My "local dealer" was a hobby store that was more interested in radio controlled cars than in the metal detectors he had in boxes on the top shelf. He (the store manager) talked to me like I had no idea which end of the detector pointed toward the dirt, even though I had already mentioned I owned several detectors. When he informed me that the DFX had more power than the XLT, I decided to take my business elsewhere.
If I use the dealer locator on the White's website, it does list a few within two or three hours drive, but invariably they are guys selling part time out of their home and carry no inventory. In other words, I tell them what I want, they order it from White's, and I pay them a marked up price. For some reason, I'm not real jazzed about that.
White's in Sweet Home may not be my "local dealer", but whenever I have called them needing a switch, knobs, screws, or lenses, they have always taken very good care of me. They have given me enough free parts over the years to more than make up for any shipping delays.
Bottom line is, I am very much brand loyal to White's. I don't care if they are the deepest, shiniest, fanciest, whiz-bang detectors or not. I know that as a business and as people, they have always treated me right, and one way or another, I'm getting my detectors from them. If somebody wants to open a dealership near me and offer some kind of "value added" item or service, then they'll certainly get first shot at separating me from my money, but they're going to have to go a pretty long ways to top the bar set by the folks in Sweet Home.
By the way, I was on the phone for a while with Nettie at the White's Distribution Center in Pennsylvania. She is a terrific person to deal with, and as soon as I have the money together I'm buying my next V3i with wireless headphones from her.
