Finally Minelab Take Responsibility For Screwing Up The GPX 6000 Speaker

[GR Guy]

Only the control box. If you aren’t confident taking this off then send the whole detector.

[GotAU?]

7 hours ago, jasong said:

 

I just sent my control box and coil , no battery or shafts. Tore down via Simon's Minelab instructions. Only sent coil to make sure it checked out and to eliminate one potential problem in the event I need to do further diagnosis, but I don't think it's necessary. 

I wanted to next day air it so I reduced the weight as much as I could.

That next day must’ve been expensive! I just sent them only my control box the same way you did via UPS freight with full insurance and it cost $170. 🙄  It would’ve cost a lot more if I had to include all that other stuff like that generic letter asked.

I also emailed them a copy of what Simon posted and a link to my video, hopefully that helps them diagnose the problem and agree that it needs the new hardware update.

[jasong]

29 minutes ago, GotAU? said:

That next day must’ve been expensive! I just sent them only my control box the same way you did via UPS freight with full insurance and it cost $170. 🙄  It would’ve cost a lot more if I had to include all that other stuff like that generic letter asked.

I also emailed them a copy of what Simon posted and a link to my video, hopefully that helps them diagnose the problem and agree that it needs the new hardware update.

I ended up sending 2 day USPS, they told me since it was past 10am that 1 day and 2 day both get there Saturday so just do 2 day instead. It was like $50. Someone did pick it up Saturday at Detector Center. I didn't send with any but the included basic insurance. I'd fight that fight if it got lost.

ML should be sending us FedEx prepaid labels since this was their mistake and we have no option to get it fixed or replaced at a dealer locally. These control boxes probably don't cost much more than $200 to manufacture based on the internal photos, so it's senseless IMO to make us pay that much to mail it back to them so they can fix their own mistake. They could have a local dealer exchange whole control boxes locally for probably the same price we have to pay just in postage. Or train them to replace main boards. 

We don't have Consumer Reports anymore. We have forums, YouTube, etc. So some might find my stands or actions silly, but I still believe in corporate accountability, and 1 inch taken this year is a mile taken next when a company thinks no one cares anymore.

[Skookum]

My baby just went in the mail, today. I sent the upper shaft, battery, and coil. The coil had developed horizontal cracks in the ears, which is why it went, too. The repair letter said that they like to test it with the battery.  UPS Ground, including the box and packing: $60. UPS Ground, including the box, packing, and insurance: $230. I agonized a bit over the price, but decided that I would really regret buying a new detector instead of having bought insurance. It probably would’ve been cheaper and faster through USPS, but UPS does all the work. 

[phrunt]

It would be excellent if everyone getting it done can leave feedback on improvements, especially around improvements with using headphones too as a few reports out of Australia so far even though very few have had it done yet are of overall improvements even when using headphones, if this is the case then there are performance improvements too, less EMI = better performance.

Mines off on the plane tomorrow, going to overnight it to the service agent.

The faulty GPX 6000 survey would be off the charts now with the coil ear cracking and EMI fix that's happened since then  🤣

[geof_junk]

In my opinion if the unit is taken to the "point of purchase", then it should be Minelab responsibility to get to their repair centre and back to their Agent.

[phrunt]

1 minute ago, geof_junk said:

In my opinion if the unit is taken to the "point of purchase", then it should be Minelab responsibility to get to their repair centre and back to their Agent.

That's right, in Australia if you take a faulty product back to the retailer you purchased it they are responsible and obligated to get it back to the manufacturer for repairs and then the manufacturer is responsible to get it back to the retailer for you to collect.  For me that's no good, both the retailer and service agent are in the same city over 6 hours drive each way away 🙂 

I was tempted to drive there to get it done so then I don't have to worry about couriers using the box as a football.  The drive up that way through the lakes and mountains is awesome, only problem is it'd be cheaper to fuel my car with Vodka than it is to buy Diesel at the moment.

[jasong]

8 hours ago, Skookum said:

The coil had developed horizontal cracks in the ears, which is why it went, too.

