Don't buy GARMIN....until you read this...

[globalrider]

Garmin bent over backwards to insure my satisfaction.

They did so and I wasn't even looking for satisfaction; all I wanted were a couple of parts to repair my out-of-warranty by about 8 months Garmin 60Cx.

My Garmin is mounted on my handlebars as many are.

Those who have a GS Adventure know that the fuel tank inlet is dished down with a smaller opening into the gas tank. As I was filling, I accidentally pulled the pump nozzle out a tad and that cause a spray of fuel all over the tank, windscreen and Garmin.

I wiped it down but a few days later the rubberized black buttons peeled leaving the white sub layer.

I called Garmin about getting a new key pad membrane and a dual rubber cap for the power and mini-USB outlets from their parts department...if they even sell parts.

End result: Garmin told me that the keypad was not available since it would compromise the waterproof-ness of my device and forget the rubber caps for the outlets...here is a RMA number, go to this dealer and they will give you a new unit after returning the old one.

And this after being well off warranty, not that this should have been covered by warranty.

 

[vectorprime27]

Apparently the 40% off offer is fiction. Now I'm told it's $70. That's about 10%. Glad you are happy. IMHO, Garmin sucks. I think I've made that pretty clear.

 

[mikegalbicka]

Indeed you have. What you haven't made clear is whether you have tried all the good advice you have gotten on this thread. Escalating support cases up the food chain from the script readers to the level 2, 3 or 4 technicians and on to supervisors, etc is the only way to really gauge how well a support system functions. There aren't many companies whose first level of support is worth a flip. A lot of times you can't even understand "Bob" with the thick Indian accent.

 

[kantuckid]

No sense debating something with someone whose mind is made up so I hope you get the satisfaction you feel you deserve. You might be surprised what is packed into that fine print you never read though.

Like the fact that the OP's "lifetime maps" are not really "lifetime", unless your a housefly.
I did the "search for rubber parts thing" too and found that the on/off rubber is made of "unobtanium" so took them up on the (beware of multi-pricing from phone clerks!) exchange for a new one deal. If this one goes out I'm gonna use a cheapo ebay replacement that stays in the dry-my current Zumo is my last Zumo.

 

[vectorprime27]

Indeed you have. What you haven't made clear is whether you have tried all the good advice you have gotten on this thread. Escalating support cases up the food chain from the script readers to the level 2, 3 or 4 technicians and on to supervisors, etc is the only way to really gauge how well a support system functions. There aren't many companies whose first level of support is worth a flip. A lot of times you can't even understand "Bob" with the thick Indian accent.

Yes I have. There have been lots of good advice, and I've tried pretty much everything. As for Garmin, I've been routed up the line to three different techs...I guess that is level 3? No satisfaction, no solution. I cannot make this any simpler; I plugged a fully functional GPS into my computer, ran their software, and it was turned into a paperweight. No prompts, no questions, no choices. Just nuked. The only relief offered is a vastly inferior replacement, or a "token" discount on a very expensive replacement. If you believe it's my fault and I'm unreasonable, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. A simple warning from Garmin would have prevented all of this....as would a reasonable solution to fix the problem they caused.

 

[Firenailer]

I had my trusty 2720 shoot craps. I contacted Garmin on an unrelated issue and they made me the same offer....40% off.
Man....I jumped on that deal! Who wouldn't want the latest and greatest at a substantial discount.
Garmin bent over backwards to insure my satisfaction.
Over the years this is my third motorcycle-specific GPS and have been very happy with Garmin, their products and service.

My experience with Garmin has been great! Anytime I've had any kind of issue their customer service has bent over backwards to make it right. They've even taken back and refurbished units that were WAY out of warranty period.

I've been really happy with all of my Garmins and their Customer Service. Ive got them in my truck, bike, boat and even have a hand held that I use for hunting and hiking.

 

[mikegalbicka]

A simple warning from Garmin would have prevented all of this

What kind of warning would have satisfied you?

 

[kantuckid]

Even prior to the GPS coming on the scene there has been a many years, move/attitude toward obsolescence of electronic items. Many now simply accept that after a bit it is OK for pricey gizmos to die a (sort of) "natural death". I'm unfortunately in that crowd that thinks they outta be there for awhile, no matter that they are "due", as in replaced by the next generation of gizmo. Sort of like my tractor, works & works, then you might fix it, then run it some more, & it'll be around long after I'm gone...
I'm with the OP, Garmin doesn't get my vote but I bought another one anyway, whats a guy to do?

 

[Lugar-John]

This gets a bit more interesting. In answer to an earlier question, yes, I've told Garmin what would satisfy me. Either a) Put my 2820 back in working order with the old map intact (2014.5 I think) or b) Sell me a new or refurbished unit with comparable features at a reasonable ($300 or less) price.

Today I got another email offering a generous $70 discount on a full price ($799) Zumo. They were also kind enough to point out some VERY interesting fine print in their agreement. Did anyone know....


