+IndJones Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 I've noticed that there are several "factory refurbished" Meridian GPS units available on Ebay. Has anyone purchased one of these and are they as good as new as stated? Just on a tight budget with a daughter getting married this summer! Any info would be appreciated. Thanks Quote Link to comment
+Explicit Dank Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 I would buy refurbished before buying a used item. You take a chance with either, but you may get a warranty on a refurb. (My refurb xbox has a full warranty). Quote Link to comment
+Stunod Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 (edited) Harmony Computers was selling refurbished units (I'm assuming they've sold out of them now). They came with a factory warranty, but it wasn't as long as the warranty on a new unit (maybe 90 days?). Edited April 9, 2004 by Stunod Quote Link to comment
TPadden Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 (edited) http://www.tvnav.com/ sells refurbished (remanufactured) Garmin's and I've never heard anything bad about them. Garmin individually tests each unit to ensure they meet all the specs and buyers swear by them. - so much so that they are usually sold out so you got to catch them when they appear. Edited April 9, 2004 by TPadden Quote Link to comment
+embra Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Secondhand report (no direct experience): on the yahoo board I think a few people have expressed satisfaction with their refurbed Meridians. No complaints of which I am aware. Personally, I wouldn't mind taking the chance. Quote Link to comment
+Cadence Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 I was told by a salesperson at Office Depot - I know some may not think that's a very strong reference, but she explained the following to me. Quality Control on a production line will take a sample of the units that go by them on the conveyor belt. They may take one of every 10 and plug it in to a test cradle and run a quick diagnostic. If it passes, they wait till the next tenth comes around. If it doesn't pass the diagnostic, Places I have worked have a procedure to stop the production line and send things back, or maybe just check every one for the next 30, then every fifth one, then back to every 10 once they all have worked. A refurbished item has been sent out as NEW to a retailer. Consumer purchased it as new and took it home only to find that it doesn't work. They return the item to the retailer, the retailer refunds or exchanges the item, then the retailer ships it back to the manufacturer. The manufacturer receives a certain amount of failed product, and has a REWORK line where the device is taken backwards through the production line. It's disassembled, then tested as it's reassembled, broken parts fixed, innards changed out, until it tests WORKING at the end of the line. This gets sent back out as REFURBISHED with warranty. Nothing new to many of you I'm sure, but wouldn't you rather purchase a cheaper piece of hardware or electronics toy that had a step by step guarantee that it's working? Would you rather buy new and hope that it's the one Quality Control tested? Personally I've worked in Keytronics, assembling keyboards on a production line. What the salesperson said was absolutely true about rework, quality control, etc. If there's a failure, all product on the line is 'frozen' and tests are done to make sure that it's an anomaly, then regular production continues. Go ahead, buy refurbished, it's been individually tested and it's cheaper. YMMV, JMHO, etc. OddTodd - K7PKT Quote Link to comment
Harsany Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 I bought a refurb meridian color from harmony computers for $199. It has a 90 day warrenty (from magellan) and looks brand new. I would say go for it. Quote Link to comment
+Sportracker Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 I bought one of the refurbed Meridians. I've only had it a week, but I am satisfied, and it has a 1 year warranty with Thales/Magellan. Quote Link to comment
+IndJones Posted April 9, 2004 Author Share Posted April 9, 2004 I appreciate all the comments. Now just deciding which unit best fits my needs. Thanks IndJones Quote Link to comment
+GeckoGeek Posted April 10, 2004 Share Posted April 10, 2004 (edited) Nothing new to many of you I'm sure, but wouldn't you rather purchase a cheaper piece of hardware or electronics toy that had a step by step guarantee that it's working? Would you rather buy new and hope that it's the one Quality Control tested? Suppose someone buys a unit and discovered a serious quirk or defect that only shows itself at times. They take it back for an exchange. Sure it goes though diagnostics, but will the diagnostic catch it? How many of you have had problems with a computerized device that doesn't work properly but passes it's tests? Maybe your car that acts up but the car's computer doesn't store any service codes? Sure, maybe the unit you got was someone who simply returned it for something else, but maybe it's one that someone has already had a problem with that happened to behave for the factory tech? The other thing to consider is if someone has a bunch of referbs. Sure a popular unit will have a fair number that came back for nothing to do with it's quality, but then so would a bad run or a "dog" model. You can't inspect quality into a product. Either it has it or is doesn't. A lemon may work today, but it may fall apart tomorrow. Personally, my luck with referb electronics hasn't been too good. I think I'd take a store return over a referb. You pay your money and you take your chances. If you do buy referb, use the heck out of it before that short warranty is up. Edited April 10, 2004 by GeckoGeek Quote Link to comment
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