BBQ Guru CyberQ - BEWARE!

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Jjcolo

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I bought a CyberQ and the Viper for my Backwoods Competitor 4 months ago and it broke in a competition 2 weeks ago. I sent it back and they told me it had extensive water damage. Friday and Saturday it was sunny and 80 degrees. It broke on Saturday during the ribs competition (St. Louis BBQ Bash in Wildwood). Regardless, I keep it in a waterproof container that I built (see pictures). I argued that this was impossible and all they kept saying is that it had extensive water damage. Caveat Emptor, I am at their mercy, give up and not pay them $85 to fix it or just throw away the $400 I spent on the CyberQ.

1.) Their customer service is bad! What happened to the customer is always right?
2.) They told me that this happens all the time and customers don't realize how easy these can get wet and ruined. Are you kidding me?? A device designed to work outside for BBQing is so sensitive that this will happen all the time? I even took the extra step to water-proof it.

I think this is how they keep revenue coming in. At any rate, be careful, I felt helpless and as if I was not telling the truth.

PitStop BBQ, St. Louis
 

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Jjcolo said:
1.) Their customer service is bad! What happened to the customer is always right?
Click to expand...

I hope that you and the BBQ Guru folks are able to come to a reasonable solution, I really do. That said, please don't have this "customer is always right" attitude, either. It tends to make for pretty unreasonable customers.

Good luck getting it worked out.

At the end of the day, you may find yourself paying the $85 to fix it, then selling it for what you can and eating the loss. It isn't much of a solution, but you might have to be the martyr in this case and make others aware of your experience.
 
Now that is a load of BS!

Bad BBQ Guru...really bad!

Guess when it comes time for me to purchase something like this, I'll look elsewhere.
 
bvbull200 said:
I hope that you and the BBQ Guru folks are able to come to a reasonable solution, I really do. That said, please don't have this "customer is always right" attitude, either. It tends to make for pretty unreasonable customers.

Good luck getting it worked out.

At the end of the day, you may find yourself paying the $85 to fix it, then selling it for what you can and eating the loss. It isn't much of a solution, but you might have to be the martyr in this case and make others aware of your experience.
Click to expand...

Really?

Remind me not to buy anything from you!:laugh:
 
When it's sunny and 80, I don't bother putting mine in a waterproof container. Just sayin...
 
Humidity possibly? I would place desiccant inside the air tight box in the future. I avoided that model due to it being riddled with software bugs when it was initially released. I went the the DX2 instead. I personally would not pay the extra cost to have it repaired, since these gadgets are high priced to begin with IMHO. Good luck.
 
Could it have been humidity?? I know I've damaged a phone due to humidity and the moisture indicator on the phone clearly showed it. I took it apart and it looked like hell sure enough.

I'd pay the $85 to get it fixed. First time hearing bad service from BBQ Guru.
 
Sadly, I no longer believe in the customer/client is always right either. Too many bad experiences over the years. However, I do know, that a angry or disappointed client can be bad for business and would try to at least make some accommodation.

I wonder if there was some condensation damage or something that could have happened unknowingly. It is too bad they are not more water-proof, but, I suppose that would add cost
 
The more I think about it, it could have been condensation or humidity inside the box...maybe.
 
Not taking sides but I can't imagine the # of calls they must take dealing with electronic controllers that go outside on BBQ equipment. There's gotta be a TON of issues with moisture and heat both.
 
sounds like they could have designed it better knowing that it will be outside when in use. i also think they could have done some kind of discount with the agreement that the next time it would be full price. that would at least given you a better feeling than thinking they were calling you dishonest.

should have went like this....
"sorry to hear your device quit working. we show extensive water damage and since you don't recall it getting wet we will knock the charge down from $85 to $50 to cover parts but the next time it happens we will have to charge you the full price of the repair. since this happens quite often we recommend always keeping it covered when outside."

This would have been much better than just assuming you were not telling the truth or omitting something. I know there are people that will flat out lie to get something fixed but you just cannot assume that everyone is dishonest.
 
I will not beware. I love them. My cyberQ has survived some pretty ridiculous stuff with just a baggie over it.

in fact, I once was camping and just left it on the ground running my camping kettle/wsm and it rained while I was "Taking a nap". Was all kinds of messed up, took it apart and into a bag of rice for a week and 6 days later it worked perfectly allowing us to advance past the local at Sams

The same CyberQ froze up on me at Fire on Ice this winter in the negative double digits in the morning. borrowed a spare guru from a friend to get through the morning. after it unthawed, it worked perfectly all season for us this year.

I do now carry a spare cyberQ, but its getting so ridiculous what this one has been through, that Im letting it roll. Till the death baby!
 
pjtexas1 said:
sounds like they could have designed it better knowing that it will be outside when in use. i also think they could have done some kind of discount with the agreement that the next time it would be full price. that would at least given you a better feeling than thinking they were calling you dishonest.

should have went like this....
"sorry to hear your device quit working. we show extensive water damage and since you don't recall it getting wet we will knock the charge down from $85 to $50 to cover parts but the next time it happens we will have to charge you the full price of the repair. since this happens quite often we recommend always keeping it covered when outside."

This would have been much better than just assuming you were not telling the truth or omitting something. I know there are people that will flat out lie to get something fixed but you just cannot assume that everyone is dishonest.
Click to expand...

I could not agree more. For the price they charge for that model, it should work underwater.
 
PatAttack said:
Really?

Remind me not to buy anything from you!:laugh:
Click to expand...

Yes, really. The customer deserves to be happy so long as the solution to make them happy is reasonable. The OP's expectation of a little more understanding from the manufacturer and a one-time reduction in repair seems like it could be reasonable enough.

In my younger days, I spent plenty of time dealing with customers; enough to know that they aren't always right and a little bit of the humility that explains that we are all flawed human beings goes a long way. I'll work with you, as I want the customer to be happy just as much as they want to be happy themselves, let's just leave the "I'm right because I'm the customer" shtick at the door.
 
electronics and bbq... bad things are bound to happen. Moisture and heat are good friends to cooking but are just awful when it comes to electronic knick knacks.

Sorry to hear about the issue and I really hope a happy solution is reached.
 
bvbull200 said:
Yes, really. The customer deserves to be happy so long as the solution to make them happy is reasonable. The OP's expectation of a little more understanding from the manufacturer and a one-time reduction in repair seems like it could be reasonable enough.

In my younger days, I spent plenty of time dealing with customers; enough to know that they aren't always right and a little bit of the humility that explains that we are all flawed human beings goes a long way. I'll work with you, as I want the customer to be happy just as much as they want to be happy themselves, let's just leave the "I'm right because I'm the customer" shtick at the door.
Click to expand...

I remember purchasing a car many years ago, and the dealer really screwed up the order. All the explaining in the world could not convince this idiot salesman of their error. When I was proved to be correct, I mentioned to the salesman "I thought the customer was always right". His response "only in the hamburger business".
 
Never said the salesperson/business is always right, either.

:eek:hwell:
 
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