Raymarine - All Resolved

[Talulah]

I'm afraid to report that Raymarine's previously excellent service has let me down. They have now fallen into the 'average' bracket having previously been in the 'excellent' category.
The story so far: I upgraded the chartplotter (RC435) with the latest software off the Raymarine web site. Since the upgrade the unit no longer sent out any NMEA data. Support asked me to return the unit as they had identified a problem with certain units.
At the same time the unit developed another fault where the display would flicker on and off. The unit was repaired and I was told the unit was ready and the bill was £35. Excellent I thought. My colleague goes in to collect the unit but once there they tell him the bill is £70. The engineer had logged 1.5 hours. Half of this time was to repair the malfunction and the other half to fix the software issue. As the software issue was as a result of an incompatibilty in their software on their product I declined to pay the extra £35 and left the unit with them. The unit is just over one year old.
What now? I am waiting for them to contact me.

Raymarine have just contacted me to say a blip on their system. All sorted. Fee is £35. Confidence in Raymarine now restored.

 

[hightech]

Aren't Raymarine products covered by a two year warranty???!!!

 

[Talulah]

Do you know I have no idea. Now that would really annoy me especially as the unit has a manufactured date on it of October 2003 and they would have seen that. I had automatically assumed it was one year.

 

[jerryat]

Well my ST60 instruments, bought just under a year ago, definitely have a two year guarantee!! I reckon a check on your warranty would be worth it.

 

[Swagman]

Raymarine - True Story

I had 3 x ST60 instruments on my binnacle and guess they were as old as the 7 yo yacht - but all suffered from condensation - on one the lighting was dicky - on another one set of crystals was a solid block.

In addition our electronic compass had been set up incorrectly by previous owners for the autohelm / instrument panel - and was 180 degrees out. We had given up trying to sort that months before.

But at the start of last years Rally Portugal along came a Raymarine chappie to promote the company with an offer to check out any dicky autohelm gear FOC for participants.

Right! I whistfully pointed out the issues and poked a beer in his hand - and left him to it. Frankly did not expect much FOC.

It seemed to change the compass setting, he had to drive back to his HQ pick up a more modern control unit and return to wire it in, resolve the settings correctly, and then unwire to put back my orginal. 180 degree error sorted - so gave him another beer.

He then said he knew exactly how to sort the condensation problem - and promptly rummaged in his van and came back to install three almost new intruments which worked perfectly!

Needless to say - Raymarine as a supplier won me on that day - and when we got a new yacht early this year had no hesitation giving Raymarine a not insubstantial order for the needed electronics.

I'm not easy to deal with when supplier get things wrong - but think we are all slack in giving praise to those who seem to go that extra distance. Raymarine - for me - are in that grouping.

 

[PaulR]

Re: Raymarine - True Story

from our experience we would also sing their praises- our autohelm 4000 self steering failed (well out of warranty) dropped it into their repair facility at portsmouth and established cost (very tempting) to change it as p/ex for nicer new slimline drive system- almost dissapointed when once they had checked old unit they advised could repair it economically- all done and been better than ever for past year (still fancy the slimline new one but repair cost modest so will have to wait for it to expire!)