2nd warranty claim in 2 months? Omega is sick... :stretcher:

[bubbadirect]

well otlew--I got the detector yesterday, but haven't had a chance to try it out to make sure that it "works properly" yet, but hopefully will get out this weekend!

This will be a fun post. Quoting myself now. OTLEW--well I got the detector out of the box, put in a new battery and HUH??? All batteries, old and new are showing up as 2 bars on the battery meter. Okay, well that is weird. I try the detector out in the yard over buried civil war bullets, and beep, beep, beep. AH, the detector is back! OR IS IT? NOPE! I need to send it back. AGAIN! UGHHH!!! The battery meter will show only 2 bars (on any battery, old or new) and the LCD screen is messed up greatly (to say the least). I asked them to put a new screen cover on mine, since it was a little bit scratched, and they did...(Thank you FT) but it appears that they didn't just put a new plastic screen on the unit, but a new (to me anyway) LCD screen on the unit. Also, when I Pin-Point the unit, it will show under the target ID a number of 22 each and every time. HUH? 22? What is that all about? The top, middle, and bottom horizontal lines of the number 3 as in 33 Target-ID is always on, or constantly lit up, kinda like an old calculator going bad. Remember those? Also, what ever setting a set the SETTING GROUND to, it will usually end up on number 88 when Pin-Pointing (again very weird).

So now I have to call FT, get another RMA number, and ship it back to them and be without the detector for ANOTHER 3 WEEKS! UGHHH! The only consolation is 1)the unit has a 5 year warranty and 2)it is the heart and HEAT of summer, but still. Ugh!

Has anyone else had a screen go bad like this? Will First Texas switch out the unit for a NEW ONE? What is their replacement policy, if they have one? I don't want to be picky about the unit being defective twice in the first few months of ownership, nor do I want to be a crybaby and whine about it, but doggone-it! :angry: this makes me sad...sigh...

 

[otlew]

You are not asking too much of FT. You should be here telling us how well you have been treated and promoting them for their customer service.

I assume the following:

1. You haven't been abusing the machine
2. You have followed the instructions in the manual (cleaned it etc.)

If 1&2 are true, then this is all on their shoulders, if you had an inexperienced or incompetent technician working on your equipment, that too is their problem. Not the customer's!

This is beginning to sound like people's complaints we read about another major company.

If I were you, no matter what the retailer you bought from might have stated before the sale about warranty, I would call the retailer who sold me the machine and request their assistance in this matter. You bought one, they may buy hundreds, they share in the responsibility if only to support you, their customer. Hopefully one of the two will care about reputation.

Everyone makes mistakes, it's what they do about it sets them apart from competitors, or individuals for that matter. FT can make this right, they could cross ship you a new detector and throw in a little perk of some sort to compensate you. I can guarantee you that is not the techs that make those decisions.

Warranty excerpt.

Liability under this Warranty is limited to replacing or repairing, at our option, the
metal detector returned, shipping cost prepaid to First Texas Products. Shipping cost
to First Texas Products is the responsibility of the consumer.

So if you ship it back 4 times you are responsible for the shipping as they continue to fail to repair the machine? NOT FAIR!

Why were American automobiles were overrun by foreign competitors? Toyota only offers a 3 year warranty, as opposed to Ford's 5 year on the drive train and they still sell their cars. Why?

 

[bubbadirect]

Well has anyone else had their screens go bad on their unit?

 

[bubbadirect]

Crud. Not wanting to compensate me with anything yet. But I didn't ask either. I just got the RMA number and he remembers talking to me last week. (I don't know if that is good or bad though) Anyway, I will be sending it back tomorrow. I hope to have it back before the end of August. Stay tuned... sigh...

 

[otlew]

Please keep us informed, how you are treated.

 

[bubbadirect]

OTLEW--oh I will. Because this is one of the best forums I have ever seen for metal detecting, learning, and helping each other with this great sport of ours!

