Uncle Ron Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Doug, with all due respect, will you please keep your self promotion unending crap out of every freakin' thread that pops up?????????????? This is not about you or anything to do with whatever thing you're trying to promote...Thank you!...And, Admn, I hope you'll delete both Doug's last post and my reaction to it out of this thread, because it's about customers and a real live company having problems...And if Doug reacts to this, I vote he will be banned from this forum...Just my opinion...Cheers, Unc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qld Sandy Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Doug, with all due respect, will you please keep your self promotion unending crap out of every freakin' thread that pops up?????????????? This is not about you or anything to do with whatever thing you're trying to promote...Thank you!...And, Admn, I hope you'll delete both Doug's last post and my reaction to it out of this thread, because it's about customers and a real live company having problems...And if Doug reacts to this, I vote he will be banned from this forum...Just my opinion...Cheers, UncPsst Ron,Don't mention the words QED and vapour detector in the same sentence because he damn well don't like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nero_design Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 I second Uncle Ron's comment above. Locally the so-called QED has been referred to as an "LRL on a stick"... and whilst that's amusing to imagine, nobody knows if or when it will be released. And whilst I'm sure the "creators" of this mythical machine are happy to talk it up online, I'm sure that if it ever gets launched it will have an opportunity to stand up for itself - until then, we can only use what is currently available. Gold Guru: I LIKE the idea of some of the older detectors still being used to good effect by their owners. I also think that the prices of ANY mechanical appliance generally reflect the current demand ...so if a unit is too expensive, there's usually another alternative or brand that will appeal to the buyer. I was one of the first users of Apple Computers and the iPod and I was mocked by a large number of people for spending so much money on them to begin with (their prices have dropped considerably btw). My proficiency with these products has now led to the creator and founder of Apple (Steve Jobs) to use my work to promote his products during his annual Keynote address announcements. My work on just a little old iMac generated tens of millions of revenue for my employers at the time and I've since gone solo. By investing in the best equipment, I was able to generate a higher income and more streamlined workflow. This is often what drives Prospectors who will stop at nothing to obtain what they believe is the best coils and the best detectors in order to maximize their success. If you think prices of certain models are too steep, they you can exercise your right buy buying a less expensive alternative or write to the manufacturer to request an explanation. The same goes for product support and warranty concerns.As for the recent comment by Minelab in relation to the servicing (or not) of older detectors, this doesn't affect detectors made in recent years and it certainly doesn't reflect on detectors still under their warranties. Heck, it doesn't even apply to detectors that are 10 (or more) years old. What they're saying is that those detectors from the early generations (1980s) are getting old. They apparently don't see a need to continue to repair and maintain these things if they are 25 years old or so.... especially with so many that are simply not worth the cost of repair compared to their value. Better, units are available today at lesser costs. If you want to maintain that 26 year old GS 15000, you may need to buy up some spare parts for it while you can. If you break it or if it breaks in usage or just from old age and corrosion on the exposed elements, you'll just have to contact someone who repairs these things. For the life of me I just can't fathom why people insist that the manufacturer take responsibility for these things that are over a quarter of a century old.If you expect a manufacturer to continue to support a machine that is 25 years old, then you are (respectfully) delusional. This week I saw both an air conditioner and an office photocopier receive their last repairs because these parts are no longer made. Those two items aren't more than 5 or 6 years old and they cost as much as the detector we are talking about (the copier was a lot more!). A lot of users with detectors send them in for repairs and claim that "they just stopped working"... yet when they get opened, and seawater and beach sand comes out, it's pretty apparent that the detector took a swim. I had a guy tell me he was irate because his grand-kids pulled the coil connection wire out of his favourite search coil and he just couldn't understand why it wouldn't be covered by warranty. Imagine thousands of such cases. Now the older plastics that were used on the discontinued detectors probably had little or no UV resistant inclusions so the cases become brittle or cracked over decades. Some that were kept in good condition and were not dropped or mistreated continue to operate well even today. Think about how many of these things get dropped and clipped by picks. Imagine the extreme temperatures involved in some cases and then try to envision how that must effect the sensitive electronics within the housing. Detectors aren't like other appliances and they do tend to suffer more than any other type of equipment with their use. The older detectors have been through countless revisions before evolving into the models available today. It's probably also more cost effective to build and maintain digital Where's the outrage over Analogue televisions no longer being supported by the manufacturers? Now that Digital televisions are available, do you honestly expect Sony, Phillips and Samsung to consider maintaining or repairing your old relic that was purchased just 5 years ago? I rang Sony today just to see what they'd say and was told that I'd need to contact a local repairman for cathode ray televisions since the parts were "no longer made". The argument over detector parts seems to be derailing and concentrating instead over whether this is a case of parts being unavailable or something else altogether. I don't know what the answer is. But since I no longer own or use these older detectors, perhaps I'm not nearly as bothered by those of you who do.Even 5 years of reliable use is usually beyond the needs and expectations of a professional Prospector, many of whom will trade up when a new model comes along anyway. But most of us who hang onto a good detector expect at least 10 or 12 years of life out of it and that's easy to maintain just by taking care of the unit. However, a quarter of a century is a little ambitious and for this reason, I don't see a problem (not even in the slightest) for those with ancient detectors who can trade up or replace it with something built with in the 21st century. I guess time will tell if the decision was sound and I see no obvious issue with it myself. It almost seems surprising they didn't do this long ago.Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inhere Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 " They stated to me that Ireland and Australia don't stock the older electronic components, so they decided to stop servicing the older detectors. "Rob, doesn't minelab realize that some upstart Americans began a quite successful parts delivery service....I think they're called UPS , and they do service countries like Ireland and Australia!!! ... And, by the way, they, unlike some other companies, do indeed understand and deliver excellent customer servce, so farflung MineLab outposts can get these "hard to find" parts...By the way, service is often one of the most profitable arms of a company when dealing with out of warranty repairs...No one's asking ML to do it for freakin' free! Generally, metal detectors, unlike automobiles, do not have service shops around the country.And one other thing...Why did MineLab simply drop the bomb on us, rather than saying something to the effect that after a certain date they would no longer take care of their customers with older, but quite capable machines??? I mean, for example, my issues are simply that my balancing pots are worn, sloppy and noisy and my internal tuning pot broke loose...The rest of the machine is awesome--I can work around the pots issue, for now, but the day I can't, well, MineLab will hear it in all their "farflung" locations!......"MineLab--for serious detectorists"--who don't mind eventually having a disposable detector! Not so much "Cheers" on this one...UncG'day uncle Ron,Your problems should be easy to fix, just go here:http://www.minelabmods.com/joomla/ and ask Ismael what the value of the parts are, buy them over there and get any tech to replace them.Should keep you going for another 10 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qld Sandy Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 If only you really knew rather than your unsubstantiated speculation! :lol:all the best ,dougMarshall,Please watch my lips carefully as I say this. I really don't give a rodent's thingo what you blokes think, or what you think you might have blindly stumbled onto. Remember the "Nemesis" and who's "Nemesis" it actually was. If you think that I might be enticed into buying one, at whatever LOW price that it is believed it can be assembled or sold for then I must say,---- Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha. ROTHLMAO.The discussion here was about Minelab's decision to stop servicing older detectors, which I don't personally agree with, but can see where they are coming from. It may be the opening for someone, or several persons that have the ability and the know-how to do the repairs, and even (shudder) mods, to create for themselves a niche. With the excellent service we have these days between countries, I don't see why it should be a problem with repairs being done overseas. I would suggest that people look at Ismael and the link that Inhere put up as a possible source. I don't know the man at all, have never conversed with or met him, but from what I see him write on the forums, I would certainly give him a go if I had an older machine that needed attention, or at the very least contact him and make my own decision.As to the "vapour detector". YAWN.Cheers to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 I agree with Uncle Ron. Anybody that wants to read about your new detector now has the link. It sure gets old scrolling down through all your crap to find a post that is worth reading.Cheers,Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reno Chris Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 What they're saying is that those detectors from the early generations (1980s) are getting old. They apparently don't see a need to continue to repair and maintain these things if they are 25 years old or so.... nero_design: Sure, if ML were announcing that they were no longer supporting any detectors which were more than 25 years old, I don’t think there would be the slightest peep over it. But that is nothing like what is actually happening. Because apparently you have no background or knowledge on the history of these detectors, let me offer some help. You need to know that NONE of the SD detectors came out in the 1980s. None of them are 25 years old, none are even 20 years old, in fact none are even 15 years old. The now unsupported 2100e was made and sold new until 2001, so the last of these now unsupported detectors are only about 8 years old. Just as a History lesson on Minelab PIs: Detector ******Release date ************Sold new until approx. SD2000 ..............3/1995 .................................10/1996 SD2100 ..............8/1996 .................................8/1998 SD2200 ..............4/1998 ................................10/2001 SD2100e ............8/1998 ................................10/2001 GP Extreme ........4/2001 ................................12/2003 GP 3000 .............8/2003 ................................10/2005 GP3500 ..............8/2005 ................................12/2006 GP4000 ..............10/2006 ................................8/2008 GP4500 ..............4/2008 ..............................Current model Because ML will now only support their detectors for a limited short life, owning an ML prospecting detector just got even more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest goldstudmuffin Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 25 years old. nero_design must have some connection with Minelab. Luckily I just had my green SD 2100 repaired last summer, the repair bill was around $240. So it should be good for another 5 years or so. Heck... maybe I'll just part it out like an antique car! The parts on my SD 2100 could be worth more than a new GP 5000! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted July 2, 2009 Author Admin Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Hello Guys, I've always tried to be very upfront and honest and this is the reason I posted this thread when I received the letter from Minelab USA. I'm still a bit confused myself why they would discontinue service on older Minelab metal detectors when they charged for the parts and labor. If I find out more about this, I will let everyone know. For the time being, this thread is now becoming a place for outsiders to promote their detectors, or should I say detectors we will never see! I'm still waiting on that Titan, the owner promised I would see it .... Oh, that was about 4 years ago now. P.S. The Service Department stated they are still doing service repairs on the Minelab SD2100 and SD2200v2 models. Hope you all understand.Rob Allison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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