Eagle FF help

After a couple of seasons, my Eagle Fisheasy 240 stopped working.  I was trying to get in touch with the company to see if it is worth repairing and discovered that their service can't even be put in the category of "service."  They truly suck. 

You can't get in touch with them in any way.  The phone line is busy every time I call.  And their online method of getting an RMA doesn't function.

So 2 questions for anyone who knows.  Is there a way I don't know about to get in touch with these morons?  And, if I have to buy another, which company gives good service?

Also, anyone know if it's worth repairing a unit that only costs 120 buck new?

Dave

Sorry to hear that, Dave.  I have mine now, and I'm looking at it like, how F#$%ing long is that going to last with ME at the helm?...  I've decided it's disposable and I hope to get a couple seasons out of it.

anyone know if it's worth repairing a unit that only costs 120 buck new?

It's probably isn't, but let us know what happens.   

My Fisheasy 240 has been bomb proof for about 5 years now.  Using Dielectric Grease on the connectors is key... and apart from that, it's taken many a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.

I just purchased a Fisheasy 245DS for $99 online with free shipping (www.sheels.com).  Great value IMHO.

Never had to deal with customer service... nothing worse than bad customer service.

EK

Damn, I hate places that have terrible customer service, so frustrating.  When I finally go FF I'm planning on getting the West Marine warranty so I can replace my FF every time it breaks/dies from the salt. 

My Fisheasy 240 has been bomb proof for about 5 years now.  Using Dielectric Grease on the connectors is key... and apart from that, it's taken many a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.

EK

and mine(thanks for the recomendation EK!) has been bomb proof for 3.5 years and out on the water for over 1000miles. I rinse it every trip and dielectric the FF port and push it down the female connectors with a needle(the salt will eat it up quick) twisting the needle and pulling out the dirty dielectric grease.

you'll spend about the same on trying to repair it.....get a new one and treat it like a family memeber this time. 

Damn, I hate places that have terrible customer service, so frustrating.  When I finally go FF I'm planning on getting the West Marine warranty so I can replace my FF every time it breaks/dies from the salt. 

Probably a good idea after my follow-up here:  Finally got through to their service department after waiting an hour on the phone.  Here's the "service:"  They will give me a new FF for $112 of the same model (240) - which they don't make anymore.  I paid $119 for it new 2 years ago - and the 320 goes for $119 right now new from kayak fishing stuff.com.

So that's the great service to their customer on a 2 year old unit.  They will sell me a discontinued new one for 7 bucks less than I paid for the original.  All I have to do is send in the old one via UPS (at my cost).  What a frigging deal.

So, I was thinking cheap is best on these things, but now I'm thinking customer service is important - and I'm willing to pay some for it.  Who does good customer service?

get the one EK recommened and do what everyone else recommended. Clean&protect the connectors and you'll be saving money, time&hassles.IF/ when it breaks (did you see the over five years and 1000mi+ bombproof testimony?)
or you can spend more $$$ and if you don't maintain it, you'll be needing that $$$ customer service very soon.

and it sees fish and shows them well.....best deal in a cheap package! (IMHO)

get the one EK recommened and do what everyone else recommended. Clean&protect the connectors and you'll be saving money, time&hassles.IF/ when it breaks (did you see the over five years and 1000mi+ bombproof testimony?)
or you can spend more $$$ and if you don't maintain it, you'll be needing that $$$ customer service very soon.

and it sees fish and shows them well.....best deal in a cheap package! (IMHO)

I'm gonna need that kind of butt-chewin' in record time!  An Abking is way worse than a bomb...   

no chewing of but.....just being Real!! 
and YOU BETTER clean yours too! or you'll be disposing that one soon too.  

I did all that good stuff every time I used it, although the thing did get washed in the surf a few times.  I dunno, sometimes you win and sometimes you don't.

Update:  I took the thing apart figuring it was a lost cause and maybe there might be something obvious I can fix.  Well, the problem was obvious, but it wasn't something I (or probably anyone else) could fix.  The housing leaked.  The circuit board was corroded along the bottom from the seal that apparently leaked a bit.

Last season, after a particularly rough trip, I noticed some fogging on the display.  I thought about opening it up, but was warned it may violate the warranty.  I just put it in warm place and the fogging went away.  I should have opened it.  I have no idea if this is common with eagles or my bad luck.

My Fisheasy 240 has been bomb proof for about 5 years now.  Using Dielectric Grease on the connectors is key... and apart from that, it's taken many a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.

I just purchased a Fisheasy 245DS for $99 online with free shipping (www.sheels.com).  Great value IMHO.

Never had to deal with customer service... nothing worse than bad customer service.

EK

ditto for me...grease is the key. Slather that baby up!

Update:  I took the thing apart figuring it was a lost cause and maybe there might be something obvious I can fix.  Well, the problem was obvious, but it wasn't something I (or probably anyone else) could fix.  The housing leaked.  The circuit board was corroded along the bottom from the seal that apparently leaked a bit.

Last season, after a particularly rough trip, I noticed some fogging on the display.  I thought about opening it up, but was warned it may violate the warranty.  I just put it in warm place and the fogging went away.  I should have opened it.  I have no idea if this is common with eagles or my bad luck.

From what I can tell, this isn't very common with the Eagles.  They seem to have had a very good track record of being durable.  I experienced this very same issue with a Humminbird Pirhana fishfinder before I had my Eagle.  Lots of people had this problem with the Pirhana's.  Screen fogging up is the sign... I remember that with the Pirhana too.  Now we know what to look for.

Also, on the Eagle Fisheasy 240, there is a separate plug receptacle for the speed/temp transducer.  I remember that I plugged it permanently with silicone to prevent any potential corrosion or water intrusion issues. Did you do the same?  On the 245 DS there is only one plug so this issue goes away.

Also, on the Eagle Fisheasy 240, there is a separate plug receptacle for the speed/temp transducer.  I remember that I plugged it permanently with silicone to prevent any potential corrosion or water intrusion issues. Did you do the same?  On the 245 DS there is only one plug so this issue goes away.

Yeah, on the advice of folks on this board I filled it with silicone.  The leak occurred along the very bottom of the rubber seal, which looked less beefy than I imagined it would be.  I wonder if there's something you can use to beef up the seal?  Like maybe a strip of Gorilla Duct Tape?

Anyway, the lesson here is if you see fogging, get that that case open right away.  Fog means bad seal.

I have a 245 and it worked well for 3 yrs which was about a year ago,then it would not read depth so I called Eagle and the guy told me how to start the test menu on the unit and sent me a link. I ran the test menu and found that the unit was not communicating with the transducer. It rebooted and has been working fine for a year now. I thought Eagle's CS was pretty good spending time with me on one of the cheapest units they make. I paid $89 for it and have taken over 100 trips that's less than $1 a trip not a bad deal and it's still going strong.