I must have had the only bad experience ever with Shimano Felindre Servicing..........
I sent both my XTEA 5000 reels for repair and service, at a postage cost of £18, because the drags, in particular the baitrunner drags had gone faulty, on one the baitrunner is quite tight on the minimum and does not tighten much more on the maximum.........
Received them back 2 days later (great speed by the way) after paying the bill of just short of 50 quid (they told me they had to replace the drag washers in both) only to find they are absolutely no better...........
I called them and said they were no different and was told they had both definitely been done and that some are just different to others. I remember them both being the same when new, i.e. you could practically spin the baitrunner on the loosest and hardly turn it on the tightest.......so I checked in my local shop, tried 6 different reels and all were as I remembered.
I called Felindre again and explained my dilemma. They said if I sent the reels back again (remember that's another £18) they would have another look but unless it is obvious they have missed something would have to re-charge me the £15 per reel charge (service and shipping) plus any additional parts................
So by this time I would be in for £113 for servicing a pair of reels which cost me £170 less than three years ago..............
I really can't be bothered
