Trying to buy an Oregon 400T

[+wolfslady]

It's not like I'm expecting to get an Oregon 400T for nothing, but I am hoping to find a deal. I'm just sick of doing searches and I open a page that says a price only to find out it's a higher price or for a Colorado or they don't even have it in stock. I'd love to not have a budget, but I do. DH is getting it for me for my birthday and I've already stretched our budget as far as I can. I'm looking at refurbished or used. But come on half the ones listed as used the person is asking more than you can get one new for with a short search. And I can find refrub's for about $300, so why would anyone pay over $400 for one with no warrenty? Am I missing something?

 

 

I really just wanted to vent (hope that's OK) and see if anyone else has had these problems searching for a GPS. But if anyone knows of a really good deal on one I'd love to hear about it before I order one.

[+StarBrand]

Get an Oregon 300 for about $330 brand new.

 

Add some of the free topo maps at www.gpsfiledepot.com

 

The 400T has a bit more built-in memory and the TOPO included but is otherwise identical to the 300.

[+OldA'sFan]

It's not like I'm expecting to get an Oregon 400T for nothing, but I am hoping to find a deal. I'm just sick of doing searches and I open a page that says a price only to find out it's a higher price or for a Colorado or they don't even have it in stock. I'd love to not have a budget, but I do. DH is getting it for me for my birthday and I've already stretched our budget as far as I can. I'm looking at refurbished or used. But come on half the ones listed as used the person is asking more than you can get one new for with a short search. And I can find refrub's for about $300, so why would anyone pay over $400 for one with no warrenty? Am I missing something?

 

 

I really just wanted to vent (hope that's OK) and see if anyone else has had these problems searching for a GPS. But if anyone knows of a really good deal on one I'd love to hear about it before I order one.

REI recently had the Oregon 400t and the Oregon 300 on sale for $259 and $225. They may be sold out by now. They are a highly reliabe retail store. You may want to try them out. I also understand that BassPro has some good deals.

[eaparks]

As of today, I know of 4 Oregon 300s still available at REI for $225. You'll need to go to their website for store locations and phone numbers and start calling until you find a location that still has some; they will ship it to you.

[+wolfslady]

Thank you everyone. eaparks: Do you think any might still have the discounted 400t? I will start calling in the morning. I know I can get the refurbished one for $299. so I was considering that. How good are the free topo maps? I don't want to get into buying the 300 and then find out that I have to spend so much on maps that I should have gone ahead and bought the refrub. Being new to this I'm going by reviews and what I read here to make my choices. But I knew early on I wanted the topo maps, because the GPS I have now is such a pain without them. If it hadn't been acting up I'd have waited a few months and hopefully tried a few out before buying, but it's not working sometimes and it's pretty far off others. Wish me luck tomorrow.

[+OldA'sFan]

Thank you everyone. eaparks: Do you think any might still have the discounted 400t? I will start calling in the morning. I know I can get the refurbished one for $299. so I was considering that. How good are the free topo maps? I don't want to get into buying the 300 and then find out that I have to spend so much on maps that I should have gone ahead and bought the refrub. Being new to this I'm going by reviews and what I read here to make my choices. But I knew early on I wanted the topo maps, because the GPS I have now is such a pain without them. If it hadn't been acting up I'd have waited a few months and hopefully tried a few out before buying, but it's not working sometimes and it's pretty far off others. Wish me luck tomorrow.

If you have an REI in your area you can go to that store, and even if they are out of stock they can check and see if the unit is available at any other REI store (any where in the US). If it is available it can be shipped to you. You will have to pay shipping, but at that low price it will be worth it.

 

Old A'sFan

[+StarBrand]

Thank you everyone. eaparks: Do you think any might still have the discounted 400t? I will start calling in the morning. I know I can get the refurbished one for $299. so I was considering that. How good are the free topo maps? I don't want to get into buying the 300 and then find out that I have to spend so much on maps that I should have gone ahead and bought the refrub. Being new to this I'm going by reviews and what I read here to make my choices. But I knew early on I wanted the topo maps, because the GPS I have now is such a pain without them. If it hadn't been acting up I'd have waited a few months and hopefully tried a few out before buying, but it's not working sometimes and it's pretty far off others. Wish me luck tomorrow.

Many cachers have reported that the free topo maps are larger file sizes but actually better maps than the Garmin ones.

 

I know the free ones for the areas I cache in are simply wonderful.

[+Skarekrough]

I was in West Marine a few days ago and they had a handfull of the 400t's on a table for $299.

[+wolfslady]

After spending quite a while on the phone it looks like I found a 400T. The REI store is holding it for me but won't ship it until I go into the store in Houston (The closest one to me 1 1/2 hours in good traffic away) and show them ID. I'm not sure why they can't ship it to the store and see my ID when I pick it up, so I can save shipping and not have to make the long drive twice. But if I actually get the thing I'll be thrilled. As soon as my DH gets home we will head out. Thank you everyone.

Edited March 11, 2010 by wolfslady

[+wolfslady]

I was in West Marine a few days ago and they had a handfull of the 400t's on a table for $299.

 

 

 

The ones closest to me didn't have the T's. Only the C and I. They are also a few hours away. Not that I wouldn't love an excuse to drive to San Antonio or Austin. If this REI one doesn' work out I'll try calling in your area. Thank you.

