+Whostops Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 Our company (Peugeot Pinetown) had 2 Garmin Streetpilots (C310) which had served us well for nearly 2 years. About a month ago they started playing up. They could not receive satelite signal. I contacted Avnic Trading's Technical Support, using Garmin.co.za. I then sent the units up to JHB via courier. Within a week I was advised that they would be replacing both units as an internal receiver was faulty. A week late I received a Nuvi 200 & a C510. Both Brand New. What service !!! Where else do you get a new unit in replacement for a 2 year old ? Well done to Avnic & Garmin. Quote Link to comment
+Wazat Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 Every unit I sent back to Avnic was replaced. Some times they might not have the same unit as it has been updated like in your case. Then they replace it with an updated model. I guess that the value of the replacement units will be around the same as your old units. Unless the unit could be repaired which was not often. Usually if a battery can be replaced on a unit with a sealed battery then they charge you a nominal fee. Not much but better than buying a new unit. The service you get from Avnic is excellent. It one of the reasons why after my MioGPS died after a few months I bit the bullet and paid the 5 grand for my Garmin Vista HCx. I rest assured that it is getting excellent backup should I ever need it. Quote Link to comment
+Carbon Hunter Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 Good to know! Quote Link to comment
+LeonW Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 That is why I stick with Garmin. In 1997 they replaced my GPS45 with a GPS45XL - I will not forget... Quote Link to comment
+Wazat Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 That is why I stick with Garmin. In 1997 they replaced my GPS45 with a GPS45XL - I will not forget... And it took you 10 years to start geocaching? OK back then you would have to make your search area about 100m radius from Ground Zero.... Can imagine the spoiler.... Look in the field for a sign (Piets se plaas) with red chevron tape tied to the pole. Look under the rock next to the sign. There is no tree cover and this cache is in the Free State. Careful though your reading may be off if a few birds are flying overhead. The nearest hill or building is more than 10km away so you need not worry too much about your signal been affected by them. Remember bring enough water as I was very thirsty after carrying my GPS out into this field. Don't be fooled by the other sign 2km up the road that is not the right one. Quote Link to comment
+Nish4 Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 I can also add to the good service received from Avnic. Replaced my Quest (that I later updated to a Quest 2) - no questions asked. Found problems with their suction cups but they still replace them with no issues. Quote Link to comment
+vespax Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 Happy you got new units. But maybe if they lowered the prices to more reasonable rates on these units here they wouldn't have the funds to replace all the units? They do make a killing off of the markups in SA! [runs and ducks with flame suit on] Quote Link to comment
+Gerald Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 (edited) Yes I agree my Quest is great BUT there currently is a firmware issue with the Quest units that stops it being able to do an address search if Southern Africa Streetmaps v1.5 and any other routable mapset is loaded together even if only one is active (T4A maps being an example). Avnic seem unable or unwilling to help to correct the firmware. They dont always come up smelling like roses. . Edited February 15, 2008 by Gerald Quote Link to comment
+LeonW Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 @Wazat, you forget that I would have had to sit in the Free State next to the old broken windpomp in the searing heat, freeeeezzziiinnnngggg cold for 3 years before that first geocache was placed on the other side of the world. Don't know how I missed the birth of geocaching except to say I am not the responsible one @Gerald, your critique of Garmin not being able to deal with "Another Map-set like T4A" is misplaced, rather target T4A for not doing it right, the Garmin device and its authorized maps are working correctly, isn't it? Using T4A is at your own risk, Garmin is not to blame - they are not the suppliers of T4A maps. Quote Link to comment
+Gerald Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 Yes maybe, but then again V1.5 and other Garmin auto-routable maps loaded side by side also have issues but only with the quest, but it is a great GPS and running T4A non-routable together works fine. Finding caches in my area of SA often requires T4A as Garmap is nowhere to be seen eg Ongoye forest, Eshowe caches and the ones in Mtunzini area. Cant always stop and reload maps with the laptop and I did spend nearly 6 G's on it. Quote Link to comment
