What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Traffic & Weather now available for ForeFlight

craigvince

Well Known Member
Just announced:
http://blog.foreflight.com/2013/04/09/traffic-traffic-stratus-2/

17996.jpg
 
I can't help but notice the Stratus 2 case is white, which hopefully along with whatever other changes were made, will resolve the issue with the original version over-heating. I'd be curious what performance data they'll be sharing on this topic.
 
And when I bought in December and inquired about traffic do you think they said anything about a Stratus 2 coming out!:mad:
 
And when I bought in December and inquired about traffic do you think they said anything about a Stratus 2 coming out!:mad:

From the link

ForeFlight Mobile 5.1 will also unlock traffic on the first generation Stratus portable ADS-B receiver
 
I can't help but notice the Stratus 2 case is white, which hopefully along with whatever other changes were made, will resolve the issue with the original version over-heating.

New unit lists a built in fan.
 
I have the first version stratus. I called Appareo and they will be doing a firmware upgrade after the new stratus is out to show traffic. obviously the new stratus is a much better unit.
I asked about trade-ins or a discount for existing stratus owners and they said no.
I also called Sporty's and asked whether I could send my unit back for a refund since it was within their 1 year 100% satisfaction guarantee and they said no.
A friend had purchased his Stratus 3 weeks ago and they said ok to sending his back for a refund.
It looks like Sporty's is following Garmin's way of doing business.
Alan
N668G RV10
 
I have the first version stratus. I called Appareo and they will be doing a firmware upgrade after the new stratus is out to show traffic. obviously the new stratus is a much better unit.
I asked about trade-ins or a discount for existing stratus owners and they said no.
I also called Sporty's and asked whether I could send my unit back for a refund since it was within their 1 year 100% satisfaction guarantee and they said no.
A friend had purchased his Stratus 3 weeks ago and they said ok to sending his back for a refund.
It looks like Sporty's is following Garmin's way of doing business.
Alan
N668G RV10

Sporty's actions seem to contradict both their published satisfaction guaranteed policy and their 1 year warranty. I think I'd pose a question to them. Will you honor your one-year warranty or do I need to call the Ohio Attorney Generals Office to file a complaint, and see what they say? If Ohio's AGs office is anything like Virginia's, I expect their next question will be to verify your address so they can ship a new unit to you. If Sporty's doesn't mean to honor their warranty, they should remove it from their website
 
I see so much bad customer service these days that I hate to come down on Sporty's side but in this case I think they are right. If they allowed everyone to return every electronic device for the latest and greatest they would not be in business for long. Virtually every time you buy an electronic device it is out of date within a year. I don't think it falls under a satisfaction issue because you want the latest and greatest.
To continue the thread on the new option for foreflight does anyone have pricing info?

George
RV6
 
George,
This is what's on their web site:

What is your “one-year guarantee”?
Our one-year guarantee has not changed since we introduced our first product in 1962. If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, let us know – we will make it right.

If you would like a refund or exchange, please return the product in a timely basis, in the same condition in which it was received.


Alan
 
Really stretching it here, IMO

Ok, with all due respect, the other side of this is should any manufacturer or retailer warranty product upgrades? Product satisfaction to me is does the product work as advertised? Does it work in your intended application? Is it defect free? Did you get what you bargained for? Does the battery last as long as advertised, stuff like that. Extending dissatisfaction to "it is not the latest model" is not a functional warranty. For any manufacturer or retailer to take back all product sold in the last year because of an upgrade cycle would be cost prohibitive.

Now I get the no fault guarantee for 30 days and those buyers that get to use that should consider themselves well cared for because your appliance store wouldn't do that on your new TV. Expecting anyone to take back the old (fill in the blank here, TV, camera, PC, car, etc...) 6 months later because a new product is released is not really a reasonable expectation, IMHO.

Perhaps a better model would be to rent with the provision that for the monthly fee you get use of the product and all product upgrades. Then the price would be established with the right expectation. It would cost more, but now we are buying that right. As long as that is what we bargained and pay for that price it is fair to both sides.

I am speaking as a guy that has a Stratus since last summer. If I get a Stratus 2 it will be because I sold it and traded up. But I in no way expect FF or Sporty's to underwrite my trade up. YMMV.

George,
This is what's on their web site:

What is your ?one-year guarantee??
Our one-year guarantee has not changed since we introduced our first product in 1962. If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, let us know ? we will make it right.

If you would like a refund or exchange, please return the product in a timely basis, in the same condition in which it was received.


Alan
 
"If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, let us know ? we will make it right."

Rather poor choice of wording on Sportys part.

Going with the strict meaning of the above, it should cover upgraded equipment --------- although I do not for a minute believe this was the intent of the statement.
 
Sporty's actions seem to contradict both their published satisfaction guaranteed policy and their 1 year warranty. I think I'd pose a question to them. Will you honor your one-year warranty or do I need to call the Ohio Attorney Generals Office to file a complaint, and see what they say? If Ohio's AGs office is anything like Virginia's, I expect their next question will be to verify your address so they can ship a new unit to you. If Sporty's doesn't mean to honor their warranty, they should remove it from their website

If you buy a new laptop, and Apple releases a new one the following week, do you feel entitled to a new one? Should I call Garmin and tell them that since I bought the G3X two years ago, I should be entitled to a refund now that their prices have come down?

