Suunto Cobra Problem

[Paul W]

Hi all,

I write to you from Australia - note the attached thread that I have posted on our local Dive Forum - Dive Oz, regarding my Suunto Cobra that has let me down just six months after the warranty expiry.

Here in Australia, the local distributor (Aquanaut) has refused to replace it saying "it's too hard to do stuff with Suunto", and has offered to replace my Suunto Cobra, as long as fork up another $550.....

Needless to say, that may not happen....read on friends!!

http://www.diveoz.com.au/discussion_forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10396

 

[edwinh]

I reckon Aquanaut is simply just too lazy to care for customers, or just do not want to lower their profit margin a little to help their customers. "Too hard to do stuff with Suunto" is too convenient an excuse for "please don't bother me". In fact, if you email them directly, they will ask you to send it back to them for their action.

I have had a spyder which lasted me more than 5 years and running strong. I sold it to a friend who is currently still using it with no complains. It is always serviced when I send it in to the agent for battery replacement.

A friend's Vyper died unexpectedly. The agent found that it is not user negligence induced. A brand new Vyper replacement came in few weeks after the agent emailed in on the discovered problem.

I dive the Vytec now after selling off my Spyder. After more than 100 dives, it's still going strong.

I have never encountered divers using Suunto dive comps complaining its quality and I still see Solution Alphas diving occasionally. So I definitely do not echo the Australian Suunto experience.

Dive computers need tender loving care. Sea water is not exactly very kind to electronic items. So take more care of your dive comp than you do to your regs.

 

[wylerbear]

3 and a half years, almost 300 dives on my Cobra with no problems. About 100 dives on my Suunto Mosquito with no problems either.

 

[Diver0001]

Yeah, apparently this has a lot to do with how you rinse it. In cases of both of my friends' computers the sensor had become covered with salt crystals because they had been diving intensively and either not rinsing them or rinsing them poorly.

The idea with these computers is to rinse them thoroughly in relatively warm water and that should keep the sensor clean.

R..

 

[Paul W]

Re the Cobra - I am a washaholic - all of my gear is fastidiously kept, washed after each and every dive in fresh water and hung indoors to dry after spending a little time outside to drip. I even do it when on vacation, a fact that sometimes drives my better half to despair!

Don't stray from the point, people!

The point here is that we have distributors and manufacturers supposedly supporting our local dive shop/centre - The Cobra has plainly spat the dummy after less than 3 years and the distributor wants more money and the manufacturer, to date, has said nothing.

The bottom line is that the local dive centre will suffer because of the third parties that really drive the cost of diving - I will never trust another Suunto product based on the SERVICE ATTITUDE of the distributor and the manufacturer to date.

My belief is that service is everything - local dive centres are now at the mercy of the Internet (and here we are!) and the ability of a distributor or manufacturer (or not, in this case) to support them in relationships with their clients.

It's such a shame - I am still waiting for Suunto to even utter a word, but I am expecting nothing, because after they have your money, it's over baby.

 

[Demi]

I both sell and own the suunto product line. I have been extremely happy on both ends of the boar, selling and owning. I have a cobra and have put 200 dives on it in the last year and a half. No problems. I am not going to say that I have not had cobras returned for warranty related items. They are like anything else, subject to problems. I will say that the suunto line I carry in my store brings me far less returns than any computer/guage manufacturer I have ever sold.

 

[DiverBAS]

My Cobra probably had about 200 dives on it when I experienced the same problem. While ascending from a dive the Cobra indicated a depth of zero, even though I was around 20 feet. I let it dry out for a few days, in case it was in an error mode, but when I tested it at the bottom in a pool it still showed zero.

I returned it to the LDS where I bought, who sent it to a service center on the mainland. After a month Suunto sent a new, replacement computer. If there was an explanation for the failure it never made it through the LDS people; all I got was "here's your new computer". Which was great! I appreciate Suunto standing behind their product, but it would have been nice if they replaced the whole unit instead of just the computer. I got my old, beat-up console back with a new 'puter.

I was quite happy... until 3 dives later when a leak developed in the hose where the connector rotates. Still haven't got that one fixed.

We're not fastidious in our cleaning, but our gear is rinsed (often soaked in fresh water) and hung to dry after every dive. So I can't quite believe it is salt crystalizing on the sensor.

Overall, I love my Cobra and appreciate Suunto's service. Now if only there algorithm weren't so darn conservative...

 

[jimmyboy]

Both my GF and I got Cobra's at the same time, after about 20 dives her's stopped reading depth, mine was fine. She sent it to Suunto who replaced everything, new computer and console. In this day and age ***** happens and it's nice to see a company stand behind their products no questions asked.

 

[Paul W]

Hi all,

Has anyone owning a Suunto that is 2+ years old read this thread?

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=73585&page=2&highlight=gekko

Unfortunately in Australia we haven't been good enough for such luxury..

 

[QQQ99999]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but how should a computer be washed? Should it just be soaked or is there a particular area on the Cobra to ensure is rinsed thoroughly?