jammun Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I had a brand new Vista HCx which would not load maps from the card reader slot. I finally convinced Garmin customer support that it was not the card, it was my unit. They gave me an RMA, and my refurb unit arrived today! And it loads my 24K NW topo! I can actually see detail now, instead of a vast yellow expanse. Many of us (me) tend to rant about bad experiences on many forums, so I thought I'd go ahead a post a thumbs up for the support folks at Garmin. Excellent experience once I got their attention. For those who are buying one of the Etrex family that is capable of loading topos, I would highly recommend either including $ for maps in the budget, or go for the free ones. The difference in the map detail is amazing. Quote Link to comment
+qlenfg Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Yup. I bought a windshield mount for my eMap and the lever would not suck the mount down to the windshield for some reason. I called Garmin, explained the situation, and they sent a whole new mount no charge. Didn't even have to return the defective one. After receiving the new one, I found the problem with the old one, sorted it out, and passed it on to someone else with an eMap. Quote Link to comment
+Low Bat Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 They gave me an RMA, and my refurb unit arrived today!Glad you're happy with it. I once had a problem with an eTrex that I kept in like new condition. Garmin replaced it with a refurb that showed signs of use. I thought they were going to repair my original, or at least replace it with with a new one. Now I know, and now if I have an issue I'll go to the merchant first. Quote Link to comment
jammun Posted March 12, 2009 Author Share Posted March 12, 2009 My refurb is pristine. I don't have a problem with it, as long as it works, which it does. No sign that it's been used. The main thing for me is that it actually works, which my new unit did not. Quote Link to comment
+debtodd007 Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 (edited) I went through a couple of Rhino 120's when they first came out. First one - cracked screen, little screw in back attached to belt clip unscrewed while I was rappelling. Fell about 40 feet and hit the rocks. Recieved a refurbished unit. Within the next 3-4 months, the batteriess kept loosing contact and it would power down. (common problem on some early Rhino 120's). The 2nd time they sent a brand new unit. Not a problem since then. They gave RMA #'s no questions asked both times. The first time with the screw was potentially my fault as much as Garmin's. Edited March 12, 2009 by debtodd007 Quote Link to comment
eaparks Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Once again, Garmin's Customer Support proves to be exceptional. Just got a Oregon 400c and immediately found some software problems I wasn't aware of, some I new about from various forums and 1 had not seen mentioned anywhere and that was that the GPS, 400c will not show the CN street detail or Garmin Topo detail when zoomed in alot if the basemap is enabled. After a phone call and a few emails (all replied to no laterr than the following day) with questions concerning Engineering being able to replicate the problem. Engineering said this problem actually applies to all handhelds with satellite imageary (Oregon 400i, 400c and Colorado 400i, 400c). They did confirm that the problem would be corrected in future software updates, but could not give a time frame. Customer Support even offered to exchange my 400c for a 400t if I wanted to and to provide a new unlock for CN; was definitely something to consider since I already have U.S. Inland Lakes on DVD. Garmin's outstanding Customer Support definitley makes it easier to tolerate some of the software issues until Engineering can correct the problems with future software revisions. Quote Link to comment
+Old Chorizo Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Back when I got my Rino 130, on my first outing with it, as I was hiking out of the bottom of a canyon, the belt clip mechanism failed, and my brand new Rino and the fragments of the belt clip went sailing down the canyon wall and into the rushing water below. I called up Garmin to see what they could do. Since all of my hardware ended up in the water and was unable to be recovered, I had no way to prove what happened. They basically took me for my word on the situation and charged me $99 for the replacement. While I would have preferred it been replaced at no additional cost to me, looking at it from a business standpoint I totally understand the risk they were taking by going off of my story, with no bits/pieces/units to send back to them. They were pleasant to deal with the entire time and I feel they did what they could to make me happy. Quote Link to comment
+Paul_Aris Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 They gave me an RMA, and my refurb unit arrived today!Glad you're happy with it. I once had a problem with an eTrex that I kept in like new condition. Garmin replaced it with a refurb that showed signs of use. I thought they were going to repair my original, or at least replace it with with a new one. Now I know, and now if I have an issue I'll go to the merchant first. Aren't refurb units brand new? I thought they were units that failed test at the factory so they had to replace a component inside with new therefore refurbished. I don't know how you keep them like new if you use them for outdoor activities. Quote Link to comment
+Paul_Aris Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 They gave me an RMA, and my refurb unit arrived today!Glad you're happy with it. I once had a problem with an eTrex that I kept in like new condition. Garmin replaced it with a refurb that showed signs of use. I thought they were going to repair my original, or at least replace it with with a new one. Now I know, and now if I have an issue I'll go to the merchant first. Aren't refurb units brand new? I thought they were units that failed test at the factory so they had to replace a component inside with new therefore refurbished. I don't know how you keep them like new if you use them for outdoor activities. Quote Link to comment
jammun Posted March 13, 2009 Author Share Posted March 13, 2009 (edited) Mine shows no signs of use. It came in a bag labeled "newly overhauled", hence I assume it's a refurb. I assume that could mean any number of things, either not up to spec when manufactured or a customer return, for example. I don't care. It works; my "new" one did not. Edited March 13, 2009 by jammun Quote Link to comment
guggie Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 Mine shows no signs of use. It came in a bag labeled "newly overhauled", hence I assume it's a refurb. I assume that could mean any number of things, either not up to spec when manufactured or a customer return, for example. I don't care. It works; my "new" one did not. Glad to hear that you are up and running. I followed along in your earlier thread about the failure to read the microSD card. I told you it was a hardware failure... Quote Link to comment