Warrantys are for defects and things that break. How is Sportys, or any other vendor accountable because you bought high and sold low? I would ask the purchaser "did you ever call Sportys or the manufacturer, and ask if there was an update coming or a good reason to wait?"

When I bought my last Apple laptop, I asked the guy in the store... "should I buy it now or is there a good reason to wait?" His answer was simple and within his employee boundaries, "if it were me I'd wait a little bit." Two weeks later a complete redesign was released.

Sorry for the rant, but this pervasive entitlement and lack of personal accountability these days puts me in orbit. Everyone knows that every electronic gizmo is obsolete within months. Life sucks, get a helmet.
 
Last edited:
Sporty

Sporty is a partner with fore flight and stratus so they can't claim they did not know this was coming. The satisfaction issue on the overheating alone should be enough to get a refund or replacement.

Sam Butler
Rv7
Rv7a
Rv10
Rv12 kit
 
If you buy a new laptop, and Apple releases a new one the following week, do you feel entitled to a new one? Should I call Garmin and tell them that since I bought the G3X two years ago, I should be entitled to a refund now that their prices have come down?

Dunno, what was the exact wording of their warranty?????

Sportys said "for any reason"--------rather poor choice of wording as it is now turning out.

http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/customerservice#9 Still right there on their web site.

Again, I do not believe this is what Sportys meant------BUT it is what they said.

And please understand that words have meaning.
 
Ok, with all due respect, the other side of this is should any manufacturer or retailer warranty product upgrades? Product satisfaction to me is does the product work as advertised? Does it work in your intended application? Is it defect free? Did you get what you bargained for? Does the battery last as long as advertised, stuff like that. Extending dissatisfaction to "it is not the latest model" is not a functional warranty. For any manufacturer or retailer to take back all product sold in the last year because of an upgrade cycle would be cost prohibitive.


I agree. When we buy electronics, cameras, bikes, tools, etc. we know it is just a matter of time before something better comes along. Do I sometimes wish that I had waited to make a purchase? Of course. Does the manufacturer/seller owe me the latest and greatest? Absolutely not.

Sporty's plain-language warranty statement is perfectly adequate when read by reasonable people. When parsed by someone looking for a loop hole, it means whatever a slick lawyer wants it to mean. Do you really want to sick the Attorney General on them?

Jim Berry
RV-10
 
Dunno, what was the exact wording of their warranty?????

Sportys said "for any reason"--------rather poor choice of wording as it is now turning out.

http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/customerservice#9 Still right there on their web site.

Again, I do not believe this is what Sportys meant------BUT it is what they said.

And please understand that words have meaning.

Totally agree, however Jim's post one up is better put than I could.
 
I only asked Sporty's because of what I read on their website. If it wasn't there I wouldn't have asked.
It surely can be interpreted various ways.
I am glad that Appareo will still support the original and offer a firmware upgrade for traffic display.
Alan
 
Ok, there seems to be some debate on what a warranty means these days. As a business owner that's sells products with warrantys, its really a MARKETING TOOL. A warranty statement is designed to give the consumer confidence with their purchase and explains what they can expect if they want to return an item. If the seller(Sporty's)makes a business decision to MARKET, and word the their return policy in order to maximize sales by using words like 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED and FOR ANY REASON. This is a risk the seller makes to motivate a buyer. It's seems they have not gone out of business since 1962 as a result.
It's clear some posters want to interpret what they THINK Sporty's meant by their warranty. It's Sporty's warranty!They wrote it!They knew exactly what they wanted there customers to think it meant so they would buy their products with confidence.
It's clear amekler wasn't trying to be dishonest with his return. He made it clear why he was less than 100% satisfied, and it was within a year. period!
He could have been shady and claimed a well known cooling problem and things would have been different.

He seems to only be asking Sporty's to honor a published warranty THEY WROTE.
I understand and respect others opinions that wanting to upgrade isn't a valid reason to return a product. Again! That was Sporty's marketing choice to write the warranty as they did, not amekler's or anyone else's.They said 100%satifaction, any reason.
Well, he seems to be less then 100% satisfied and he has a reason. Whether or not it's fair to Sporty's is irrelevant, they have the power to reword there policy.
They wont because the loss of sales would be much greater then the products there taking back. It's worked since 1962.

At last, a warranty is only as good as the company that writes it. We are in the age of mass communicating and social media. If Sporty's decides to continue to reep sales based on a phony warranty then I don't think it will take long before the effects are felt.

I hope amekler shares his results with us, as I'm now putting off my purchase
Of my Status as well as anything else until I find out if Sporty's is going to back up there warranty.

In this age of social media. The power of one can bring a company as large as an airline to there knees.
Don't believe me. Search ( united broke my guitar ) good example what can happen to a company when they decide one customers dissatisfaction is acceptable.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top