Garmin Service (lack of)
Geo- for grown-ups
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages    Log inLog in 
  GamesGames   

Garmin Service (lack of)
Goto page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic     Forum Index -> GPS nuts & bolts
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
trilobite
Member


Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 26
Location: Menstrie

PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:45 pm    Post subject: Garmin Service (lack of) Reply with quote

I have a Garmin Legend c and have had no problems. I recommended it to 3 friends who then bought one each from an online retailer (reputable). All three began reporting problems while out walking - almost every trip. The symptoms were similar to those one would get if losing the signal - long, and short, lines shooting out in all directions before settling down again on track. I worked through every possible reason I could think of, from duff batteries, poor battery fixment, insufficient satellite log-ons, poor unit position for picking up signals, cliifs, woods, etc etc. The tracks obtained from these walks were useless for data collection, and obviously useless for position finding.

All of us gave up and they began contacting Garmin.

The reply? Garmin stated that these problems were 'normal', and that they were not going to look at the units, never mind repair/replace/compensate. My friends are rightly so incensed that they intend to embarrass Garmin in any way they can.

Anyone else had problems, either of this technical nature, or of poor service?

Trilobite
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Haggis Hunter
Founder member


Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 2487
Location: The building site formally known as Edinburgh!

PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is surprising as Garmin have always had good feedback on their service.
_________________
Let me know if I say anything that offends you
I might want to offend you again later Wink
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
dino
Member


Joined: 07 Jan 2006
Posts: 68
Location: Killygordon, Co. Donegal

PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are a number of posts on the Groundspeak UK Forum both in support of Garmin customer service and complaining about it. The latter appear to be in the minority.

Would be worth considering a read of some of these threads as at least one of them suggests a more successful way of getting results.
_________________
No one is listening until you fart!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
RonnieH
Member


Joined: 12 Dec 2005
Posts: 37
Location: Balloch, Loch Lomond.

PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had to contact Garmin because of the adhesive holding the rubber surround of my Etrex Vista C had failed.

I was informed that this was a fault that Garmin was aware of and so contacted their repairs department with my complaint to be told that it would cost me £110.16p for a non warranty repair.

I did not pusue the matter any further but was most certainly not impressed with their reply!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Firth of Forth
Founder member


Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 1493
Location: East Lothian, Scotland

PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 6:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Within the fist year my Garmin extrex vista developed a fault - the joystick stopped working properly - and so I sent it off and received a brand new one. Within the first year of owning that one, it developed a fault - lines appearing on the screen - so I sent that one off and duly received another new one. This third unit is now over a year old, and the same lines appear on the screen occasionally, but not so much as to make it difficult to use.

I've found their service very fast and reliable.
_________________
Utterly smitten by a Captain
And now Mrs Aubrey
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Wildlifewriter
Founder member


Joined: 04 Aug 2005
Posts: 948
Location: Norn Iron

PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 6:47 pm    Post subject: Re: Garmin Service (lack of) Reply with quote

trilobite wrote:
(snip) The symptoms were similar to those one would get if losing the signal - long, and short, lines shooting out in all directions before settling down again on track. I worked through every possible reason I could think of, from duff batteries, poor battery fixment, insufficient satellite log-ons, poor unit position for picking up signals, cliifs, woods, etc etc.(snip)


It's a bit odd, this. To get one duff unit out of a batch could be plain bad luck - but THREE...?

You certainly seem to have checked on everything that could be wrong. Yet the symptoms are those of intermittently poor positional tracking (not batteries, or anything like that.)

I'd like to see the experiment repeated (perhaps with one unit, and ideally in a comparable location or the same place) with WAAS corrections switched OFF.

Result might be interesting... Shocked

-Wlw
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
trilobite
Member


Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 26
Location: Menstrie

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:58 pm    Post subject: Garmin Service Reply with quote

That's about the only thing I did not try. Incidentally, some of the poor results were obtained while not even on a ridge. The fact that all three units were giving duff results certainly made us suspect a bad batch eventually, but, as I mentioned earlier, Garmin have shut up shop. And I certainly was alwsys under the impression that their service was good.

Trilobite.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Wildlifewriter
Founder member


Joined: 04 Aug 2005
Posts: 948
Location: Norn Iron

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:03 pm    Post subject: Re: Garmin Service Reply with quote

trilobite wrote:
And I certainly was alwsys under the impression that their service was good.


I've always taken that view - and I'm now on my... <counts on fingers> ...sixth unit, not all of which have had to be paid for.

Regarding tracking inconsistencies on mountain ridges (which weren't mentioned before), please see:

"Diversity Reception in GPS Receivers (Vol IX)" by The Forester, pages 33-728.


-Wlw
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Haggis Hunter
Founder member


Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 2487
Location: The building site formally known as Edinburgh!

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:06 pm    Post subject: Re: Garmin Service Reply with quote

Wildlifewriter wrote:

Regarding tracking inconsistencies on mountain ridges (which weren't mentioned before), please see:

"Diversity Reception in GPS Receivers (Vol IX)" by The Forester, pages 33-728.


-Wlw


Mr. Green Very Happy Mr. Green Very Happy Mr. Green Very Happy Mr. Green Very Happy
_________________
Let me know if I say anything that offends you
I might want to offend you again later Wink
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
ghiribizzo
Member


Joined: 22 Nov 2005
Posts: 510
Location: Ferryport-on-Craig. The Kingdom of Fife.

