Sim Warranties: What's Actually Covered

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You’re about to drop $2,500 on a launch monitor. Maybe $5,000. Maybe $14,000 if you’re going full Trackman.

Here’s the question nobody asks until it’s too late: what happens when it breaks?

Launch monitors are precision instruments. They’ve got high-speed cameras, radar antennas, infrared sensors, and processors that cost more than your laptop. They sit in garages — where temperature swings 60 degrees in a day, humidity fluctuates, and dust is a way of life. Things break. The question is whether you’re paying for the fix or the manufacturer is.

Here’s the warranty landscape for every major launch monitor brand, what’s actually covered, and the gotchas hiding in the fine print.

The Standard Warranty Landscape

Most launch monitor manufacturers offer a 1-year limited warranty. A few offer 2 years. Trackman offers 2 years on the iO. Uneekor offers 1 year but sells extended coverage. Here’s the brand-by-brand breakdown:

SkyTrak (SkyTrak+ and ST MAX)

Standard warranty: 1 year limited

SkyTrak covers manufacturing defects — faulty sensors, dead pixels in the camera, processor failures. What they don’t cover: damage from drops, water damage, and the big one — battery degradation (the SkyTrak+ has an internal battery).

The fine print: SkyTrak’s warranty requires you to use the unit “in accordance with the user manual.” If you’ve been leaving it in a 110-degree garage all summer and the sensor fails, that’s on you. The manual specifies operating temperatures, and if you’re outside them, the warranty doesn’t apply.

Return window: 30 days from purchase, but only through authorized dealers. If you bought from a third-party Amazon seller, returns are at their discretion.

Uneekor (EYE XO, EYE MINI, EYE XO2)

Standard warranty: 1 year limited

Uneekor’s warranty covers the sensor unit and the mounting hardware. The EYE XO’s ceiling mount bracket is covered separately — if the bracket fails (rare, but it happens), that’s a warranty claim. The EYE MINI’s screen and battery are covered for 1 year.

Uneekor offers an extended warranty — 2 additional years for roughly $300-500 depending on the model. Is it worth it? For the EYE XO at $5,000+, yes. For the EYE MINI at $2,500, it’s a judgment call. The EYE MINI is rugged enough that most failures happen in the first 90 days (infant mortality), not at month 18.

Return window: 30 days, but Uneekor charges a restocking fee (typically 10-15%) on returns. Read the dealer’s policy before buying.

Garmin (R10, R50)

Standard warranty: 1 year limited

Garmin’s warranty is solid — they’re a massive company with a mature support infrastructure. The R10’s warranty covers the sensor, the kickstand, and the charging cable. The R50’s warranty covers the sensor unit and the built-in display.

Garmin’s consumer-friendly edge: their warranty process is genuinely easy. You file a claim online, they send a prepaid shipping label, and they typically turn around replacements in 5-7 business days. Compare that to smaller brands where you might wait 3-4 weeks.

Return window: 30 days from authorized dealers. Garmin’s own store offers 30-day returns with no restocking fee.

Foresight (GC3, GCQuad)

Standard warranty: 1 year limited

Foresight’s warranty is standard — manufacturing defects, sensor failures, processor issues. The GC3’s warranty is straightforward. The GCQuad (if you’re buying used or refurb) may have a shorter warranty depending on whether it’s a new or refurbished unit.

The gotcha: Foresight’s warranty is void if the unit is serviced by anyone other than Foresight or an authorized service center. If your buddy “fixes” a loose connection and voids the warranty, you’re on your own.

Return window: 30 days from authorized dealers. Foresight direct sales have a 15% restocking fee.

Bushnell (Launch Pro)

Standard warranty: 1 year limited

The Bushnell Launch Pro is essentially a Foresight GC3 with Bushnell branding, so the warranty terms are similar. Manufacturing defects are covered. The Launch Pro’s warranty specifically excludes damage from “commercial use” — so if you’re running a pay-to-play sim business with a Launch Pro, the warranty doesn’t apply.

Return window: 30 days, but check the dealer. Some Bushnell dealers offer 60-day returns as a promotional perk.

Trackman (iO, Sim2)

Standard warranty: 2 years limited

Trackman offers the best warranty in the space — 2 full years on the iO. Given that the iO costs $14,000, a 2-year warranty is the bare minimum. The warranty covers the radar unit, the mounting hardware, and the power supply.

Trackman’s warranty is also the most restrictive in terms of installation. The iO must be installed by a certified Trackman installer. If you DIY the install and something goes wrong, Trackman can (and will) deny the claim. This isn’t a problem for most buyers — the iO is a premium product and the installation is typically included in the purchase price.