jammun Posted March 14, 2009 Author Share Posted March 14, 2009 (edited) Mine shows no signs of use. It came in a bag labeled "newly overhauled", hence I assume it's a refurb. I assume that could mean any number of things, either not up to spec when manufactured or a customer return, for example. I don't care. It works; my "new" one did not. Glad to hear that you are up and running. I followed along in your earlier thread about the failure to read the microSD card. I told you it was a hardware failure... I just had to convince Garmin of that! In any case, nice weather today so we went out for a short while after work and found our -- tada! -- second cache. BTW, thanks to you guggie and to all of the others who helped me out during what was an extremely frustrating time with the original unit. Edited March 14, 2009 by jammun Quote Link to comment
+Pax42 Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I hope Garmin continues to provide the good service that has been spoken of. Just this week they announced the first layoff in company history, about 140 employees, some of which are coming from customer/product support. Quote Link to comment
+TrailGators Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I hope Garmin continues to provide the good service that has been spoken of. Just this week they announced the first layoff in company history, about 140 employees, some of which are coming from customer/product support. That is a bummer. Well at least they can get jobs in road construction. That seems to be the area that the government wants to grow now. Quote Link to comment
namiboy Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 question: i bought a vista hcx a couple months ago. i don't have plans to buy any extra maps or memory cards at this point, but you made me concerned that if i do and it doesn't work the unit may be out of warranty by that time. suggestions, other than buying the map card? Quote Link to comment
+kallt_kaffe Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 (edited) question: i bought a vista hcx a couple months ago. i don't have plans to buy any extra maps or memory cards at this point, but you made me concerned that if i do and it doesn't work the unit may be out of warranty by that time. suggestions, other than buying the map card? Buy a MicroSD card (or borrow one). Download a free map from here: http://www.ibycus.com/ibycustopo/ or here http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM_Map...Garmin/Download Edited March 14, 2009 by kallt_kaffe Quote Link to comment
+Low Bat Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I don't know how you keep them like new if you use them for outdoor activities.I take good care of my toys. The GPS stayed in a well padded case most of the time. When in use I handle with care. On the other topic I'm sorry to hear Garmin is announcing layoffs. I found a news article here. I hope we continue to get software updates. Quote Link to comment
+splashy Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 (edited) In my opinion the service is not so great, it 's the arrogance of thinking they are the best and a lack of competition, the marketing is great making believe the new unit is better and we need to buy it. Look at the following sites, full with issues almost a year old, remember the Colorado and Oregon are no cheap units, shouldn't they work and do All the tricks for that price? And why should they sent you a refurbished, if you pay a new one? Would you do the same with a car? More important why should you accept a refurbished? Because you're happy at least to have a working unit? http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/Issues+List and http://garmincolorado.wikispaces.com/Issues+List After every software update we have unsolved issues and new issues on top of the old ones, like the software is made by a somebody who has no clue what a gps is supposed to do and even worse no testing of that software, because some issues are really unbelievable. The fact that almost NEVER an issue is resolved by Email, If you receive an answer at all., most of the time you don't hear anything. The changing policy of defective colorado's and oregons has nothing to do with service to the customer, it's a coverup of malmanagement. I'm a garmin user from the 65 model, on this moment I own a oregon 300 (good working) and I'm happy with the gps because I accept the issues and I don't geocache, but don't say the service is great because you received a used sending a new one. Edited March 14, 2009 by splashy Quote Link to comment
+kallt_kaffe Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 In my opinion the service is not so great... I agree... It's not hard to hire some people send out replacement for broken units, that'll keep 90% of their customers satisfied. Try to email a technical question and the service may no so great anymore. I mailed a simple question to their support asking how I could see if my Nüvi 205 used WAAS/EGNOS or not. The reason for the question is that their swedish website claims that both the 205 and the 255 are WAAS/EGNOS-enabled. Their first answer was that I could not see it and that EGNOS was still under testing and that the signal propably was not strong enough. I answered and let them know that my eXplorist 100 often got an EGNOS lock and the recieption of the Nüvi is better than the eXplorist. I also linked to the swedish product page that claims that it is supported. The answer I now received was that that older Nüvis supported WAAS/EGNOS because they did not have HotFix. Since the 205 has hotfix it did not need WAAS/EGNOS. Now... you don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize that HotFix and WAAS/EGNOS does not have very much in common. In fact, their own FAQ describes both technologies so I found this answer offensive. Here's where I totally gave up on Garmin support and I sent them a rather rude, but polite, mail, quoting their own FAQ. They never answered my last mail and I did not expect them to either... Quote Link to comment
+Rockin Roddy Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Here's where I totally gave up on Garmin support and I sent them a rather rude, but polite, mail, quoting their own FAQ. They never answered my last mail and I did not expect them to either... How does one send a rather rude yet polite email?? Is there a certain technique one should follow?? Quote Link to comment
+kallt_kaffe Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Here's where I totally gave up on Garmin support and I sent them a rather rude, but polite, mail, quoting their own FAQ. They never answered my last mail and I did not expect them to either... How does one send a rather rude yet polite email?? Is there a certain technique one should follow?? Oh, I'll give you an example to work from... Dear Sir, thanks for taking the time to not help me at all. Your outstanding lack of expertise have greatly inspired me to try to solve the issue myself. Best Regards xxxxxxxx (the above is just an example and not what I sent) Quote Link to comment
+splashy Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Shoot, a bad comment, if we say nothing maybe it goes away. Quote Link to comment
+Y2KOTA Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 (edited) Part about the phone services from Garmin I like is they are in the USA! Edited March 15, 2009 by Y2KOTA Quote Link to comment
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