Should I get a Magellan eXplorist 500?

[ApologeticKid]

I am really REALLY new to GeoCaching, but I really enjoy it! I decided it's time to get a GPS. Is the Magellan eXplorist 500 a good GPS for a beginner who has no experience working a GPS? Will I be able to use it to find caches easily? I appreciate any help!

Thanks,

-Timmy-

[+briansnat]

It will work just fine. It's a good unit. But before buying I suggest you use this forum's form search feature to search on Magellan support and read of all the horror stories people have had in dealing with Magellan.

 

If your unit is trouble free great, but if you need to deal with Magellan customer support you may be in for an ordeal.

[sanramonhunter]

I have one and it's a pretty good unit. I wouldn't however recommend to anyone to get one. Magellan has pretty bad to non-existent customer support. Any unit you buy at the store will not have WAAS working out of the box and you will have to download an update (not from the magellan website because they will only give it to european registered explorists). The units will more than likely be discontinued by magellan within the coming year.

 

If you are technically savvy and don't mind figuring out how to get it working all by yourself they are good units for the price. Costco.com has them for 119.00. But if you want support from the company that made it go with a garmin or a delorme.

[gates59]

I owned one for about a year and sold it and got a gpsmap 60csx. Much better unit and alot faster. The magellan 500 also has broblems with the usb cable. Some people have problems getting their computers to find it. Stay away.

[+D0T-C0M]

The hardware is solid but like everyone has mentioned the customer support is horrible. The explorist 500 is a great unit so chances are you won't need customer support. If you do get it PM me for the latest 2.57 european firmware which works fine in US models too. I don't know why magellan doesn't offer this latest firmware to the US as well because it fixes alot of bugs. The only difference between the european and the US firemware is the european one defaults to metric units when you first flash the firmware but you just have to change it back to imperial units and away you go.

 

Regardless I do recommend it because its cheap and the hardware is really good just wished Magellan had top notch customer support to go with their units!!!

Edited March 26, 2008 by D0T-C0M

[+Dead Batteries]

I have a Magellan Meridian Gold and have used it for years with no problems. The only problem so far is "After" I renewed my subscription to Groundspeak I find out that Magellan is no longer supported. Great, just flippin great.

 

DB

[+letmein]

I've used an eXplorist 600 since they came out. I've loved it.

 

I recently bought 4 of the 500's for $119 each for my kids and my cousin. They are tickled pink.

 

If you buy from Costco you have a big store with a great return policy behind you, so the bad Magellan support is less of an issue.