+SMN703 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Okay I have a Garmin Nuvi 680 that I use in my car and I pop it out and carry it when we GPS. The battery dies in 20 minutes in the winter when it's really cold, and it's not exactly the easiest thing to carry since it's for the car - but otherwise I love how accurate it is. BUT since we're getting more and more into geocaching (will hit 200 finds this month) I have been thinking for a few months about buying a handheld... The Garmin (I like Garmin's) Colorado 400T is $599 BUT I can get $180 dollars off if I buy it this weekend.... I have it in my shopping cart and I want to buy it but before I do I was curious... Would you buy this one? I mean $180 bucks off is pretty good and I've only ever seen this one for $550-650 even when I've seen it on sale it's never been less than $550 (If I buy it, I'm buying it today...) Quote Link to comment
+Isonzo Karst Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I'd buy it, but it's cheaper elsewhere. (599- 180 = 419) Try googling Colorado 400t -- you'll find better prices all over the web. The first place I tried had it with free shipping and no tax for $385 Quote Link to comment
+Walts Hunting Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 First of all why would you buy a Colorado when the Oregon is out plus it is available everyday on eBay for less than what you consider a great price. There has been a lot of angst about the Colorado on this forum. Plus the Colorado is available everyday for $360 on eBay. You should shop around since the price you are paying is way to high. Quote Link to comment
+SMN703 Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 First of all why would you buy a Colorado when the Oregon is out plus it is available everyday on eBay for less than what you consider a great price. There has been a lot of angst about the Colorado on this forum. Plus the Colorado is available everyday for $360 on eBay. You should shop around since the price you are paying is way to high. The place I'm buying from that's offering me the 30% off doesn't have the Oregon... and I don't like buying electronics or things this expensive from Ebay since there isn't a hard n fast return policy - whereas if something happens to this I can return it to the store (there's a store in my area but they don't sell this in the store - only online). Quote Link to comment
+Walts Hunting Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I have purchased thousands of dollars of items on eBay and sold tens of thousands and never a problem. Especially if you use paypal. You should read the forums about the Colorado extensively before making this purchase. One guy returned his to Garmin for repairs so often they sent him an Oregon the last time. If you don't trust eBay how about Amazon $385 with free shipping and they have a great return policy. You are paying to much. My general policy is to neve make a purchase without checking eBay and Amazon first and it has done me well. Sometimes the vendor will match it. Quote Link to comment
Keystone Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I am moving this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to the GPS and Technology forum. Quote Link to comment
+SMN703 Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Thank you - the last time I looked it up it was also like 500 on Amazon and so I didn't even look now (that was a few months back)... So clearly if I'm going to get this I should just go through Amazon - THANKS!!! Quote Link to comment
+twolpert Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Thank you - the last time I looked it up it was also like 500 on Amazon and so I didn't even look now (that was a few months back)... So clearly if I'm going to get this I should just go through Amazon - THANKS!!! Don't look just once on Amazon. Amazon prices swing up and down wildly, more or less at random. I'm sure their marketing hacks have a system which optimizes their profits by varying prices. But to mere mortals, it looks random. Quote Link to comment
+trunx Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Thank you - the last time I looked it up it was also like 500 on Amazon and so I didn't even look now (that was a few months back)... So clearly if I'm going to get this I should just go through Amazon - THANKS!!! Yep.....I bought a 400T last week from Amazon for $379, although the price this morning is $385....oil prices must have went up Quote Link to comment
+Tequila Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Make sure the retailer has a good returns policy if you decide you don't like the Colorado. And read through this forum before buying a CO. While some people have had success, there is a long line of dissatisfied users that switched to the Oregon. And you will also find a thread that discusses the fact that there are a number of improvement/features implemented in the OR that are not in the CO and it would appear they may never be. buyer beware. Quote Link to comment
+MaliBooBoo Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I would buy it. I've had my CO 400t since early on and stuck with it. Firmware updates have made it very stable these days. I did recently return it under warranty because the gasket around the battery area was loose. Garmin seems to have fixed this and the issue with leakage around the SD card area (gasket is thicker there and the entire battery cover slides over the gasket easily now and seals well). It seems to me that many of the Colorado haters are those that had many problems early with many replacements under warranty from Garmin required. It's therefore very understandable that they don't like the unit, however the Colorado they know is not today's Colorado. That being said, there are things that a high end GPS should do that the CO simply doesn't do and it seems unlikely at this stage that we will ever see them added. (track manager, waypoint averaging, distance and bearing with the pointer arrow etc.). But, really, when you can put 2000 caches on your GPS with all the cache info, it is easy to be forgiving if some other features are missing. And who knows, maybe that stuff will be added in a future firmware update. Yeah right. Quote Link to comment
corbyrs Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I've been comparing these two for a while, for the extra money I think that the Oregon is a better IMHO... There are a lot of posts out on the web about people not being very happy with the Colorado.... Quote Link to comment
+humboldt flier Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Okay I have a Garmin Nuvi 680 that I use in my car and I pop it out and carry it when we GPS. The battery dies in 20 minutes in the winter when it's really cold, and it's not exactly the easiest thing to carry since it's for the car - but otherwise I love how accurate it is. BUT since we're getting more and more into geocaching (will hit 200 finds this month) I have been thinking for a few months about buying a handheld... The Garmin (I like Garmin's) Colorado 400T is $599 BUT I can get $180 dollars off if I buy it this weekend.... I have it in my shopping cart and I want to buy it but before I do I was curious... Would you buy this one? I mean $180 bucks off is pretty good and I've only ever seen this one for $550-650 even when I've seen it on sale it's never been less than $550 (If I buy it, I'm buying it today...) Consider purchasing at REI the Colorado Series is heavily discounted, PLUS the return policy is outstanding. Many other outlets do not have such a stellar return policy and you will be stuck. >>> from someone who returned 4 Colorado Series units ( 400t X2, 300 X2 ) Quote Link to comment
