CED Customer Service

[timeless61]

Has anyone has to deal with CED's customer service? I have not had a good experience and they seem like they could care less.

I have a CED M2 chronograph, which is very finicky and does not work well. Which they admitted to, sun should be perfect and used 10-2 on clear sunny days.

Before my last problem of no readings when people with cheaper chronograph's are getting readings, I had sensor go bad somehow. I did some of my own tests and some tests that they asked me to do so that we could speed up the process. I live in PA they are also located in eastern PA, I sent it UPS which is overnight, and I was told by the person on the phone that they would just send me a new sensor the next day. Well I called a day after I should have had the new sensor, the person who told me that originally was nowhere to be found and was unavailable, big surprise. But the other people I talked to could have cared less that I was lead on.

Now my latest problem is just lack of readings or errors in anything less than perfect conditions. So I pretty much decided that I need the infrared screen set, and they do not have the battery pack currently, but they have some used battery packs that they are not sure what they can sell them for. So I am currently waiting for the price on that, and I called to check because I want it for this weekend. They are still unsure of the price, and I asked if I can pay full price and use one of the used ones for a couple weeks until the new battery packs are in stock, I thought it was a very fair compromise, and a company that cared about customer service would probably go for that. They didn't and also said its my choice to buy it or not, there is a high demand for them right now so basically they don't want to help me out at all so they can make more money from someone else by selling it to them.

I am just very unimpressed, with a lot of companies lately. I have not had the best luck lately when dealing with companies or individuals. But this chronograph has now cost me 5-6 weeks of shooting, due to the other problem and now this one, and the fact that with I getting darker earlier, weekends are pretty much my only time to shoot.

Anyone have any experiences? And it may be for sale shortly, what chronograph should I look at? Thanks again

 

[orkan]

I too have a finicky CED that only works in optimal conditions.

Too bad this thread will likely be axed as soon as the mods see it.

 

[timeless61]

yes, it is too bad, I may take Midway up on their offer. they offered to exchange it or for store credit even though I bought it a year ago but did not use it much.

but time is of the essence for me right now.

I can't say enough about Midway's customer service. some bullets came loose in shipping once, they sent me another box to cover the 15 I lost, and free shipping next time, anothe time a container of Mica was crushed, and got mica on everything, again refunded my shipping and gave me free shipping again.

granted, items were not packaged all that well, but they made more than good on each time.

 

[asa]

I also have a ced 2 and was having issues, which turned out to be me not tightening the sensors to the base., anyway they answered my email the next day and gave me some stuff to try. My ced works good .

 

[timeless61]

Looks like I will be sending it back to Midway and buying a PACT with IR most likely.

I called and spoke with them at 1:00 p.m. eastern, and they told me they would call for sure within the hour because they knew I wanted them to ship the items today so I would have it for this weekend so I would not be as inconvenienced. Well they never called, guess they can't want my business too much.

Also, through this whole thing I have been very polite, but blunt and honest. but never nasty or raised my tone. so it was certainly not me.

 

[Kevin Cram]

Timeless,

I feel your pain, I went through alot of trouble with my Chrony. It gets very frustrating when you only have a certain amount of time to play and your toys don't work. I broke down and ordered a Ohler in September. I've talked with several people that own one and said it's the best they've ever used. A little more expensive, yes, but hopefully worth it. Keep after CED, you'll eventually get a good salesman.

Chances are that this entire thread will be deleted soon. One of Len's rules are if you have a problem with a product or company don't let any one know about it on line. Keep it to your self and the company. Why keep someone else from going through the same head aches you have.

 

[timeless61]

when a company doesn't do anything and won't even give free shipping for their faulty products to someone that lives an hour away from them, it should be known to others.

I called PACT yesterday, and spoke with someone who was very helpful, and explained how I can just make my own battery pack, and that it works fine, CED was telling me that I shoudln't even use my truck to run the IR screens because it may not be completely steady current.

I would like to go the Oehler route, but I have this money coming back from Midway, and currently, I don't have anything else I need from Midway, and would like to use the money for that, but this one, I will put through it's paces more so right away than I did the CED.

I will be buying a PACT model 1-xp with the IR screens. I started another thread about what chronograph to buy after my CED first started acting up, and I got a lot of votes for PACT. if the PACT does not work out I will probably order an Oehler if they are still available.

 

[orkan]

Chances are that this entire thread will be deleted soon. One of Len's rules are if you have a problem with a product or company don't let any one know about it on line. Keep it to your self and the company. Why keep someone else from going through the same head aches you have.

Yes, and this is the singular complaint I have about this site. It serves the companies well... but sure as heck does not serve the end users. Thusly, this website is useless when doing product research. Its a GREAT site for discussing technique or methods... but its impossible to get an unbiased view of a product here because all there is to read is the positive side.

 

[timeless61]

I have noticed the biased reviews towards a number of things also, where can I get unbiased reviews? thanks

 

[orkan]

Whoa, slow down. I wasn't accusing len of doing biased reviews. I'm simply saying that when browsing the forums for information about a product... you only hear the positive experiences because no threads that are created specifically to share a negative experience are allowed to exist.

I created a custom google search with about 15 gun related forums that I use when I want to research a product.

long range hunting
snipershide
snipercentral
6mmbr
calguns
ar15.com
m4carbine
ar15armory
etc etc etc

 

[timeless61]

I meant that you only receive positive information that is basically biased, because of what you said.

I didn't mean the official reviews on the front page.

 

[orkan]

I meant that you only receive positive information that is basically biased, because of what you said.

I didn't mean the official reviews on the front page.

Ok, we're on the same page then. I didn't need to go slapping len's face. He does some fine work for the long range community.

 

[B23]

I have the same unit as you all do and for the sake of NOT jinksing, is that even a word, myself I won't comment on the good luck I've had with my CED M2.

But, I will ask a question. I do not have the infrared screens, only the standard screens the kit came with but have any of you tried or thought of trying the infrared screens? Did customer service by chance suggest these other screens? I ask because even though I have had good luck with my unit so far, I've considered buying the other screens. But, I would hate to spend the money if they are likely no better.

Thoughts????

 

[timeless61]

yes, they most definitely would be better in almost all conditions especially not perfect sun 10-2. I was going to buy them until they would not give me a price on the used battery pack, and did not seem to want to sell me a used one, or atleast let me use a used one until the new ones came in. I was prepared to buy them. new battery packs are due in mid december I was told.

I gave up on mine because of how they handled it and their customer service or lack of, and also, time is of the essence for me this time of year. I am out now 6 weeks of shooting through a chrony thanks to my M2. still no call back today as I was promised.

CED admitted how finicky their chronograph can be to me over the phone, they said if the sun is not covering both screens evenly, like later in the day or morning even if it is bright and sunny there can still be errors, so I think they should most likely raise the price, and make the IR screens an option from day one instead of the normal screens, you can build the "coffin" to keep the sun from interfering. they did say on bright days, the sun can conflict with the IR screens, so that could be a slight problem, but on cloudy or overcast days, I get errors or no readings at all with the regular screens.

In the meantime, I have spoken with someone at PACT, and they said their IR screens are pretty much to replace the standard screens in all conditions, and the sunlight does not matter for their IR system.

I also spoke with Oehler, and if my new PACT does not work out, I will order one, they said they do not use IR on te 35, and it seems like people do not really have the need, he said there is only a few situations where the 35 can be finicky, the geometry of it and the sun had to be just right from what he said. but at $595, and having money to now spend at Midway, and less of wait, I will try the PACT for now.