 

[SkiWhiz]

I don't post here often as I don't have a Teknetics detector but I do read and enjoy reading all the forums. If it was me I wouldn't be happy at all, having a detector that screws up once is bad enough but to send it in and have it repaired and to have another problem come up so quick would really burn me. This tells me that they did not go over the detector very well, these techs make good $$$ and should do their job right. I like to try all different brands of detectors, I don't have the $$$ to buy an Omega but after reading this and other posts on the forums about Teknetics (FT) I am not sure if I would buy one if I could afford one. To most sending a detector in for repair isn't a real big deal but for someone like me that has only one detector is a big thing. Steve.

I hope they do you right bubbadirect , they ought to send you out a new unit.

 

[otlew]

SkiWhiz,

Warranty does say "replacing or repairing, at our option, the metal detector returned", this seem like a good time to impress the customer with choosing replace as their option. I just hope they treat the bubbadirect right. The Omega is a handy detector and I don't regret purchasing it just yet. I may be singing another tune shortly.

 

[lafatlife]

You could always ask them if they would compensate you for having to send it in twice. Obviously you have to pay to send it but I think they could give you something in return for it. Also ask them what happens if (God forbid) you had to return it yet again.

 

[bubbadirect]

OTLEW AND SKIWHIZ, I agree with both of you actually. I personally only have 1 detector also (the Teknetics Omega 8000) and it has been a good detector...for the 2 months that I have actually had a chance to use it. I spent the 700 or so dollars for the 2 coil combo package at Kellyco, and was hoping that the only time I would "NEED TO" use the warranty is closer to the 5 year mark, if ANY!~So, I have to -pay for shipping (again mind you) for another issue that "First Texas corrected" with the warranty, and when I sent in my machine, I had a working LCD! Not the problem I sent it in for repair in the first place. I sent it in for a warranty repair (which ended up being a bad solder repair on the coil, or so they say) But then, "after being fixed by a technician" they send it back to me with a BAD LCD?

Come on First Texas, I bought your products and your reputation & name. Help me out here.

 

[Monte]

When I was a Tesoro Dealer, for most of the time from '83 to late '04, I received a brand new Inca that was rattly. The customer, a friend of mine, was due by within two hours. The problem? The circuit board wasn't secure inside! I had ample small screws and nuts and had it fixed in a jiffy and when I explained it to him, and we saw that all worked well, he was fine with that. it never quit workign of him, either, and it's been 24 years now.

I had many, and I mean MANY Tesoro's arrive that sort of worked with the stock coil, but couldn't with a 7" for hitting ghost towns unless I opened them up and tweaked the GB as they were too negative with the accessory coil. Some come too negative even today!.

I was a Garrett Dealer from late '77 thru mid '81, and I have purchased a few brand new Garrett's in the past 9 years. Among them, all new models, there were a few that had a poor GB setting. One that came with wrong coils.

In all of the above cases, unless I could fix or tweak it myself, the manufacturer too care of me or the customer. A good friend bought her husband a brand new Garrett GroundHog from a different dealer. In 3 to 4 days she came to me because the detector wasn't working. Not acting up, just not working! batteries were okay, it just failed to work. She sent it to the factory for repair.

I can honestly say I have used more White's brand detectors in my 46 years of avid detecting than any other brand. I bought a new Coinmaster 3 when on my honeymoon and it worked sporadically. I was headed here within two weeks (back in '71) so I brought it up and they repaired the cold solder joint and checked it out.

When the Classic ID was released i picked one up with several,accessories to include a new 4" coil at the factory. I had to send it in shortly after as I was on vacation in Colorado and it failed on me. There was a period when White's had a little trouble with a few search coils and those were repaired or replaced. When the 6000 Pro XL was released I bought one new from a dealer friends in Portland. A week later I picked up an order for him at the factory and it included a brand new Classic III SL that I wanted to take on vacation a few days later.

