Magellan Support revisited

[murja]

Ok...I've read all the posts regarding LOUSY Magellan support, but now I'm on the receiving end, and am experiencing ALL that has been mentioned previously, so I won't go into that, and MORE. OK, I've talked to the very friendly folks in India and accomplished nothing. What can I do to "step it up" a bit. Does anyone have another number that I can call, preferably in the United States?

[+hukilaulau]

Ok...I've read all the posts regarding LOUSY Magellan support, but now I'm on the receiving end, and am experiencing ALL that has been mentioned previously, so I won't go into that, and MORE. OK, I've talked to the very friendly folks in India and accomplished nothing. What can I do to "step it up" a bit. Does anyone have another number that I can call, preferably in the United States?

Why don't you give us some details and see if we can help? I've owned and used four different Magellan units and liked them all. I've talked to customer support with fairly good results. I can't tell you how to "step it up" a bit without a little more information.

1) What unit are you using?

2) What are you trying to do that doesn't work?

[+Flatouts]

Here's my story - it was posted on GPSInformation.net on a thread about support problems on Elplorist 500 USB cable. The one who wrote up the great review on the product is the one referenced.

 

-------- GPSInformation.net:

 

I was directed here (GPSInformation.net forums) by someone that has an educated knowledge of GPS products as they couldn't directly state anything negative on Magellan...

 

That being said it's obvious they agree that the customer support primarily the Tech Support and perhaps the parts department are not working as they once were.

 

Now I must admit my Indoenglish could use some lessons - I'm finding that it may be a second language that should be offered be Eveland or something to that effect as most all products lately that I've been forced to actually contact the company must all employee from the same office pool.

 

So My saga - I purchased a new Magellan Expolrist 500LE - it was recommended by several fellow Geocachers that have a fair amount to extensive experience. I placed my order and within a few days I was a happy camper.... Well, that was until I discovered it was basically useless.

 

Useless because packaged with the unit was the wrong USB cable. Now if you know anything about the Magellan product you can see the trouble this would cause right. I have the AC Adapter, Ion Battery and a 4 MEG SD Card - but all is basically useless. I also have the Map Send and somewhere somehow the 3D Topo map thingy...

 

Well, it took the better part of the first month to get them to agree that they packaged the wrong cable in the box and that I wasn't a stupid American.

 

Obviously I shoulda woulda coulda sent the product back and purchased something else but no I contacted the seller and was directed to Magellan and began this saga.

 

Now three months later I sill have no USB Cable I can't get a straight answer nor talk to a supervisor and even CS will only redirect me to Tech Support which just simply does as all others have before - start a new ticket - Reorder and start a new RA (written authorization??) and promise that this time I will get it in a few business days to one week - just so you know - each time I've gone through this it takes approx 1.5 hours of phone contact - they tell me each time that it takes at least 2 weeks for such and order to go through and that it should be there soon. They tell me that the person shouldn't have told me that it would be there in a week or less??? Then tell me they will rush it to me and it all starts over again.

 

My only hope at this point is to call them every week until I accumulate enough phone time that it would have been cheaper for them to send me another unit for free!

 

I now have at least 8 Trouble tickets on this one problem and a very expensive Electronic Compass which I guess beats Google Maps sort of.

 

Okay, I'm not that stupid - I purchased a SD Card Reader and can do some of the desired functions - However, I can't do much as the unit requires a firmware update that requires the unit to be hooked up on the USB - nor can I charge or use the battery I purchased. I do have a situation developing for Hazard waste here in Orange county for all the AAA batteries I've used up.

 

BTW Now when I call the original store - they tell me that they can't help me as it's over the 90 days - they can order the cable but it's been on back order for 6 months now.

 

My research has lead be to firmly believe that Magellan didn't have or perhaps still doesn't have the cable and that in order to continue production they are in fact packaging these units with the wrong cable on purpose.

SO BUYER BE VERY VERY AWARE!!!

 

I'd be glad to elaborate with more specific facts with anyone that thinks or even knows they can help - from what I can see and read this forum isn't going to do that. Best I can hope for is some reads the trouble they might be facing before they make the purchase. However, that is but a very dim hope as most wont until they are searching out their answer to an existing problem.

 

I do appreciate the venting aspect though!

 

I do hope that the Admin and Moderators of this forum respect the troubles people are having and respect the efforts of those of us that are having trouble enough to allow a post that is intended to help people from making a huge mistake stay on this forum! If not then I really don't see it's purpose from the aspect of fairness and informative usefulness.

 

------------- 2nd post

 

Update - still no cable so will be going to attempt to get my money back as I think I've been more than fair and have run out of time even with the extended time through the credit card company to resolve this matter.

 

Thankful that this thread has been preserved. People need to be aware that there is a problem - a major problem!

 

I've have now been contacted be quite a few people with the same or similar problem. The cable isn't available.

 

To bad it was a decent product.

 

I guess I'll go with Garmin hopefully you get what you pay for with them.

 

------------------ end:

 

Well, as you might have guessed no reply on that forum - in fact seems not hardly any replies to any problems.

 

Here's the corporate number - good luck. (408) 615-5100

Edited November 6, 2007 by Flatouts

[+Flatouts]

Sorry to be negative I really didn't want this aspect as a beginner of this great game. In spite of the problems I really like the unit. I wish that I could take advantage of all the features.

 

I've tried the various Cache download programs EasyGPS & GSAK? - both do the same thing - puts them on there but all are traditional - t/d = 1 - no hints - they show up great but you have know idea what you are looking for. This may be the firmware as I was told or could be something else haven't really got that far.

 

Sure has made for a lot of work for a newbie...lol

Edited November 6, 2007 by Flatouts

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

 

I've tried the various Cache download programs EasyGPS & GSAK? - both do the same thing - puts them on there but all are traditional - t/d = 1 - no hints - they show up great but you have know idea what you are looking for. This may be the firmware as I was told or could be something else haven't really got that far.

 

Are you using LOC files or GPS files for your downloads? LOC files do NOT contain the D/T info you seek, you need GPX files for that.

 

John

[+hukilaulau]

Sorry to be negative I really didn't want this aspect as a beginner of this great game. In spite of the problems I really like the unit. I wish that I could take advantage of all the features.

 

I've tried the various Cache download programs EasyGPS & GSAK? - both do the same thing - puts them on there but all are traditional - t/d = 1 - no hints - they show up great but you have know idea what you are looking for. This may be the firmware as I was told or could be something else haven't really got that far.

 

Sure has made for a lot of work for a newbie...lol

Did you try a different source for the cable? A quick Google search turned up several possibilities. I didn't actually call so maybe there really aren't any in stock.

[GeoidPS]

If you didn't have a cable with the purchase, your responsibilty is to return it to the seller for an exchange or refund. Did you register the product? If not, why are you expecting Magellan to give you a cable? Don't keep spamming this forum with this repeatedly.

I agree, you should have returned the product, unless you got it on e-bay which nulls and voids any warrenty.

Something your not telling.