garimpo 2,282 Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 In July 2011 my GPX 4000 went Tango Uniform (toes up)(dead) so having heard so many bad reportsabout the bad service in Downers Grove in Illinois I emailed Minelab in Australia and quickly receiveda reply from Nenad Lonic....here's what he said:Hello Don,Sorry to hear your 4000 has developed a fault. Do you still have the push button On/Off? If so, then this is a known problem, and we replace these with a Spring Loaded toggle switch.Unfortunately the forums show a few bad reports of the US service center, but don’t indicate all the happy customers.If you send your detector to the US service center, I’m sure they can repair your unit, and return it to you in a timely fashion.I’vie cc’d Jeff Otero in, and he can advise the correct address to send your unit to.Best regards,Nenad Lonic TECHNICAL SALES REPRESENTATIVEAfter receiving Mr. Lonic's reply on July 14 I also received this email from Jeff Otero in the repaircenter with this message:Don I will put your machine into special attention to reduce the time on the turn around, Special attention goes right to the techs desk. The repair itself will depend on what specifically is wrong with the machine and if the tech can repeat the symptom right away. Either way the repair would most likely be done that day and sent out, that is if the machine comes in early enough in the day to start the repair. The serial number is the barcode number.So after receiving those two emails on July 14 I mailed my GPX 4000 to them on July 15....on the 25th of July Mr. Lon Ambercrombie emailed this message to me:Mr. Martin,Good morning, my name is Lon Abercrumbie and I am the Customer Service Specialist here at Minelab. This is a confirmation email informing you that we have received your detector in for repair. Your RMA number is 7959, that is our tracking number here at Minelab. The turnaround time on our ground detectors are 10-15 business days and on Excalibur detectors it is 30-40 business days. When your detector is on the table for repair the technicians will either email you or place a phone call to inform you that you detector is ready for repair. Feel free to contact me anytime at this email address if you have any additional questions.Then on July 27 I received this email from Jeff Otero:Don-Darin has uncovered the problem with your machine at this point. Unfortunately the repair is very difficult and time consuming as it involves board level component replacement. The cost of the parts is minimal but the amount of labor, time wise would be at least 4 hours, possibly more. At minimum the charge for labor would be $300 with the possibility of more. If the labor extends further than that we will inform you of that, for further approval. Please let us know if you would like us to proceed.Jeff OteroThen 8-1-11 Darin Brown posted me this message:Don-To replace the ribbon cable, change a board component and install a new toggle switch with labor and shipping your total is going to run 493.53. When you are ready please call Mary Oster at 630-401-8154 to arrange payment.Regards,Darin D. BrownCustomer Care Technician, Minelab AmericasThen after several other emails to figure out the shipping method I get this email on 8-2-11:Hello Don,Your total, which includes shipping, is $404.53 USD.Please respond with your visa card number and billing address.Thank you,Mary OsterFinance & Administration AssistantMinelab Americas, Inc.Then the acknowledgment of the shipping:DonYour machine has shipped. Below is the USPS tracking information. If you have any questions please let me know.EC970684275USThanksMikeMichael JonesThen on 10-3-11 I receive this email from the customs people here in Brazil...without boring you withall the boring details what it says is they want a receipt where I paid Minelab...also I should registerwith the postal authorities(I did) and I also sent them a receipt marked "paid"...then they wanted meto send them a copy of my bank statement showing where I paid Minelabe...I emailed them they Iwouldn't give them the whole page of my bank statement but I did copy and email them the one lineshowing where I paid Minelab...I did everything this Mr. Faila in customs wanted but then he saidnone of it was good enough so he sent my GPX 4000 back to Minelab...turns out this Mr. Faila is awolf in sheep's clothing....for the first several emails they were all in Portuguese then all of a suddenhe started his emails in perfect English...A.. H...On 11-4-11 another email from Darin Brown:We have it.Darin BrownCustomer Care TechnicianThen again on 11-7-11 this from Darin Brown:I’m going to check it this morning. Then myself, Jeff and Mike will figure out how we are going to send it back. We’ll keep you posted.Darin BrownCustomer Care TechnicianAs you can see up until now this entire thing has taken just short of four months...I've had emailsfrom 7 different folks at Minelab Americas repair....who ever said they couldn't get a reply fromMinelab must have been doing something wrong...although they have some new people there nowand things are certainly going better...now for the big number one surprise....since the folks in therepair center was trying to figure out how they were going to get my detector back to me Jeff Oteroand Ricardo Coelho(Sales Director - Latin America) ....HAND DELIVERED MY GPX 4000 TO ME TODAY 11-18-11 HERE IN URUACU, BRAZIL!!!!I my opinion the repair center did a good turnaround...great communications and now I'm ahappy camper...even with my forced down time to get healed up... Link to post Share on other sites
