Excal repair update

[erikk]

Here is an update for all who are thinking of sending in your excals for repair. Spoke with them yesterday about the excal that I had sent in and they had received on July 2nd.
Seems that it will take a minimum of 40, yes that is 40 WORKING DAYS before someone will even get around to open the box to see what is wrong and then who knows how long to call, fix the unit and get it in the mail
Now don't get me wrong-the excal is a great machine but in order to hunt like we do down here in FL one machine just will not stand up to constant use and that is why I have 3 of them. It just seems a shame that when you pay over $1000 for a detector that they can't be made to keep running a while or if not get repaired in less than a couple of months.
Garrett, Whites and Fisher can do it in a few weeks-what is wrong with Minelab? I really don't need to hear that crap that they are behind because of the confusion of moving the operation from NV to IL because I sent mine to NV and that is where it is being repaired.
And the BEST PART....when you call you get "Welcome to Minelab where we make the best detectors in the world" They should also add "But they are the most expensive, we can't keep them running and if you need them repaired-GOOD LUCK"

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

Errik,

You never know who reads these forums, I think you will be taken care of.

One easy way to solve this problem: STOP buying their machines!!
When a company gives poor service like that, it means ONLY one thing....they don't need your business, they have too much already!

IMHO

Ken

Tesoro has been saying the water proof connectors will be resolved very soon for over a year now, with still no resolution.

I had to ship my Whites Beach Hunter ID in twice for leaks while under warranty, I complained about it and still had to pay for the shipping. I was told the problem was most likely my fault for not closing the door properly, which was a crock. Even after Whites admitted at last that they had a problem with the gaskets I got no refund or apology. I sold the BHID and bought my first Sovereign GT, and a used Excal......

Haven't regretted it yet....

Personally, I will still buy another Minelab when I find the need....

 

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[Silver Surfer]

Lemme update my Update here too... Hope ya don't mind me sharing on your post Erikk.

After receiving my Excal back from Minelab... Some of you Know that I've been waiting several months in order to get it fixed and returned to me..

I received it last week.... So, I scheduled a trip for a several days to do some hunting.and to test her out... I Just got in..


MY MACHINE IS STILL "MESSED-UP" and has to GO BACK TO MINELAB.........

Un-freaking believable.... I'll pick my jaw up off the floor now...

 

[Silver Surfer]

Errik,

You never know who reads these forums, I think you will be taken care of.

One easy way to solve this problem: STOP buying their machines!!
When a company gives poor service like that, it means ONLY one thing....they don't need your business, they have too much already!

IMHO

Ken

Tesoro has been saying the water proof connectors will be resolved very soon for over a year now, with still no resolution.

I had to ship my Whites Beach Hunter ID in twice for leaks while under warranty, I complained about it and still had to pay for the shipping. I was told the problem was most likely my fault for not closing the door properly, which was a crock. Even after Whites admitted at last that they had a problem with the gaskets I got no refund or apology. I sold the BHID and bought my first Sovereign GT, and a used Excal......

Haven't regretted it yet....

Personally, I will still buy another Minelab when I find the need....

You obviously have not had to deal with the service department, OR, you can afford so many machines that if one breaks down, you could care less if it takes 90 days to get it back....
That wouldnt be the case for about 99% of us though..

 

[Jack Straw]

I was wandering around the topics here (new to T-net) to find a place to ask for advice on the purchase of a waterproof unit....looks like a whites for me.

 

[TexasDigger1]

So how hard is it to remove the knobs? Wouldn't mind doing that before they break on me. HH John

 

[S.S.Tupperware]

I gotta say what I read is PITIFUL. How can a company like this not stand behind their product. What still amazes me more is how everyone says ya gotta get an Excal. I just don't get it... If I need to send my old Whites 550/d coinmaster from days gone by I know they can fix it and get it back to me promptly. Dammit man just send me a new one if you can't fix mine in a timely manner. I would be outta business if I operated like that!!!

