Colorado replacement by garmin to Oregon?

[+storm180]

After reading all the leakage problems about the colorado, I am concerned. I have a few caches I need to go do in the next few months where I need to be on my jet ski to get to where I need to be.. Obviously the colorado is going to get wet. Obviously I could put the thing in a zip lock bag and call it good. Has anyone called Garmin and told them they plan on doing water activity with the colorado and they offered an upgrade to a oregon? or does the unit have to die in order to get that type of replacement. I don't want to be without my gps for a few weeks while it is repaired. I mean I know the thing is going to leak and my colorado is about 10 months old. I wish they would just recall these things and be done with it, then I can get an oregon.

 

Anyone have any advice on the subject or do I just let the thing die and deal with them after the fact? After reading that other thread in regards to water leakage on a jet ski really has me concerned.

[+Red90]

No, they do not all leak. It is only a small number of them.

 

If you are worried, put a bit of vaseline on the o rings before closing.

[MtnHermit]

If you are worried, put a bit of vaseline on the o rings before closing.

On this reply:

 

1. Since vaseline is petroleum based, any issue with the "rubber" o-ring?

2. Is this any help in sliding the cover off?

 

I try to hook my fingernail into the small gap. I've found that if you grip the outside, that just increases the case to cover friction, making it very difficult to slide off.

 

Thanks

[+Red90]

It should be OK. O-rings are normally made from Buna-N. If you are concerned get some silicone grease.

 

I've never had a problem opening my case. And mine does not leak, I have tested it.

 

For the OP, if you really want to use it for water sports, test it at home. If it leaks complain to Garmin.

[yogazoo]

They replaced Colorados for Oregons only for early adopters and people who early on had a problem with the Colorado's. To my understanding they no longer replace Colorados with Oregons. i.e. if you spent the money on a Colorado you'll get a replacement Colorado. Imagine if the whole world got great firesale deals on the Colorado's only to send them in for Oregons. It just doesn't make sense any more. It made sense for early adopters with endless problems, that's what I did.

 

Good Luck!

[+Tequila]

There is no harm in contacting Garmin if you want to exchange. Worst case, they say no. But be prepared to push hard. And you might have to pay a price differential.

 

Here is a very good starting point:

 

Dan Bartel

Vice President, Worldwide Sales

Garmin International Inc.

1200 E 151st St

Olathe, KS 66062-3426

913.397.8200

dan.bartel@garmin.com

[docjames]

They replaced Colorados for Oregons only for early adopters and people who early on had a problem with the Colorado's. To my understanding they no longer replace Colorados with Oregons. i.e. if you spent the money on a Colorado you'll get a replacement Colorado. Imagine if the whole world got great firesale deals on the Colorado's only to send them in for Oregons. It just doesn't make sense any more. It made sense for early adopters with endless problems, that's what I did.

 

Good Luck!

 

You know, when a defect is found on a car, the company usually does a total recall for the defective part. When something like a GPS that might save a life is defective, I don't see any reason why the manufacturer shouldn't completely solve this problem. Either by a better designed replacement part (which I highly doubt possible) or replacing it with a unit that stands to its claim.

[docjames]

After reading all the leakage problems about the colorado, I am concerned. I have a few caches I need to go do in the next few months where I need to be on my jet ski to get to where I need to be.. Obviously the colorado is going to get wet. Obviously I could put the thing in a zip lock bag and call it good. Has anyone called Garmin and told them they plan on doing water activity with the colorado and they offered an upgrade to a oregon? or does the unit have to die in order to get that type of replacement. I don't want to be without my gps for a few weeks while it is repaired. I mean I know the thing is going to leak and my colorado is about 10 months old. I wish they would just recall these things and be done with it, then I can get an oregon.

 

Anyone have any advice on the subject or do I just let the thing die and deal with them after the fact? After reading that other thread in regards to water leakage on a jet ski really has me concerned.

