Cal, to be honest, I don't disagree, which is why I usually work with customer service to offset that cost. We have a double-edged sword with the lifetime warranty. On one hand it provides our customers with confidence that the product will last and if they ever have a problem, they don't have to worry about buying a full replacement. On the other hand, it's virtually impossible to build any product that lasts the entire lifespan of every vehicle. The anticipated service life for our products is forever - even if you move it to another vehicle, as long as you have the radiator, if it ever fails, we cover it. We also cover the radiator in the event of an accident. That being said, I can see how that $30 charge can be jarring, especially when you are already having an issue that requires you to contact us. That's why my colleagues and I usually do everything we can to mitigate that cost.
To answer Anak, we usually don't make our customers send back warranty products. If we do, it's for us to study - we will pay return shipping, send you a shipping label, and just ask that you package up the failed rad in the new radiator's box. Our policy is to ask for photos of issues and that, along with your receipt or order number, is all we need to process a warranty claim. So, you will never pay return shipping on a failed product, and in the (hopefully unlikely) event that you do have to file a warranty claim, we'll work with you in any way we can to mitigate the cost of shipping for the replacement.
I hope that helps and I do appreciate your feedback. Again, my job is to help our customers in any way I can, so please let me know if I can answer any more questions.
Thanks,
-Steve
Forgot to mention: you can read all of the details for our lifetime warranty here:
https://www.mishimoto.com/lifetime-warranty/