, and only pair I bought, the polarizing film peeled off within a few weeks. Academy sports gave me my money back though. I think I used the wrong kind of cleaner. Be careful.
I've sent my costa's back 3 times each time the polarizing film had come off. The service is great. Never had a problem with sending them back and getting them back fast, but this still should not happen three times. I still have my costa's but ended up buying some maui jims, now i just wear the costa's when im fishing and wear the maui's everywhere else.
I've sent my costa's back 3 times each time the polarizing film had come off. The service is great. Never had a problem with sending them back and getting them back fast, but this still should not happen three times. I still have my costa's but ended up buying some maui jims, now i just wear the costa's when im fishing and wear the maui's everywhere else.
i have sent back one of my two pair thru my dealer, and got them back good as new. they had an arm broken off due to a lost screw. i have two pairs of Costa's now, and have never had an issue with the polarizing film coming off on either. while the one pair was off to be fixed, the admiral bought me a pair of Maui Jim's with the flexible titanium frames and i wear them on land and my Costa's when boating/fishing.
I'm on a second pair (had a horrible time with repair service the first time, but I love the glasses) and this pair the polarization is coming off...I'm just going to keep wearing them till I can't see because I don't wanna be w/out them for months like last time.
__________________ Ryan
23' Fish Nautique
Suffolk, VA (home)
Blacksburg, VA (school...too far from saltwater)
I have had only one pair break (some a$$hole thought it would be appropriate to hit me in them). Obviously, I did not send them back. I've had a pair fall into the water (again, not sent ******. I love Costas though. I am on a pair now with no mirror, and I think it will stay that way. FWIW, I've never heard of the polarization peeling off before? Is this a regular occurrence?
I've sent two pairs back..... a pair of ballast that broke in half and a pair of harpoons with some damaged lenses. I didn't have receipts for either one and got both replaced (not repaired) and returned to me within 2 weeks. One pair 2 summers ago and one pair last summer.
That why I went with Ocean Waves with the grey lenses. The polarization is sandwiched between two layers of glass (no polarization peeling off). Also, I didn't screw with the fancy and "cool looking" blue lenses (though that is the rave these days). Kept it simple and have had the same pair since 1999.
this is not 'polarization' peeling off, its merely a coating.
the 'cool looking' mirrored lenses have function. read up.
but since we're on the subject, here's a post i made on another forum...
the experiment is over, with a resounding thud. as part of a part-time agreement, i wore MJs all last year. i was not fully impressed with the tint or optical resolution of the glasses i chose, but sometimes different models will produce different results, so i consider that awash, to an extent. the comfort of the style i chose was good to very good. the temples were a bit long, and fit was affected by wearing a visor or hat. the hat would press down on the rear of the temple (behind the ear) and cause the glasses to ride up in the front. again, could just be the style, or the fact that i have a small head?
the two major features of high end polarized fishing glasses are optics and long life. fit is important as well, but you could surely find a style that fit your head and face, so i leave that one out.
as i said, optics were poor. i found them too dark, and actually darker on the upper aspect of the lens. i constantly found myself looking thru the lower part of the lens, or even under the lens--as if i were wearing bifocals, to see anything in detail. reading electronics was impossible. and we have the latest sunlite viewable screens on the market. so for optics, i found the style i chose to be unsatisfactory.
as for build quality, my results were just as disappointing. in less than 6 months i had a lens crack develop from one of the screw holes that holds the nose bridge in place. obviously the screw hole created a stress riser and the crack developed from there. during the manifestation of the crack, the outer coating of the lens began to peel slightly. further, the nose bridge itself cracked and broke. this is unacceptable quality, in my book.
now, lets see what Maui Jim has to say. this is the ultimate crucible for any company as far as i'm concerned--how do you handle your warranty work. keeping in mind, Maui Jim only offers a one year warranty. while this is obviously a defect (cracks from the screw hole, that develped into failures), you can read the generic card i received from MJ. so, given the rate of failure and the resultant rejection of obvious warranty work i guess the life expectancy of the product is 8 months. with a MSRP of 189, plus tax, thats about $25 a month to own a pair of Maui Jims. i could not support or recommend to friends or strangers, Maui Jim glasses, after my experiences.
a fellow PFF'r asked me in a PM about the MJs, and i gave him my private opinion. now, after my season with MJ is over, i can share that opinion with everyone else...
I'd rather pay for Costa Del Mars, than wear Maui Jims for free.
cheers.
drew
*my experiences are my own observations and may not reflect the experiences of others. if you are a fan of MJ or any other brand, i congratulate you. but you still have no base to argue with my actual experiences or personal opinons.
I've got a couple pairs of CDMs, not happy with the repair response I got. Not planning on buying another pair. I must have had back luck with the rep I talked to. She was only interested in me paying.
I don't know about all of the companies problems, i wear CDM prescription sunglasses and my local eye guy told me up front that there are few labs that do that type of polarized lens and because of that it's a PITA to get them to be quick or responsive. I'm sure this translates to some poor service on the retail end because CDM has to deal with these persnickety jacklegs running that side of the biz.
Just my .02.
__________________ You can like it or not like it.
---------------------------------------
Pioneer Cape Island 186, Yamaha F150.
I have sent my costas back three times
One time the dog ate the temples off (fixed for free)
One time broke tempel off (fixed for free) also in that shipment sent another pair that was crushed by my son (they replaced the whole pair for 60.00)
They are all TP2 with Blue mirror lens
I am happy with them
Jason
__________________ I am Boatless as of November
Looking for a Mako 231 or 232
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing
The frames broke on a pair of Eliminators I have, stopped by the Sunglass hut in the mall and they fixed them for FREE in about 10 minutes. All I wear on the boat are Costas, but in the truck I have a pair of Sunclouds by Smith that are soooo comfortable I forget they're on.
I had a pair of costas that the lenses kept falling out of the frames. I sent them back and they gave me a brand new pair glasses for free with no receipts.
I have a prescription pair of Pescarors that i have broken twice in th almost 4 years I have owned them. I have had to repair them myself because they are not allowed to repair prescription glasses. All I did was call them up and they set me the replacement temple one time and a whole frame the next time. I paid $15 for the temple and $40 for the frame. They were very nice and I got my parts within a few days. The glasses themselves are great and I don't go outside without them.
In the last 4 years I have sent the same costa's in 3 times for various things: I broke the ear pc, the rubber came off, I broke the lense. All were fixed for free.
I just broke the nose pc. I expect to get charged, but who knows they have been excellent in my opinion.
Costa was bought by Cross Pen in the the last few years and customer service went way up! I had an issue with a pair of "deep blue" in the pre - Cross era and got nowhere. Post Cross, Customer service has been great. If you ever call Costa, mention Brad Boss! (CEO Cross Pen)
Well I got the first pair back with new frames. Not only repaired the nosepiece but got a new frame to boot. Pretty nice and fit nice and tight like the old pair used to. Second pair due tomorrow. So far so good. Pretty darn pleased.
Costa Del Mar Repair Experience 