 

[Tank69]

I gotta say what I read is PITIFUL. How can a company like this not stand behind their product. What still amazes me more is how everyone says ya gotta get an Excal. I just don't get it... If I need to send my old Whites 550/d coinmaster from days gone by I know they can fix it and get it back to me promptly. Dammit man just send me a new one if you can't fix mine in a timely manner. I would be outta business if I operated like that!!!

amen any other real buisness would go down the drain

 

[Tank69]

Errik,

You never know who reads these forums, I think you will be taken care of.

One easy way to solve this problem: STOP buying their machines!!
When a company gives poor service like that, it means ONLY one thing....they don't need your business, they have too much already!

IMHO

Ken

Tesoro has been saying the water proof connectors will be resolved very soon for over a year now, with still no resolution.

I had to ship my Whites Beach Hunter ID in twice for leaks while under warranty, I complained about it and still had to pay for the shipping. I was told the problem was most likely my fault for not closing the door properly, which was a crock. Even after Whites admitted at last that they had a problem with the gaskets I got no refund or apology. I sold the BHID and bought my first Sovereign GT, and a used Excal......

Haven't regretted it yet....

Personally, I will still buy another Minelab when I find the need....

LOL ofcourse it was your fault TH your just way to ruff with your toys man

 

[SonnyFl]

And you thought you had problems? I sent mine on June 28th to NV. Not knowing they would send it to Il. It's been almost two month. Got a call last week that they would be on the table in two weeks, this week coming? I found out that they only have 2 techs working on our machines. Go figure! I don't know how compentent or knowledgeable they are? I haven't even got a estament on what it's going to cost. This is a very disturbing trend there doing. There's no number to call in Il. Why? You can't even talk to a tech. I guess a CLERK in NV will call and rely the prognosis. NOW WHAT?

 

[vegemite]

One easy way to solve this problem: STOP buying their machines!!
When a company gives poor service like that, it means ONLY one thing....they don't need your business, they have too much already!

IMHO

Ken

There is another way... email or send a link relating to this board to every minelab dealer/ distributor you can locate on the net.
Once the word gets out I'm sure the pressure applied will reduce the turn around time in repairs.

 

[vegemite]

http://www.nuggethunting.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7128&st=0


http://www.nuggethunting.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7409


I just spent ten min's emailing a handful of dealers worldwide the links with a message that the words out and hopefully their not overstocked with minelab units.
Now we wait and see!

 

[oldgold]

This is a real shame. I'm looking to move to Florida as I have been out of work for over a year. I'm a electronic technician ( military trained) with 20 years experience in the semiconductor industry. I also am trained as a high vacuum technician and i know a lot about o rings and seals. I may just start a business repairing these machines. Let me know how many people would be interested.

 

[erikk]

This is a real shame. I'm looking to move to Florida as I have been out of work for over a year. I'm a electronic technician ( military trained) with 20 years experience in the semiconductor industry. I also am trained as a high vacuum technician and i know a lot about o rings and seals. I may just start a business repairing these machines. Let me know how many people would be interested.

U got to be kidding....RIGHT Take a guess how many excals R in Fl ( I have 3) but U gotta be able to do boards 2

 

[seeker41]

This is a real shame. I'm looking to move to Florida as I have been out of work for over a year. I'm a electronic technician ( military trained) with 20 years experience in the semiconductor industry. I also am trained as a high vacuum technician and i know a lot about o rings and seals. I may just start a business repairing these machines. Let me know how many people would be interested.

U got to be kidding....RIGHT Take a guess how many excals R in Fl ( I have 3) but U gotta be able to do boards 2

great idea!!! i would even come work for you, pm me!!(21 years soldering/assembly experience) BUT!........., minelab will not sell any parts and or components that involve opening up the control box! unless you could sweet-talk them into making you a "authorized service center" but from what I'm seeing they are not smart enough to do this.

