How many years (seasons) of service until you declare your reel has paid for itself and owes you nothing? Reason i am asking is because the way i look at it if my VS's would explode tomorrow they have performed for me so many years and have cost me nothing that my high $$ purchase has more than paid for itself. This is not just about VS its about any reel.

I think it would have to do with how hard and how much you fish it. Some guys go out a few dozen times a season and take real good care of there gear. And some guys go out 8 days a week and abuse the crap out of their gear.

Ive had my vs 150 for 5 seasons, never spend one dime on it! never serviced, and no issues, the drag clicker broke but who cares. Its battle scarred and beat up but still works like day one.

My 250 is 3 seasons old, one issue which was covered under warranty and taken care of. Ive fallen on it, dropped, dunk it, abused it.

My newest 275 will be beat to hell this season.

In my eyes they'e all paid for themselves already. I dont question their reliabilty or performance at all, just go and fish and beat the hell out of them.

IMO for the fishing I do, they cant be beat, nonsealed reels wont have allowed me to reach the spots I like to fish and would of been detroyed by now.

I fish ina wetsuit and my reels get dunked and sumberged alot, i occasionly rinse them down, theyve been put to the test and passed with flying colors.

Ive beat on mine for 3 seasons and barely even rinse it off. Just pulled it out the shed yesterday for the first time and hadnt even washed it since I used it last year. Still money. Its a tank, its paid for itself in my eyes. And I bought min used.

I think it would have to do with how hard and how much you fish it. Some guys go out a few dozen times a season and take real good care of there gear. And some guys go out 8 days a week and abuse the crap out of their gear.

i agree with that. i think if any reel or any gear for that matter lives up to or beyond ur expectation then it has paid for itself. in the end u always get what you pay. some high end expensive gear might hurt up front but in the long run it should (hopefully) pay for itself. my time is important to me as is everyone elses, when i get a call to meet at the ferry or anywhere else my gear needs to work. i don't have time to be fixing my fishing gear or money to constantly go out and buy new stuff. i spend the money up front to be satisfied in the long run and if it doesn't last than shame on me.

If I wanted one bad enough I would have one...but I can't justify the money for a fishing reel that seems to have so many issues and is a PIA to get serviced and not cheap when you do???!!! I will stick to the plan I have used for a few years now.......I like the Shimano Spheros......good real for the money at $130 apiece.....I have 2 and I use them for a season or two and turn them over used for not much less than I paid for them and buy 2 more for the next season. It works out great for me!!!:uhuh:

I will never use another reel for throwing Plugs, tins, and eels
I beat the crap out of my reels and rods, never rinse I use my
rod as a wading stick, and never ever have I had a problem with
any of the 3 I own, I any of you guys want to sell a VS250 let me
know

Well, considering the fact that the VS is the only reel I've owned that made it through a full season without breaking, I would say it was definately worth what I paid for it.

Now, if it can go, even just another 2-3 years, I would consider that a bonus. The combined total cost of the reels (Penns & Schimanos etc.) that have failed miserably, is more than what I paid for the VS.

i agree with that. i think if any reel or any gear for that matter lives up to or beyond ur expectation then it has paid for itself. in the end u always get what you pay. some high end expensive gear might hurt up front but in the long run it should (hopefully) pay for itself. my time is important to me as is everyone elses, when i get a call to meet at the ferry or anywhere else my gear needs to work. i don't have time to be fixing my fishing gear or money to constantly go out and buy new stuff. i spend the money up front to be satisfied in the long run and if it doesn't last than shame on me.

Exactly and as long as you dont get a bad run of braid you will be all set... Thumper has a very valid point.. Only person who can justify the expense to you, Is you. If I wetsuited, or stood in the water with waves breaking, or lost good fish to soaked drags... I would prob buy one to be honest.

I paid around $420 for each of my Van Staals. One is 12 years old, the other 11. They don't owe me a dime. They also never cost me a dime's worth of service.

The Saltiga cost me about $550. That needs maybe another 3-4 low or no cost years before the account is square, but I don't anticipate it failing.

Most of the Penns I own paid for themselves years ago. I serviced all of them myself. Replaced one shaft in a 704--that cost about $5. Other than that, only drag washers. One Squidder bearing.

The Emblem Pros pretty much don't owe me anything either.

The old reels used to last 20 yrs or more and were much easier to sevice and get parts. With what the new stuff cost it's not unrealistick to expect that they last more than a yr or two.we've gotten so used to the imported junk that we forget how good the old American made quality was.I'll still match a 704 penn or a mitchell 302 against most of whats made today and get more bang for the buck. Find a 50 yr ols mitchell 300 or 400 and I bet with some mystry oil,vasaline and WD-40 and it will go for a couple yrs with out a problem.

