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Phew, Finally Got My Coil Replaced..


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Early November last year the ears on my 15x12'' Equinox coil finally broke off.. Seeing all the complaints about broken coil ears, I was surprised they lasted 3 years.. This is my main coil so I send an email to Gold Diggers (the dealer) explaining what had happened and if they could find a copy of the invoice as I'd lost mine.. All I had was a shipping order with the invoice date.. They responded a day later and said they'd sold the shop to Gold Rat Highbankers, so I send them an email with my tales of woe.. Dustin responded straight away and told me how to go about replacing it directly through Minelab.. He also offered to ship it for me and fill out a warranty repair request on my behalf.. 

I told him I'd try the Minelab direct route first and send them an email saying I didn't have an invoice, but instead I'd attached a copy of the shipping order and a picture of the broken coil ears.. A week went by before I got a response.. Obviously they hadn't read my email because they wanted to see an invoice.. Once more I explained that I didn't have an invoice but I did have a shipping order showing who I'd bought the coil from and the date it was invoiced (there were 3 weeks of warranty left).

A week later I got a response from Minelab saying they now needed the coil serial number.. I explained to them that the little white sticker with the serial number had washed off years ago in the sea somewhere.. This time they responded within a few days telling me not to worry because my invoice should have the number on it..

Now it wasn't that I was talking to a different person with each email, it was same dude the whole time.. I think this shows the difference between small companies and global corporations, the Minelab dude is probably run off his feet dealing with hundreds of cranky customers.. So a few slip between the cracks when responding to warranty claims..

Anyway, I explained for the third time that I didn't have an invoice (not for a lack of trying to get a hold of one) but I did have a shipping order with the invoice date, and that the serial number had been claimed by the sea.. I also told him that I'd explained all this before and I'd run out of ways to explain it any different.. 

A few days later the Minelab dude contacted me again.. He said he'd talked it over with his manager and even though I didn't have an invoice or serial number, they'd decided to replace the coil.. The reason they decided to go ahead? You guessed it, they replaced the coil "due to the nature of the fault".. I guess Minelab could've given me a further run around or told me they wouldn't replace it without an invoice or serial number, but this is a way of taking ownership of a design fault (sort of).. 

So, this morning I've send the old coil to the Minelab service centre with a little note asking if they could possibly replace it with a 15x12'' coil for an Equinox 700 or 900 because they've got stronger coil ears.. I thought I might as well ask.. 'No' I've got, 'yes' I can get.. 😁        

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The nature of the fault 🙂  They had little choice really, go to the ACCC with some evidence gathered up from forums of broken ears and the nature of the fault will become apparent, even out of warranty I'm sure you could win the case quite easily.  Consumers have rights well beyond that of warranty.

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34 minutes ago, Chase Goldman said:

Eric - I believe they only redesigned the 11" coil ears for the 900.  As far as I can tell, the 6" included with my 900 is the same as the original design and it is not clear the 12x15" coils have been redesigned either but I could be wrong.

I hope you're wrong Chase.. 🙂 I assumed they'd also strengthen the coil ears on the new 15x12'' coils.. If any coil needs its ears strengthened, it's that one.. 

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1 hour ago, Erik Oostra said:

I hope you're wrong Chase.. 🙂 I assumed they'd also strengthen the coil ears on the new 15x12'' coils.. If any coil needs its ears strengthened, it's that one.. 

I hope I’m wrong too, but the only evidence of a an ear upgrade are the 11” coils included in the 700 and 900 kits that now have threaded ears.  I agree with you it makes no sense…. Not sure if the new improved 11” coils are compatible with the legacy 600/800 Nox lower rods.  I know the legacy 6”, and Nox 10x5 coils are compatible with the Nox 700/900 lowers, however.  Also not sure what you get if you order an 11” coil as a standalone replacement…. This is what happens when Minelab just sort of slips that in under the radar unannounced (so they never have to explicitly admit to an inferior design), I am not sure how they manage configuration of the standalone stock of accessory coils.  There is no mention of a 700/900 variant vs. the 600/800 legacy accessory coils on their website.  

BTW, the ordeal you went through just to get your warranty replacement coil is somewhat appalling in terms of how long it dragged on.  Glad it’s happening in any event.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I hope this message from Minelab isn't true.. Sounds like they've just glued the coil ears back on and will charge me for the glue.. 😄 

Screenshot 2023-02-17 161646.jpg

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Don't worry Erik, we live in a throw away world, they have replaced your coil, I'd bet my left eyeball on it.  Minelab do have exceptional warranty service in my experience, and I have a lot of it.

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2 hours ago, phrunt said:

Minelab do have exceptional warranty service in my experience

Over the past 6 years that I have had Minelab products and the need to make contact with them I have dealt with Kevin and more recently, Brendon. 

On every occasion they have been helpful, prompt and friendly.  I could ask for more reliable products from Minelab themselves but couldn't ask for more from their service/warranty dept.  Great job gents (and ladies if you're there?)  🙏 😉

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