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Guess my request got a official statment from the top at minelab to there dealers this is not good buissness.

J

Jason in TN

New member
If you have a older minelab you are so out of luck. does not sound good. This to me is very poor customer support on there part. 99% of all other manufactures will repair there old detectors.
Do not have parts to fix the old detectors come on seems like if you want a minelab you will have to buy a new one if your breaks.
 
10 years ago my computer was 2,900.. I threw it away a year ago in the land fill because it was old and upgrading anything on it was about pointless.

I dont remember who suggested it to you in your first post, but I do recall them saying to check ebay.

anything that is electronic and 10 years old, well its just plain old. It sucks and I wish it was not like that, but it is what it is.

I just bought my etrac, 2 extra coils, x1 probe and a lot of books a couple weeks back. In 10 years I am guessing I will be giving it to my grandkids
 
The tec has not changed that much on detectors in the past 10 years look at the old explorers. The new ones are the same just new coils and they tell you a faster processor.
If you want too keep your customers you take care of them if I want a old detector fixed they should fix it and charge me for it like every one else does. If they do not i do not have to buy any detectors from Minelab any more that is the way it works in the good old USA. In the past I have owned three Explores, Sovereign, Etrac, And two Excals not that I do not like there detectors just there attitude toward there customers. I still have a relic hawk and one of those old excals on the we do not fix them any more list that is a much better detector than the Excal 2's they make now.
 
Spare parts are expensive to make and stock. I'm sure ML would either need to buy them or make them in the thousands - one of the problems with economies of scale. There is probably not enough demand for spare parts for the older machines to warrant the purchase. With not enough P (profit) and too much L (loss) the company will go out of business fast in this economic climate. I'm sure ML is feeling the pinch these days as well and is looking at ways to save money. I, myself, have two Explorer XS's and I don't think I'd be too upset if they tell me that they won't fix these machines - yes, I agree, it would be nice if they would at least make the effort to fix the things they can - like a phono plug or something. As far as the gel packs, if they are OEM parts, maybe ML will tell you who made them or if their stock in spare parts was sold off to anyone. Try eBay or CraigsList and look for a broken machine for spare parts including the battery. Maybe a dealer will be able to locate a broken unit fo you. I hope you get it resolved.

I wish someone would tell me what a gel pack is...it uses some sort of gel instead of AA cells? Can it be converted over to use AA cells by one of the companies that rebuilds them?
 
I think what Erik said about calling some dealers is a good idea, Kind of goes with that saying "Its not what you know, its who you know" But in your case if you talk to some of the dealers you find on the internet, even if they are on the opposite side of the country I am sure someone could come up with something.

I can see how you would be frustrated, being loyal to Minelab and them being dismissed by them. What Erik said makes perfect sense, if they had to make some of those older parts, they would have to have them made in the thousands, not just a couple dozen. Calling Minelab out on a public forum I am afraid will not get you anywhere.

I know jack about metal detectors compared to most guys on this forum, but when it comes to technology I am all over it. 10 year old technology is prehistoric compared to any modern day Integrated Circuit.
 
Erik in NJ said:
Spare parts are expensive to make and stock. I'm sure ML would either need to buy them or make them in the thousands - one of the problems with economies of scale. There is probably not enough demand for spare parts for the older machines to warrant the purchase. With not enough P (profit) and too much L (loss) the company will go out of business fast in this economic climate. I'm sure ML is feeling the pinch these days as well and is looking at ways to save money. I, myself, have two Explorer XS's and I don't think I'd be too upset if they tell me that they won't fix these machines - yes, I agree, it would be nice if they would at least make the effort to fix the things they can - like a phono plug or something. As far as the gel packs, if they are OEM parts, maybe ML will tell you who made them or if their stock in spare parts was sold off to anyone. Try eBay or CraigsList and look for a broken machine for spare parts including the battery. Maybe a dealer will be able to locate a broken unit fo you. I hope you get it resolved.

I wish someone would tell me what a gel pack is...it uses some sort of gel instead of AA cells? Can it be converted over to use AA cells by one of the companies that rebuilds them?
Click to expand...

Eric
a gel cell looks like a small 12v lawn mower battery no AA batteries think minelab is the only company that uses them have tried to contact them three email times since I was told that they do not work on old detectors any more. Have gotten NO reply from them. Would hope they would try to help but no luck. I will find one one day or find a way to make one i am handy with a soldering iron so I should be able to make one the crazy thing is that the headphone jack is made into the pack so will need a non working pack for sure to modify. Hope to find one have tried the net and Ebay but do not think they made the Relic Hawk very long was just wanting every one with a older Minelab to have a heads up on what is going on with them. They are good detectors but with no service on the older ones and slow service on the ones they will repair I do not know If I will ever buy another one. Thanks for your concern.

Jason
 
what kind of a gel cell do you need?
 
mikezap said:
what kind of a gel cell do you need?
Click to expand...

12v one for the relic hawk. Has the headphone jack bulit in to it may be able to rebuild the one I have but would also like a extra one if some one has a good or dead one they will part with.

Jason
 
So the Cadillac dealer no longer has parts for my 1992 Cadillac.
Does that mean I make a fuss and act shocked that they no longer have the parts?
Do I go posting on all the car forums that Cadillac is a bad brand and they don't take care of their customers?
That's life. :cry:

On the plus side, this creates an opportunity for an entrepreneur to start up a business fixing these out-of-date machines. Minelab has decided that they cannot profitably handle this business. So just like aftermarket car parts, there is now an opportunity for some enterprising person to make some money servicing and repairing these out-of-date machines.

