I really hate the idea of anything that is designed to be "unserviceable" by the end user.
Sure, I get it for most consumer stuff - You don't want to include an easy-access panel to the AC line voltage area of a washing machine, so soccer-mom minivan housewife can electrocute herself. But we racers work on our own stuff, and manufacturers of racing equipment know that.
If a battery in any part of my race operation is not field replaceable, I am not buying the product unless there is no other alternative. Period. I do not want to buy a "spare" dash panel, weather station, or anything else that I know will have to be mailed to the Mfr, just for a damned battery change. I do realize a lot of that is today's world, as I just spent $99 last weekend to have the battery replaced in my 4 year old cellphone by a local shop. Pisses me off, because my older version of the same phone had a removable battery, that you didn't need to pull the sealed glass front off to change.

I do have an Altronics hand-held unit, (the older PA2 model, that uses easily replaced 9V batteries). It is now 20 years old, and still works pretty good. 15 years ago, I sent it back to Fred for a calibration & firmware update. Price was reasonable. I cracked the case a few years ago, and they won't even service that model anymore, (but they will sell me a newer version, right?).
When I bought it, I tried to use a $100 Altronics contingency coupon I got from the NHRA for winning a race, but you had to buy direct from Altronics to use it. His price was *amazingly* $100 more than Summit, Jegs, or anyone else was charging for them. So he got the PR for being a "Contingency Sponsor" in ND mag every week, which probably brought him plenty of business, and it didn't really cost him a dime. All he had to do was give the NHRA a stack of worthless coupons, that didn't reduce the winner's cost of his product one bit. That kind of bugged me a lot.
As Bruce, Bucky & others said, treating a customer badly sours them on the experience, and will cost the business any future sales to that buyer. Not a good way to run a biz, IMHO. I think it is a whole lot easier selling again to a previously satisfied customer, then trying to capture a new one. But what do I know...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: FootbrakeJim,

quote:

Originally posted by FootbrakeJim:

When I bought it, I tried to use a $100 Altronics contingency coupon I got from the NHRA for winning a race, but you had to buy direct from Altronics to use it. His price was *amazingly* $100 more than Summit, Jegs, or anyone else was charging for them. So he got the PR for being a "Contingency Sponsor" in ND mag every week, which probably brought him plenty of business, and it didn't really cost him a dime. All he had to do was give the NHRA a stack of worthless coupons, that didn't reduce the winner's cost of his product one bit. That kind of bugged me a lot.

I will say this, you stated it probably did not cost him a dime to have Worthless NHRA contingency coupons. Remember we are talking about NHRA here and they get a huge cut off everything. Probably reason he raised price $100 was to cover NHRA charge?

Regardless I am not happy with the "Service" I got on my weather station. For the price I paid for it I expected better.

quote:

I will be doing business with Longacre / Rebco again.

Years back I bought some used scales, UPS lost 2 pads, I called Rebco looking for pads, the guy says we get stuff back for repair and sometimes it is the control box, and the customer just says forget it or will you sell me a new unit at a discount. We then scrap the aluminium pads, but let me check if we have anything that was sent in lately that we still have. Called back a couple of hours later and said he had 2 pads that were not scrapped yet and if I wanted them it was 50 bucks for both. I took them.
2 weeks later UPS "Found" the box with the other 2 pads. But they went out of their way to help me. Speaks volumes about a company.

Years later I get a chance to give kudos again to a company that is still in business.

For an update, the battery for the Rebco scales came in today. I installed it and they are working. Once again Thank you to Michael at Rebco / Longacre for Excellent and honest service.

Still have not got pile of junk weather station working.......

I left the weather station up on the trailer one night when leaving the track. Found out the wind gauge can't handle 70mph speeds and was gone when I got into town and noticed my mistake. I ordered a new wind unit from Altronics and it cost nearly $200. Found out that a company called Peet Bros. makes and sells them for $100. Even after paying the restocking fee for sending the Altronics unit back, I still saved a lot of money.

I found the batteries. They are a simple ICR18500 Li-ion battery, cost me 6.99 plus tax shipped. If it needs the protection circuit board will cost another $2.50 plus shipping. Will be here in a week or two and then have to solder the wires and put it all back together.

Will update and let you know how it works when I do get it back together. I figure I got nothing to lose to try it. Goes into trash can if it does not work.