Minelab no longer fixes Explorer XS?!?

[SouthJerseyJim]

Hey guys its time for me to send the x's in for repairs. What is the shipping info I need to send it out? Thanks. I think I need most of the guts replaced. Randomly doesn't signal on metal. Thanks WOW I called and they will not fix the XS anymore. Something. About not having parts man this sucks now I have a 500$ paper weight.

 

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[jeff of pa]

Re: Minelab reapair facility

Read this & Call

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,375610.0.html

The address I Was given by a member was wrong

I believe it may be different depending on detector
& Whether under Warranty or not.

 

[Sandman]

Sorry to hear that. Unfortunately this happens with a lot of detectors when parts run low. Tesoro quit making two of their water machines because of lack of the connector and couldn't do repairs on them if they needed a new coil too. Now they hardwire the coils like everyone else. This isn't a problem so much with water detectors, but would be a death blow for a land detector. Sometimes the broken part just costs to much to stock for only fixing a couple detectors and they would rather we bought a new one, hopefully theirs.

 

[Daedalus]

Hey guys its time for me to send the x's in for repairs. What is the shipping info I need to send it out? Thanks. I think I need most of the guts replaced. Randomly doesn't signal on metal. Thanks WOW I called and they will not fix the XS anymore. Something. About not having parts man this sucks now I have a 500$ paper weight.

Jim if it is not covered anymore I would see if I could find someone who is good at working on things like this and have them take a look.
I have fixed many older computers that just had bad connections and the solider joints have cracked on the board . You might be able to get it fixed as it may not be anything really bad .

Now it maybe trashed also ! But I would give it a try to see if it could be fixed anyway if the warranty was out . I always see as I have fixed many machines by working on them.

 

[Keppy]

Have you tried .. www.brokendetector.com .. he has been known to repair minelabs sometimes.........

 

[Keppy]

I think that the only used Sovereign that would be safe to buy now would be the ..... GT.. or .. Elite .. if you need to get it repaired................ I think any other Sovereign but those 2 are to old to get repaired now .................. I would not think about buying any used Sovereign but the GT or Elite........

 

[KEVTEC]

You have got to be kidding me. First off Minelab moves manufacturing to a third world country, secondly their customer service sucks, thankfully for Mike at Woodlands Detectors made calls for me, but in all reality it shouldn't have to be done through an independent dealer. Now you say they won't repair the product that they charge so much for? I think it's time people started to show Minelab that they aren't the only top line detectors on the market. I personally own a GPX 5000, Excal II , and 2 V3I'S. I am not endorsing any other manufacture but when a company pulls something like this, I believe it's time to return the favor and stop buying their product. I had an instance a few yrs ago with Ford Motor CO. I needed a service part for my project vehicle I was building and Ford stated they didn't have a service for that item. After calling the BBB I found out by law that a company that is still in business must maintain service parts for 20 yrs unless they have filed bankruptcy or totally closed the doors. Don't know if this applies towards Minelab but it's worth checking into since they still have a business here in the USA. Typical business saying they don't support their product anymore thus trying to force the consumer to buy new item from their company. Very shady indeed, since most of the internal parts are very cheap, and cost develops from research and development there is no reason other than greed that they would do this antic. Good luck on your venture fixing your machine and remember that one person boycoting a company makes little difference, but a large group of boycoting will get their attention for sure!!

 

[mastereagle22]

I am NOT defending Minelab. I am trying to point out one fact I learned when I was in the computer repair business.

Electronics wear out, period. Even in the best of conditions, which Metal Detecting is NOT, the extremes of heat, cold, humidity, rain etc along with dirt and grime is bound to have effects on a detector over time. And I can also tell you, the parts you can get today for a reasonable cost can double, triple and even just be plain unavailable in two months.

Having said that I am in roughly the same boat as the OP since I have an Explorer II and it's age is putting it closer to the end of it's lifespan.

If you can find someone else to work on it that might be an option.