"A product will be deemed to be out of service and its useful life to be ended if no updates have been downloaded for such product for a period of 24 months or more...."

or

"Garmin may conclude that the "useful life" of your product has expired. Garmin may terminate your nuMaps Lifetime or other lifetime map subscription at any time ...."

So basically there is no such thing as a Lifetime Map updates, and if you don't update your unit at least once every 2 years it's deemed out of service. What a great company.....not.

I'm fairly sure that they must write their updates to be progressive and is you don't update in a normal interval the unit will be hosed..
I'm very happy with their devices and the support

 

[pglaves]

2720s seem to be going for from $65 to $99; and 2820s seem to be going for from $100 or so on eBay. That is where I would go to replace one if mine was destroyed by Garmin or from falling off the bike, or whatever. Fair? Probably not but somewhere around $100 will put an equivilent GPS back on the handlebars.

 

[vectorprime27]

What kind of warning would have satisfied you?

Warning: This update is not compatible with your Street Pilot 2820. Running the update may render your device inoperable. Please contact Garmin for additional options.


How hard might that be? They said they were aware it was an issue. Of course, since I was NEVER even given the opportunity to cancel or refuse the update (it launched and ran automatically), I made the (silly) assumption that it must be fine.

 

[mda185]

My dissatisfaction with Garmin tech support for similar reasons led me to try another alternative - CoPilot app on a Google Nexus 7 2nd gen version that was released in 2013. This tablet has a bright screen that is daylight readable in all but the brightest direct sunlight conditions. The key is to have it in portrait orientation vs landscape. There must be some kind of polarizing filter in the screen or reflective layer that makes it more readable outdoors in portrait orientation. I also use Google Maps some of the time but that has proven to be less reliable this year than in years past. This also opens up the possibility of using other GPS apps for hiking and off road riding such as Viewranger. I use a RAM mount with a spring loaded bracket that securely holds my tablet and am able to easily transfer it from motorcycle, to bicycle, to car. It is not quite as user friendly as a turn key Garmin GPS but for most of us, this is not too hard to figure out. My Nexus 7 also has wifi, bluetooth, and LTE capability. I use a SIM card from ATT for cellular data service when out of wifi range. I doubt I will give Garmin any of my hard earned money again. I will admit I carry a cheap automotive Garmin GPS as a back up just in case the tablet stops working but my cell phone is also a capable back up. No more new Garmin stuff for me!

If my technology is going to have a shelf life, I would rather it be a tablet where all the apps I pay for can be loaded on a new one with few exceptions. The only drawback I can see so far is Garmin Base Camp can't be used for trip planning but I am willing to bet there is an alternative out there I just have not discovered yet.

Last thought - the new Samsung high end tablets have great high resolution daylight readable screens also and I expect the next generation of Google Nexus tablets to be as good or better. Apple probably has a viable alternative but I don't like give them any of my hard earned cash either. I much prefer Android devices.

 

[mikegalbicka]

I made the (silly) assumption that it must be fine.

You are also making the assumption that the software update itself bricked it. It could be that you ran out of free space during the maps update because you did not make sure you had enough free space to load the maps you were trying to. That is on the user and not on the manufacturer. You might find this resource helpful if in fact you are trying to recover this device.

http://www.sharc.net/gps_bootup_repair.htm

Unit crashes or Locks Up While Loading Maps:
This problem is often caused by missing or corrupted files such as:

Missing or corrupted map files.
Corrupted POI files.
The customer attempted to update the maps without making sure that there was adequate free memory space on the unit.

How to Resolve These Issues:
The majority of these problems can be resolved by reflashing over the factory firmware with a service firmware that allows access to the units USB flash drive. Once access has been restored, the missing and/or damaged files can be replaced with good files. Once the affected files have been restored, the unit can be reflashed with the standard factory firmware.

Note: I have not vetted this site at all. Research it yourself and use at your own risk.

 

[vectorprime27]

You are also making the assumption that the software update itself bricked it. It could be that you ran out of free space during the maps update because you did not make sure you had enough free space to load the maps you were trying to. That is on the user and not on the manufacturer. You might find this resource helpful if in fact you are trying to recover this device.

http://www.sharc.net/gps_bootup_repair.htm

Unit crashes or Locks Up While Loading Maps:
This problem is often caused by missing or corrupted files such as:

Missing or corrupted map files.
Corrupted POI files.
The customer attempted to update the maps without making sure that there was adequate free memory space on the unit.

How to Resolve These Issues:
The majority of these problems can be resolved by reflashing over the factory firmware with a service firmware that allows access to the units USB flash drive. Once access has been restored, the missing and/or damaged files can be replaced with good files. Once the affected files have been restored, the unit can be reflashed with the standard factory firmware.

Note: I have not vetted this site at all. Research it yourself and use at your own risk.

