LX-3?

[riverrat56]

So I purchased an LX-3 4 years ago and have had nothing but good things to say about it, I love the thing. But it gets used and abused as I do alot of hole hopping and am not gentle on it. Last year I noticed that my gain needed to be set higher and higher to pick up my jig and sometimes I couldn't get it at all. Then I used a VX-1 out in the boat two weekends ago and realized that it was alot better at picking up the jig than my LX-3 was, any ideas?

Do I need a new transducer? It has some surface scratches on it and the bottom edge also has a few small chips in it.

[Johnnie15]

I had the same problem with mine last winter. I sent it in, and they fixed it with no charge and no questions asked. I had it back in just over a week. I think it was a pretty common problem with the first generation of LX-3's that came out, but Marcum definitly takes care of their customers.

[riverrat56]

Johnnie, how did you contact them? Through their HSOforum?

[muc33]

Nick, same here, my LX 3tc was sent in and checked over, and 3 days later, it was back. Go to Marcum's HSOforum and then make the call they will give you a RA number and then you send it in. Made a world of difference!

[Johnnie15]

I e-mailed them for an RA #. They were bought out by Naturevision, but I think the process is the same. Go to marcum dot com and click on the customer service link.

[dairyman]

sent mine in and got it back the same week---service is great

[NCLaker]

Had the same problem on my LX-3tc. Judging by the many posts I've read the past couple of years, I think this may have been somewhat common with the LX3's.

They took care of me no charge w/o a reciept (brought it to there offices in Anoka) - this was before Nature Vision bought them. Since your's isn't technically under warrenty, they will likely charge you. If they have to replace the guts of the unit, you may want to ask if they can throw in the upgrade to "true color" as part of the repair cost. Go to the marcum HSOforum for customer service info.

I sold the unit shortly afterward, so can't say how well the fix lasted (went back to Vex )

[riverrat56]

Thanks for the help guys, I emailed them today and they said $70 for a new transducer.

[NCLaker]

I wouldn't count on it being just the transducer. If I remember correctly, I think they replaced/cleaned some components in the head unit. I think my symtoms were similar to yours described, but it also had interferance issues.

Good Luck!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Riv Rat56- You admitted in your first post that the unit was used and abused.. I would have been willing to bet that MarCum would have charged you too.. If you bought it 4 years ago, its far beyond its warranty. I dont think taking a shot at Nature Vision was warranted.

[harvey lee]

I do agree with Dietz. The unit is well out of warranty so yes, they would charge you just like any other company would to repair a product.

Nature Vision is very good at taking care of warranty issues.

[Steve Eddicus]

lol...

[so haaad]

I have had the same issue with my Marcum LX-1 transducer. I don't abuse my equipment and am already on my third transducer in four years. I recently emailed Nature Vision and got the same response as RiverRat. Nature Vision is now charging $70 for a new transducer.

I don't think RiverRat was trying to take a shot at Marcum. I think he's probably in the same boat as me and a little disappointed in the change in custumer service after they were purchased by Nature Vision. But, that's just the way it is. Many companies have changed their return policies (including St. Croix), not just Marcum.

[Northlander]

If its 4 years old I would send it in to Nature Vision and have it gone over completely before ice season. $70 for a transucer seems to be the going rate. I just paid $79 for a lowrance ducer.

It may just be a ducer but could be other issues if its been used and abused.

Marcum and Nature Vision both are stand up companies but you cant expect them to repair and or replace out of warranty units.

Just a side note: Always send in your warranty info when you get your unit. It really helps make the warranty work process go smoother if the company has that info on hand.

[DTro]

I would expect most companies are really tightening their belts (I hate that phrase) these days.

Having said that, if a transducer needs to be replaced every year, then that is another issue.

After 4 years of “use and abuse” I think $70 isn’t too bad of a price for a good working LX3.

If you feel that it really is a mfg defect and should be covered under warranty then it might be worth taking some more time to talk to the customer service dept and plead your case.

