Lowrance Warning!

Lowrance Warning!

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Lowrance Warning! - 11/5/2009 10:42:22 AM

Stevoaw

Posts: 16
Joined: 9/26/2003
Status: offline

I purchased a new Lowrance HDS 7 in May of this year. I wanted to be able to have the upgraded bathymetric maps for all the lakes I fish with structures and most importantly depth contours so I paid an extra $200 to get the Insight mapping installed on the unit. In August the unit turned itself on then turned itself off while waiting to launch the boat and would never turn back on. I called Lowrance and in a little more than three weeks had a brand new unit shipped to me. I haven?t been able to get out fishing since I got my new unit back until this past Sunday. While out on Lake Erie I noticed I had no bathymetric features and only a spot depth sounding every now and then. I made sure all the features were enabled and still could not get it to show me any information that I NEED to troll a shoreline or contour break effectively.

The following day I call Lowrance to see what is up with this unit and I am told that their contract with the mapping vendor they were using ran out and it would be way too expensive for them to resign with that same vendor. They said since they did not resign they are not allowed to load the new units with any of that old software and there are many features that are not available since this change. I ask the guy if there are any plans to fix this and I get the response that more than likely in the future they will be signing with another mapping vendor. Well, I need depth contours on my GPS so I immediately ask the guy if I can have a refund for this unit because it is not the same as what I purchased at all and never would have purchased it without these features. He says no. I then ask if I can at least be refunded the money I paid for the Insight software since obviously none of those mapping features are available to me now. He says no. I then ask him if they are offering any type of compensation for them being at fault for crippling a fishfinder/GPS that I paid $1,270 for. He then rudely says that there is nothing that they can do for me.

I have always been a supporter of Lowrance until now. I have never had a problem with any of my older LCX-15mt units and any time I had a technical question I didn?t mind waiting on the phone 10-30 minutes to talk with someone because they always had answers. This issue has prompted me to read many discussion boards and I am seeing that it is very common that people have to send in these HDS units and many of them are getting treated poorly. I have also read many reports of people going through two or three of these units in a season. That is a month without a fishfinder/gps every time! If I wanted a fishfinder only I would have bought a Furuno which I will be doing as soon as I get rid of the HDS 7. And not surprisingly the separate GPS unit that I buy WILL NOT be a Lowrance!

I have attached pictures of what I paid for and then what the crap looks like that they sent me to replace what I paid for.

Attachment (1)

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RE: Lowrance Warning! - 11/5/2009 10:46:34 AM

Stevoaw

Posts: 16
Joined: 9/26/2003
Status: offline

Here is the picture of the unit they sent back to me without any of the features I paid for.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to Stevoaw)

Post #: 2

RE: Lowrance Warning! - 11/5/2009 11:18:45 AM

harrypelles

Posts: 806
Joined: 1/9/2007
From: Mercer, PA
Status: offline

That is sickening, man. Companies like that irk me to no return.

Have you tried calling back and asking to speak with supervisor? Or the supervisor's supervisor? Or customer support manager?

For almost $1300, I'd be going to the website and emailing every address I could find, every day, until something was done (refund/return preferably). In addition, I'd keep calling. The guy you were talking to - was he a representative of Lowrance or just some kind of call-center service guy (not employed by Lowrance)?

I actually just stopped and browsed their website. Pretty slim-pickins for contact info. Maybe threaten them with a BBB complaint? The company I used to work for took those serious. When someone would file a BBB complaint, they'd bend over and kiss butt to get the customer happy again.

Just my $0.02. Good luck and I hope you can find some way to get your money back. Keep us posted.