Lve2fsh 71 Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 darn Don that's a long story. Glad to hear you got it fixed and back. Now get well and get out to use it. Next door to the post office in Vegas there is a Minelab office, I don't know what they do there but I stopped and talked to them and they took my detector, sent it back east to get fixed and then called me to find out where to mail it to. I told them I was across the street and walked over and got it. So my dealings with them so far are OK. Link to post Share on other sites
Rodd in B.C. 13 Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 DonThat's quit e story with a happy ending< hope U get to use it soon..Rodd Link to post Share on other sites
garimpo 2,282 Posted November 19, 2011 Author Share Posted November 19, 2011 DonThat's quit e story with a happy ending< hope U get to use it soon..RoddYea Rodd...I think by the time I get to use it I can also use the 4000!!!! Link to post Share on other sites
garimpo 2,282 Posted November 19, 2011 Author Share Posted November 19, 2011 Gregg when I was talking to the Rep. yesterday he mentioned they had an office in Vegas but I failed to ask anydetails about it...maybe today or tomorrow....Something else that may be good to remember is when I stored my batteries for the 4000...one was the originalbattery for the 4000 and my reserve is a 5000 batt. and I gave each a full charge but then yesterday when I wasgoing to check out the 4000 neither batt. would even turn it on....surprising it only took them both about 30 minutesto reach full charge again....So after four months the Lithiumion batt. will fall below the required 7.2 volts for operation.... Link to post Share on other sites
El Dorado 964 Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Get that 4000 a frequent flier card! It has made 5 trips either to or from Brazil and the US and one trip from AU to the US.... Link to post Share on other sites
garimpo 2,282 Posted November 19, 2011 Author Share Posted November 19, 2011 Get that 4000 a frequent flier card! It has made 5 trips either to or from Brazil and the US and one trip from AU to the US....Not a bad idea there El D......especially since the Doc told me to take it very easy for the first month...and that'stoday....then he said for the next two months to take it easy....Ok....so today Anesio said the road that is normally rough as a cob has been graded and it's ok now...so tomorrowI'm head for the "red dirt hell" to test the repaired 4000....I'll use a small coil and take it easy....Oh flak....took your advise about the walking....in two days I'm up to 1/2 a mile...sure pains me to go past thathouse of the 29 year old divorcee that I've been walking to at the end of my block.... Link to post Share on other sites
frank c 966 Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 What a freakin nightmare story. Link to post Share on other sites
Terry Soloman 905 Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Don! After reading that I need a cigarette and a nap! Wholee-Khrap! My first divorce was less of a hassle! :lol: Link to post Share on other sites
MacGump 113 Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Not a bad idea there El D......especially since the Doc told me to take it very easy for the first month...and that'stoday....then he said for the next two months to take it easy....Ok....so today Anesio said the road that is normally rough as a cob has been graded and it's ok now...so tomorrowI'm head for the "red dirt hell" to test the repaired 4000....I'll use a small coil and take it easy....Oh flak....took your advise about the walking....in two days I'm up to 1/2 a mile...sure pains me to go past thathouse of the 29 year old divorcee that I've been walking to at the end of my block.......walking past the house gives you good reason to pass it one more time on the way back home. Link to post Share on other sites
garimpo 2,282 Posted November 20, 2011 Author Share Posted November 20, 2011 ...walking past the house gives you good reason to pass it one more time on the way back home. Voice of experience there huh Mac.... Link to post Share on other sites