Thanks for the info. I've replaced the unit with a Tom Tom Rider. The first GPS I ever owned was a Tom Tom, so it's not difficult to use. The new Cardo update for my Scala Rider added some nice Bluetooth features that negated the need for the Garmin GPS. I'm in the process of riding my life of Garmin crap. I'll gladly steer anyone who'll listen to someone other than Garmin....primarily because customer service is an oxymoron at Garmin.

 

[bdfbeemer]

Unrealistic expectations usually get less than desired results.

 

[mikegalbicka]

Warning: This update is not compatible with your Street Pilot 2820. Running the update may render your device inoperable. Please contact Garmin for additional options.

I assume Tom Tom has assured you their products will never cause you this same grief no matter how long you own them.

 

[vectorprime27]

Unrealistic expectations usually get less than desired results.

Cute. Explain the unrealistic part please?

 

[ricochetrider]

Cute. Explain the unrealistic part please?

To play Devil's Advocate for just a minute, let me point out that expecting a device from
19-- to work
for like ever would be the *unrealistic* portion of this saga. Expecting a device from 2005 to work forever is probably unrealistic. Look at the iPhone 3 for example. Dead. Windows XP. No longer supported by Windows. Etc. Etc. I'm sure the list is as long as your or my arm.

Technology changes minute to minute, changes faster than we mere mortals can keep up. Technological devices are self destructing, and have built in obsolescence. Their very nature is to be rendered useless and out of date within a finite time span. Some of this - a minor percentage - may be pure marketing but realities being what they are, one simply cannot expect any device older than a few years to work forever, nor can one expect any company to continue to support obsolete product offerings. In order to be competitive in the fast changing tech market, they have to stay abreast or ahead of the curve. Their support, as well as their products, has a finite life span! Now, having pointed out what some may see as The Obvious, I'll say I'm no tech wizard, just an ordinary guy who plays with tech toys. I probably know just enough to get myself in trouble with computers, smart phones, iPads, etc. Shoot, man- even the average PnS camera has more technology than I'll ever use.
Yet I understand perfectly well -I accept- the limitations and/or potential for obsolescence with all technology.

So let's recap together here:
You got how many years of good use from your antique device?
Are you not satisfied with that?
And you paid +/- 1000.00 way back when but don't want to spend 400.00 (as part of THEIR offer) now, X number of years later?
HMMM.

Time to move on. If I were in your shoes, I'd have accepted their offer. And been happy. If I got years and years of service out of anything I'd be happy, as a clam.
Garmin The Company is only under so much obligation to you. Sounds to me like you're saying they made you two or three offers towards a new product. So they appear to be trying to please or at least appease you.

I just wanna get this straight so I can be clear:

A: What part of "they made you several offers" feels like crappy service to you?
B: How does "I got years of good use from my Garmin device" become "Don't Buy Garmin".

 

[bdfbeemer]

I just updated my Nav V. There was a big disclaimer saying it could ruin non supported devices. This has been part of almost all updates I have done with numerous Garmins. Granted the company can be a real pita sometimes but I think they try to warn us about updates that may cause problems.

 

[vectorprime27]

So let's recap together here:
You got how many years of good use from your antique device?
Are you not satisfied with that?
And you paid +/- 1000.00 way back when but don't want to spend 400.00 (as part of THEIR offer) now, X number of years later?
HMMM.

Time to move on. If I were in your shoes, I'd have accepted their offer. And been happy. If I got years and years of service out of anything I'd be happy, as a clam.
Garmin The Company is only under so much obligation to you. Sounds to me like you're saying they made you two or three offers towards a new product. So they appear to be trying to please or at least appease you.

I just wanna get this straight so I can be clear:

A: What part of "they made you several offers" feels like crappy service to you?
B: How does "I got years of good use from my Garmin device" become "Don't Buy Garmin".

Not sure how many times I need to make these points, but I'll do it at least once more. Destroying a perfectly good device with no warnings is NOT ACCEPTABLE. Had I gotten ANY warnings (which apparently they now have) telling me the device might be damaged by an update, I'd have heeded it. I received no warnings, nor any choice about even doing the update, as it just ran off and trashed the GPS a soon as the program ran. Don't think that is unrealistic. As for the offers, I was given the choice of a completely useless replacement (it can be bought for about $59) or a whopping $70 credit toward the full purchase price of a new unit....neither of which is fair because a comparable unit costs far more than they were offering.

It has nothing to do with the years of service. If you took your bike in for an oil change and the mechanic destroyed the engine because he decided to adjust the idle (without asking you), would you find it acceptable if he said to you, "Jeezz...sorry man...but it was an old motorcycle and you probably got lots of years of service from it. They don't run forever! Guess you I need to sell you a new one now." You think you'd find that acceptable? I seriously doubt it.

Here is the bottom line. Had I been warned, I'd have the option of making a choice; buy a new one, or live with the old one with no updates. That isn't what happened. No choice, and basically a "your screwed, if you want one like you had, give us a bunch of money" from Garmin.