Few things in modernity come with lifetime warranties. But those that do, stuff like my Benchmade knives, usually are pretty bomb-proof. Why else back your product to that level?
Yet, I don't think I've ever heard of a vehicle manufacturer, let alone one in the powersports realm, offering a lifetime warranty on anything. Too much can go wrong, even if you have it serviced at a dealership. But that's exactly what Segway Powersports is doing.
Launched this week, Segway announced that it will offer its "Next-Gen Protection," a limited lifetime warranty on its powersports powertrains. And that seems pretty damn cool.
Under the new program, original owners will have a lifetime warranty on all internal engine and transmission components, though wear items are not. Neither are axles, differentials, or drive shafts, though labor is included. The warranty will go into effect for all 1000cc and up models moving forward.
There is one issue that I see with this Next-Gen protection, however: ownership. Segway's lifetime warranty is only good for the original owner of the vehicle. Meaning if you buy a second-hand Segway UTV that originally came with the lifetime warranty, you don't get it. That doesn't seem great, especially if you've gone through the hassle of keeping your machine stock and serviced by a Segway dealership.
What's the harm in letting the second owner get the peace of mind, too?
According to Segway's VP of Sales and Marketing Jason Walling, the Next-Gen Protection is “A benchmark that showcases the company’s commitment to quality and reliability. We believe this is the ultimate display of confidence in the craftsmanship and durability of our product. We know we’ve got something special, so we wanted to do what nobody else would dare to. I guess you could say it’s a bit of a flex, but we really are invested in making customer assurance a top priority here at Segway.”
Backing your product as Segway has here is getting far less common these days, as the market is driven by pure consumerism and planned obsolescence to keep consumers coming back for more and more.
Hopefully, Segway starts a trend.