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shocked
_________________
Anyone for a Hot Cross bun and a Creme Egg?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail MSN Messenger
Firth of Forth
Founder member


Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 1493
Location: East Lothian, Scotland

PostPosted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Firth of Forth wrote:
Within the fist year my Garmin extrex vista developed a fault - the joystick stopped working properly - and so I sent it off and received a brand new one. Within the first year of owning that one, it developed a fault - lines appearing on the screen - so I sent that one off and duly received another new one. This third unit is now over a year old, and the same lines appear on the screen occasionally, but not so much as to make it difficult to use.

I've found their service very fast and reliable.


Looks like I spoke too soon.

When I turn it one now all I get is rippling black and white lines. The rubber grip around the side has been loose for a long time and nearly came off altogether in the heat and humidity of Thailand. Do I dare send this one back to Garmin again??
I've been using Jack's spare yellow etrex, but finally got around to sending my Vista back to Garmin. It was 2.5 years old, and pretty battered, and of course well past its warranty. But they have sent me a brand new Vista C (still to work out how it differs apart from a USB connection and a bike mounting screw) for £57.11. A strange price but I think worth it.
_________________
Utterly smitten by a Captain
And now Mrs Aubrey


Last edited by Firth of Forth on Fri Mar 14, 2008 8:52 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Gavin4077
Member


Joined: 06 Mar 2007
Posts: 183
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Firth of Forth wrote:
Firth of Forth wrote:
Within the fist year my Garmin extrex vista developed a fault - the joystick stopped working properly - and so I sent it off and received a brand new one. Within the first year of owning that one, it developed a fault - lines appearing on the screen - so I sent that one off and duly received another new one. This third unit is now over a year old, and the same lines appear on the screen occasionally, but not so much as to make it difficult to use.

I've found their service very fast and reliable.


Looks like I spoke too soon.

When I turn it one now all I get is rippling black and white lines. The rubber grip around the side has been loose for a long time and nearly came off altogether in the heat and humidity of Thailand. Do I dare send this one back to Garmin again??


I frequently get these flickering vertical (and sometimes horizontal) lines on my Etrex Legend. In most cases, changing the batteries seems to solve it. Interestingly (to me at least Smile ), I tested the batteries on a meter and decided that the battery level indicator isn't all that reliable. The batteries can read around 1.2v (probably near exhaustion for a GPSr) even though the unit indicates an almost full battery.

I suppose generally speaking, the better quality batteries will usually give better operation and life though. (I have recently been using Tesco own-brand alkalines).

Regarding the joystick.... the one on mine has always been iffy. It randomly requires a much firmer push to register, almost as if there is something physically blocking it internally.

It was 2nd hand though and well under £100, so would look at replacing/upgrading rather than attempting to ask for a repair cost!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
Firth of Forth
Founder member


Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 1493
Location: East Lothian, Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gavin4077 wrote:
Firth of Forth wrote:
Firth of Forth wrote:
Within the fist year my Garmin extrex vista developed a fault - the joystick stopped working properly - and so I sent it off and received a brand new one. Within the first year of owning that one, it developed a fault - lines appearing on the screen - so I sent that one off and duly received another new one. This third unit is now over a year old, and the same lines appear on the screen occasionally, but not so much as to make it difficult to use.

I've found their service very fast and reliable.


Looks like I spoke too soon.

When I turn it one now all I get is rippling black and white lines. The rubber grip around the side has been loose for a long time and nearly came off altogether in the heat and humidity of Thailand. Do I dare send this one back to Garmin again??


I frequently get these flickering vertical (and sometimes horizontal) lines on my Etrex Legend. In most cases, changing the batteries seems to solve it. Interestingly (to me at least Smile ), I tested the batteries on a meter and decided that the battery level indicator isn't all that reliable. The batteries can read around 1.2v (probably near exhaustion for a GPSr) even though the unit indicates an almost full battery.

I suppose generally speaking, the better quality batteries will usually give better operation and life though. (I have recently been using Tesco own-brand alkalines).

Regarding the joystick.... the one on mine has always been iffy. It randomly requires a much firmer push to register, almost as if there is something physically blocking it internally.

It was 2nd hand though and well under £100, so would look at replacing/upgrading rather than attempting to ask for a repair cost!


I did try putting a variety of batteries in it and it's still malfunctioning. In the past I have had temporary lines across the screen, but these are so bad that it's impossible to use the unit. Luckily, Jack has at least 4 spare GPSrs (well, he's a man and he likes gadgets Smile), so I've got his yellow etrex for now.
_________________
Utterly smitten by a Captain
And now Mrs Aubrey
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Jack Aubrey
Founder member


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 513
Location: Camptoun, Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Firth of Forth wrote:
Luckily, Jack has at least 4 spare GPSrs.


.....And still hasn't the faintest idea where he is most of the time......

Quote:
well, he's a man


Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes
_________________
In the service of a Queen
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address MSN Messenger
Big Wolf
Founder member


Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 577
Location: Carnbroe, Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gavin4077 wrote:
[The batteries can read around 1.2v (probably near exhaustion for a GPSr)


Alkaline batteries when new are about 1.5v but rechargeable batteries (NiMh) are only 1.2v when fully charged. It would be worth checking to see if you have your GPSr set to use NiMh as if the reading is 1.2v then it would think its is still fully charged.
_________________
www.BigWolf.co.uk
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic     Forum Index -> GPS nuts & bolts All times are GMT
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Create your own free forum now!
Terms of Service Purchase Ad Removal Forum Archive Report Abuse