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trilobite Member
Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 26 Location: Menstrie
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:45 pm Post subject: Garmin Service (lack of) |
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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 |
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Haggis Hunter Founder member
Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 2487 Location: The building site formally known as Edinburgh!
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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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 |
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dino Member
Joined: 07 Jan 2006 Posts: 68 Location: Killygordon, Co. Donegal
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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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! |
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RonnieH Member
Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 37 Location: Balloch, Loch Lomond.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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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! |
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Firth of Forth Founder member
Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 1493 Location: East Lothian, Scotland
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 6:12 pm Post subject: |
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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 |
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Wildlifewriter Founder member
Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Norn Iron
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 6:47 pm Post subject: Re: Garmin Service (lack of) |
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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...
-Wlw |
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trilobite Member
Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 26 Location: Menstrie
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:58 pm Post subject: Garmin Service |
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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. |
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Wildlifewriter Founder member
Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Norn Iron
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:03 pm Post subject: Re: Garmin Service |
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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 |
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Haggis Hunter Founder member
Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 2487 Location: The building site formally known as Edinburgh!
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:06 pm Post subject: Re: Garmin Service |
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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 |
_________________ Let me know if I say anything that offends you
I might want to offend you again later |
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ghiribizzo Member
Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 510 Location: Ferryport-on-Craig. The Kingdom of Fife.
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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_________________ Anyone for a Hot Cross bun and a Creme Egg? |
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Firth of Forth Founder member
Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 1493 Location: East Lothian, Scotland
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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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 |
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Gavin4077 Member
Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 183 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:00 pm Post subject: |
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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 ), 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! |
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Firth of Forth Founder member
Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 1493 Location: East Lothian, Scotland
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Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:04 am Post subject: |
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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 ), 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 ), so I've got his yellow etrex for now. _________________ Utterly smitten by a Captain
And now Mrs Aubrey |
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Jack Aubrey Founder member
Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 513 Location: Camptoun, Scotland
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Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:10 am Post subject: |
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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......
_________________ In the service of a Queen |
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Big Wolf Founder member
Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 577 Location: Carnbroe, Scotland
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Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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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 |
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