PINPOINT PROBLEMS

I would like to hear peoples feed back on Pinpoint depth finders. I have the whole Pinpoint setup consisting of the trolling motor and 2 graphs (7500 & 7520) in the front and back of my boat. Along with these I also have Lowrance electronics on the dash, which by the way have been flawless. Both of my Pinpoint graphs have stopped working and it sounds like it’s around $300 to fix each of them, that is if they can fix them due to housing differences in different year models. In talking to Motor Clinic in Bloomington MN. and Al Star Specialist in Dallas Tx. I found out that it’s probably a bad power inverter or adapter. I’m wondering if anyone has tried to repair this themselves at the board level rather than just trying to replace the circuit board. I also understand that not many are being repaired unless they are under warranty so maybe that’s telling it all. My experience is that the Pinpoint systems are great in functionality but poor in reliability while the Lowrance electronics are great in both.

Ron,

I have the Pin Point 7420 on my transom and have had nothing but great things to say about it. To be honest with you I could not fish with out it ( well I could, I just wouldn’t want to) It marks fish and bottom debris better than any other graph I’ve ever ran on a boat.

Just goes to show you why there are so many choices out there. The one thing I’ve noticed by following this forum is one persons nightmare, is another’s sweet dream……..go figure!

Ron,

Funny you should make this post here. Timing is impeccable. Just recently I had my Pinpoint 2900 (36V) bow-mount go haywire and caused me to be out of commission late last week. Then just this week I lost my Pinpoint graph 7520 due to a internal circuit board failure. At this point this product is of no use to me if they are not running and put me off the water. Therefore I have jumped to Minn Kota for a trolling motor and just picked up another Lowrance graph for the bow as well. Frustrating to say the least. Finding someone to repair these items in a quick fashion is impossible due to the lack of support up here in ther upper midwest.

Dustin,
I am glad you having great luck with your product. I am for one to say that Pinpoint makes a very nice product(s) and I was very happy with them when the worked, but when they are down and out, they are of no use to me. I have heard a handful of problems and aslo a handful of pleasured anglers as well.

“one persons nightmare and anothers dream!”
Very true!!

I had the 7520 and 7800 graphs and rigged customers boats with 7320s and 7420s. All the graphs were flawless the problem I had was with the trolling motor. After the buyout the customer service sucked! As DEEZEE stated the units do no good when sitting in a shop. I now switched to Minkota and Garmin, both have great tech service. If it is costing that much to repair I would think of switching to a more customer friendly company.

Dustin, I agree with the functionality of the Pinpoint equipment as I really like the definition. It’s the reliability I strugle with. I hope you’re unit is the exception…
DeeZee, what timing… I’m glad your up and running again with some new equipment.

I am running a full pinpoint system. 2 of the 7520’s , one on the console and one on the left transom.1-7500 hooked up to the 3000 series 24 volt motor. and a 7820 for the guy who fishes the middle of the boat. I had trouble with the motor at first, but they fixed it under warranty, it has worked great for 3 years and has seen some really rough water. I had trouble with the keypad on one of the 7520’s. Just happened to chat with the Pinpoint field rep at a show, he exchanged me a brand new unit on the spot. Overall I am sold on the system and would recomend it to anyone.

Until the warranty expires, and then you will be lucky if their customer service reps even talk to you

Yup … same boat here. got a new boat last year. Figured i was all set with the pinpoint system. The graphs are average not bad not good. It was great when it worked. Then it didnt work.

The only place that would fix them was in texas or florida. o cinnincinati (sp check lol).

I have it still but it left me high and dry last year and dont know if i will send it in yet. Cant throw away 1.5k and cant spend 8 hundred bucks to fix the thing. I know a guy who got that kinda bill.
I bought a Vantage. 24 volt 74lbs. and i can get it fixec around here.
If you live in Minnisota the only guys that will take it are the Motor Clinic in Bloominton…. If u check the motorguide website the will give u a link..motorguide owns pinpoint now if they do anything with it is another story. Hope this helps its my first post here. This site is new for me.

Welcome to the site here Damon. Sorry for your inconveniences. Frustrating to say the least. I know several avid anglers that are high and dry without wortking products and a stiff price tag to get them fixed. I was in the same boat as you a few weeks back, so rather than going through all the hassle, I went out and bought Minn Kota 101 and a Lowrance graph to keep me on the water. Now I am dealing with the headaches just to try to get it fixed to try to get a few bucks out of it by selling it possibly? Seems to be more hassle than its worth to me right now. I have been told that my repairs are not warranteed at all after they leave Motor clinic.

Good Luck to you

Dezee-Who told you they would not be warrented after they leave the motor clinic.That is false,since i do alot of business with them.by the way Iam on motor guide and pinpoints pro staff even after leaving Merc so i might be biase here,Pinpoint graphs are the best graphs on the market bar none,theres a reason they have a 17 year patent.I will admit I have had my share of problems with pinpoints bow mounts,and Do Not have one this year.Merc will have the new pinpoint bow mount raedy in late June -redisign ,they wont have creek track,shore track anymore and be more machical.Say what you may,but when fishing weeds and for target separtation,and redraw rate nothing comes close to pinpoint.

I agree with the performance of the PINPOINT graphs and trolling motors but I can’t afford to keep the units running. My trolling motor was out of commision for two weeks last year (under warr.) and two graphs stopped working this spring (just out of warr.) In talking with Al Star Specialist in Tx. and Motor Clinic in MN. I found the cost to be around $300 for each unit if they can fix them due to board revision changes and availability. And by the way, there is NO warr. after they leave the store. I guess when the 7500 unit went bad that can take out the board in the trolling motor. In turn, by plugging the unit back into the trolling motor the bad board in the trolling motor can take out the repaired 7500 or 7520. Even without the trolling motor issues they don’t give a warr. on the units. I’m going to remove my Pinpoint transducers and install additional Lowrance electronics. I rather not attach a external transducer to the trolling motor but I don’t have a choice…
By the way, thanks for the good discussion on this topic.
Zim

Jamie,

Thanks for your insight here on this topic. I will have to back Ron up as I too have been plagued with the down and out situations over the past 2 months and I cannot afford to have a unit out of commission while it can take weeks to fix. From my understanding, Ron is correct by saying that the repairs that are done here in Minnesota were not to be warranteed when they leave the repair shop. I am not on Pinpoint/Motorguide pro staff, so maybe your response is little more aggressive than mine. I will say however, the units are awesome when they are working that I will not argue a bit.

Jamie, could you fill all of us in on the corporate transitions that pinpoint has taken over the last year or two for different ownerships and so forth. Is Mercury the sole owner now of Motorguide and Pinpoint?

Being on the Pro-Staff maybe you can give them some insight. Pinpoint went bad when Mercury took over. I wanted very much to stay with them, but they would not take care of things. One of the worst customer service departments I ever dealt with. I agree the graphs were decent, but the whole idea was a networked system. It does no good if your trolling motor won’t perform. The impression I got from the Mercury/ Motorguide people, was a major lack of concern for their customer base. They lost alot of people and it will take a long time to get them back.

i have been given a 3900 series pinpoint trolling motor with no instruction manuals or any other manuals, was wondering if maybe you still had your manuals i understand any of the 3000 series manuals will work.
or if you know anyone that may help i would be grateful
thank you

cedvad

I think I may have some laying around.
Let me do some digging.

If not, I am sure can help by talking you through the system.

Ron

i appreciate it
thanks for any help!

i forgot to give you the direct email address
[email protected]
thanks
colon