Should I trade in my eXplorist 500 for a Triton 400?

[+Jhawk0769]

Topic started back in WAAS and Magellan functioning (http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=185052).

 

New twist and need some advise.

 

So, here's the short story. My Explorist 500LE will not lock onto the WAAS sats for accuracy, niether will most.

 

I called Magellan and asked when they would have this fixed.

 

They won't fix it.

 

According to the Magellan rep, all eXplorists are no longer WAAS compatible even if it displays the WAAS.

 

When I questioned their advertising and their website still called out the specs as WAAS capable, and this unit is not as advertised, they immediately offered me an exchange to the Triton 400, at no charge. Ship it back and I will get my new unit in 10-12 days after they recieve the 500.

 

DO I do this or not?

 

Viewpoints on the Triton 400 are welcome, I've seen some negative comments on the Triton.

 

Thanks

J

[robertlipe]

Wow, that's an interesting strategy. Was the 500LE still under warranty?

 

Search for "triton" in these forums and you'll find a mixed bag.

[+EScout]

First, see if you can do the firmware upgrade to 2.57. If you can, you will get WAAS again. To see if your unit can be upgraded, go to the Yahoo eXplorist group and read the posts on this topic. Some units can, some cannot be upgraded.

[+Jhawk0769]

Thanks for the help.

 

My unit is still under warranty. I have had it about 3 weeks. I can't return it to the store because it was a clearance item.

 

Unfortunately my unit can not be upgraded (0188 sn and NA 5.2.17 firmware is newer than the euro 5.2.57).

 

Magellan is not offering me anyother option other than a Triton.

 

Im considering taking the Triton, I have a 210 which is more accurate than the 500.

 

I may take the Triton into the realm of "For Sale" to recoup my loss and get a garmin.

[+gpsblake]

Magellan as of late seems more than willing to switch the Explorist to an equal Triton at no charge. Certainly an improvement on customer service.

 

Now as far as WAAS, the 200-500 Triton's are not showing they are picking up WAAS either. Only the 1500 and 2000 are showing evidence it is picking up WAAS. Still, with that said, my Triton 500 seems to be really accurate compared to NGS benchmarks. However, it's always been my belief that for geocaching, WAAS is way over-rated, any unit will get you the site of a geocache.

 

There are some downsides to the triton compared to the Explorist notably much lower battery life, a really complicated unit to use, and no 3rd party software communicates with the Triton. The upsides is the accuracy and the display looks great (although you've got to have the backlight on at all times) and you can go paperless geocaching with the Triton.