Author Topic: Now don't that just stink!! (Read 2808 times)

tjslim3271 · « **on:** Jan 13, 2011, 06:21 PM »

Just started ice fishing this year and have been holding off on getting a flasher/sonar (tight with my money). Finally rounded up some spare cash and decided it was time to go buy one after reading reviews on here night after night. So I went to Scheels in Sioux City tonight after work and looked at the ShowDown 5.6, I bought it and was all excited to get home and go out later tonight, for it is the only free time i have in the next week. Got it home opened it up...and.....BUMMER!!!!! I was disappointed before even trying it, got it out of the box and the case was full of mud, owners manual was soaking wet and the charger was missing!!....Just ruined my whole night.... Wonder what I'll be doing tomorrow?!? Throwing that thing across the Costumer Service counter getting my 350 buck back

Way to ruin my only chance to go fishing this week

Kevin23 · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 13, 2011, 06:34 PM »

Marcum's don't come wet!

jig-nasty · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 13, 2011, 07:35 PM »

Sho down is made by marcum!

s I guess when us vexilar guys say marcums are dirt, there is a little truth to it! Haha

Kevin23 · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 13, 2011, 07:50 PM »

I meant marcums do not come wet from the factory!!!! You got a return and should be PISSED!!

jig-nasty · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 13, 2011, 08:33 PM »

In all seriousness though tjslim. My dad bought an identical model as the one you are talking about. He was so excited he read the whole manual the night before he was going to fish. had it charged and all ready to go, put in in the first hole he drilled and the sho down wouldn't work. He tried everything while on the ice and nothing work. He got home called customer service they gave him a couple "helpful" hints. He finally messed around with it himself and got it working, but he sure is pissed that he sold his vexilar. And I remind him of it every time we go out!

SpoonieLuv · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 13, 2011, 09:23 PM »

Jig-nasty, I own a vex, but would not hesitate to buy a Marcum product. All the sonar brands are good, is vex best-NO. Look at the problems some guys are having with the new fl-22, it's like buying a car-you never know when you're gonna get a lemon. Its chevy/ford/dodge/blah blah blah. How do you go from not being able to turn it on to getting hints and it finally worked??? Another example is the Vex camera, not even in the same class as the Marcum camera's. Plus, in the case of tjslim, the blame would be squarely on Scheels for not checking the return and/or selling a used sonar instead of a new one. The whole vex being superior is old, I'll bet 99% of people that take your stance haven't ever seen any other system next to their vex to actually do a fair comparison. Then you have people that even if the Marcum/humminbird etc was better wouldn't admit it. tjslim-good luck hope everything works out for you.

52#FLATHEAD · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 13, 2011, 09:27 PM »

I open EVERYTHING that comes in a box where I can't see the actual product. I also have the salesman show me how it works, comes apart & how to store it. I look over every detail down the the stitching on the case. And then I take the Vexilar home

Scheels shouldn't give you any trouble w/ the return, I've had good customer service in the past.

esox_magnum · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 13, 2011, 09:30 PM »

Sheelds fault not Marcums, no question it was a used and returned uit or damaged in a warehouse, I'd demand a brand new one for the screw up or an upgrade to an LX-3, at the very least a good discount.

jig-nasty · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 13, 2011, 11:59 PM »

Spoonie the helpful hints were to take the unit apart and tighten up the screws on the electronic ribbon,something that should be done when it leaves the factory. Considering that was one of the first things the customer service guy suggested it must happen A LOT. As for the vex being the best you are right, its all personal opinion. I have personally fished next to marcums, hummingbirds, lowrance, and now show down. My vex would pick up fish that the marcum wouldn't but it was a nice unit. the hummingbird was about worthless, I could have seen more fish by sticking my head down the hole. The sho down took some getting used to. I did like the fact that it didn't scramble the vex. If the sho down had color it would be a lot better. And never was I arguing the fact that it wasn't Scheels fault. I was just letting tj know the problems my dad had with his sho down. I guess it just got taken out of context just a little. Oh and if you want to know my preference of trucks... Chevy all the way. I have a 99 silverado with 285,000 miles still runnin strong!! : )

Oldbear · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 14, 2011, 05:43 AM »

That would really burn me. Must of been a return that someone never checked out properly. Mud missing charger? Might could get a upgrade out of a screw up like that. Fished with a guy yesterday that had a 5.6 and it does work but I like my flashing lights better.

Shrades · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 14, 2011, 06:14 AM »

I work at the Scheels in Iowa City, And they will bend over back wards to make sure you are happy. One thing our store does is very good customer service.

Bull_Gill_Mike · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 14, 2011, 06:56 AM »

I will say that Scheels customer service is top notch. I've never been hasseled on a return thats why I keep going back, they stand behind what they sell.

hotrod · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 14, 2011, 08:25 AM »

that is terrible!!!

just my two cents here...but if you're going to spend $350 you would be better off with a flasher. VEXILAR is my choice, always will be, but any flasher will be better than a SHOWDOWN.

Good luck with Scheels

Kevin23 · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 14, 2011, 08:59 AM »

Quote from: hotrod on Jan 14, 2011, 08:25 AM

that is terrible!!!

just my two cents here...but if you're going to spend $350 you would be better off with a flasher. VEXILAR is my choice, always will be, but any flasher will be better than a SHOWDOWN.