+humboldt flier Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Okay I have a Garmin Nuvi 680 that I use in my car and I pop it out and carry it when we GPS. The battery dies in 20 minutes in the winter when it's really cold, and it's not exactly the easiest thing to carry since it's for the car - but otherwise I love how accurate it is. BUT since we're getting more and more into geocaching (will hit 200 finds this month) I have been thinking for a few months about buying a handheld... The Garmin (I like Garmin's) Colorado 400T is $599 BUT I can get $180 dollars off if I buy it this weekend.... I have it in my shopping cart and I want to buy it but before I do I was curious... Would you buy this one? I mean $180 bucks off is pretty good and I've only ever seen this one for $550-650 even when I've seen it on sale it's never been less than $550 (If I buy it, I'm buying it today...) Consider purchasing at REI the Colorado Series is heavily discounted, PLUS the return policy is outstanding. Many other outlets do not have such a stellar return policy and you will be stuck. >>> from someone who returned 4 Colorado Series units ( 400t X2, 300 X2 ) Quote Link to comment
+twolpert Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Consider purchasing at REI the Colorado Series is heavily discounted, PLUS the return policy is outstanding. Many other outlets do not have such a stellar return policy and you will be stuck. >>> from someone who returned 4 Colorado Series units ( 400t X2, 300 X2 ) As far as I know, REI has stopped carrying the CO. You certainly cannot order it online any more. I suppose you might find something in stock in an individual store, though. Quote Link to comment
yougogirl64 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I don't own a Colorado or an Oregon but I've read good and bad things about the Colorado's in the forums, but I haven't read to many bad comments about the Oregon's. Shop around, the Colorado's are still available at online stores. Karen Quote Link to comment
+Hrethgir Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Since you thought $419 for a Colorado 400t was a good price, you can spend an extra $60 at PC Nation and get an Oregon 400t: http://www.pcnation.com/web/details.asp?it...62AA&GEN0=Y I've bought from those guys, my eTrex Legend HCx, and it was a great transaction, and the free shipping was even 3-day, not whenever it gets there. And I know you love Garmins, but have you looked at the DeLorme Earthmate PN-40? It's a neat little unit, I really like mine, it's going to be taking the place of the Legend HCx once the weather gets nice enough that I want to go outside again! http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtd...p;section=10461 And you can get it for $340 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Delorme-AE-7985-201-...316&sr=8-1# Just throwing it out there.... Quote Link to comment
+gmcpower98 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 First of all why would you buy a Colorado when the Oregon is out plus it is available everyday on eBay for less than what you consider a great price. There has been a lot of angst about the Colorado on this forum. Plus the Colorado is available everyday for $360 on eBay. You should shop around since the price you are paying is way to high. The place I'm buying from that's offering me the 30% off doesn't have the Oregon... and I don't like buying electronics or things this expensive from Ebay since there isn't a hard n fast return policy - whereas if something happens to this I can return it to the store (there's a store in my area but they don't sell this in the store - only online). I have bought all of my Garmin GPS units off Ebay. I always have gotten the ones that have been "factory refurbished". They come in a box sealed from the factory with all cables, instructions AND a 1 year warranty from Garmin!!!!! Each unit I have bought you would swear it was new!! Quote Link to comment
+Star*Hopper Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 When you go to the store, take a pair of gloves with you. The same gloves you'd be wearing if you were out caching in snow or that kinda cold. Put 'em on, then try to operate the Colorado's controls - all of them....including the manual coordinate entry stuff. And I'll leave it at that. ~* Quote Link to comment
BlueDamsel Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I agree with posters here who suggest the Oregon. Of the two units, I really think the OR is a much better geocaching oriented device. I love mine. Plus I have read just TOO many negative things about the CO to make me trust buying one. The only negs I read on the OR turned out to be a very small potatoes deal, and not the issue it was built up to be. But, the only way you'll satisfy yourself is to actually hold each one in hand and try them. It really helps to decide if you have a geocaching friend you can trust who has the devices you are interested in and will let you try theirs out in the field. For price comparison purposes try a website called Pricespider. Also, when buying devices of this type, it pays to wait a bit while you familiarize yourself with prices on the models you're interested and NOT be in a hurry to buy so you can wait out a deal and know it when you see it. I've never paid the market rate price for anything because I shop around. I also agree with people here who use Ebay. It's relatively safe, esp. when used in conjuction with Paypal. I've only had two internet deals EVER go south, and Paypal was able to get me satisfaction on both of them, including $120 back from one seller who was out of business. Good luck shopping! BlueDamsel Quote Link to comment
+xshooter Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 When you go to the store, take a pair of gloves with you. The same gloves you'd be wearing if you were out caching in snow or that kinda cold. Put 'em on, then try to operate the Colorado's controls - all of them....including the manual coordinate entry stuff. And I'll leave it at that. ~* I have no problem doing that. Even with heavy gloves. Quote Link to comment
+MaliBooBoo Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Besides, if the gloves were that big, who would actually leave them on for a bunch of data entry?? On any unit?? Quote Link to comment
+scavok Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I just wanted to give a quick pro Colorado post. I bought it when it first came out an never had a problem, not one. I would buy it again without a second thought. If you ever get in to the Wherigo geocaching, the colorado is far superior in stability and ability for running cartridges compared to the OR. Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.