The old reels used to last 20 yrs or more and were much easier to sevice and get parts. With what the new stuff cost it's not unrealistick to expect that they last more than a yr or two.we've gotten so used to the imported junk that we forget how good the old American made quality was.I'll still match a 704 penn or a mitchell 302 against most of whats made today and get more bang for the buck. Find a 50 yr ols mitchell 300 or 400 and I bet with some mystry oil,vasaline and WD-40 and it will go for a couple yrs with out a problem.

I bet Fred Flinstone would agree:rotf2: You can do the hardcore with those old reels but expect to clean them out very often after hardcore surf use or swimming. Coming in after fishing for 8 hours, getting a couple hours of sleep and then doing the family or honeydo thing for the rest of the day, and then putting in another 8 hours of fishing after the family goes to sleep. There is no time to clean out that old reel in between even if it only takes an 1/2 hour to do.

Amen... I hear you on the fish all night, muster ever last bit of energy to "appear" energetic, awake, and thrilled to be hanging out with the wife and kid when you cant keep your eyes open... Last thing I need is to say is "hey, look!!! my reel was in the water all night!!! i need to clean it out so I can go back out in a few hours!!!" Time is money

Well I've been doing that for a long time and the Mitchells only needed some Wd-40 an a rag an were fine.Haven't had anew one take the same in yrs includin Sustain,Stella,VS even the saltigas need too much TLc to do real hardcore and hold up for long. got a box full of them I've killed LOL

so i take it that nowadays people can fish more because they have 800 dollar reels? i do own a 250vs that is leaking oil.only use it on LI so i fit in with the crowd.haven't got my money worth out of it yet.now i have quite a few 704's ,710's ,cabo40's and acabo60.these have i have gooten my moneys worth out of.though i don't swim out to rocks that often,i am often fishing waist deep were my reel is under more than if i swam out to a rock. the 710's are used off the kayak and are often under water.last season i fished just about every day from may3 till sept 24. many days on the beach at night kayak during the day so i put a lot of hours on my gear.every few days i pop the cover off to look at the grease,maybe 3 minutes.rarely does the grease need to be replaced.i have yet to have a z fail me while fishing.i have had 3 differant people fishing with me have vs fail during a good bite.i am not saying i don't like vs'si will probably get another one this season , all i am saying is that lots of people have gotten by with out them for many years without any problems.

people got by without cell phones for years too... but man what a difference!

my VS paid for itself already many times in less headaches

I want to think about fishing, not this and that omg i dunked my reel ridiculousness

I have low serial #, I know when it goes in first time, it will be a treat. I am prepared to deal with the $, I will be sad if its like 200$, but like I said the headaches I dont have now is worth it

casual fisherman that fish dry and wade shallow do not need reels like this

my VS paid for itself already many times in less headaches

I want to think about fishing, not this and that omg i dunked my reel ridiculousness

I have low serial #, I know when it goes in first time, it will be a treat. I am prepared to deal with the $, I will be sad if its like 200$, but like I said the headaches I dont have now is worth it

casual fisherman that fish dry and wade shallow do not need reels like this

How low is the serial? I was told that if I sent mine in (very low number) I would be best trading against something new :hee:

How low is the serial? I was told that if I sent mine in (very low number) I would be best trading against something new :hee:

My 250 is in the 200's and my 200 is 1400's and of corse they say that because they want you to spend money, the low numbers are bullet proof and it costs them more money to repair because they have to keep the part to repair them which are different then the new ones

I f they would trade it out even money I would do it but they only want to give about 200 bucks leaving us to pay the rest.

My 250 is in the 200's and my 200 is 1400's and of corse they say that because they want you to spend money, the low numbers are bullet proof and it costs them more money to repair because they have to keep the part to repair them which are different then the new ones

I f they would trade it out even money I would do it but they only want to give about 200 bucks leaving us to pay the rest.

Same reason i never sent mine in the old ones are built great but if i ever send it in i know they will replace most of it and send me the bill which i think i should not have to pay as the reel was bought with a lifetime guarantee when i got it.

Why would the VS post, "negative post" by people who dont have money to owe one be of any question! If any one want to sell there Vs never an issuse and 1,ooo`s of real great fishingman use em day in and out, no question, problem or issuse. If you can`t afford to buy or own one, suxs for you. Ill being buy two more real soon!!!

This thread was not meant to be about the VS its about any reel that you own and if in your opinion you got your moneys worth out of it through its use. If i bought a 10.00 plastic reel and it lasted me a season i would consider that reel paid for itself and then some even though someone else thought it was a crappy reel.

I've got an older model and really don't fish it that hard compared to many people.

I remember one night the second year I owned it. Freaking thing broke and locked up when I was out on an island after wading a very long bar...on the second cast :wall::wall::wall:

-spence