Garmin Customer Support?

[+Rebel Alliance]

I recently had a Garmin Etrex Venture purchased for me as a gift.

The screen within a month began to corrupt but I thought it was intermittent.

Then the click-stick started working only intermittently.

After reading others posts on this forum I decided to contact customer support.

In the first instance after a 25 minute wait I was told to reinstall the software, like I hadn't already done that!

But I followed instructions.

This solved the problem for 5 minutes

So I rang again this morning and after a 30 minute wait was told that the unit can only be serviced under warranty with a proof of purchase.

I accept this is normal but most quality vendors make allowances for this when the item is a gift.

 

I have contacted the person who bought me this unit but they do not have the receipt.

 

So I now have a sha**ed GPS that will cost £50+ to repair.

But surely Garmin could earn kudos by fixing the problem under warranty.

 

As a warning if anyone buys you a Garmin gps as a gift ask for the receipt as you will need it to return the dadgum thing before long!!!

[+JollyJax]

Whilst in my previous job, I taught the use of GPS units to groups of 16 year old ne'erdowells and skrimshanks in Oxford.

 

I used half a dozen Garmin Yellow Etrex to do this as they did all we needed and were cheaper than most.

 

After the first week or so a screen was damaged accidently and armed with purchase details and receipts I talked to Andrew and others at Garmin support. They were always helpful but at the prices they charge for repair .. i am not suprised.

 

When they eventually (eight weeks) sent me a replacement unit, which i paid in excess of £50 for, they "forgot" that it was a version 3.o that had been damaged and sent me the older version 2.11.

 

Not a problem i hear you say, but when you teach to a group, its nice to have the same screens appear to everyone .... thats why they were all bought together ....

 

I returned it and the nice men at Garmin apologised and sent me ANOTHER version 2.11 ... "as the boxes didnt tell them which unit was which without opening them" ... BULLs*** .....

 

Another fortnight and more discussions after their "shopping trolley music" waiting service .. and I received a working correctly versioned yellow Etrex ....

 

Is this the level of service we should or would be happy with???

 

I have read threads before that praise Garmin support with tales of free replacements and the like .... its about time we saw the otherside ..... isnt it?

[+Sue and Bernie]

Sorry to hear your collected tales of woe - both of you must have caught them on a bad day or perhaps I got them on a good one when I need assistance from Garmin!

 

When the power supply/speaker unit for my Streetpilot needed a repair (well beyond the warranty period), I telephoned Garmin. Their immediate response was to say "Don't bother returning it, we'll send you another one" - and they did, arrived a couple of days later.

 

...perhaps it's who picks up the phone that determines the response?

[+Moote]

I own a Garmin 60CS and have tried without success to get info off Garmin UK, on where to purchase version 7 EU maps without the car kit. I have phoned, emailed and not had a reply. So if they can't be bothered getting in touch then I think it shows their commitment to the customer.

 

Milton (aka moote)

[+Moote]

So I rang again this morning and after a 30 minute wait was told that the unit can only be serviced under warranty with a proof of purchase.

I accept this is normal but most quality vendors make allowances for this when the item is a gift.

Mick

 

Under UK consumer law you do not require proof of purchase, and also good have to be suitable for the purpose sold for a 7 year period. So if a fault of manufacture occurs within 7 years you are entitled to a replacement or fix if out of warranty.

 

It the goods are still in warranty never accept a fix; only accept a complete replacement as getting a fix alters your legal rights to future replacement. The fact that it was a gift does not alter the status of the warranty.

 

Milton (aka moote)

[+Rebel Alliance]

Thanks Milton

It is clear what the consumer laws say.

But the guy at Garmin wouldn't even look up when the product was shipped against the serial number because 'he was doing me a favour'?

When you are face to face with a retailer of goods I find it very easy to get my point across

But across the phone they just fob you off.

 

As a result of this I will find it very hard to make my next purchase a Garmin.

I may even go back to OS & Silva

Edited September 26, 2005 by Rebel Alliance

[+Moote]

Mick

 

Chap I work with had a similar problem with a PC motherboard and when he quoted the law and told the UK manufacturer that he would pursue this through the legal system they gave in very quickly, and sent him a replacement.

 

Milton

Edited September 26, 2005 by moote

[+Snosrap]

 

Under UK consumer law you do not require proof of purchase, and also good have to be suitable for the purpose sold for a 7 year period. So if a fault of manufacture occurs within 7 years you are entitled to a replacement or fix if out of warranty.

 

 

Isn't that the point.. "replacement or fix". I understood that the choice of which is theirs not yours.

 

BTW, I'm no lawyer so would love to be told I'm wrong here!!

[+Moote]

Isn't that the point.. "replacement or fix".  I understood that the choice of which is theirs not yours. 

 

BTW, I'm no lawyer so would love to be told I'm wrong here!!

Not whilst it is under its statutory warranty period, the only thing not covered by this is a new car.

 

Milton (aka moote)

Edited September 27, 2005 by moote

[+sTeamTraen]

I own a Garmin 60CS and have tried without success to get info off Garmin UK, on where to purchase version 7 EU maps without the car kit. I have phoned, emailed and not had a reply. So if they can't be bothered getting in touch then I think it shows their commitment to the customer.

As far as I know, you can't. And if I was a Garmin rep I would be pretty embarrassed at having to admit it (as I understand it, it's due to some pretty dreadful thinking in marketing). They might well be fed up with having to tell customers that they can't have it.

 

Americans who want to buy the US maps without the car kit have the same problem. But they can get the EU maps (which the pink bow-tie brigade in marketing presume will be an "add-on") on their own, just like you can get the US maps.

 

Conclusion: come the revolution, all marketing types, up against the wall, last fag, bop-bop. In my case they'll have to wait a bit while I shoot everyone who has ever worked in a bank or an insurance company, but I'll get round to them in the end.