UWATEC Smart Computers: Voluntary Recall

[gheeres]

This was just posted today. All you UWATEC Smart series computer users, make sure you get your units replaced. Additional documents to follow.

[gheeres]

Consumer letter attached.

[Omicron]

Gotta love it!

These piles of junk keep getting even worse.

I want my money back, I don't want another computer. How many times do we have to send them back to Uwatec before they get it right????

And great, they replace within 90 days. I'm supposed to give up one of my main dive tools for up to three months in the middle of the best diving season in Wisconsin?

[Omicron]

Yikes! I accidentally locked this topic - I'm really sorry everyone, I checked the wrong box last time I posted...

Let the ranting continue!

[FreediveWI]

Now it looks as if this recall is going to cause even more problems for the parent company, Johnson controls.

Check out this link for the story



Jon

[Omicron]

Even more fun for them...it definitely can't be something they want to do, that's for sure.

Those things can cost up to $900 a unit...and 6000 or so of them out there?? Yikes!!

[FreediveWI]

$900!! :

Just another reason to go DIR. DO you know how much gear you could buy for $900! Just buy an Uwatec bottom timer and a deco program. The rest of the money would keep you in nitrox for a long time! More dive industry crap for people to waste their money on.

Jon

[TomG]

Isn't that the American way? Isn't that why I have the freedom to choose what "dive industry crap" I decide meets our particular diving needs for the sport I've chosen?

I find it interesting that Jon would start to rant about "dive industry crap" with all the experience he's had, both in the water as well as working at not a few dive shops, from what I've been told.

Let's see...no "dive industry crap", no recreational divers, no Lake Michigan charter boats, no wreck diving, no free-diving (rides) on the charter boat and your father-in-law goes out of business.

I agree that there truly is some "crap" out there, generally sold via mail-order channels under some ridiculous names and claims to performance. There are lots of other companies and manufacturers who have recalls...cars to name one. Do we label all cars "automotive crap" and go back to bicycles? Hardly.

I am an owner of one of these computers, and will be sending it back for a new one...sure, I'm disappointed, and my LDS knows it, but I'm ready to move on and enjoy the sport nonetheless with my backup computer.

There, enough ranting, at least from my end.

[Omicron]

Yeah, I am able to get a lot of stuff for that money...

However, when you start diving, take your OW class and want to get the best life support gear, guess what direction you are pointed in??? Tell you what, it's not the bottom timers and spg's. When you don't know, you don't really have a choice. You've definitely got a point though - by minimizing your gear (such as computers) you would be able to buy more interesting gear. One thing I've always been curious about is how to calculate some of the multi-level diving "in my head" or on the fly - it seems to be one the things that is often mentioned by some diving crowds. IE, you don't need a computer, this stuff is easy to do w/ out one. I'd be curious to learn.

And buying an Uwatec bottom timer is RIGHT out of the question now days for me. I've lost all faith in that company.

[FreediveWI]

There's enough good gear out there, that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, and then break on you, that people can buy. Instead of always trying to sell the latest and greatest toy, like split fins, people could buy something much simpler, that works, and use the rest of their money to go diving- like on a charter boat.

I have had the good fortune, and sometimes the misfortune, to wok for many different shops, both in Wisconsin and California, and there are stores that are really interested in promoting diving and keeping people active, without ripping them off at every turn, and then there are other shops, that don't have a CLUE when it comes to diving, who are only in the business to sell more trinkets. Those are the shops that cut corners and try and rush people through knowing full well that they will probably never stay with it.

Joe Giess, former Course Director and rep, once told me that every business has some screw balls and the dive industry is no different, but for some reason the Wisconsin/ Illinois region got more than it's fair share compaered to the rest of the country- he was right.

You could also completely outfit a freediver, with some really nice gear, for the price of just that one computer. If your already diving with mulitple computers you've spent too much money- but to the good fortune of whomever sold it all to you. You could easliy set yourself up to dive for less, but that's up to you to justify what you've wasted your money on. Lord knows I have bought some real junk in the past, but I admit it was junk and got rid of it. Other things I got to try just once and realizedit was junk before I ever wasted any money on it- like bondage wings.

I say spend less time buying all the latest toys and more time enjoyning yourslef in the water- which is what it really is all about.

Since you know so much about me Tom, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Jon