+Carbon Hunter Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I can also add to the good service received from Avnic. Replaced my Quest (that I later updated to a Quest 2) - no questions asked. Found problems with their suction cups but they still replace them with no issues. The suction cups on the Quest2 - my cradle broke within the first trip to Mpoumalnaga - really a weakness in design. Have to drive with it loose on the dashboard now! Not so good. Quote Link to comment
+Nish4 Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I can also add to the good service received from Avnic. Replaced my Quest (that I later updated to a Quest 2) - no questions asked. Found problems with their suction cups but they still replace them with no issues. The suction cups on the Quest2 - my cradle broke within the first trip to Mpoumalnaga - really a weakness in design. Have to drive with it loose on the dashboard now! Not so good. Carbon Hunter give Avnic a try, you might be pleasantly surprised. Keep us posted. Quote Link to comment
+Wazat Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I can also add to the good service received from Avnic. Replaced my Quest (that I later updated to a Quest 2) - no questions asked. Found problems with their suction cups but they still replace them with no issues. The suction cups on the Quest2 - my cradle broke within the first trip to Mpoumalnaga - really a weakness in design. Have to drive with it loose on the dashboard now! Not so good. Carbon Hunter give Avnic a try, you might be pleasantly surprised. Keep us posted. Haa haa.... A weakness in design or are the Mpumalanga roads that bad? Huh? Mpumalanga or Mpoumalnaga? Like Nish4 said give them a try. Quote Link to comment
+CapeDoc Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I can also add to the good service received from Avnic. Replaced my Quest (that I later updated to a Quest 2) - no questions asked. Found problems with their suction cups but they still replace them with no issues. The suction cups on the Quest2 - my cradle broke within the first trip to Mpoumalnaga - really a weakness in design. Have to drive with it loose on the dashboard now! Not so good. Carbon Hunter give Avnic a try, you might be pleasantly surprised. Keep us posted. Haa haa.... A weakness in design or are the Mpumalanga roads that bad? Huh? Mpumalanga or Mpoumalnaga? Like Nish4 said give them a try. My wife has a Nuvi. (Surprisingly good for geocaching since it carries only road maps!) Her suction cup's rubber seal perished and was unusable. I took it to Avnic in Cape Town and they replaced it on the spot. A new mount would have cost about R300. I was very impressed and have bought 2 further Nuvi's as presents. I also took my garmin in because it was not finding street numbers well. They put on the new set of maps (map update) and solved the problem for no charge. I will stay with Garmin. Quote Link to comment
+geocacher_coza Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I have good and bad (or should I say not so good) experiences with Avnic. I had an Ique 3600 that I bought in the USA. The screen went blank and Avnic did not want to work on it even though it was out of warranty and I wanted to pay for the repair! My invoice from Garmin USA also stated that the unit did carry an international warranty! They said because it was not bought from them they will not work on it. I contacted Garmin in the USA and they confirmed that Avnic must repair the unit even though I did not buy from it from Avnic. They still refused to work on the unit BUT said if I pay in R2000.00 they will replace the Ique 3600 with an Ique 3200. (The Ique 3600 and 3200 are discontinued but Avnic still had a few 3200 in stock) I paid the R2000.00 and received my new 3200. This unit did not work from the word GO. I sent it back to Avnic. It got replaced with a new Ique 3200 that did not work as well!!! Avnic then offered me the Nuvi 710 as a replacement for the Ique 3200. I did not really want a different unit it as I liked the Ique because I could do paperless caching with ease. After all the fighting about getting the first unit repaired I think the eventual outcome was OK. I also have a Quest II that I did buy from Avnic. The mount also broke the first time I used it. They replaced it free of charge. Quote Link to comment
+Carbon Hunter Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I've heard nothing back a month or so after submitting a query on the website? Quote Link to comment
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