[+OldA'sFan]

After spending quite a while on the phone it looks like I found a 400T. The REI store is holding it for me but won't ship it until I go into the store in Houston (The closest one to me 1 1/2 hours in good traffic away) and show them ID. I'm not sure why they can't ship it to the store and see my ID when I pick it up, so I can save shipping and not have to make the long drive twice. But if I actually get the thing I'll be thrilled. As soon as my DH gets home we will head out. Thank you everyone.

Why don't you have them ship it to your home. It will cost the same to ship it to a store or to your home. Don't know why they need to see id if you have a valid credit card in your name.

[+wolfslady]

Why don't you have them ship it to your home. It will cost the same to ship it to a store or to your home. Don't know why they need to see id if you have a valid credit card in your name.

 

 

I did have them ship it to my home. They have free shipping to the stores and shipping to me was $13 dollars and something. I splurged for the 2 day shipping, because my auto GPS seem to have bitten the dust. Now I just need to decide if I should get a new one for the car or the city maps for the Oregon. I'm afraid that if I got the car charger and used it as often as I would for driving that it won't last as long. On the other hand it would be nice to have those on the same GPS I'm caching with, assuming it's easy to switch between them. And that it's not going to try and take me 5 miles out of my way to get to a cache that's in the park I'm already in. (Yes my nuvi did that even on pedes. mode.)

 

 

I don't know why they wouldn't do it over the phone it seems crazy to me, but they wouldn't. They would take my credit card, but they wouldn't do it until I went into a store and "got verified" as the guy called it. If I'd bought something before it would have been fine. Sill IMO, because someone could steal my card tomorrow and now they can shop there. Try as I might I cannot see the logic of it. I'll bet they don't ask for ID from every person who shops at their store.

 

 

Now I'm just holding my breath waiting for it to come. I tried to find a cache with phone today and I had no luck even though it was supposed to be an ammo can (easy rating) and according to it was at GZ. My brother who has never been was with me and decided that he didn't like caching. But it was late and getting gloomy and my light was getting dim and his went out, so we didn't stay for more than 15 minutes. It took me most of that to get closer than 32 feet according to my phone. Either my phone or the app sucks. Lets face you can't walk around a triangle shaped section of brush and stay exactly 32 feet away from something no matter where it's hidden inside. By the time it jumped suddely to 9 feet it was pretty much dark. I left wondering if it was actually there but when I got home I saw someone logged a find today. They did say something about clever hide, so now I'm wondering how clever a hide a 1.5 star could be. The hint was so vague it was pretty much useless, other than maybe the "well hidden" part. I need my new GPS. LOL

 

 

Thank you everyone.

[+benh57]

Well, it's too late, but i just wanted to reitereate the above advice which was ignored: GET THE 300. The 400T is NOT WORTH IT. The included topo maps are worthless.

 

I'm a 400T owner, btw..

[+Unobtainium]

Try the free routable OSM maps first, if you don't like them then you have a choice to make

[+Maingray]

Well, it's too late, but i just wanted to reitereate the above advice which was ignored: GET THE 300. The 400T is NOT WORTH IT. The included topo maps are worthless.

 

I'm a 400T owner, btw..

 

Not strictly true, for those that travel a lot and don't want to futz around changing the topos on there, the US-wide topo with its specially large segments (compared to the DVD version which has too many segments to cover the whole US on the unit) on the "t' is useful.

[+wolfslady]

Well, it's too late, but i just wanted to reitereate the above advice which was ignored: GET THE 300. The 400T is NOT WORTH IT. The included topo maps are worthless.

 

I'm a 400T owner, btw..

 

 

Oh for heavens sake chill out. It's not polite to yell at someone. I paid $30 more for the 400T and I don't want to figure out how to load maps before I even have a chance to play with it. Besides the post above did not say there was any reason other than cost to choose the 300 and I took as such. Why try to ruin my joy at finding such a good deal after everyone's help by posting something designed to make me feel bad? It's your opinion and everyone has one. You are entitled to it, but you aren't obligated to share with everyone.

[+wolfslady]

[

 

Not strictly true, for those that travel a lot and don't want to futz around changing the topos on there, the US-wide topo with its specially large segments (compared to the DVD version which has too many segments to cover the whole US on the unit) on the "t' is useful.

 

 

Thank you. It was one of the things I thought of because I travel a bit. Not as much as I'd like and mostly to see family in S. Florida, but I didn't want to have to keep track of that many maps and any others I might need if I decide to go some of the many places I dream about. I do wish I'd known about geocaching even 4 or 5 years ago when we had the money to travel more. I would have loved to look for some in Reno, Vegas, The Grand Canyon and The Valley of Fire... Maybe when my son is older I will be able to travel more. I would love to be able to share those places and some of the ones I traveled to as a child with him. Not to mention my number 1 place that I've always dreamed of going and haven't gotten to yet. Alaska! I wanted to go after I got divorced, but it took so long to get it that my life was established and I had to wait a bit. I should have dropped everything and done it right then, because a short time later life took a few turns and so far I haven't had the chance again. But the money that was supposed to be for that trip went to pay for infertility treatments (OK so it could have paid for several trips) and without them I wouldn't have my son. Besides I'm sure he'll love Alaska when I do get there.