Free Replacement Parts: My Experience with Samsonite’s 5-Year Warranty

For many years, Samsonite suitcases have been my first choice. For checked luggage, I rely on the S’Cure model and am so satisfied that I got a second one. Reasons for this include:

• The hard shell protects the contents from rain.
• No zippers, after bad experiences with zippers that open on their own.
• The robust outer material may dent easily but always returns to its original form.

After around 4 years of use, some signs of wear and tear have appeared. This particularly affects the wheels, where the rubber coating initially came off until they eventually fell off completely:

I managed to drag the suitcase home on the two opposite wheels (not recommended). However, during this process, an initial hairline crack in the suitcase handle further expanded.

To my surprise, the damage was easily covered by the warranty. Here is a brief account of my experience and a commendation to Samsonite.

Warranty Terms

Samsonite provides a 5-year warranty on their suitcases. This warranty is valid worldwide, regardless of where the suitcase was purchased, but it does come with some exclusions. According to the warranty terms, wear and tear and damage caused by the airline are excluded:

It does not cover any damage caused by normal wear and tear, misuse (such as transportation of unusual items), neglect, accidents, abrasion, exposure to extreme temperatures, solvents, acids, water or transport damage (by airlines for example).

Samsonite Garantie & Reparaturen

The Samsonite warranty only covers manufacturing and material defects and is not a durability guarantee. The warranty applies exclusively to the first buyer or gift recipient.

One could certainly debate whether it falls under normal wear and tear when the wheels suddenly come off. In any case, I thought I would give it a try so that the otherwise good suitcase wouldn’t end up in the trash. Purchasing replacement parts from third-party vendors would have cost almost as much as a new suitcase.

Ordering Replacement Parts

After some research, I found the website supportandgo.com for handling warranty claims with Samsonite. By the way, the same site also handles the shipment of replacement parts for American Tourister, TUMI, Gregory, Lipault, Gregory, and Hartmann. The process for warranty claims there is likely the same.

After free registration, you must enter the Product ID, which can be found either on the warranty card (not available in my case) or on a label inside the suitcase.

In the next step, I opted for the do-it-yourself repair. Alternatively, I could have visited a service point (including most Samsonite outlets) or sent the suitcase in for repair.

In the next step, almost every component of the suitcase can be selected individually, in my case, all four wheels and a new handle:

Even though prices are listed at various points, ordering is free during the 5-year warranty period, and there are no shipping costs. After the warranty expires, parts can be ordered at one’s own expense. In that case, the cost would be just under €10 per wheel (including VAT).

Suitcase Repair

From the online application to the delivery of the ordered parts, it took about two weeks for me. The package contained all the selected replacement parts neatly organized. In total:

• Two large double-wheels
• Two small double-wheels
• A telescopic handle with a grip

Additionally, the corresponding screws are included, each delivered in individual plastic bags.

The wheels were not delivered alone but with joints and the corresponding base plate. This makes the replacement particularly easy:

1. Open the suitcase from the inside.
2. Remove the two corresponding metal screws.
3. Remove the wheels along with the base plate (slide them aside).
4. Insert the new wheels.
5. Reinsert the two screws.

All that is needed is a T20 Torx screwdriver, which is not included. Replacing the handle is just as easy. The rod is simply placed on the outside of the plastic cover and then screwed in. Even without instructions (none were included in the package, but they can be found on the website), you can’t go wrong.

In total, replacing the wheels and handle took me about 15 minutes (including finding the right screwdriver). I hadn’t thought about it before and was surprised at how modular the suitcase is. Even the fabric pads inside can be changed without having to discard the suitcase.

There was only a small “issue”: The suitcase was a special edition with a dark blue base plate on the wheels. Apparently, there were no exact matching replacement parts, so they are now grey instead of blue. But I can live with that.

Conclusion

My overall positive impression of Samsonite was not tarnished but actually improved by the first warranty case. The process is efficient, entirely online, and leaves no room for complications.

What I can’t say is how such a case would be handled at a Samsonite Repair Center. However, due to the modular construction, a repair with the right replacement parts is a breeze anyway.

In the future, I will pay more attention to pulling the suitcase on four wheels instead of just two. Because a replacement of the wheels due to age would no longer be covered by the warranty.

Translated by Ditmar