Return window: 30 days, but Trackman charges a 15% restocking fee and the return must include all original packaging and installation materials.

FlightScope (Mevo+, Mevo Gen 2)

Standard warranty: 1 year limited

FlightScope’s warranty covers the radar unit and charging accessories. The Mevo+ warranty is straightforward — if the radar stops reading, they’ll repair or replace it. The Mevo Gen 2 (the budget unit) has the same 1-year coverage.

Return window: 30 days from authorized dealers. FlightScope direct offers 30-day returns with a 10% restocking fee.

What Warranties Don’t Cover (The Gotchas)

Every warranty has exclusions. Here are the ones that bite people:

1. “Acts of God” and Environmental Damage

Garage environments are brutal. Temperature swings, humidity, dust, insects. If your launch monitor fails because it spent two years in an uninsulated garage with 90% humidity, the warranty probably doesn’t cover it. Most warranties specify “normal operating conditions” — and a 110-degree garage in August isn’t normal.

Fix: If your garage isn’t climate-controlled, read our garage heating and cooling guide. A $200 dehumidifier and a $100 space heater can save your warranty.

2. Accidental Damage

Dropped your R10? Warranty doesn’t cover it. Knocked the EYE MINI off the table? Not covered. Coffee spilled on the GC3? Definitely not covered.

Fix: Some credit cards offer accidental damage protection on purchases — check your card benefits. American Express and Chase Sapphire both offer purchase protection that covers accidental damage for 90-120 days after purchase.

3. Battery Degradation

Most warranties cover battery failure (the battery dies completely) but not battery degradation (the battery holds less charge over time). If your SkyTrak+ goes from 5 hours of battery life to 90 minutes over 11 months, that’s wear and tear, not a defect.

4. Software Issues

Warranties cover hardware. They don’t cover software. If your launch monitor’s firmware update bricks the unit, you’re at the mercy of the manufacturer’s support team — not the warranty. Most manufacturers will fix software-bricked units for free, but they’re not obligated to.

5. Unauthorized Modifications

This is the big one for DIY guys. If you open the case to “clean the sensor,” you’ve voided the warranty. If you use third-party mounting hardware that isn’t approved, you’ve voided the warranty. If you modify the power supply, you’ve voided the warranty.

Extended Warranties: Worth It?

Maybe. Here’s the math:

• Under $1,000 (R10, Mevo Gen 2, Square Golf): No. These units are cheap enough that a replacement costs less than the extended warranty premium. If it breaks after year 1, buy the newer model — you’ll get better tech for less money.

• $1,000-$3,000 (SkyTrak+, EYE MINI, Launch Pro, Mevo+): Judgment call. If the extended warranty is under $200 and covers accidental damage, it’s worth it. If it only extends the manufacturing defect coverage, skip it — most defects surface in the first 6 months.

• $3,000+ (EYE XO, GCQuad, R50, Trackman iO): Yes. These are expensive, precision instruments. The EYE XO’s extended warranty at ~$400 for 2 extra years is a no-brainer on a $5,000 purchase. Trackman’s 2-year warranty is already included, which is why the iO’s total cost of ownership is actually reasonable relative to its sticker price.

Return Policies: The 30-Day Window

Most launch monitors come with a 30-day return window. Here’s what that actually means:

• You pay return shipping. Expect $20-50 to ship a launch monitor back via UPS or FedEx.
• Restocking fees apply. Typically 10-15% of the purchase price. On a $2,500 SkyTrak+, that’s $250-375 just to return it.
• Original packaging required. Keep the box. All of it. The foam, the inserts, the manual. If you return the unit in a different box, the dealer can refuse the return or charge a repackaging fee.

The 30-day window is your real trial period. Use it. Don’t buy a launch monitor and let it sit in the box for three weeks — set it up the day it arrives and test it thoroughly. If the numbers look wrong, contact support immediately. If they can’t fix it within the return window, send it back.

What I’d Do

If I were buying today:

1. Use a credit card with purchase protection. This gives you 90-120 days of accidental damage coverage on top of the manufacturer warranty. Free.

2. Buy from an authorized dealer. Gray-market units (eBay, random Amazon sellers) may not have valid warranties. The $50 you save isn’t worth a $2,500 paperweight.

3. Keep the box for 30 days. After the return window closes, break it down and store it flat. You’ll need it if you ever sell the unit — original packaging adds $100-200 to resale value.

4. For units over $3,000, get the extended warranty. The math works. For anything under $1,000, skip it.

5. Read the operating temperature specs. If your garage hits 100+ degrees in summer or drops below 40 in winter, you need to climate-control your space or your warranty is void. Here’s how to do that.

Now go protect your investment. And if you’re still deciding what to buy, start here.