Good luck with Scheels

A showdown is a flasher $:-\$ display is just vertical.

hotrod · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 14, 2011, 11:31 AM »

no, a showdown is an LCD readout...it is not "real-time" like a flasher.

Unless they came out with something different this year.

c.r.rick · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 14, 2011, 03:48 PM »

i agree with the whole thing with to one man its better than to another such as ford vs chevy vs dodge and so on. i am a vex man and proud of it cuz ive never had any problems with it. such are the marcum guys that have not had any problems with them. but in all seriousness ya i agree blame scheels not marcum cuz i know from working at gander mtn in the past that they factory dont ship them that way so id cuss and complain and threaten to take my business esle where if they dont make it right with you and get a discount or an upgrade.

Kevin23 · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 14, 2011, 04:06 PM »

Quote from: hotrod on Jan 14, 2011, 11:31 AM

no, a showdown is an LCD readout...it is not "real-time" like a flasher.

Unless they came out with something different this year.

Its as real time as it can get. It is just not motor and brush driven like a vexilar. It is a LCD vertical display flasher.

tjslim3271 · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 14, 2011, 06:03 PM »

Well took back the showdown this afternoon. They wanted to just give me a newer charger, but I wasn't down with that....who knows what else could've been wrong with that thing ha.... So I ended up picking up a new one (this time checked the box first)... Planning on trying it out sometime next week... Like I said before, I've never had a flasher (or a "LCD readout"

) before so hopefully I can ice some more fish and make my purchase worth it.... If not I'll just trade it in for a Vex and then a few of you guys out there can say "Told ya so..." haha

Oldbear · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 14, 2011, 06:25 PM »

Glad you got it swapped out OK. It will definently help you catch more fish.

slammin slabs · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 16, 2011, 12:03 AM »

Glad o see that you stood your ground and that the store cooperated and got you a new unit I would have argued over some stoe credit or a disscount or something for time and gas money cause it was definatly the stores fault but at any rate u are satisfide and any flasher or device that helps u see what's down there or let's u know when there's fish is better than nothing at all I personally have a fl20 but its only because that's what I started with was a vex there all good hope it ices many fish for u

DoubleBurg · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 16, 2011, 07:26 PM »

Glad you got it figured out. Scheels is a good store for customer service like previously stated. Got a new UL rod last year for softwater and it broke the first time out. Didn't even have a fish on it or anything just snapped after I put a jig on it. Took it back and they exchanged with no questions. Something that they easily could have not done and blamed it on user neglect (which I baby that rod after all the thing is about as flimsy as .... well use your imagination.) Hope you like the new unit.

4cator · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 17, 2011, 12:21 AM »

Quote from: tjslim3271 on Jan 13, 2011, 06:21 PM

Just started ice fishing this year and have been holding off on getting a flasher/sonar (tight with my money). Finally rounded up some spare cash and decided it was time to go buy one after reading reviews on here night after night. So I went to Scheels in Sioux City tonight after work and looked at the ShowDown 5.6, I bought it and was all excited to get home and go out later tonight, for it is the only free time i have in the next week. Got it home opened it up...and.....BUMMER!!!!! I was disappointed before even trying it, got it out of the box and the case was full of mud, owners manual was soaking wet and the charger was missing!!....Just ruined my whole night.... Wonder what I'll be doing tomorrow?!? Throwing that thing across the Costumer Service counter getting my 350 buck back

Way to ruin my only chance to go fishing this week

Bummer for you man,
throw it.

LLCOOL · « **Reply #22 on:** Feb 03, 2011, 11:54 AM »

Quote from: tjslim3271 on Jan 14, 2011, 06:03 PM

Well took back the showdown this afternoon. They wanted to just give me a newer charger, but I wasn't down with that....who knows what else could've been wrong with that thing ha.... So I ended up picking up a new one (this time checked the box first)... Planning on trying it out sometime next week... Like I said before, I've never had a flasher (or a "LCD readout" ) before so hopefully I can ice some more fish and make my purchase worth it.... If not I'll just trade it in for a Vex and then a few of you guys out there can say "Told ya so..." haha

You won't be disappointed guaranteed, its simple easy, 1/2 inch separation zoom any part of the column, Interference rejection to knock any sonar out there, been 3 feet from a marcum lx5, vex fl18 and 20 with no problems, enjoy. and most of all super Quiet not like those noisy vex's humming sound gives me a headache when inside your hut similar to a white noise....

LL

cyclone · « **Reply #23 on:** Feb 03, 2011, 10:44 PM »

Vex FL-18.......done. Its old technology, but it works and has caught loads of fish

iowaicer · « **Reply #24 on:** Feb 04, 2011, 02:08 PM »

I better go throw my showdown away, it is a piece of junk. (insert sarcasm) You will be happy with it. Like everything else, opinions are like a**holes, everyone has one. I love mine, no issues. You are going to come across brands and products that all have issues. It's a fact. Good luck!!!

tjslim3271 · « **Reply #25 on:** Feb 04, 2011, 02:17 PM »

yeah I took my ShowDown out two weekends ago. caught well over 50 bluegill (only was keeping the beasts) and 10 crappie in a couple hours. Happy with mine so far.....just blew that 2 amp fuse though....guess that happens alot $:-\$

News:

Author Topic: Now don't that just stink!! (Read 2808 times)