 

[txkickergirl]

I just ran across this post and I am going to add my own rant to it now. I sent my machine in Feb. guess when I got it back, May. On top of that I had sent them a copy of my extended warranty with my letter of the problems I was having. When they called I was out of town taking care of my dad, and they informed me that it was not under warranty and they had no extended warranty info on it and if I could send it to them again. I was out of town and as soon as I got back I sent it to them, two weeks go buy and I left several messages, even contacted the head honcho and he told me he would have someone check on it and I would get a call that day. Another week goes by, and I contact him again, he was floored that no one called me back and again said someone would contact me shortly. Another week goes by and out of the blue someone calls me regarding one of the original messages I left a month earlier, when I explained to her everything else she said she would check and call me back. Never heard a word back. The machine showed up a few days later though. However 2 weeks into sending the machine I broke down and brought a new excal because I love the machine so much. (this was during the time when no dealers had excals in stock) I searched the country and for one and then started searching Canada, where I did locate a dealer with one in stock. So I was a happy camper, and thank God I got the new machine as long as it took them to get my machine back to me. Well today I got to the beach turned on the New machine and whaaaaa bing beep it sounded like a telegraph machine. Crap!(at lest I brought my sov and the day was not a total loss) The new machine will have to go back to minelab now, and no telling when I will see it again. I will tell you this...I will not buy another excal! As much as I find with the machine and as much as I love it, I will not continue to deal with a company that has new machines fritzing out, and lousy lousy customer service. Seriously I believe minelab needs to start selling parts and allowing others to work on them. So anyone looking for an excal let me know God only knows when it will come back from repair, but it will be up for sale. Someone invent a new water machine Please!

 

[Indasurf]

I just ran across this post and I am going to add my own rant to it now. I sent my machine in Feb. guess when I got it back, May. On top of that I had sent them a copy of my extended warranty with my letter of the problems I was having. When they called I was out of town taking care of my dad, and they informed me that it was not under warranty and they had no extended warranty info on it and if I could send it to them again. I was out of town and as soon as I got back I sent it to them, two weeks go buy and I left several messages, even contacted the head honcho and he told me he would have someone check on it and I would get a call that day. Another week goes by, and I contact him again, he was floored that no one called me back and again said someone would contact me shortly. Another week goes by and out of the blue someone calls me regarding one of the original messages I left a month earlier, when I explained to her everything else she said she would check and call me back. Never heard a word back. The machine showed up a few days later though. However 2 weeks into sending the machine I broke down and brought a new excal because I love the machine so much. (this was during the time when no dealers had excals in stock) I searched the country and for one and then started searching Canada, where I did locate a dealer with one in stock. So I was a happy camper, and thank God I got the new machine as long as it took them to get my machine back to me. Well today I got to the beach turned on the New machine and whaaaaa bing beep it sounded like a telegraph machine. Crap!(at lest I brought my sov and the day was not a total loss) The new machine will have to go back to minelab now, and no telling when I will see it again. I will tell you this...I will not buy another excal! As much as I find with the machine and as much as I love it, I will not continue to deal with a company that has new machines fritzing out, and lousy lousy customer service. Seriously I believe minelab needs to start selling parts and allowing others to work on them. So anyone looking for an excal let me know God only knows when it will come back from repair, but it will be up for sale. Someone invent a new water machine Please!

WOW!!!!! I really can't believe all the bad press I've seen lately about Minelab on many forums (just amazing)?

 

[OBN]

It's a shame that we would have to resort to being a Pirate BUT, What we need to do is to get hold of the Brown Truck that makes there delivery's, find out where MINELABS is getting there parts from {would have to be Malaysia, far east} strike up a deal with that company for parts, paying them twice what minelabs pays on each part. {which I'm sure the Main Boards cost Minelabs less the 20 dollars}.......Get OldGold, Seeker41, and a few other goodold techs....And sink the Minelabs ship!

 

[S.S.Tupperware]

That is sure a piss poor performance on their part... I know I am sure glad I am a Whites man.2 week turn around... I am not a patient man, but 2 months , I would be lookin for a neck to ring with a > 1k investment that can't be fixed...

 

[Toymad]

I have a Whites BH and love it. They have the best customer service of any one. I could not imagine spending over a grand and getting no service. The only way to make Minelab take notice if people stop buying the product.

 

[gravediggermax-vabeachva]

Treasurer_hunter

i am with you................i have owned 4 excals and 5 GT's or sov 2pro's.

had to replace the old horseshoe coil twice back in the 90's
replaced 10" last year..............one i had to replace off and on switch one, same with gt.

Personally, I will still buy another Minelab when I find the need....