Argus Guarantee and Service Policy (1947)

Someone just sent me a manual for the Argus Model A and Model A2.

The booklet appears to be dated 1947. The Guarantee and Service

Policy on the back page informs the camera owner:

 

"To assure Argus owners of low upkeep costs after expiration of

above guarantee, the factory will inspect and re-adjust any Argus

camera shipped to them pre-paid for the sum of $1.00 for the Model

A, $1.25 for the Model A2."

 

Sweet deal, eh.

Of course, multiply by about 20x for current dollarettes

My dads A2 only cost 12 bucks when new about 1946.

There is also a "life time warranty" that comes with Argus cameras.

I've never really understodd these life time guarantees. If you sent it back because it's knackered, surely they would say "sorry, it's come to the end of its life"

Yes, like the Gitzo lifetime guarantee, I sent in the ballhead from a Gitzo tripod I bought in

the late 70's. They wouldn't honor the 'lifetime warranty' because I didn't have the

receipt...

No, Andrea, what they do is send you another one -- the "handling charge" covers the actual cost of the new camera; all the rest of the retail is markups from half a dozen middlemen.

 

Now, look at the "handling charges" associated with warranty service for a few products, and marvel at how little it costs to make them compared with the cost to buy them... ;)