I respect you guys, you've been around along time like I have, but I just have to stand up for White's on this one. I agree their marketing strategies have left something to be desired, but that's not what this thread is about. If a dealer doesn't like their marketing conditions, then don't be a dealer, but instead try to reason with them to get their policies changed.
I don't know what the legal "fine print" says, but I imagine it says dealers need to keep advance notice of specials confidential, for whatever reason White's thinks its a good idea. Many of your complaints of their marketing strategy are valid, but the dealers agreed to a certain set of conditions when they agreed to become dealers. If they didn't like those conditions, then they didn't have to be dealers.
Don't take away from them the credit they deserve for trying all they can to bring the best product to their customers, carrying the Detech coils which are the best coils (IMHO) at the moment for White's detectors, that's what this thread was about. White's did something very brave for the benefit of their customers: offer a non-White's coil line that has proven to be the best. It's open minded of White's to have even done this at all, instead of hiding behind the "company line" BS that we've seen too long from the White's yes-men (who will remain unnamed).
For whatever reason, the Detech coils are the best coils on the White's machines. So good, they put White's back in the running with the best detectors of the other brands. I've done the testing myself, and I'm sure White's has done it too, and the Detech coils are, at the moment anyway, the best coils available. White's should NOT be ashamed that with an aftermarket coil, their detectors are as good as any other detectors available today. I'm sure they are dissecting the various Detech coils right now so they can offer customers an "in-house" coil that matches their performance, but for now, they are offering customers what will give them the best performance.
Rather than nit-picking about their marketing policies, however valid those nit-picks are (and I tend to agree), we should be happy about White's decision to introduce aftermarket coils in their lineup in order to give their customers the best product available.
This thread has become a bash-fest of White's marketing strategy when we should be thankful that White's is once again showing that they care about their customers first and foremost.
Yes, I would love it if they updated the MXT to make it 1) give it a Spectorgraph-type readout a la the XLT/DFX/V3i, 2) able to be manually ground balanced for those nerds among us, and 3) lighter and more ergonomic - the MX5 is a good start but can't they put the MXT electronics into a Fisher GB Pro/Omega-type form factor? And 4) USB connectivity and custom programming modes that allow for customized tones and hunt modes. The basic platform of the MXT (and other models, but especially the MXT) is AWESOME. They just need to give it a serious refresh.
Don't we all love White's and want them to succeed? Instead of all these "they suck" type comments? I'm rooting big time for them. They have great products and great people, maybe struggling a little bit with marketing strategies and new product development. And no I don't work for them or even get their products for testing. Let's just try to give constructive criticism and stay on topic. I think their decision to offer Detech coils is great and shows their deep commitment to the customer.