Warranty or not, if there is a known issue or mfg defect (and I’m sure they are aware of most things) it’s probably in the best interest of the company to make sure the customer is happy.

I truly believe in Karma

[riverrat56]

I wasn't trying to knock Nature Vision, I understand that they can't give new equipment away when someone has a probelm, but when hearing some people had similar repairs done for free I kinda got my hopes up.....

Also used and abused means that I happen to ice fishing 3-5 days a week and I drill a ton of holes so the LX-3 is constantly getting picked up, set down, ect.

70 bucks is alot of money for a unit that was used sparingly for the first year, and then saw increased use the last 3. I just didn't think I would run into these kinda problems this early. I have seen some FL-8's that look like they went through the meat grinder and still work great so I'm a bit disappointed.

[Northlander]

4 years on a "used and abused" unit is a lot. $70 to get it running is cheap. If I were you I would send the whole thing in, have it gone through and cleaned up and fixed like new.

Companies can not afford to give everyone free fixes on everything. That is part of why these units cost so much.

[riverrat56]

Thanks for the help guys, I emailed them today and they said $70 for a new transducer, I guess Nature Vision realized you make more money when you charge people for repairs....O well....

Northlander, Deitz, and anyone else who thinks I was trying to rip Nature Vision here tell me where I said it? I just made an observation after hearing a few people that had repairs done for free, I had hoped maybe I'd get the same. Sorry if you guys are in with Nature Vision and it pains you to hear something bad said about it (which I don't think I said??).

I guess when I drop $400 on something I expect more than 4 years out of it when it is used heavily but treated fairly decent. I don't think this is too much to expect, they wanted to make a flasher for a serious ice fisherman and this one didn't hold up to my use. That being said, I will be buying the new transducer.

So I send it in to get it "re-done" and it will cost me over $100 bucks with shipping, new transducer, and whatever else they do to it? Not worth it in my book.....I will be looking hard at a new Vexilar next time....

[tip_upclyma]

I LOVE these squabbles!!! It reminds me of Fantasy Football Smack Talk. It is obvious by this post that the ice can't come fast enough!

[riverrat56]

Not till I get my new transducer.........

I'm just trying to defend myself against people who seem to think I am out to get Nature Vision, I personally feel Marcum makes a great product, I am just disappointed that my transducer went bad this soon.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Truth, like in many rod companies, one very large manufac is making most all the tranceducers for all the companies. However at this point now, MarCum and Nature Vision are making their own.

I currently own an LX3 and an LX5 and have never had a tranceducer failure. I am sorry that you did. If you do decide to purchase a new ducer, It should come with a warranty. And you should expect it to work properly.

and yes they are a great product.. and its outside warranty. My Fuel pump on my truck should not have failed this summer while pulling my boat.. but it did..

[Deitz Dittrich]

And again, I am sorry if you felt I was attacking you. It wasn't meant to be that way. I was just trying to defend a company whom I felt wasnt in the wrong.

[DARTER]

I am sorry. I was just trying to defend a company whom I felt wasnt in the wrong.

It's O.K.

[Johnnie15]

It's just unfortunate that Marcum set the service bar so high, and Nature Vision is now in charge of cleaning up a very common problem the inherited by acquiring them. You can't blame them for charging something to repair a machine they didn't originally sell.

I'm more interested to know if the same kind of service and support will be available for people who purchase new equipment. Reading on FM about how Marcum's customer service went above and beyond is the reason I bought my LX-3.

[DTro]

Speaking for myself here, but I never thought you were out “to get” Nature Vision and I bet nobody else thought either.

There has been documented cases of Marcum (pre Nature Vision) replacing some transducers that went bad. However, after 4 years of use it’s my opinion that a replacement shouldn’t be expected. If they so choose to do that, great all better.

Try taking a 4 yr old $1500 TV back to Walmart when it breaks