10 to 15 year old DFX: What might need repairs or tune-ups?

[gfmucci]

I'm considering the purchase of a 10 to 15 year old DFX. What types of things may degrade or need repair in this unit and what are the typical costs when sent to Whites for such repair? I am particularly interested in the "invisible" stuff inside the box (the electronics, capacitors, circuit boards that impact performance) as opposed to the obvious loose wires and partially functioning displays.

With a 10 to 15 year old detector, I would be concerned about signal degradation that still allows the unit to detect, but not knowing if it is detecting and discriminating to its full design potential due to unknown electrical degradation.

What is your experience with repairs needed to these units and possible performance indicators that something is amiss?

Because I am even asking this question might make me a better candidate for a new machine and not a used one this old. What are your thoughts?

 

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[ZR2guy]

I bought a DFX about a week ago off of Craigslist. It is in showroom condition and it is a 2006/2007 according to Whites after calling them with the serial number. I was very concerned buying an older unit also but after talking to the guy at Whites, I felt a lot better. He said they service their machines all the way back from the 1960s. I have heard nothing but good comments about their support and service. As far as cost, I don't know. At least they are made and serviced here in the USA. The DFX was the flagship machine from Whites until the V3 came out. I believe it retailed in the $1000-1200 range?
If you can get it at a good price and decide you don't like it , there is still a demand out there for this machine. You could sell it and move on. Good luck!

 

[Landlord Jim]

I've got about 4-5,000 hours on my DFX and two things to look for are 1. A worn out pinpoint toggle switch. The fix is a $10- 15 part. You can put it in yourself. 2. A scratched dashboard screen. A repair part is $10-15 and can be put in yourself. Other than those, I haven't had any problems!

 

[gfmucci]

Thank you Jim and ZR2 for your helpful replies. The DFX is certainly a machine to grow into.

 

[ZR2guy]

I didn't even think about the toggle switch but as Landlord Jim pointed out it is easily repairable. It is external to the screen/keypad as compared to machines where the pinpoint button is incorporated on the keypad. As often as a pinpoint button is used, I can see it wearing out.

 

[Tom Slick]

If it works don't fix it. I've had and do have detectors with thousands of hours on them. If it works properly, no problem. If there is a function or feature that doesn't work correctly then a trip to the factory is warranted. Otherwise, I don't believe they need "tuneups".

 

[ZR2guy]

Well, did you buy the DFX?

 

[gfmucci]

Well, did you buy the DFX?

No, I didn't. For several reasons:
1) It is heavier than I would like - at my age I need something lighter. I know I could get a sling for it, but that is just another contraption to get in the way.
2) There are too many levels of menus to go through to make minor adjustments. For example, to get to the backlight I need to scroll through about a dozen button pushes. I understand that the settings provide hundreds of combinations of settings to optimize effectiveness. But for me that may generate more complexity than I would like at this stage for me in the hobby. I also understand there are factory presets (and even Whites DFX experts in my neighborhood to help create custom programs) that make operation more fool proof.
3) The age of model - I'm leaning toward "new" with the greater certainty of longer trouble free operation. And also hoping that the 12 year newer technology has made some advances in simplicity and capabilities.

My current favorites in order of preference at this point in time, based on budget constraints are: Whites MX5, Garrett AT Pro, (both fairly recent models), and Fisher F5 (a slightly older model, but I like the user interface.)

The MX5 is my favorite so far because it has 20 notching positions, it has a backlight, the clean, to the point screen layout and info, and the pinpointer button does not have to remain pushed in to function. I am not certain of the benefits of the "iron discrimination" mode of the AT Pro compared to the notching setup of the MX5 in the iron range.

 

[jhen999]

You might like the Minelab X-Terra 705...vary light and pretty easy to learn....