Ridgid is no longer offering that “Life time guarantee” that they were hyping at HD. The reason I heard was that the Ridgid name was sold to Ryobi. Now the manufacturing will be handled by Ryobi.
Has anyone else heard this rumor also?
Thanks,
Barney
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Replies
That would be news to me. Ryobi currently handles the manufacturing for much of the Craftsman line of power tools at Sears. They replaced Emerson when Emerson began manufacturing the Ridgid line for Home Depot. (Danaher handles much of the mechanic's handtools at Sears)
There was a pending lawsuit between Emerson and Sears regarding Emerson using Sears' money to retool their operation only to jump ship and become the exclusive manufacturer of HD proprietary brand, Ridgid. I'm not sure where that stands right now.
Of course, anything is possible especially since Ryobi shares a good relationship with both retailers. I'll check with my sources.
Edited 11/25/2003 9:29:43 AM ET by BruLew
Edited 11/25/2003 9:30:13 AM ET by BruLew
My dad actually told me yesterday that he had read it. I think he might have even said Fine Wood working. I'll check with him again.
Try this:
http://www.ridgid.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=18;t=000005
This is a pretty good forum.
I work with Home Depot, Ryobi and Emerson on the marketing and advertising side. I sent a couple emails out and will let you know what they say (it may take a couple days for a response). Something has to give in that marriage cuz for Ryobi (TTI) to be working both sides of the retailing fence would be quite a trick in this day of excusivity and ultra competitive manufacturing wars in the low margin power tool category.
"Has anyone else heard this rumor also?"
Instead of talking about the rumors, why not check for the facts. There have been enough press releases and articles in the magazines about this.
I am not sure about this, but I believe the "life time warranty" was dropped some time ago. BTW, it only covered defects and not normal wear although from what I heard they where very good about covering "non defect" type of problems.
Emerson still owns Ridgid. What they have done form a working relation ship with the owners of the Ryobi brand. They will be jointly designing the new products and Emerson will be responsible for marketing and servicing.
I have not looked at the details of the new warranty, but I suspect that it is similar to other brands.
However, for a limited time (I think to the end of the year) they are giving a free "service contract". I think that they call it a warranty, but service contract probably better describes it. For they will cover things like batteries. This is more of a marketing plan than any indication of the quality, or lack thereof, of the tools.
Well, not sure what's up with your attitude in the beginning of your post so I will respond in kind to you...
Instead of talking about the rumors, why not check for the facts. There have been enough press releases and articles in the magazines about this.
Excuse me but that is exactly what I am doing by posting my message in the discussion forum to hear if anyone else had heard the same.
"They will be jointly designing the new products and Emerson will be responsible for marketing and servicing. "
It's not so cut and dried as that. The Ridgid brand in Bench Power, Wet/Dry Vacs and now Portable Corded and Cordless Tools was built by Home Depot and is considered a proprietary brand sold exclusively at their retail stores. Marketing would probably be handled through HD corporate unless some other agreement was put in place that would allow the Ridgid line to be sold at other retail outlets (be that online or at a bricks and mortar).
In further developing the Ridgid line, HD has a HUGE investment in both time and money. Their marketing of this line will be in conjuction with their HD branding, I would say, exclusively. The majority of Emerson's responsibility for the marketing will be in the form of Trade funds and research provisions.
As far as the servicing, that will be handled by the manufacturing firm which remains to be seen if that is exclusively Emerson or in part, Ryobi (actually TTI, reputable for its research as well as its manufacturing).
> The Ridgid brand in Bench Power, Wet/Dry Vacs and now Portable Corded and Cordless Tools was built by Home Depot and is considered a proprietary brand sold exclusively at their retail stores.
The Ridgid brand was built by really good pipe wrenches, much like Delta was built by the old time Unisaw. I wonder when they'll catch on to the fact that we've caught on to the fact that they buy out good brand names and put them on crap? ;-)
-- J.S.
I don't know, having not read any press releases from any of these outfits but the whole thing is starting to sound like a soap opera for trailer park tools - where the family tree don't fork, if I can borrow from Brownbagg here..
Excellence is its own reward!
"trailer park tools - where the family tree don't fork"
Don't care who came up with that one....it's hilarious!
Ridgid aint all that ridgid IMHO no matter what they promise..I've seen the supposed poratble table saw on wheels at HD in pieces, reconditioned and one, "as is"...so who cares....most stuff from HD Blows or is that Lowes?????lol
OK OK so I buy USG there. Sue me!
BE well aware!!!!!!!!!
andyMy life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
I stopped into HD the other day, thinking they might have something i needed. They didn't of course.
I got a laugh at seeing how they had all those $99 Ryobi tools all over the place, except in the tool section, like they werre ostracised and not allowed into the inner sanctum where the real tools hang out.
Kind of a Walt Disney apocalyptic moment.