 

When my Colorado died on me twice last year during jetskiing, service dept at Garmin in Taiwan told me " Of course we'll replace your unit because it's waterproof, EVEN if your activities was jetskiing". Which they did replaced. However, replacing the unit did not and will not solve the problem. I'm not concerned with a failing unit, I'm more concern with the consequences that might be life threatening shall the unit fail. When I contacted Garmin and told them over and over again that the back cover O-ring is the problem and they keep avoiding this problem. It angered me. It's not the money I'm concerned about for the Colorado, but the fact that they won't address this water leakage problem. Sure I can just buy another unit and forget about this device. But I'm not going to do that. I will go to any length, including having my lawyer investigate into the responsibility of the company that claim this unit to be waterproof and fails on someone that put their life entrust on this device. I will continue until they address this problem because I firmly believe many people that bought this unit are people like me that uses it and depend on it to keep me out of harms way.

[+storm180]

Well thanks for the replies...I guess I will call garmin and see what they say. I guess I will just give it a go in the water and see what happens, if it dies I guess I always have my backup 60Csx to get me through the time of the replacement.

[+Cacheoholic]

I tried it about 2 weeks ago and was told they don’t replace Colorado’s with Oregon’s. I politely told the young lady that she was not telling the truth because I know for a fact people that have had their Colorado replaced with an Oregon. She said that was true at one time but no longer the case. Good luck. Keep us posted.

[+Jeep4two]

They replaced Colorados for Oregons only for early adopters and people who early on had a problem with the Colorado's. To my understanding they no longer replace Colorados with Oregons. i.e. if you spent the money on a Colorado you'll get a replacement Colorado. Imagine if the whole world got great firesale deals on the Colorado's only to send them in for Oregons. It just doesn't make sense any more. It made sense for early adopters with endless problems, that's what I did.

 

Good Luck!

 

You know, when a defect is found on a car, the company usually does a total recall for the defective part. When something like a GPS that might save a life is defective, I don't see any reason why the manufacturer shouldn't completely solve this problem. Either by a better designed replacement part (which I highly doubt possible) or replacing it with a unit that stands to its claim.

 

I'm all for a company standing by its product and replacing defective units (or repairing - a simple user installed replacement could solve the issue - who knows). None the less - it's just good business. I personally try to spend my money with companies that do just that - good business. (I believe Garmin to be a quality company that produces quality products - I've been fortunate enough to be inexperienced with their support department)

 

With that said - I think that referencing the Colorado or any other Garmin recreational use device as a 'life saving' device might be inaccurate. We all assume personal responsibility associated with the use of these consumer devices. While it might save a life, it's not designed to perform on the level that professional units marketed to emergency services, military etc.. A leaky battery cover might cause a unit to be outside of the designed specification (they are specified to be IPX7 certified) but it's not the same as a leaky fuel system that could cause a car to spontaneously combust at highway speeds

 

I would suggest approaching Garmin's customer service and support from the standpoint of the unit not meeting the IPX7 standards (which is an advertised feature/specification).

 

I totally agree that a Colorado user shouldn't have to use a 5 cent ziplock baggie to try and protect a device that costs $500-$600 that should already be splash proof (actually 3 meter depth for 30 minutes water proof for IPX7).

 

Just some ideas.

[docjames]

They replaced Colorados for Oregons only for early adopters and people who early on had a problem with the Colorado's. To my understanding they no longer replace Colorados with Oregons. i.e. if you spent the money on a Colorado you'll get a replacement Colorado. Imagine if the whole world got great firesale deals on the Colorado's only to send them in for Oregons. It just doesn't make sense any more. It made sense for early adopters with endless problems, that's what I did.

 

Good Luck!

 

You know, when a defect is found on a car, the company usually does a total recall for the defective part. When something like a GPS that might save a life is defective, I don't see any reason why the manufacturer shouldn't completely solve this problem. Either by a better designed replacement part (which I highly doubt possible) or replacing it with a unit that stands to its claim.