As we try to push more and more performance from our electronics we shorten their use. It is an inevitable outcome.

Sorry you are having trouble with your machine.

 

[Keppy]

I really belive that if Minelab wanted to repair the older Sovereigns they could................ But what they want is for you to buy a new one........................ I really don't think that there is that much differance between the first Sovereign made and the GT and every one in between........ Except that the first Sovereign they made was a better detector ..................... Than any of the later ones...............

 

[Iron Patch]

Here's the thing, the old style coils definitely don't last forever, and even if they would continue to repair the units a circuit board fix would be expensive enough that when you add in the shipping you're probably getting close to what the detector is worth. That's probably why they've decided not to fix them because they obviously could, would just tick people off hearing the price and it's better for them as a company it being common knowledge they can no longer be serviced. Another reason they're probably doing this is to kill the used market because it makes it scary buying a 2nd hand unit when you don't know for sure what you're getting, and I can guarantee you many people have detector problems and don't even know it because they are subtle, and the unit still sounds off on metal. So they sell i as working 100% but that's not what you get.

Jeeze time sure goes fast as I broke into Minelab with an XS soon after it was released and now by what you say it's basically the end. Scary. I sure have some great memories of that time though!

 

[jeff of pa]

I said this before & I'll say it again,
It upsets me with the Sovereign XS-2 pro,
Because in my opinion that was the Best sovereign Unit
Available.
550 Digi Meter & No real bells & Whistles
to speak of. (Not all those Toggle Options)
just Disc. & all Metal.
I can understand though, They don't want to order a Thousand
parts to get a Fair Price, Just so they can Repair
a unit here & There.
Only thing I Can hope for is XS-2's selling For
$50.00 at some point so I Can stock up

Or that Minelab Decides to Produce more of them
at some point in the future, at a reasonable price.

 

[Iron Patch]

Just hit me... I assume they are still doing cosmetic things like a housing replacement? If not, that would be really crazy if something as simple as the plastic made your detector worthless, and even more crazy because it's a crap design for long term use.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Just hit me... I assume they are still doing cosmetic things like a housing replacement? If not, that would be really crazy if something as simple as the plastic made your detector worthless, and even more crazy because it's a crap design for long term use.

I think they do, they still do it for the original Sword Excal, even though they said several years ago they would no longer repair them if they did not have the parts in stock. I think the deal is if they have the parts in stock they will repair it, if it is a major part and not in stock they will not.......

 

[Shambler]

You have got to be kidding me. First off Minelab moves manufacturing to a third world country, secondly their customer service sucks, thankfully for Mike at Woodlands Detectors made calls for me, but in all reality it shouldn't have to be done through an independent dealer. Now you say they won't repair the product that they charge so much for? I think it's time people started to show Minelab that they aren't the only top line detectors on the market. I personally own a GPX 5000, Excal II , and 2 V3I'S. I am not endorsing any other manufacture but when a company pulls something like this, I believe it's time to return the favor and stop buying their product. I had an instance a few yrs ago with Ford Motor CO. I needed a service part for my project vehicle I was building and Ford stated they didn't have a service for that item. After calling the BBB I found out by law that a company that is still in business must maintain service parts for 20 yrs unless they have filed bankruptcy or totally closed the doors. Don't know if this applies towards Minelab but it's worth checking into since they still have a business here in the USA. Typical business saying they don't support their product anymore thus trying to force the consumer to buy new item from their company. Very shady indeed, since most of the internal parts are very cheap, and cost develops from research and development there is no reason other than greed that they would do this antic. Good luck on your venture fixing your machine and remember that one person boycoting a company makes little difference, but a large group of boycoting will get their attention for sure!!

This is an insane level of ignorance. Things go "end of life" - all electronic companies do it out of necessity. Even the over regulated medical industry doesn't do 20 years like your BBB "suggested". Either you spoke to a fool or embelished. Think about the logistics and cost of maintaining parts on a product that is now naturally dieing from age - and on how many?? - you just don't know after a certain amount of years how many are still out there in use (especialy in use by the original owner). Even doing conservative statistical analysis, it would cost you a fortune to keep manufacturing parts - that probably would never be needed. Do you rent the facility to do a board run on a single board basis? Nope! You do it in the thousands.

