Navman Plotter 5500i

[BlueJasper]

After 8 months good service it has started to malfunction. It now refuses to talk to the Navman DSC radio and struggles to get a GPS fix - often putting me in France when I'm in the U.K. I have spoken to the dealer who sold it to me, but he has asked me to contact the distributor (Plastimo) who after 6 messages have still not got back to me. I have tried the factory reset, but nothing. Where do I stand legally, am I entitlead to insist on a replacement from the dealer, or do I have to persist with the distributor?
Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[Whitelighter]

I dont know for sure but I would suggest that UK consumer law will help here. The 'contract', for want of a better word' you have is with the supplier. It is their resposibility to ensure that anything they retail is fit for the purpose for which it was sold. If your GPS is putting you in France when in the Solent, it clearly isnt doing the job you bought it for. I would persue the retailer you bought it from.

If you car goes wrong do you take it back to the garage or ring the manufacturer direct? Same with if you buy a TV from Dixons and it packs up - you are not expected to ring Sony directly!

Keep us posted, as I have the same unit and I have found it good and stable - hope this is a one of fault and not a sign of things to come.....

 

[SP2]

"often putting me in France when I'm in the U.K"

Maybe its receiving subliminal messages from St Bob?

 

[SP2]

Sorry for the last post - here is a serious response

I have a Navman 5500 which went wrong and the dealer was no trouble at all in taking it back and getting it repaired under warranty.

Your contract is with the dealer and not Plastimo so stick to your guns with them and mutter "consumer protection" at them.

I bought a NASA radio from a swindlery and performance was very poor compared with Simrad set already on board. They sent it back to NASA and NASA said it was fine. Swindlery said they would not refund or replace and demanded £20 postage costs to return it to NASA. I took the radio back and I voted with my feet and it has cost them about £4K in total lost sales. I did write to them as well with a list of all the things they could have supplied but for their arrogant approach and the boss rang up saying "isn't there anything we can do for you". Answer "NO".

Good lick and keep us posted.

 

[twisterkai]

Your contract is with the retailer, so don't let them fob you off. If you bought it using a credit card, send the retailer a 'stern' letter informing them that you're aware of your rights under section 75 of the consumer credit act. If no joy, speak to local trading standards for advice - they give excellent info & it's free - they'll give you specific info including, I'd imagine, the bits you need from the 'Sale of Goods' act etc..
Best of luck. <font color="black"> </font>

 

[DavidJ]

Agree with all the above but just to add that after 8 months use it is reasonable to accept a repair to your unit. However due to the agro you are getting I would stick out for a replacement and accept a repair as a fall back plan.
Incidently I had a similar problem with a Raymarine unit and they (the dealer) sent me a new sender unit to try out which was in fact the problem.
David

 

[Robin]

We have a 5500i in the cockpit now 18 months old and still OK touch wood, really like it. Liked it so much we bought a 5600 for the chart table which DID throw a wobbly with poor fixes, lost fixes and screen freezes. I took it to Navimo (Plastimo) in Eastleigh and they fed it new software via a user cartridge and in 2 minutes it was working fine again. Call Navimo on the phone, Paul David is one of the guys in the service department and very helpful and Mark Parkin also. It is covered by a 2 year warranty so you will not have a problem and if your supplying dealer is a swindlery rather than an electronics specialist he will only send it to Navimo himself anyway.

 

[BlueJasper]

Many thanks Robin, I have just spoken to Paul and I will be taking the unit down in person for him to have a look at on Friday. He was very helpful and thinks it could be the internal battery. I will give an update next week.

 

[coca2005]

Thanks for the positive posts, look forward to solving your problem tomorrow. I will get this sorted for you with no problems.