Masport Monaco - ECS

Looks great but that's all – It's difficult to know where to begin with reviewing this heater as it's been the biggest lemon in my purchasing history with backup service to match. I purchased mine just over 5 years ago through a major Gas retailer. It was the best looking gas log fire that I'd seen, my wife was recovering from breast cancer at the time and I thought it… Read more

would make a lovely addition to the home to help keep her warm through her treatment. I thought Masport had a good name so I purchased it. The installers came out and installed it and tested it, however 20 min after they had left it suddenly began to behave erratically. When I used the remote to switch it off I discovered that although it was a wireless remote, the remote itself had to be held within a few inches of the rear of the heater to operate it.

I rang the Gas company that installed it and they said, don't talk to us, ring the Masport 1800 number. So I rang that, and the Masport person said just as quickly you have to ring the authorised service company and they will charge you a $160 call out fee if the problem isn't warranty related. I explained that the heater had only just been installed but it made no difference.

So I rang the authorised service company and they were very abrupt telling me about the $160 call out fee should it not be a warranty issue. I told them the problem and said it was brand new today. 2 weeks later they arrived and told me that the remote problem wasn't covered by warranty and I'd have to live with it. They charged me $160 and to cut a long story short, the problems have continued and increased for the last 5 years and cost me hundreds of dollars in wasted call out fees and time off work.

Some of the issues are:

- Remote doesn't work unless held within a few inches of the rear of the heater. Tried different batteries

and the service person couldn't get it to work either - said it was common for wireless remotes on

Masport heaters.

- Heater when even set to manual, will turn itself on and off at random intervals. One day I came home

from work during summer and found the heater on and the inside of the house over 40c.

- When heater is operational and set to manual, fan will suddenly turn itself to high for no apparent

reason.

- Main circuit board is located at the very rear of the heater so replacement requires the whole heater

to be removed at a significant labour cost to replace the board. The quote I currently have is over $1000.

I have had this heater serviced twice every year since I've had it - mainly to try and solve issues. This winter the heater when switched on, would cycle on and of every few seconds repeatedly. The first visit from the authorised service person cost me $160 and didn't get it fixed. The second visit resulted in a quote over $1000 to replace the main circuit board with no guarantee that this replacement would fix the problem at the end of it. I was advised to dispose of the heater - which was only 5 years old and buy a replacement.

At this point it is difficult to describe the incredible level of disdain I have for Masport and all those associated with them. I will now take every opportunity to share my experience with others in the hope I can protect them from a similar experience from a company who provides such a terrible level of quality and service.

This one gas heater from 20 minutes after I purchased it to 5 years later has cost me nothing but heartache and lost of money in wasted service costs, days off work to be home for the service people who often couldn't fix the problems - all up a $5000 lemon with a warranty to match. An electric heater plus the carbon tax would have been a cheaper and more reliable alternative. It looks great when it's working Unreliable, expensive, bad warranty service, wireless remote didn't work unless it was held very close to the heater, heater would turn itself on unless switched off at the wall, died after 5 years and told not worth repairing, and service from Masport appalling.

Can never get is serviced- utter hell – Impossible to get fixed. Masport service centres useless. Tried many gas fitters who will not work on them. Do not buy. Good heat- looks good Impossible to service. Pilot light constantly blocks- 2 services every winter. Don't buy