Garmin Map Update-From the horse's mouth

I just purchased a Garmin C330 and I thought I could update the map for free. I talked to the rep for about 15 minutes and the best I could do was get the Map "City Navigator North America NT 2008 update" for half price. ($35.00)

I really like the C330, but I feel I should have received the update at no cost to me. I guess I was just expecting to much.

I just hung up from two successive calls to Garmin requesting a free update to maps 2008. Said I had to purchase after May 2007 contrary to posting on this forum. Is there some trick I am missing?

Also my suction cup for c340 mount glued to the windshield, a lot different than previously where it would not stay put. I called and re recommended friction mount described as a tri pod etc. I have seen comments on beanbag mount. Any opinions to which is best?

zooma315@hotnail.com

Friction Mount info.

http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2007/08/dont_like_the_windshield_...

I called Garmin customer service today and was told that a free update is only available for units purchased since May 2007.

In many of the cases reported in this forum, a member who was not offerred a free update tried again and was successful. If you have not already purchased the update, I'd suggest you call them again, and try with another agent. If you do, let us know how it turns out.

When I started this thread back in July I had no idea the issues and comments it would generate. I am thrilled to be somewhat vindicated that my original input from your VP to me has finally gotten official status. I am even happier that you have joined the forum. You provide valuable insight into the process and a view from the "otherside".

As I mentioned in my first post, I received nothing but concern and kindness from all your senior executives whom I was in contact with concerning my original issue. You know the VP I ended up speaking with, initials DB, and he was most helpful. Sorry on not publishing his name or email address to all of you but it doesn't pay to inundate them as well.

Welcome,
Rick

I just called and they are sending me the new 2008 map update for free!! I bought my nuvi 360 few months back!

When I registered my new c550 online, I got a message right away stating that I can get a FREE update of the 2008 maps

I just purchased a Street Pilot C530 last week. Moreover, I purchased the CN 2008 update Disk.

Should I return the disk? Can I get the update free from Garmin? The more I read the more lost I am getting...HELP!!!!!!

Definitely I would return the update disk. I would contact Garmin (by phone) and ask for the free map update for your unit.

I've had several occassions when my c330 tried to get me to turn into a wall or a non-existent street. It even sent me up a dirt mountain road to nowhere when I tried to avoid a traffic stoppage on the interstate. Does anybody have similar problems? I travel mostly in the western U.S. states. I still have the original map database that came installed in the unit. It would be nice if they updated the map base this year. If they do, it would have to be a download from their website.

YEs, they have new maps, there are many threads that will go (probably deeper then you care) about how better/worse they are, how to obtain them, etc.

Even with the new maps, don't let your GPSr think for you. Once, I turned left on a red light (thank god no one was coming) because the GPSr told me to take a left turn...lol. The maps are not perfect.

I called Garmin last week and they offered to send mke the update cd for free without any hesitiation...give their CS a call.....

I just emailed Garmin and informed them that the area I reside in has grown 5 fold in the last 3 years and that the c330 just purchased did not cover hardly any of the Denver metropolitan new expansion/construction. And that I would unfortunately have to purchase a competitors product. I also expressed my feelings that Garmin should display very clearly on their GPS packaging what version of software is installed on the unit.
They promptly e-mailed me back and said they would send the new 2008 DVD at no cost.
In my opinion that is amazing customer service, especially for a product (c330) that is slightly outdated and was extremely discounted.
I will post again when I receive the upgrade.

bugsout

Let's start by discussing the C330. It is on sale at Wally World for $128. You pay such a small amount of money for a GPS unit, a unit that two years ago sold for around $350, then want to have free updates. That is understandable, but isn't it also fair to allow Garmin to make a profit? The mapping they send out has a MSRP of just under $70, so you are asking for more than half the price of the GPS you just got in freebies. While you are asking for the update, why not ask them for free mounts, free accesories and other things.

I'm not saying you shouldn't want the updated mapping, but when I called, I was told I could purchase it at half price. I thought this was more than fair. Of course the unit only holds half of the map, that is, only the lower 48 states or Canada. But, for what I paid for this GPS, I thought paying $35 was a win-win. But, I also know after talking to the Garmin techs that a lot of people have purchased up to 20 of these marked down GPS units and are demanding mapping updates. If we want Garmin to continue to be in business and continue to supply us with reasonable GPS units at a reasonable cost, there is going to be a cost associated somewhere.

I heard rumors from someone at Garmin these mapping updates can cost up to tens of millions of dollars. Eventually, something is going to break, and the "free" service is going to go away. Garmin is known fo rreplacing things at no cost, sending out accesories for the asking and for having OUTSTANDING customer support. And the support is FREE! Try calling Microsoft for tech support, the first thing you hear is that it will cost $39.95. How soon will it be until Garmin is forced into that arena when they are giving away millions of dollars worth of mapping when somoene buys the bargain basement GPS. That's not to say the C 330 isn't a great unit, it's a GREAT unit, but for the price people are paying we can't keep asking for free stuff, or we will lose the great support we are all used to.

I am not flaming or complaining about wanting a free map update, but let's stand back and look at the big picture. I called to order an update for an older GPS, and was told there was a back order because of the number of free updates being sent out. I was shocked that I was on back order because of the number of map updates being sent. Of course I have also seen people buying shopping cars full of C 330's at Wally World so it's no wonder.

Let's keep in mind that Garmin has an obligation to the stock holders to make a profit, and an obligation to us to keep prices reasonable. If you purchase a GPS for less than the cost of a gas grill, it's a great deal. And with the grill, they don't give you free gas! You buy a cell phone, and every month you pay for service, with GPS you get a heck of a deal, free service and for the cost of less than $5 per month, map updates. Try to find a better deal!

