Lowrance/navico Customer Service?

[NEWBY]

Well said Boswser.

The key point to all the Lowrance issues has been Software. Not in my case unfortunately.
The hard part is that even though it is software, it is only random units that are showing faults... not every unit, just random units through all models.
Weird, but Lowrance are fixing the problems with software updates as they are found, and it is a simple task to do it - no returns necessary.

Newby, I feel for you Mate ... no one likes to end up in that situation. I don't know who installed it etc etc, but at the end of the day it shouldn't have been made your problem to solve. In my opinion, the supplier & installer should have got you sorted and then argued themselves with Lowrance / Navico as to who paid for what. Mate I cannot fault Modern Marine. They invested a lot of unproductive hours on rectification. They fought the fight they could. I know, I have fought that fight many times. The consumer has more pull than the supplier. Many times with many manufacturers we have fought the fight to get a customers car fixed under waranty. We get told NO WAY and the customer rings up and is up in arms at the manufacturer, then we get the call to fix it....Why didnt they just do it in the forst place?
I would like to point out that the transducer you have is an Airmar brand transucer, not a Lowrance made item.
Airmar does make a great item and I can say that you are extremely unlucky to have a 1kw transducer fail on you.
Airmar supplies transducers (either standard or optional) to nearly all electronics manufacturers. 90+% of all transducers used are Airmar... I "quote" navico on that.
The Radar? Don't know, but no doubt it will be sorted for you as well. I will let you know.

I heard Rob's name from Navico mentioned earlier.
I can tell you with absolute certainty that Rob is the guru for Lowrance technical problems. Rob has ben great. 1 fault, he forgets to call you back sometimes.

Please keep in mind that the HDS is brand new and everyone - purchasers, dealers and Lowrance techs are still sorting out the finer points as we go along. I reitterate, Navico released it to market too quickly trying to recoup development costs and the cost of buying up Northstar and Lowrace.

For every person that has experienced a problem, there are hundreds of others, including myself and my clients that are absolutely amazed with these units.
As most people know, I supply and fit Raymarine, Furuno and Lowrance and I still firmly believe that Lowrance is the best value for money package available at this time, with the best features and ease of use on the market. I have only stated my personal issues. But you have read through the threads and know the ratio of problem to satisfied is WAY out of sync. Your a dealer. You know what it should be. You know what to look for here and I understand your viewpoint.

Cheers

Pete

p.s. Lee8sec, if you need things like ethernet cables and can't get them, feel free to ask, I can always lend you one to get you out of trouble.

Now this is customer service Lee. Why hasnt the dealer YOU bought it off offered you this solution or even Navico themselves? Good on you Pete. Hats off to you mate.

[Grand_Marlin]

Thanks Newby,

Your saga is not my barrow to push so to speak, I just hope they all get their act together and get you sorted because when it is all working you are going to be a very happy man... that I can personally guarantee.

You can only take the backup service you have had and rate it as you see it.
It is sad because the HDS is a brilliant piece of equipment and the good reports we get back from customers and from my own usage, this stuff is extraordinary.

All the best,

Pete

[lee8sec]

Pete, thanks for the offer. I will wait until mine arrives as i haven't decided if iam going to get side scan so dont need to flash it yet, i mainly wanted the software upgrade for any other "fixes". Iam more pissed that i cant, due to there lack of parts.
Thanks for your review of the side scan unit, good to here a "normal" persons veiw on operation.

Newby, the other "joke" is the supplying lowrance dealer cant reflash(no cable) but another lowance dealer, who they rang up, around the corner has got the cable & could do it, but he guy was on holidays( fair enough).

I didnt buy the sounder or plotter, they where in the boat when i got it, i have the original receipts, 3 months old. Not that it makes any differance. Thanks Leigh

PS it shouldn't be up to Pete to try fix a Navico problem, more so when it wasn't one of his sales. But i do appreciate the offer. Leigh 6.44am 3/1/10

[Stido1]

After much reading through Ausfish threads & contemplation I have decided to stay with my original plan of getting a Lowrance HDS Fish Finder/GPS Combo unit.

I'm just wondering what would be the best price I would be looking at to purchase a HDS-5 or HDS-7 here in good ol' Oz? With the problems people have been discussing here I'm not game to purchase from OS?

Are there any good prices from sellers out there that anyone is aware of? It's a bugger having to work to a budget.

[lee8sec]

Cable turned up today. Leigh

[leelee]

Grand marlin is one of the best suppliers I have ever dealt with.

After about 6 weeks my HDS7 had an issue of not working.

Between Navico and Pete I had a brand new unit delivered to my place of work by Pete.

Now that’s service. Service like this brings me back and Pete will always get my returning business.

Newby i feel for you mate, but like Pete said, once you get the whole system sorted you will not believe how good it actually is.

Cheers

Lee

[NEWBY]

After much reading through Ausfish threads & contemplation I have decided to stay with my original plan of getting a Lowrance HDS Fish Finder/GPS Combo unit.