 

I'm all for a company standing by its product and replacing defective units (or repairing - a simple user installed replacement could solve the issue - who knows). None the less - it's just good business. I personally try to spend my money with companies that do just that - good business. (I believe Garmin to be a quality company that produces quality products - I've been fortunate enough to be inexperienced with their support department)

 

With that said - I think that referencing the Colorado or any other Garmin recreational use device as a 'life saving' device might be inaccurate. We all assume personal responsibility associated with the use of these consumer devices. While it might save a life, it's not designed to perform on the level that professional units marketed to emergency services, military etc.. A leaky battery cover might cause a unit to be outside of the designed specification (they are specified to be IPX7 certified) but it's not the same as a leaky fuel system that could cause a car to spontaneously combust at highway speeds

 

I would suggest approaching Garmin's customer service and support from the standpoint of the unit not meeting the IPX7 standards (which is an advertised feature/specification).

 

I totally agree that a Colorado user shouldn't have to use a 5 cent ziplock baggie to try and protect a device that costs $500-$600 that should already be splash proof (actually 3 meter depth for 30 minutes water proof for IPX7).

 

Just some ideas.

 

Thanks for the tip. I will do just that. I'll put the Colorado to the test each time they return a new unit to me. IPX7 means it can be immerse in the water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. I carry with me during jetskiing a SPOT GPS locator (which is IPX7), a Sonim XP3 cell phone (also IPX7), a Yaesu VX-170 two way radio (also IPX7), and a ACR Mini B300 ILS homing beacon (which exceeds far beyound this standard). They all live up and exceed their claims. Each and every one of these devices all cost fractions of the Colorado and I do consider them to be life saving devices. Each and every device other than the GPS are attached to my lifevest and take abuse from the environment more harshly than the mounted Colorado that sets well above the water. If professional (device) means I have to mount a large unit of GPS on my jetski, I can not find a place to do so. It's fun planning and riding jetskis in the ocean, but trust me, it is life threatening when a GPS fails when you can not see any dry land. That's why I take all these gadgets very seriously and expect their companies to live up to their claim of standards.

[+Tequila]

The back cover design of the Colorado is bad. This is probably the main reason that Garmin appears to have abandoned the product line.

 

The only way to totally address the problem would be a complete redesign of the case. And that would not be cheap.

[SC-Sportsman]

While I didn't ask directly about exchanging my Colorado for an Oregon, I've been in contact with Garmin about my "feelings of abandonment" as a Colorado owner as I watch update after update be released for the Oregon. I asked them in particular about a track manager and waypoint averaging.

 

The response yesterday from Bryan Yalowitz at Garmin was:

 

"Our software engineering team will continue to provide software updates and support for the Colorado models as resources become available. While Oregon beta software releases are much more visible many of these improvements will work their way into Colorados as well."

 

I'm to the point where I will wait to see what the next Colorado update looks like. If it's not a good one, I'll probably sell mine and go for an Oregon, or push Garmin to see if I can get a pro-rated deal on a trade in.

Edited April 30, 2009 by SC-Sportsman

[+Catsware]

"Our software engineering team will continue to provide software updates and support for the Colorado models as resources become available. While Oregon beta software releases are much more visible many of these improvements will work their way into Colorados as well."

 

Sounds great Garmin, I am looking forward for the next features for the Colorado!

But what concerns me most is the first sentence... SW resources usually never become available...

[+Tequila]

"Our software engineering team will continue to provide software updates and support for the Colorado models as resources become available. While Oregon beta software releases are much more visible many of these improvements will work their way into Colorados as well."

 

Sounds great Garmin, I am looking forward for the next features for the Colorado!

But what concerns me most is the first sentence... SW resources usually never become available...

 

I agree. And since Garmin appears poised to introduce new Oregon products, without a comparable Colorado product, I doubt limited resources will be assigned to a product that appears to be EOL'd.

 

Their response appears to be more pacifying than committing. Hopefully we are wrong. CO owners deserve better.