Does anyone know if Tom Tom or Magellon charges for their updates, and if so, how much. I had a Pharoh's GPS several years ago, and the update was $400! Makes Garmin's update seem cheap!

Thanks, and again, I am not flaming you for wanting a free update, I just think Garmin has to cut it off sometime. And I don't want to lose the awesome service. FREE AWESOME SERVICE!

tom tom offered their update for $50. It was originally purchased two years ago.

I agree 100%..,

Mon, 12/17/2007 - 9:06pm
hautedawg

Okay, okay...
Let's start by discussing the C330. It is on sale at Wally World for $128. You pay such a small amount of money for a GPS unit, a unit that two years ago sold for around $350, then want to have free updates. That is understandable, but isn't it also fair to allow Garmin to make a profit? The mapping they send out has a MSRP of just under $70, so you are asking for more than half the price of the GPS you just got in freebies. While you are asking for the update, why not ask them for free mounts, free accesories and other things.

I'm not saying you shouldn't want the updated mapping, but when I called, I was told I could purchase it at half price. I thought this was more than fair. Of course the unit only holds half of the map, that is, only the lower 48 states or Canada. But, for what I paid for this GPS, I thought paying $35 was a win-win. But, I also know after talking to the Garmin techs that a lot of people have purchased up to 20 of these marked down GPS units and are demanding mapping updates. If we want Garmin to continue to be in business and continue to supply us with reasonable GPS units at a reasonable cost, there is going to be a cost associated somewhere.

I heard rumors from someone at Garmin these mapping updates can cost up to tens of millions of dollars. Eventually, something is going to break, and the "free" service is going to go away. Garmin is known fo rreplacing things at no cost, sending out accesories for the asking and for having OUTSTANDING customer support. And the support is FREE! Try calling Microsoft for tech support, the first thing you hear is that it will cost $39.95. How soon will it be until Garmin is forced into that arena when they are giving away millions of dollars worth of mapping when somoene buys the bargain basement GPS. That's not to say the C 330 isn't a great unit, it's a GREAT unit, but for the price people are paying we can't keep asking for free stuff, or we will lose the great support we are all used to.

I am not flaming or complaining about wanting a free map update, but let's stand back and look at the big picture. I called to order an update for an older GPS, and was told there was a back order because of the number of free updates being sent out. I was shocked that I was on back order because of the number of map updates being sent. Of course I have also seen people buying shopping cars full of C 330's at Wally World so it's no wonder.

Let's keep in mind that Garmin has an obligation to the stock holders to make a profit, and an obligation to us to keep prices reasonable. If you purchase a GPS for less than the cost of a gas grill, it's a great deal. And with the grill, they don't give you free gas! You buy a cell phone, and every month you pay for service, with GPS you get a heck of a deal, free service and for the cost of less than $5 per month, map updates. Try to find a better deal!

Does anyone know if Tom Tom or Magellon charges for their updates, and if so, how much. I had a Pharoh's GPS several years ago, and the update was $400! Makes Garmin's update seem cheap!

Thanks, and again, I am not flaming you for wanting a free update, I just think Garmin has to cut it off sometime. And I don't want to lose the awesome service. FREE AWESOME SERVICE!

)
reply Quote Mon, 12/17/2007 - 9:13pm
Zecpull

Well written
I agree 100%..,

--
Nuvi 650 , C330, Etrex Legend CX.
reply Quote

Im having a hard time understanding how you could say in one post that you were bummed you had to pay a 15 buck bump, even though you were not a Costco Member, but on another post you agreed with hautedawg about Garmin getting more money for the new maps. Don't you feel Costco should be concerned about making money for their shareholders as well, and bump up your price if you don't pay a memebership fee?

Curious how you really feel about this.

In an earlier post I stated that Garmin had agreed to send me the new map updates free of charge. I also purchased a c330 at Wallyworld, I paid $178.00.
Garmin told me that they shipped my update on December 28th, it is now January 9th and I have still not received the DVD. I called again last night and they said it had shipped, but orders are arriving slow because of the holidays. I'm in Colorado and they are in Kansas ~ ?
Garmin is a very large company that is in the business of making money. if they are going to sell somewhat outdated products at a discount then it should be clearly stated on the packaging that the newest map updates will or will not be provided free of charge. I did my research before I purchased the unit and checked with Garmin on the update of software.
I am reading throughout this forum that some people are being told that the only way that they can get an upgrade to the maps is by paying for it and others are being told half price and yet others, no charge.
It seems to me that first of all the communication from the top down at Garmin is atrocious, and secondly that anyone that thinks Garmin is "giving anything away "free" and taking a loss is deluded.
Garmin is doing well with their profit margin.
With the competition that Garmin is facing, if they want to sell outdated hardware/software it better be to third world countries because they are certainly not going to be able to sell a product like that to me or most of their customers and stay in business.
Finally if I do not receive the promised map updates in the next 72 hours I will return the Garmin unit, purchase one of their competitors units and then trash the "free" map update because it can only be used on the unit I registered with Garmin. (correct me if I am wrong, but that's what they told me)
This is beginning to sound like the Wii "Saga".
If you purchased a Garmin unit somewhat recently and it does not have the new map updates, you are entitled to them. And I quote "Yes Sir, the unit you purchased is not one of our newer models, but you did purchase it new and we will provide the newest maps available to you at no charge." And I said,
"thank you, it's a pleasure doing business with Garmin."

bugsout - Denver

P.S.
I'll let you know how my unit performs, whether it's the "updated" Garmin c330 or another brand altogether.

Well, there's a lot of misinformation there, but hopefully, it will all be moot when you get your update disk. Be aware that the full update will not fit on that unit, so you will have to choose between the lower 48 states or Canada. Many people have been successful at loading the remainder of the maps on an SD card. There are several posts on the subject if you find that you want to do that.