I think Minelab has made the right decision and a business-appropriate one. You act as if they made this decision on a whim, it's not. It's good business practice for a company who wants to stay in business. You make money selling new machines, not fixing old ones. Ask any automaker where the greatest margin is - new sales or service. Guess which? I love my Minelabs and will continue to support them, as I prefer machines that get results, even at the expense of customer service.

With this bold move you may see the other detector companies follow suit, especially with the current economy and needing to make cuts in areas of their business to keep people in their jobs.
 
I tell you what Minelab needs to improve on is there warranty program..

Lets say for example. a guy buys a new detector and something happens a few months later and he has to sell that detector.. according to minelab that voids the warranty on a 3 month old machine.. which i think is bull S%^&.. If minelab took a cue from tesoro's warranty. Man they would be unstoppable!!
 
Don't get me started on Tesoro's warranty in Australia.....it's one of the main reasons I sold it.

Bought detector from US approved dealer, then the Australian approved dealer (there is only one + distributers) wouldn't help me, i needed a new switch, because I didn't buy it direct from him he wouldn't sell me one.

Pissed off! Ended up fixing it myself and sold it, swearing never to buy tesoro again due to poor Australian support, even though I liked the detector at the time.

Might be good in the US.......but in Australia they have NFI

Lets say for example. a guy buys a new detector and something happens a few months later and he has to sell that detector.. according to minelab that voids the warranty on a 3 month old machine.. which i think is bull S%^&.. If minelab took a cue from tesoro's warranty.
It is the same for Tesoro, the lifetime warranty is only for the original owner, he/she sells it and the warranty is void.....that was on my Tesoro Warranty card.

Minelab support is Flawless.......(E-trac)
 
Corpsegrinder said:
I tell you what Minelab needs to improve on is there warranty program..

Lets say for example. a guy buys a new detector and something happens a few months later and he has to sell that detector.. according to minelab that voids the warranty on a 3 month old machine.. which i think is bull S%^&.. If minelab took a cue from tesoro's warranty. Man they would be unstoppable!!
Click to expand...
Tesoros warranty,Our lifetime warranty covers defects in material and workmanship for as long as it is owned by the original purchaser. The warranty excludes batteries, damage caused by leaky batteries, cable breakage due to flexing, wear of the searchcoil housing, and leakage cause by the condition of water seals on underwater detectors. Also excluded are instruments which have been abused, altered, or repaired by an unauthorized party.
 
My 2 pennies ... in spite of what the warranty says, at least in the US, Tesoro takes care of their products even if you are the tenth owner. Would be nice if warranties were transferable like White's does, but there must be a cost in maintaining that audit trail.

The warranty / support issues and reported turn around times on repairs are large factors in keeping me hanging onto the water detectors I have and not trying an Excal.
 
Hey guys your drifting way off target.Minelab made a choice based on profit for the company thats it.As mentioned in a couple of posts parts stock costs real money every day and who knows when that 10plus year old unit is coming back.I'm a AV tech by trade and the fact is a 10 year old unit is in electronic terms a relic and Not worth Fixing Move on and embrace the new technology. It is that simple sorry but it is .I would rather have Minelab around then your old clunker.
 
I'll just about betcha most any of the other MD manufacturers have parts for older machines "older technology" still in stock and might be able to rig you up something? After all, most of them are using 10+ yr old technology where as :minelab:is leading the way. BTW more than likely you can check out, if you have one in town, one of the new battery shop franchises that does nothing but batteries and I'll bet they can make something happen for you. They solve problems like this everyday. Good luck............
 
Well, it is scary in a sense, for me anyway. I just recently sent an older, as in not manufactored anymore, machine in to Whites. They not only fixed it but repaired something I had missed. But, they also told me its getting hard to come up with parts for the older machines.
Now, here I am wanting an ETrac and Ive been reading things like the repair issues on older machines and factories being closed and going to Malaysia.
Well, Im still gonna buy an ETrac, I think Minelab is trying to cut cost like any other manufacturer. Heck, Ive got a Z71 Chevy pickup, the air condition compressor just went south, so had to get a new one and where do you think its manufactored, Japan. We had a GM Guidelamp factory in my hometown, its closed down now and from I hear, the lights are manufactored in Mexico.
No, I dont like to see our jobs going overseas, although, I know the deal with Minelab was from Ireland to Malaysia, point is, Minelab isnt the only one doing it.
Im still driving my Chevy, my wife loves her Toyota and my big screen TV, who knows where the heck it was made. Im typing this and looking into a Samsung monitor.
Its scary in more ways than one, not just the MDing end of it.
Why do I not buy the V3, I may, one day. Ive never used a Minelab and wanna give it a spin. You may see it up for sale in six months if I cant learn the tones, I will give it a chance tho.
I know I kinda got off topic as far as repairing older machines, but the point is the same, cutting cost. I hate it for all of us and wish it wasnt so, but thats the way it is.
Something else, just crossed my mind. We live in a disposible society. Folks buy a manufactored good, use it a couple years, it goes bad, throw it away and buy a new one. Things just arent made to be repaired like they use to be and if they are, it cost you an arm and leg to get it repaired. Nope, I dont like it. I like to have something I can brag about and tell someone, yeah, I bought that 15 years ago,lol.
Ok, Im thru whinning,
John
 
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