If your XS JUST broke, and you're the original owner - well BRAVO Minelab - it's built like a tank!

What year did you buy your XS from Minelab?

 

[Keppy]

What Minelab told me about 4 or 5 years ago was.................... That they have to repair a detector for 7 years after it is out of production................... Then after 7 years they no longer have to repair the detector..................... How true that is i do not know but that is what i was told by Minelab...............

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

You have got to be kidding me. First off Minelab moves manufacturing to a third world country, secondly their customer service sucks, thankfully for Mike at Woodlands Detectors made calls for me, but in all reality it shouldn't have to be done through an independent dealer. Now you say they won't repair the product that they charge so much for?

Explorer XS was first released in December 2009 so it is approximately 11.5 years old.......Minelab isn't pulling anything, they just are no longer repairing it if it is a major part that needs to be replaced. They said the same thing about the Excal Sword model, but they still do some repairs on them as long as the parts are in stock.....

Microsoft no longer supports XP with any new updates and it is almost 2 years younger (Released 8/2001)

 

[stasys]

Minelab never make any repaire that need to much thinking, they just change boards. explorer S<XS<2<SE is very similar boards and all can be fit in the same control panel case, push button panel is on all explorers the same just color is different. Explorer SE guts cost 400$! a bit to much for simple electronic boards. but detector explorer too not cheap compare how much cost to build them. I can say max 300$.new explorer

 

[Keppy]

Minelab never make any repaire that need to much thinking, they just change boards. explorer S<XS<2<SE is very similar boards and all can be fit in the same control panel case, push button panel is on all explorers the same just color is different. Explorer SE guts cost 400$! a bit to much for simple electronic boards. but detector explorer too not cheap compare how much cost to build them. I can say max 300$.new explorer

I have heard that about detector repairs before ......................... All they do is change boards nothing complicated about the repairs at all..................... I believe that ........ Because i know that when you send a watch in for warranty repairs that is all they do to them ....................Is put a new inner in them...................

 

[mastereagle22]

I know my opinion doesn't really carry any weight here but I'm just going to say it anyway.

What is wrong with people that think they buy a product and a company is supposed to fix it and support it forever?

I mean the conditions we use our detectors in alone is enough to make anyone who works with electronics cringe.

I just don't understand why people choose to bad mouth a company that doesn't support/repair a product that is 7+ (11) years old. Companies don't stay in business long if they don't sell new products. Repairs alone cannot pay the bills.

And with that being said I will not post on this topic any further.

 

[KEVTEC]

I know my opinion doesn't really carry any weight here but I'm just going to say it anyway.

What is wrong with people that think they buy a product and a company is supposed to fix it and support it forever?

I mean the conditions we use our detectors in alone is enough to make anyone who works with electronics cringe.

I just don't understand why people choose to bad mouth a company that doesn't support/repair a product that is 7+ (11) years old. Companies don't stay in business long if they don't sell new products. Repairs alone cannot pay the bills.

And with that being said I will not post on this topic any further.

It wasn't bad mouthing, It was the fact as everyone knows how lame Minelab is to deal with directly with issues. When a consumer has to go to an independent dealer to get a warranty issue resolved while the company has numbers for the consumer, that my friend is a problem! As far as repairing a product, as stated by poster above, swap the board out. Years ago it would cost me $2500.00 to build a killer computer. Today less than $500.00. Minelab just wants to sell new units, and not service older ones, even when the consumer is willing to pay for a new board or whatever the case may be. Envision buying a new car 5 yrs ago for $40,000 then the transmission fails and you contact the manufacturer and are told there are no replacement parts for your vehicle, but we offer a new model vehicle now for $60,000. See the correlation?