Well, I had my now repaired 5.3 coil mounted on my 6000 Pro XL and i left eh new Classic III SL in the factory box as it was easy to pack in the rig. That way I had a new 950 coil and the 6

 

[Ken in NC]

This tells me that they did not go over the detector very well, these techs make good $$$ and should do their job right. Steve.

The electronics industry is changing, especially the ways that electronics are made and repaired. If you look inside a detector made in the mid 1990's, and compared it to one made today, you would find that the components on the circuit boards are so small that a human hand could not possibly place and solder them

Regarding repairs, it is probably not possible, or economically practical, to locate and repair a fault on a circuit board such as found in the Omega 8000, or any other modern detector. It is more practical just to replace the entire board. Companies cannot afford to pay skilled technicians $65-$100 an hour to troubleshoot faults when the entire board probably costs $30 to produce. So now, less skilled workers can make the repairs. They are no longer techs, they are parts re-placers

Components on different boards used to be connected with well made ribbon connectors and plugs/sockets. I imagine today to cut costs, they are just hard wired into the board. So if the circuit board is bad, the LCD screen is replaced with it. That screen probably cost less than $15 to make. The battery, coil, and headphone connections to the main board are probably the only ones made by the repair person.

I would guess what happened in this case is that the repair person replaced the main board and screen. When testing it, it was just tested for power-up. They did not notice the battery bars, or the pinpoint fault. It is probably just a bad connection on one of the ribbon contacts from the screen to the main board

At any rate, except for the physical housing, you are getting a new machine each time. Or at least a new main board and probably a new LCD screen each time

Again, I am sorry that you will be without your Omega 8000 for a period, but don't let it get you down. You have one of the most modern detectors out there, and they are a marvel to use. When you get it back and are out in the field with it, you will be glad that you stuck with it

 

[reltolbert]

Monte and Ken in NC,

I appreciate your comments about the inside structure of the Omega 8000 and what it takes
to put one together. I have a clearer understanding.

 

[otlew]

Ken in NC,

I have never worked as a professional in the electronics field, but I have been a hobbyist, and as such I prototyped and made circuit boards for my specific purposes. I quit when I no longer had a need, and when semi-conductor integrated circuit and discrete component surface mount technology emerged and became main stream. So I understand what you mean by there really is no working on these circuit boards, they work or they don't and that is it. They are basically consumables in that sense.

A second point, contrast a detector made for the hobbyist and one for military use such as mine detecting. There is a reason military detectors will be much more expensive. They must be more rugged and undergo rigorous testing to insure reliability, if in an area is called clear of mines and it isn't........ If we miss a target, what the heck we might find it the next time.

Now to the point, quality control. If FT has an issue with QC in either the initial stages of fabrication or in the repair facility (such as inadequate testing before return to customer) then they need to look hard at improving that aspect of their business. If not well they may well suffer a bad reputation and the consequences that ensue.

Does management at FT require investigation into why something was repaired and returned again in short order for second, third or fourth repair? Was the repair person rushed, or just lazy about burn-in testing and therefore negligent? Or is management's attitude one of acceptance for a high percentage number of failures?

It boils down to how important is their reputation is for a excellent and reliable product.

My intention is not to denigrate First Texas, they may be a fine company making good products that are fit for the intended service, at an affordable price point.

These reports we are seeing may be the exception not the rule.

There cannot, in my opinion, be an exception for having good customer relations. Their goal should be to make things right the first time.

 

[Ken in NC]

outlew

I certainly agree with you regarding customer relations and product reputation.

As Monte pointed out, any detector can require repairs. How the company handles the repair process does leave an impression

To give them credit, First Texas does provide a 5 year warranty on their machines. They do seem to repair them in a short turnaround time, which is nice. Without them, how many new machines would be available today? Their newest machines should push the other major detector companies to step up to the plate, so that is a good thing.

Also, if we equally heard from the fellows who had their machines repaired correctly the first time, this would probably be an isolated incident.