On this coil crack subject - I would make sure to specifically include the coil cracks in your report you create when initiating the ticket - or respond to the ticket email and it will add and update for the repair tech to see.

My coil has cracks on both ears, I didn't think to mention it when I mailed my coil in, and they sent my old coil back, cracks and all. It appears they don't look for the cracks issue unless you mention it specifically. (this would be another thing dealers could easily exchange in person locally IMO). 

In my case the EMI thing was my main concern so it didn't occur to me, but I wish I would have mentioned something to the repair center about the coil cracks, as I actually like the stock 11" coil, it's about the perfect size for what I do and thus the only coil I really need and I want it to last. My Coiltek has knock sensitivity (literally every Coiltek I've ever owned seems to) and I prefer the stock over it as I'm very picky about eliminating extraneous noise when I detect. I'll probably just epoxy my stock coil though to keep it going. 

[matt]

12 hours ago, jasong said:

I ended up sending 2 day USPS, they told me since it was past 10am that 1 day and 2 day both get there Saturday so just do 2 day instead. It was like $50. Someone did pick it up Saturday at Detector Center. I didn't send with any but the included basic insurance. I'd fight that fight if it got lost.

I would be very careful sending via USPS. Earlier this year, I sent El Dorado 3/4 of an ounce of small pickers and my Platinum wedding band. I hired him make me an exact replica of my plat band with gold I found. He made it sent it back with the remaining gold. Insured it for $2k, but it was actually value of $4k. We had a bunch of pictures of everything.

Package disappeared in the USPS distribution center in North Carolina. It's a long story and I finally received the package empty of all contents with the USPS admitting it was in their possession when the contents were removed. Filed a claim. Denied. Filed 2 appeals to the highest level. Denied. Only option left is to hire a lawyer, but that will cost more than $4k. Found out it's very common for packages with insurance to disappear. It has been a nightmare to deal with.

From now on I will only ship via fedex. Going through this ordeal I learned that UPS does not have good claims either and I was told by a local jeweler that they only use fedex due to theft and insurance.

 

[jasong]

17 minutes ago, matt said:

I would be very careful sending via USPS. Earlier this year, I sent El Dorado 3/4 of an ounce of small pickers and my Platinum wedding band. I hired him make me an exact replica of my plat band with gold I found. He made it sent it back with the remaining gold. Insured it for $2k, but it was actually value of $4k. We had a bunch of pictures of everything.

Package disappeared in the USPS distribution center in North Carolina. It's a long story and I finally received the package empty of all contents with the USPS admitting it was in their possession when the contents were removed. Filed a claim. Denied. Filed 2 appeals to the highest level. Denied. Only option left is to hire a lawyer, but that will cost more than $4k. Found out it's very common for packages with insurance to disappear. It has been a nightmare to deal with.

From now on I will only ship via fedex. Going through this ordeal I learned that UPS does not have good claims either and I was told by a local jeweler that they only use fedex due to theft and insurance.

 

Crazy, man sorry to hear that, the gold can be replaced but the wedding band has to be a real gut punch.

Unfortunately I think the same problems exist with all 3. I've used USPS to mail my gold I sell, no problems yet myself thankfully... I could just be lucky though so far.

I've had really bad experiences with Fedex and UPS though too. Including local employees signing my name to a package and calling it delivered right in front of my house, then keeping the package (I had security cameras thankfully). Another one (according to UPS) threw a bunch of packages out somewhere, left the truck and walked away, and quit. I ordered some heavy batteries for my RV solar and the guy got so pissed pulling them off the shelf in the truck that he started throwing and kicking other packages, some flew out of the truck. And I lost one detector that they insisted was delivered, but after doing my own investigative work I ended up tracking it down to a pile of boxes inside the Fedex facility itself and they said my route was a "garbage route" (it's rural) and often the people would get stuck with it and just toss the boxes somewhere so they wouldn't need to drive out that far, and then sign them as delivered with the intention to take them out eventually, but apparantly the guy quit and they were forgotten.

USPS is the one that hasn't done any of that stuff to me yet, so it's what I use. But I'm sure it's different in other parts of the country and probably all of them just are a crapshoot these days unfortunately...