Suunto Core Quality Control Issues

[Percy10]

Good Afternoon everyone,

I have to say that in a small way it pains me to have to write this post about a brand which on many occasions has been a faithful companion on dives all over the globe. Because of these excellent experiences with my dive computer, when it came to choosing an everyday watch with outdoor functionality I went straight to the Suunto website and ordered the Core.

Though in terms of looks I think its a very accomplished design beneath the exterior there are big problems that I think a potential buyer should be aware of. You see I had done my research and visited several blogs, forums and websites and found a general consensus that the watch is beautiful but that some people have had technical issues, still I ordered one thinking that a few disgruntled customers were not indicative of the product and the excellent experience I had with other Suunto products... How wrong I was!

The watch is only 2 months old and already it has gone to Finland 3 times! In fact it has spent more time in a DHL van than on my wrist and for all the money in the world I can't seem to understand how such an inferior product was even allowed to leave the factory floor. The first time a button stopped working and to my annoyance had to be sent back for warranty repair, now I should point out that the warranty service is very good and they deal very efficiently with problems, a week later I received a replacement which did not even turn on! So that went back too. The next one worked fine until the screen decided to show a line throughout the menu system, that went back too and I am no eagerly awaiting my fourth watch!!!

What I dont understand is where the Quality Control has gone, how for instance could a broken unit be sent to me to replace the first watch? Surely someone should be checking these things??? This even puts into question my dive computer which you could say I put my life in the hands on... does it have the same quality system?? Should I worry???

Anyway, all this to say that if you can avoid the Core, its obviously not ready for the market and when you read those little notes of disappointments dont do what I did, dont ignore them!!!

Hope you have a better time with your Suunto Cores

	Suunto Visit SuuntoWatches.com to see Suunto's full line of wrist top computers and compasses.

	Suunto Core - Click for more info The Suunto Core is the benchmark of Suunto's ABC (Altimeter, Barometer, Compass) wristop computers, furnishing the best features of top-selling Suunto predecessors, and then advancing upon their legacy with innovative environmental monitoring functions that any outdoor adventurer will find invaluable. The Suunto Core is the culmination of years of testing, research, user feedback from the field, and technological advancements in the Suunto laboratory.

[rizza]

Dear friend
what do you exept from a made in china.
if you heard the news several days ago maybe you have understand

[tsilvan]

Originally Posted by rizza

Dear friend
what do you exept from a made in china.
if you heard the news several days ago maybe you have understand

what news? i also suffer from a core that has had 2 issues just weeks after unpacking it. It will now spend time on DHL traffiking while i remain w/o a watch.....

i assume youre saying these expensive toys are no longer beeing built in a proper country like finland?

...i still have the first field compass from 1939 (or so) - it still works.

If the foundert of the company knew what the current managers are doing with it, he might rotate in his grave.

	Suunto Core - Click for more info The Suunto Core is the benchmark of Suunto's ABC (Altimeter, Barometer, Compass) wristop computers, furnishing the best features of top-selling Suunto predecessors, and then advancing upon their legacy with innovative environmental monitoring functions that any outdoor adventurer will find invaluable. The Suunto Core is the culmination of years of testing, research, user feedback from the field, and technological advancements in the Suunto laboratory.

	Compass Compasses are sensitive, absolutely crucial instruments to precision navigation. The earth's magnetic field, inclination, and your longitude and latitude all influence the horizontal plane of a compass needle. As a result, compasses are balanced for different geographical zones. Suunto Compasses overcome this limitation to traditional compasses by using a simple 'Two Zone System'. With a Suunto Compass, the only 'balancing zones' are the northern and southern hemispheres. In addition to this innovation, certain Suunto Compasses come equipped with useful features like luminous needles and marks, centimeter/inch scales, magnifying glasses, clinometers, sighting notches, and more.

[Tyler]

The Core and the Lumi are the only models NOT built in Finland.

	Suunto Core - Click for more info The Suunto Core is the benchmark of Suunto's ABC (Altimeter, Barometer, Compass) wristop computers, furnishing the best features of top-selling Suunto predecessors, and then advancing upon their legacy with innovative environmental monitoring functions that any outdoor adventurer will find invaluable. The Suunto Core is the culmination of years of testing, research, user feedback from the field, and technological advancements in the Suunto laboratory.

	Suunto Lumi - Click for more info Lumi is the first Suunto outdoor sports watch designed specifically for women. Sleekly designed with a smooth, streamlined finish, and packed with advanced Suunto Outdoor ABC (Altimeter, Barometer, Compass) technology - the Suunto Lumi is equally suited to an afternoon on the town as it is a weeklong expedition in the Himalayas. The Lumi is more than just a sleek timepiece - amongst its many valuable vocations the Lumi is a weather station, compass, travel companion, a day counter. But that's just the beginning.

[chrismarquardt]

Similar issues here.

I bought a Suunto Core last year for a trek to the Nepal Everest Base Camp that will come up in a few days.

6 months into the life of the Core, a button stopped responding. I sent it in and was very impressed with the slick and fast replacement process, even though it made me wonder why a company like Suunto had to come up with something that streamlined. A week later I had a new Core in my hands.

The second Core lasted for about 2 months, then it stopped working alltogether. I suspected a battery issue and when I unscrewed the battery compartment, the thread felt completely messed up, giving a very rough unscrewing experience, and I found the sealing ring completely missing.

I sent it in for exchange again and didn't hear back from Suunto for over 3 weeks. So I called them this morning and asked for status, just to find out that Suunto service hadn't even looked at it yet. This is 4 days away from the Everest Trek that I have originally bought the watch for.

The lady from Suunto customer service promised to contact their service center about it and try to expedite the issue, but even though I offered them to pay for express delivery myself, I have my serious doubts that I will see a replacement by the time I leave for Nepal.

I'm very frustrated about the quality issues they seem to have and now I'm also frustrated about the speed of their service department. That's not what I spent a lot of money for.

	Suunto Visit SuuntoWatches.com to see Suunto's full line of wrist top computers and compasses.

	Suunto Core - Click for more info The Suunto Core is the benchmark of Suunto's ABC (Altimeter, Barometer, Compass) wristop computers, furnishing the best features of top-selling Suunto predecessors, and then advancing upon their legacy with innovative environmental monitoring functions that any outdoor adventurer will find invaluable. The Suunto Core is the culmination of years of testing, research, user feedback from the field, and technological advancements in the Suunto laboratory.

[Grub]

Sad to hear about your negative experience. Strange though to wait for 3 weeks without contact, and then phone them just 4 days before leaving on an important trip. I presume most people would have contacted them somewhat earlier, to get some buffer time...