It was sad, seeing the long faces on those Ryobi Tools, longing to get in....
Excellence is its own reward!
even funnier when I walked in and saw all th HO's gleaming at the new Ridgid display with posters, posting the times they were gonna demenstrate....whatever..... I had to get to work.......needed a 5lb box of course screws and they were the closest supplier.....ughhhhhhMy life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
USG rocks both in rock and mud. Just happens to have been rated #1 by drywallers when they had their own mag . Drywall Angle. Yes Im old enough to have been a member . HAHA. I was hoping to meet you at your shin dig , maybe it will still happen. I talked to the wife about it over a year ago . We were planning on dropping by on a trip , but it hasnt happened. If you ever get by this way even close , we would enjoy a visit from you and yours.
Tim Mooney
Tim
Seems the fest isnt happening here.....see the fest hotline here.
Still doesnt mean we can't hook up...there's been BTers here for the day so what the hell....wouldn't be a BT fest....just a BT aquaintance thingy fest....
NExt year I reckon for the biggie.
I tried!
Be here to visit and par------tay when ever ya want
andy......oh, and did I say be well? Well I always mean that! Its always written long hand!
aMy life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
I thought twice after posting realizing that it was somewhat vague. HD built the Ridgid name in power tools and wet/dry vacs.
Speaking of the power of branding, there was a pretty extensive survey done a couple years ago to see what garden tools (non powered) people associatied with quality. #1 answer...Stanley. What's interesting is that Stanley didn't manufacture or brand a single garden tool !
I was hoping that you meant "built the brand name", not the actual tools.
Bru,
That's interesting because what I found interesting about the Rigid Brand tools at HD.... The ads on TV when they first started carrying them said. "The most trusted name in tools for over 90 years" (or something like that). I'm thinking, 'Gee that's interesting because they've only had the line out for 6 months! I love how manufactures just out and out lie with totally falsified or exaggerated claims.
The biggest misuse of any word in the building trades however has got to be "custom". Everyone does "custom" work these days.I don't understand! I cut it twice and it's still too short!
I agree with you that ," we catch on".
Ive been raised in the trades and Im growing grey. 30 yrs ago such stuff would have floated for a longer period of time. Today though with the coverage of news in the mags and the forums, [I frequent 4 forums] Im really surprized they think we are illiterate and back country enough to fall for such BS. I remember back in those old days that we also only used certain brands of certain tools, just like to day. Let me test my bad memory;
Delta, Skill, Black and Decker routers, Milwalkee drills, etc.
Seems you could tell a pro by the tool names he had in his wooden pick up tool box!
Ill shut up , Im just having a memory flow . It doesnt happen often.
Tim Mooney
You start your post with this:
Instead of talking about the rumors, why not check the facts...
And in your very next paragraph you say:
I am not sure about this, but I believe the "life time warranty" was dropped some time ago...
Seem a little hypocritical? Sounds like someone spreading rumors to me?
Glass houses brother.
Yep. There is an article in this months fine woodworking on it. Ryobi bought the line. You will now get a 90 day warranty...gee quite a difference! I wonder if that reflects new manufacturing practices??
I don't understand! I cut it twice and it's still too short!
Found that article also last night. I hope it doesn't effect manufacturing quality. I just bought the 12" Ridgid compound miter. So far I have no major complaints. The only "constructive" complaint would be that the lazer that comes with the saw is 1/6 off the line when cutting. You're supposed to start the saw and line the dotted lines up on your cut mark. Then when the blade comes down it moves the lazer to the left of the cut line. Only problem, the lazer unit mounts to the blade arbor and the lazer eye is 1/6 off the blade. Once you figure this out its all good.
Thanks,Barney
Today I took one of the cordless drills back because the chuck wouldn't fully close. Hard to use a 3/32 bit when it will only close to a 1/4. No hassle at all. I have a new drill in the truck. Not one word mentioned about no longer honering hte warranty.
So the point is: "Don't buy Ridgid or Ryobi". Oops, I just bought the Orange version of a ratcheting screwdriver for $20.00 at the Orange Despot.
Good Luck rg
Did you replace it with another Ridgid? If so how do you like the drill? If not, what drill did you get?
Thanks,Barney
Idid get another rigid. It has a bit more power than I expected & the batteries do charge in about 20 minutes. Good thing because they don't last long. The way the warranty was explained to me is the batteries are covered too. We will see.
Interesting. They are really pushing the Ridgid line at my local HD. Everytime I go in I find myself looking at them. They have a combo pack with: 18V hammer drill, circular saw, and flashlight. I can see the saw and drill, but I don't plan on going mine spalunking any time soon so the light seems sort of useless to me.
The same company makes ryobi and rigid tools. I think the FWW annual shop issue covers this in a sidebar.
the lifetime deal ends in DEC i think, its a promo for people to buy the tools getting them to switch over to a new brand.