Seems Lowrance Australia no longer have a repair facility

[NormC]

My Lowrance 527cDF iGPS (combo Sounder and GPS) recently developed problems. With the Navionics Mapcard in, the unit locks up. Take the Mapcard out and the unit works fine, but no maps.
Emailed Lowrance via their website. Got a standard response within minutes about how they valued me as a customer and they would get back to me soon. Eight weeks later, nothing further heard.

A few weeks ago, I rang Navionis and explained the problem. They said to send the card to them and they would test it. If faulty they would replace it. They tested it and say it is fine.

Yesterday, I rang Lowrance. Unit is out of warranty (by just 3 months). No, they said, they can not repair it. They no longer do repairs. But they did offer a change over service to a new unit (applies for the 2 years after warranty expires). They offered me a new unit, without transducer (apparently my current transducer will suit the new units):
HDS 5 with 3 month warranty $596
HDS 5 with full 2 year warranty and 2 year 'fixed price replacement' $681
HDS 7 with 2 year warranty etc $1,404

I'm not familiar with the new units, but after some quick Google work, I'm heading towards the HDS 5 with full warranty. Current map card will work and it seems like a good discount on buying a new unit at the retailer

Unfortunately, due to the particular problem, I will lose all my tracks and way points.

A bit frustrating that a $1,300 unit breaks down just out of warranty and there is no option for manufacturer repair. On the plus side, if all goes well, I will have a new HD unit at a reasonable price. Hope it lasts a bit longer.

Interesting that there is no longer a repair service.

Norm C

[bugman]

Norm,

I have exactly the same problem with my unit. In the end I had to get a new card. It seems there's an issue if there's any bad connection between the card and the unit.

I'm guessing everything works fine without the card. From what I have read around the place it has happened to a few of the units.

I got the same standard reply from Lowrance and after reading some of the problems with the HD series and their inability to deal with water (I'm in an open boat) I never took up their offer of an upgrade.

I bought a new card and so far - 6 months - everything is going ok.

Brett

[NormC]

I thought it was a card problem Brett and when I spoke to Navionics they suspected the same. But when I rang them while they had the card, they said that apart from their normal test procedure, they had tested the card in two different units.

I don't know anyone in the area with a unit to do my own test (I'm in a remote area of NT).

Have not heard of the problem with the HDS series in open boats (mine is open). Any further details?

Norm C

[Franco]

Had problems with Lowrance service etc in past as well - Thats why I bought hummingbird for my last 2 units - very few complaints heard re after-sales service. Fortunately as yet I haven't needed any service in the H'bird.

Hope you work it out.

[TheRealAndy]

Yup, based on all the bad press about HDS and poor lowrance service I would cut your losses and switch to something else. I have the exact same unit as you and once its spent I will not be buying lowrance gear again. Shame, cause the product when working looks great.

[peterbo3]

Try this. Get a blank card from cheapchips or similar & try to export your marks. You will need one anyway to back up your info on the new unit.

[cormorant]

Regardless of warranty teh unit is "not fit for service" uless they only build them to last XX months. I would persist and ask for a working replacement unit and card ststing aproximate use and care of your existing unit as that is what you paid for and unless they can show that some user problem caused the issue stick it to them and go via fair trading.

The fact they have a sandardised letter is pretty sad in regards to their back up

First question - How many years do they expect their units to last ? Can't they fix a simple problemor is it a design issue, production fault?

Thiss bull about upgrade - what crap . I thought they were obliged to provide service for a certain period on all product sold in Australia.

I wouldn't cop it on the chin especially when you are not the only one with the fault and that sort of money. They will surely cop a heap of bad press on forums with that atitude .

Is it worth bypassing their Aussie distibuter to get a decent resolution?

[Volcano]

I think you'll find under fair trading laws you could still get it fixed.
It all boils down to what is "a fair and expected warantable period" regardless of what warranty is offered on the item. I've had TV's replaced 18 months past warranty based on this. Check with consumer affairs/office of fair trading.

[honda900]

NormC, bugman,

before you go off half cocked, take the time to find out if it is the card or the card reader.

buy your self a sandisk 1gb card (known to work in the unit) about $10 - 20.00, export your marks to the card, backup your configuration to the card or record a sounding.

Take the card and try it in your computer, you should be able to see the files on the data card.

then if you can, borrow a map card from some one else and try it in the unit, also try your card in your mates unit.

What this will tell you is the card reader the issue or have you corrupted your map card (i suspect that you have corrupted the card). I understand that a replacement card will cost you about 180.00 so a lot cheaper than a new unit.

All navionics SD cards should be made read only when you get them. keep a spare blank card in your boat to use to record data.


Regards
HOnda.

[MikeyS]

Norm. The line "Sorry mate, out of warranty, not our problem" is a crock. As volcano and cormorant are sort of getting at, the Trade Practices Act and various state Fair trading laws imply certain warranties of "fitness for purpose", "of merchantable quality" and other terms in a contract that the vendor can't exclude. It's not the area of law I practice in but I suggest that if you can't fix the problem despite the technical suggestions people are offering, that you should get in contact with your local legal service or consumer affairs office. The warranty Lowrance, or any other vendor, offers is not the only warranty the law grants to you. You can thank the Whitlam government for that!

[NormC]

Thanks for the responses.
The problem is the unit, not the card. As said before, Navionics have tested the card. Also, if I put an SD card in the unit to save my waypoints etc, the same problem occurs, so I'm not able to save my data.

I'm starting to fear I may be throwing good money after bad with Lowrance.

After the comments above I've looked (on line) at the Humminbird 798ci SI Combo. Much more expensive ($1,629 cheapest Aust price I can find), but it has side view built in - a $900 odd add on with Lowrance. Also has two card slots, so I can save data without removing the map card.

Bit worried about blowing the budget by that much, but........................

Anyone familiar with this, or similar units.

Norm C

[pig75]

I have a 798 and love it

[wags on the water]

Norm,

With my Lowrance unit I found the sd card wouldn't work when trying to save marks. I had to buy a MMC card (128MB, 256MB and 1GB) to save my tracks and marks. Most of the standard electronics shops don't stock MMC cards. I found them at cheapchips.com.au
Here's a link http://www.cheapchips.com.au/memory?...go.x=57&go.y=3

Hope you get it sorted without costing you too many $$$.

Cheers,
Wags

[NormC]

I have a 798 and love it

Pig 75 how good is the side scan and how much do you use it. Most of our fishing is around snags for Barra and Jacks, so I figure it might e handy.

Norm C

[Franco]

Norm we used side scan barra fishing in the dams for identifying snags that actually were good underwater as opposed to just looking promising from above water - sometimes it's hard to tell. Benefit was you didn't need to go in and spook fish to check out the area. Also used it to troll weed edges and identify the little inlets in the weed where fish would be more likely to be - we could stay the same distance from the edge whilst trolling.

Am still in learning phases of H'bird use but the potential is enormous. And best of all - it works.