 

[bubbadirect]

You guys are right in your comments in my opinion. Monte and Ken in NC, you 2 make a very good point about what goes into each detector that is made today. I don't want to become one of the idiots in this world that "demand something for nothing" and expect a handout. But on the flip side, I had higher hopes for FT to repair this unit "RIGHT" the first time, and not have to send it back again, in such a short time. IF these "parts-replacer people" or technicians had done a thorough job the first time, I would not have to be spending another $15-20 bucks of my own money to ship it back. The unit should have been tested and a bad LCD should have been noticed the first time, while it was still in the hands of the makers of the Teknetics products BEFORE being shipped back to me as a unit working like brand new, which it of course is not.

I am being harassed also by my group of fellow detectorists that swear by THEIR detectors from Sweet Home, Oregon

 

[christopher-ohio]

I simply want it replaced with a new machine to avoid any futher downtime without the machine or hassle/frustration. When I buy something new it better be right or it's going back. It's not MY problem that it's defective, it's the manufacturer. It's not fair to me, the buyer, that the QC was bad...sure with electronics this happens but why should I wait after spending the money for them to fix it, frankly either the first or even the second time? Sure things can go bad over time but it should work properly new out of the box IMHO...good luck

"I don't want to be picky about the unit being defective twice in the first few months of ownership, nor do I want to be a crybaby and whine about it, but doggone-it!"-obviously you are a super nice patient guy but your problem out of the box is unreasonable and should have been replaced on the spot in my opinion-some electronics are just bad from the get go(lemon) unfortunately...it should go back to engineering for a product review from my experience...as a company I would want that too!

 

[otlew]

outlew
.

Also, if we equally heard from the fellows who had their machines repaired correctly the first time, this would probably be an isolated incident.

I have no idea how many Omega detectors FT puts out the door each year or what the repair rates looks like, but what has happened to bubbadirect should be an isolated incident and not common.

 

[bubbadirect]

Well I just got a call from Mike Scott, the Director of Sales for First Texas, and he was reading this forum and is wanting to make this right by shipping me a prepaid FEDEX label. He just called me! He apologized but said that unfortunately "these things happen sometimes." Not talking negatively about his team and his team's responsibility or lack thereof with my unit, but that sometimes life goes not the way we want it to. He is right.

 

[SkiWhiz]

I simply want it replaced with a new machine to avoid any futher downtime without the machine or hassle/frustration. When I buy something new it better be right or it's going back. It's not MY problem that it's defective, it's the manufacturer. It's not fair to me, the buyer, that the QC was bad...sure with electronics this happens but why should I wait after spending the money for them to fix it, frankly either the first or even the second time? Sure things can go bad over time but it should work properly new out of the box IMHO...good luck

"I don't want to be picky about the unit being defective twice in the first few months of ownership, nor do I want to be a crybaby and whine about it, but doggone-it!"-obviously you are a super nice patient guy but your problem out of the box is unreasonable and should have been replaced on the spot in my opinion-some electronics are just bad from the get go(lemon) unfortunately...it should go back to engineering for a product review from my experience...as a company I would want that too!

My thoughts exactly, I am not one to p@ss & moan but I feel the detector should of been gone over with a fine tooth comb before it was shipped back. I understand what you's mean about electronic components getting more difficult to work on, but on the other hand beside me being a dairy farmer all my life I have been a satellite systems dealer since 1985, back in day "big dish" day I would repair the satellite receivers,etc. myself now in the days of DSS "small dish systems" I do very little repairing of the receivers due to smt components,etc. but you can bet your life when I go out on a call I make sure everything is working as it should, I don't just repace a bolt missing in the dish if I see one and go home, I check out everything from the receiver to the dish including all the coax cables,connectors,then make sure the customer is getting all the channels they suppose to and that they are coming in clear. I know this isn't a satellite thing but if I was a tech at any of the detector repair places I would be just as thorough . Them giving the fella a prepaid slip to send it back is the least they could do, why not send him a new or a working used detector then put the defective back in the box and have them fix it. Steve.