Duff Exposure Spark light

[beatlejuice]

My Exposure Spark light died last week. So I sent it back to Exposure and they are asking me for £35 to repair it. They offered me an 2010 Joystick in part exchange for £80 or 2011 one for £95.

I feel a bit miffed that an expensive bike light has just died on me just 5 weeks out of the warranty. I could pay the £35 to get it repaired, I could pay £80 and get a joystick or spend my money on another make of bike light. Being a commuter I like being able to remove the light quickly.

What is the teams considered opinion?

 

[beatlejuice]

A trip to Citizen Advice could be in order. Pennies are in short supply in the Beatlejuice household. If I am going to have this sort of hassle then it would be better to buy cheaper ones and replace them more frequently. From the many 'what front light?' threads I seems I could get the same amount of light for half the price of the Spark.

 

[fossyant]

Is this 12 months - you can push for 2 years - it's an EU thing, and of course fitness for purpose.

Not good customer service is it ?

 

[beatlejuice]

No, it comes with 2 years warranty. But for an over priced bike light they should be a bit flexible. Sure you can get it for £70 when discounted but by the time I bought the rechargeable CR123A batteries with charger and the proper mount, I had shelled out more like a £100.

 

[totallyfixed]

Very surprised to hear this as they, along with Hope have a good reputation for customer service. I would either ring them again or write a polite letter raising the points OP's have mentioned. Maybe the recession is hitting them hard too with so many cyclists opting for Chinese stuff.

 

[beatlejuice]

Just spoken to George from Exposure. Despite my protest about my light packing up 5 weeks after the warranty expired they are going to charge me. His quick guessimate of the cost is £30 for the repair. They will take it apart tomorrow to find out what exactly is wrong with it. I am sorely tempted to buy a couple of £20 Chinese cheapies, such as Linky, instead.

 

[Breaker Morant]

Whats the quoted life of the LED chip as I bet it's what burned out?.

If it's quoted in the manual and sales blurb then they owe you a new one FOC - Maglite god bless em repaired my old AA maglite which had died a death under the lifetime warranty and I bought it from the old army and navy shop in town in 1997. Not bad for a light that has been dropped on concrete, dragged through mud and immersed in rivers.

If they won't play ball I would sod them and get a Fenix that runs on much cheaper AA batteries.

 

[beatlejuice]

It's got a connection problem. The PCB is thought to be broken, I will find out for sure tomorrow. I will look the Fenix 21, which about the same as the cost of the repair.

 

[beatlejuice]

Had a phone call from Greoge and he has managed to fix it with no mention of cost. It appears that all is well. Thanks for the supportive comments. After spending too much time looking at cheaper lights I decsided that I am paying for better build quality and support. A Spark well not produce any more light than a £30 Light from Rutland Cycles but how long will it last when like me you tend to drop it when it freezing cold and your hands don't work.