(in reply to Stevoaw)

Post #: 3

RE: Lowrance Warning! - 11/5/2009 11:26:23 AM

pghmarty

Posts: 5338
Joined: 12/5/2004
From: Bradford Pa then Pittsburgh
Status: offline

Call credit card

_____________________________

(in reply to harrypelles)

Post #: 4

RE: Lowrance Warning! - 11/5/2009 12:35:05 PM

SwimFishieSwim

Posts: 30
Joined: 3/19/2007
Status: offline

Definetily go with a Better Business Bureau complaint. Companies **** their pants when they get a complaint from them. I just filed one recently with IBM for a laptop and the head of customer relations called me the very next day and offered a 20% discount.
Note that my issue was related to delayed shipping, and was a joke in comparisson to yours. So you definetily should have more leverage.
Worst case scenario, you can sue them. After all that is a $1300 unit and you paid for something you didn't receive!

(in reply to pghmarty)

Post #: 5

RE: Lowrance Warning! - 11/5/2009 1:51:37 PM

harrypelles

Posts: 806
Joined: 1/9/2007
From: Mercer, PA
Status: offline

Yeah, the credit card companies would go after them too maybe. Usually that only works when you have a failed return or something damaged or something you didn't order.

Might try returning it first with a letter requesting full refund (register the return). If you don't hear back (or back satisfactory) your credit card company might be able to issue a chargeback.

Or you could threaten to call your credit card company. I used to work in credit card fraud and the issuing banks always seemed to have itchy trigger fingers when it came to chargebacks. People mentioning chargebacks might make any customer service manager itchy.

Here's a BBB search result for the Tulsa, Oklahoma address:

http://www.bbb.org/tulsa/business-reviews/marine-electronic-equipment-and-supplies/navico-in-tulsa-ok-18224043

(Navico aka Lowrance)

It has more on company people, contact info, and past complaints and their result.

(in reply to SwimFishieSwim)

Post #: 6

RE: Lowrance Warning! - 11/5/2009 3:02:45 PM

pghmarty

Posts: 5338
Joined: 12/5/2004
From: Bradford Pa then Pittsburgh
Status: offline

Lowrance Customer Service SUCKS.

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3173002/Lowrance_Customer_Service_SUCK

(in reply to harrypelles)

Post #: 7

RE: Lowrance Warning! - 11/5/2009 6:04:22 PM

gusgus637

Posts: 62
Joined: 1/17/2003
Status: offline

hop onto www.bassboatcentral.com and check out their msg board. http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zeroforum?id=13

you can find just about every thing you want to know about these units. I am on my second HDS-7 and my second HDS-5. There are a couple individuals at lowrance that bend over backwards for just about everyone. I had less than a week turn around on both of my units. My HDS 7 filled with water, so i took it back to where i got it Three Rivers Marine in Pittsburgh. Justin replaced it right then and there. My HDS 5 then when out and Justin did not have any left in stock, so i sent it back to Lowrance, and within 7 days i had my new HDS 5 on my doorstep. If none of that helps you need to call and talk to Linda Colt She is by far the best person to deal with.

Linda Colt
Customer Service Department
12000 East Skelly Drive
Tulsa, Ok 74128
1-800-324-1356 #8747
Direct line 918-438-8747
Fax 918-234-1745
Email: linda.colt@navico.com

(in reply to pghmarty)

Post #: 8

RE: Lowrance Warning! - 11/5/2009 6:06:29 PM

mothermoose

Posts: 67
Joined: 3/25/2008
Status: offline

I Feel your PAIN man. I have the same story with my lowrance. It turned on and off, the power button was stuck . Then they sent me a piece of junk that would not read my navionics card properlly. I sent it back 3 times now being without it for 3 weeks at a time. To make a long sad,mad story shorter, Lesssen learned no more lowrance on my boat. If it makes you feel any better I put it on fence post and shot it many times( until I ran out of bullits)and drank a few brews.

MM

_____________________________

What's another hunded dollors,when we are spending thousands, I mean THOUSANDS.

(in reply to pghmarty)

Post #: 9

RE: Lowrance Warning! - 11/5/2009 6:12:13 PM

bulldog1

Posts: 1782
Joined: 6/5/2008
Status: offline

Personally I've had good experiences with them, but I don't have the new HD models. I've had them send me, free of charge, new transdeucers for units that were out of warranty. Guess I'll stay away from the HD series. Hope you get it straightened out.

(in reply to mothermoose)

Post #: 10

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