problems in Sydney Aquaracer

[grungysquash]

So forgive my first post to be one asking for advise, it's been a bit of an ongoing problem this watch.........

So starting the story in August 2010, my father had passed away on my way through the Sydney airport I decided to remember him via buying a new watch. I purchased an automatic aquaracer 300m

So I purchased an Aquaracer from the international airport in Sydney in 2010. Approx 4 months into owing the watch the rotational bezel broke, so I took it into the Sydney repair agent based in Pitt street, they fixed the bezel and it was all good. Prior to this I had absolutely no problems with the watch and ran the stopwatch a few times with the watch and it seemed fine - never noticed any problems.

Approx 3 weeks later on another trip to NZ I decided to time the trip using the stop watch, this was then I noticed that the stopwatch second sweep would go past the 12 o'clock position and the minute hand would not move, just kinda flick a bit. I got back and took the watch back into the agent to be fixed, approx 3 weeks later I got the watch back. However I quickly noticed that the stop watch still had the same problem - this time to a lesser extend. Back in again to be fixed, another 4 weeks later and I had the watch back. Again not completely fixed - not as noticeable but by now I was checking by starting the stopwatch and running this using the actual watch as the timer. It would lose around 5min every few hours, the watch itself worked perfectly and kept fantastic time. So again back top the shop - 4th time lucky. By this time 12 months had passed the 4th repair seemed to fix the issue, roll on 6 months (so by now 18months into 2 year warranty).

However again the stopwatch broke - this time a total failure with no buttons actually working, back for repair and again got it back (another 4 weeks in for repair) then back again - checked the stopwatch and my old problem was back, the warranty by now was pretty much over but every time I had a repair carried out at the Pitt street site I got a further 12 month warranty. So took it back and again after another 4 weeks I get it back.

When I collected the watch today, the Pitt street customer service agent suggested I go back to the place I brought the watch and request a replacement she was happy to provide all the information on the problems the watch had to tag, so I duly rang the Syd tax and duty free at the airport.

And was initially informed that I only had a 12 month warranty - I explained that actually that's not the case, after some discussion I was placed through to a supervisor who also argued it was 12 months until I spelt out the warranty on the warranty card. She then said, well your over 2 years and therefore tough.

To her credit she did open a complaint file - so now I have a 2 year old watch which is 4 months over the end of a 2 year warranty, still with the same dam problem with the stopwatch - have had them running together this afternoon 3 hours now - 1min missing so far, so over a 24 hour period will be miles out, the rate it skips is not constant. The annoying thing is I can take it back to tag again but I really don't think they are actually fixing anything. The good news is the second sweep stays in perfect time!!!

So - Am I being to fussy expecting the stopwatch to work accurately, should I just give up - I'm pretty upset my 20yo seiko still works makes me really upset with myself for wasting 3k when I could have brought a nice seiko for 600.

[Eeeb]

Usually TAGHeuer service warrants repairs for a year. So if this problem has been repaired within the last 12 months, it should be covered under warranty.

TAG makes a lot of watches a year. Unfortunately even with great QC there will always be some 'hanger queens' (an Air Force term for planes that never seem to stay out of the repair shop). I've had cars like this so sold them. Then the next owner never has a problem! Aaaaaargggh!!

[Wisconsin Proud]

As long as you had the repairs done at an authorized repair center and can provide receipts that such work was done, I don't see any reason why the warranty wouldn't be extended for 12 months.