Paul, you can't blame Tesoro for taking a stand on a machine that is no longer in production. And they are under no obligation to fix it. They fix some machines as a courtesy. But they can't tell you on the phone that they will fix it as a courtesy if they haven't even seen what is wrong with it. What if they promise you they'll take care of it and then get the machine only to find that it can't be fixed? At that point they would feel compelled to give you a completely new machine through no fault of their own. It is possible that if it is an easy fix they would do it for free. But I would be more inclined to expect this on a model that is still in production.
For example, imagine that you buy a used one year old machine that is still in production. You find out that it is not working correctly. If I were Tesoro, I would take care of the machine for free because in my mind, a fairly new machine should not have failed. I would not want my customers to start talking about how a new machine had broken and I had not been willing to stand behind it. But customers do not have the same expectations for machines that are out of production. Take note however, that very few other companies will fix something that is not truly within warranty anymore.
That's my two cents. Of course, Robert has clearly stated the policy so his word is what you should be following. I also agree that too many people out here are quick to incorrectly claim that Tesoro will fix the machine regardless of whether or not someone is the original owner. That's not fair to Tesoro in my opinion. Having a lifetime warranty for the original owner is unheard of these days. Let's not risk that by putting Tesoro in a bad position by making claims on their behalf. Tesoro isn't the bad guy here. No one is. Send it in and see what they will do for you. I guarantee you they will treat you fairly. That's more than you will get from most companies.
