Got My New 800 Control Pod

[Compass]

16 hours ago, phrunt said:

Fingers crossed they've resolved these problems on the Manticore, I'd be surprised if they have but hopefully it's the case.  They're the company that puts 100% effort into trying to give the best performance and a generous 35% effort into giving a quality product letting known issues keep going by never even attempting to fix them up on later builds.  

If my Nox 800 did die I'd be replacing it for sure with another 800 as it's a truly great detector and one of my absolute favourites.  I couldn't let it go but I wouldn't be replacing it with a 900, to me other than the vastly improved (it seems) build quality the detector itself for my needs would be a downgrade with its poor target ID's by comparison to the 800.

If I was a serious water hunter though the 700 or even possibly more likely the X-terra Pro would be worth consideration for in water use and I'd be still using the 800 on land.

My friend has a 900 and uses it on the wet sand where I typically use my TDI BeachHunter. I believe that his 900 performs better on the beach than my 800 did. He seems to get better depth and can work in the black sand easier than I used to with the 800. However, yes, he seems to struggle with some wacky TID's and winds up digging a lot more trash than he should.

[Chase Goldman]

1 hour ago, Compass said:

I was dealing with the authorized PA repair facility and not directly with Minelab so maybe that was the reason. Also, I was out of warranty and maybe that makes a difference when it comes to customer service. 

I personally know and have dealt with some of the PA repair facility personnel for both warranty and out of warranty repair of various ML products and am surprised they wouldn't just send you the hardware needed to make you whole.  So I was wondering whether you just asked for the old pod back (I explain why they don't return it, below) or also specifically asked them to at least send the mounting hardware back and they explicitly refused.  It's a subtle but important distinction that ultimately reflects on the repair facility's reputation and leaving that question open implies a low standard regarding customer service.  So it would be good data for others to know if you gave them the chance to be helpful by returning or providing replacement mounting hardware and they just simply couldn't be bothered or it never got to the point of asking them for the mounting hardware after they stated the old pod would not be returned.  It's a really surprising oversight on their part since you paid for the pod.

Also, FWIW, the ONLY way you can purchase, post-warranty a new (or refurbished) replacement pod is by turning your old pod in.  So if you opt for a new or the less expensive refurbished replacement pod option (if that option still exists), then keeping the old pod is part of the out-of-warranty exchange deal, from what I recall. See this old post for more info on the Nox Pod out-of-warranty exchange deal...

While I'm not a ML fan-boy, I can see at least two reasons why they may do it this way.  First, it keeps rando people from simply buying control pods and other hardware a la cart to create Frankenox 800's for use and resale - which could also create a warranty tracking nightmare.  2nd, if the returned Pod can be legitimately factory repaired and refurbished (though unlikely with mechanical failure/crack and/or water intrusion damage) then it gives them a source of hardware for that.

HTH

[mn90403]

I dealt with PA too and perhaps it was because of still being under warranty.

[Compass]

1 hour ago, Chase Goldman said:

I personally know and have dealt with some of the PA repair facility personnel for both warranty and out of warranty repair of various ML products and am surprised they wouldn't just send you the hardware needed to make you whole.  So I was wondering whether you just asked for the old pod back (I explain why they don't return it, below) or also specifically asked them to at least send the mounting hardware back and they explicitly refused.  It's a subtle but important distinction that ultimately reflects on the repair facility's reputation and leaving that question open implies a low standard regarding customer service.  So it would be good data for others to know if you gave them the chance to be helpful by returning or providing replacement mounting hardware and they just simply couldn't be bothered or it never got to the point of asking them for the mounting hardware after they stated the old pod would not be returned.  It's a really surprising oversight on their part since you paid for the pod.

Also, FWIW, the ONLY way you can purchase, post-warranty a new (or refurbished) replacement pod is by turning your old pod in.  So if you opt for a new or the less expensive refurbished replacement pod option (if that option still exists), then keeping the old pod is part of the out-of-warranty exchange deal, from what I recall. See this old post for more info on the Nox Pod out-of-warranty exchange deal...

While I'm not a ML fan-boy, I can see at least two reasons why they may do it this way.  First, it keeps rando people from simply buying control pods and other hardware a la cart to create Frankenox 800's for use and resale - which could also create a warranty tracking nightmare.  2nd, if the returned Pod can be legitimately factory repaired and refurbished (though unlikely with mechanical failure/crack and/or water intrusion damage) then it gives them a source of hardware for that.

HTH

Thank you for those references Chase. When I called the repair facility I first asked about having my damaged 800 returned to me. When they said that it was Minelab's policy not to do so I then explained that I really just needed the 4 screws that I had threaded back into old control box. To be honest, at that time, I thought that these screws were something special and hard to find but they really are pretty common so it was no big deal to get them (m4 x 16).

I don't want to come across as being overly critical of the authorized repair facility. They are not Minelab, didn't engineer the 800 and aren't responsible for Minelab's policies. I do disagree with Minelab's claim that the 800 is fully waterproof and submersible up to 10 ft. It may be so for a while, as in my case, but I and so many others know that this waterproof integrity does not last long.

[Chase Goldman]

Thanks for following up in detail with the additional info.  I still think it's poor form they didn't send mounting hardware back to you with the replacement pod as a kit.  But if they explained it was commonly available off the shelf, I guess no biggie.  To me it's weird though for mounting bolts not to come with the replacement pod, because they made such big deal about third party mounting hardware and shafts with smaller OD's stressing the pod and causing cracks that I would think they would ensure the right bolts are included to protect themselves from future warranty claims because the wrong bolts were used.  Lesson learned:  keep your mounting hardware and probably also the lower bracket if you are sending the pod in for diagnostics and repair.

Just another head shaking interaction with ML and their reps (in this case the repair center).

[phrunt]

2 minutes ago, Chase Goldman said:

Lesson learned:  keep your mounting hardware and probably also the lower bracket if you are sending the pod in for diagnostics and repair.

Just like when you get faulty coils keep your skid plates and send it in without, the new one comes bagged with a new skid plate so at least you can get some compensation for having faulty stuff all the time.