I'm just wondering what would be the best price I would be looking at to purchase a HDS-5 or HDS-7 here in good ol' Oz? With the problems people have been discussing here I'm not game to purchase from OS?

Are there any good prices from sellers out there that anyone is aware of? It's a bugger having to work to a budget.

Mate, its not ALL about price.
50 or a hundred here or there is nothing compared to customer service. Honestly.

Look at the posts with others here that have dealt with GrandMarlin. call him...Pm him an if he is a few bucks away,(not that I am saying you are Pete cause I dont know) PAY THE MONEY cause really really good customer service is not cheap to provide. Look through the posts...You wont find a bad word about him....Read through this thread and look at what I have endured so far. I have fought my own fight with Navico cause my supplier is spineless.

PS The good ship CARNELPYA gets back in the pi$$ tomorrow for water tests next week. Yeehaaaaaaa.
Then I will let you know whats happening with all the dramas

[Stido1]

Thanx Newby & leelee, you're advice has been taken onboard.

[NEWBY]

And the SAGA continues.
Got a call from my boat repairer on Friday. ALMOST EVERYTHING back in working order now, New rudders and seats in place, entire fuel system stripped and cleaned, Batteries moved, dinghy davit rewired, new shaft in and both sides re-aligned, new shaft seals in boxes, new port tranny seal in, all oil leaks rectfied, major service done etc etc etc BUT, You guessed it, the MAIN reason for the boat coming out in the first place, to get the NEW TRANSDUCER fitted, has gone south to HELL.

Boys put the boat back in the water and as they went to hook up the NEW TRANSDUCER supplied BY LOWRANCE, the F*****G thing does not fit. Yep, the pins DO NOT line up and they have sent me the wrong F*****g transducer. This is the last insult. So the boat has to come out again. And ANOTHER transducer fitted. I will keep you informed of the outcome as I have now passed the buck back to my supplier. It was mentioned "thats alright we can just cut the cable and put a new plug on" Not on my boat pal.......
To my horror, it was discovered when replacing the last one that rather than run the cable up to the bridge in what would be considered THE CORRECT WAY, my supplier/installer decided it was "easier" just to cut the thing and rejoin it. POOR FORM....If it was considered OK to do this I would suggest the cable would come with that option. IT IS NOT OK as far as I am concerned. You can NEVER totally seal it and stop corrosion once the cable has been cut. NEVER.
Watch this space.....NOW I have the shits on......Now Lowrance are goin to know they have pissed me off.
2010 IS the year that you dont piss me off.....Bad form Lowrance, STILL....AGAIN....Watch your arses.

[sagair]

It seem Grand Marlin has been a big help, something for us to remember. The lady [Linda Colt U.S.A.] who's contact details I forwarded to you who was highly recommended by some of my friends in the USA as the best thing Lowrance/Navico had going for them has been crushed by Lowrances Service Department manager/s. The link is worth a read. This "I got your money so now go away" attitude from Lowrance makes me wish I bought a H'Bird. It appears service is a low priority at Lowrance.http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zerot...owrance-navico

[NEWBY]

IT's STILL NO DAMN GOOD

[Hell Boy]

IT's STILL NO DAMN GOOD

Newby, you have had a bad run with Navico. I hope you end up getting this mess sorted, but it is going to be a hard thing to forget, with the money and pain it has cost you.

[yanjarra]

Newby your story is a shocker. I would be frothing. I really admire your perseverance in getting it sorted though, i think id have thrown my hands in the air by now.

[honda900]

Newby,

can you explain whats happening with it, I have had Grand Marlin (pete) do some work with me on mine, and so far the initial trials have been good, big test to come tomorrow in deep water but so far 10x better than it was.

Software configuration of all things.

Regards
Honda.

[NEWBY]

Newby,

can you explain whats happening with it, I have had Grand Marlin (pete) do some work with me on mine, and so far the initial trials have been good, big test to come tomorrow in deep water but so far 10x better than it was.

Software configuration of all things.

Regards
Honda.

In brief, the sounder cuts out and cant read the bottom after I reach 12-13kn. I have replaced the very expensive 1KW Bronze thru hull transducer and at Navicos suggestion, moved it further back. It now sits just to starboard of the port drive shaft. Heres the thing though...Normal cruising at 12kn, I lose bottom....So I burried the nose of the Betram (a very wet thing to do in anything over 20cm waves) and i got the pic back holding bottom. even at that though, going through the turbulent brackish of the North Entrance, the old Navman kept going strong while the $9000 Lowrance cut out. so 2 things here....
1) I cant go round with the nose brried and
2) THE HDS 10 IS A PIECE OF SHIT...
Now the real battle starts...
Oh heres another anomolie, when we stuck a 600w transom mount transducer into the hull, (and it had to shoot through 2" of fibreglass as well) it seemed to work fine.

I rest my case, the HDS 10 IS A PIECE OF SHITand it is not worth $9 never mind $9000....Let the games begin...