garimpo 2,282 Posted November 20, 2011 Author Share Posted November 20, 2011 0800 picked up the #2 grand-pa Anesio...headed East straight away....went through the Military Police barricadeno problem....across the big bridge....a few minutes later the first turn into "oro fina" only about 8 more miles to goof the dirt road that Anestio said was just graded....PSA time: if you have body parts that hurt with every little chug hole in the road DON'T take the word of someonethat has NEVER driven a car and NEVER will....the bicycle he has is 26 years old and is still a challenge...westarted down the dirt aka muddy road that sure nuff was graded about 10 rains ago....pot holes and rain run offtrenches everywhere....but I kept thinking this is still better than the "friggin house"...that was my thinking for thefirst mile....six miles later and passing the two houses where killers struck two months ago and beat one old manseverly and put him in ICU....the other one they just used a shot gun on...RIP in peace old timer...only two moremiles to the red dirt hell....the last 1/4 mile was the worst....pulled in as close to the big hole as I dared and wasnow thinking "just get me back to the house in one piece dear Lord"....Got out and got Anesio going with the GP3500....got my GPX 4000 out and got suited up and ready to go....BOOM...thunder and a solid line of rain about one mile away....still beats sitting in that "jail house of sorts"....Thirty minutes later and four pieces of iron from the dozer blade the lightening was every few seconds so decidedI had better get back to "home sweet home"....and a frig full of new beers.... Link to post Share on other sites
garimpo 2,282 Posted November 20, 2011 Author Share Posted November 20, 2011 I've yet to get past that house Mac.....she had this T-shirt on today... Link to post Share on other sites
Terry Soloman 905 Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 I've yet to get past that house Mac.....she had this T-shirt on today...LOL! I am so stealing this for my Facebook page! Link to post Share on other sites
MacGump 113 Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 I've yet to get past that house Mac.....she had this T-shirt on today... I do try to be careful---wear sunglasses and other tricks---if my wife catches my eyes drifting there is hell to pay. Thinking of getting her this shirt Link to post Share on other sites
Patrick in Havasu 394 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Well Don. I'm sure happy to see you have your priorities straight as to what type of "STUFF" to keep in your fridge.Patrick..... Link to post Share on other sites
garimpo 2,282 Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 Morning Patrick...I believe that the older we get the more important priorities are in life...A special entire rack in the frig for the beer....One for the spicy hot mayonnaise next to the sandwich material....Beef jerky for a en route to the hunt area snack....Back seat of the P/U is for beeping gear....people want to ride...get in the back...if raining wait for the bus...Where I put my gear in the house is where I want it....NOT open for debate....Don't pay attention to the beeping on the computer...it's just saying time to re-stock the beer...When I bring nuggets home I'll do the cleaning...thank you very much!!!Don't anybody dare touch or for sure don't move any of my "man stuff"....And always keep an open mind to add to this list at a moments notice!!!! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Furness 1,511 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 :) :) :) :) Link to post Share on other sites
Au Seeker 3,086 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Morning Patrick...I believe that the older we get the more important priorities are in life...A special entire rack in the frig for the beer....One for the spicy hot mayonnaise next to the sandwich material....Beef jerky for a en route to the hunt area snack....Back seat of the P/U is for beeping gear....people want to ride...get in the back...if raining wait for the bus...Where I put my gear in the house is where I want it....NOT open for debate....Don't pay attention to the beeping on the computer...it's just saying time to re-stock the beer...When I bring nuggets home I'll do the cleaning...thank you very much!!!Don't anybody dare touch or for sure don't move any of my "man stuff"....And always keep an open mind to add to this list at a moments notice!!!!X10 here at my home as well, it took a little while for all to learn and know this, but it is my law and it stands!!Skip Link to post Share on other sites
garimpo 2,282 Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 X10 here at my home as well, it took a little while for all to learn and know this, but it is my law and it stands!!SkipSame here Skip.... L-R....boots.. canteen pouch...GPS...camera on one kitchen chair ready to go...three other chairs for two peopleso why the drama? Link to post Share on other sites
El Dorado 964 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Hey... that's my chair! Link to post Share on other sites
garimpo 2,282 Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 Your right El. D.....I forgot about that....hope you don't mind me hanging my gear on it since your not usingit....course you can fix that anytime you want.... Link to post Share on other sites
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