No Free Update On Garmin C330

Be nice and you will most likely get the free upgrade. However on the other side of the coin, if you purchase a 2007 car after the 2008 comes out do you expect to get the additional standard equipment installed for free ?

What you need to do is throughly research everything you are about to buy before your buy it. Read all user reviews and find out how long the unit has been on the market. Most electronics are outdated or discontinued after 2 or 3 years of hitting the market. That's why they sell them a lot cheaper. If you purchased that unit 3 years ago it probably would have cost you around $500 or $600 bucks. Sorry to say...it's not Garmin's fault. They are not selling the unit...the stores are trying to unload their stock. Buying a Tom Tom could be your second mistake. Be careful and research!!!

ooooops

Sorry mama... I got a little exited. Hey. . . I think I've said that. .. oh, nevermind.

No I don't expect such nonsense in a car. BUT.. I purchase 2 units not barely 1 month ago... for the information contained within them... because I make a living on those little roads stored in those things....Do you think at 1 month old I should have to drop another $140 on them? No way. Do you think they could have shot me straight from the get go? Yep.... and If the stores are clearing inventory on them... Garmin is still sending out... OK I'm making a post on my opionion on this.. weeeeeeeee!!!!

Don't give up on the free update.It took we 3 e-mails to get to the right person to get my free copy.If you get a no from one person email again and not back to the same person.Not everyone seems to be on the same page on the free update.Garmin will come through for you in the end.

Pam my brother bought a C330 on black friday and Garmin finally agreed to send the new mapping DVD...

Ray

Very good advice, no customer service rep likes to be yelled at and will work with you much more if you are calm.

I was very nice in both emails, and still need to give them more time..I'm blowin off the steam to you guys!!! Sorry. I even told them...and meant it... Basically; "That regardless of your awnser to my request for a discounted price (as having to update 2 new units), God Bless you guys, your employees and their families, and the work you do. These gps help me to do my work, keep people around me safer, and not to have to worry as much about my wife and little girl getting lost while I'm 1,000 miles away. Thank You" It was something like that and I meant it. I seem to be just blowing off my iritation here...which everyone has been real cool about.. just letting out some thoughts (see my post)... I wouldn't initially come at them that way..or maybe at all. If I were to get that frustrated I'd just take their stuff back.

I also have a C330 and sent an email requesting a free update. Was told the same story that the C330 could not hold the maps so I could only load one or the other and was not eligible for a free update and it would be 69.99. I emailed back that in my area I already put in two locations unknown by the old software and only needed the lower 48 states; once again requesting a free update. I just replied to the original email but looks like it just goes to support and hopefully someone more helpful will pick it up.

Call them. My experience'

1st email-no response
2nd email-shot down- same resp. you got

1st phone call 30 min. wait- (remember I needed 2 updates and didn't expect to get both free, but Was NOT gonna pay $140 on 2 1 month old models- don't care if they're discontinued)

Anyway on 1st phone call, explained situation, told them I only wanted the lower 48 anyway. The CSR told me he'd talk to his supervisor. (I didn't have to ask.) Got 2 updates for $60. That seems more than resonable to me.

Moral of story- gonna have to pick up the phone and sit thru the wait- but the rep. was great to talk to, and you could tell he'd been dealing with this ALLOT.

I just now got a response to the 1st email (the no response one). They offered to sell the 2 updates I needed for $40 each plus $6 each shipping. = $92 a whole $32 more than a phone actuall phone call got me.
Sounds like everyone on here keeps saying, be nice, don't give up. And I throw in-take the time to use the phone. Good luck!

Got my second email response. This time I was offered a discounted 35 dollar update. Assume I won't do better if I call. Seems like few people are getting the free update.

I guess i should have just waited and kept at it with garmin to get a free or discounted update. Oh well, I have a better unit now anyway with the 2008 maps on it.

Give a new GPS to your family members so they can have to spend an extra $70 to have a current map that should have been there in the first place. I saw no sign at wally world that said buy your 2007 Christmas GPS complete with 2006 Map just in time for the release of the 2008 map.

Should you be happy if you buy a new car with 0 miles on it to only find out you will have problems with the way it functions because the engine was not designed to effectivly run ethanol which is a new update on fuel?

And it never told you on the sticker there would be a problem.

I Purcased my c330's the day after Thanksgiving with 2006 maps. I saw on here where some had success in getting an undated map sent to them. I first called garmin support number. He told me I had purchaced a discontiued model and was no longer suported.
A week later I emailed and explained that I had bought 2 c330 and sucess. I just received the DVD map updated today 01-10-08. I have not tried it yet, but it is here!

Glad you received the maps.I keep seeing on the forums that the c330 has been discontinued but it is not listed that way on the Garmin sight.

My map update was ordered on New Years Eve. I just checked on my order with Garmin customer service, they said "it's on major backorder, it will be at least a month until it ships" In my opinion this is unacceptable, from the #1 gps company in the world.

I got my streetpilot c330 for christmas. After reading the posts on this message board, I called and very politely asked for the free update. fast forward 3 weeks... I got the update and tried to install it, only to find out the update will not work if you are trying to use a Mac.

It says on the DVD it will work and when I called them out on this, I was told to find a PC with a DVD drive. They said they are aware of the problem, but they weren't able to do anything about it at this time.

I LOVE the system, but I am quite disappointed that the maps are already 2 years old , AND that they can't make updates that are Mac compatible. Come on...Macs are becoming more popular than PC's!!

I,too, have been going in circles with Garmin online. I bought mine at wally world in November. When I saw it had 2006 maps on it, I almost freaked. 2 years old at purchase. I emailed Garmin support 3 times, in answer to their responses to me. They never answered my 3rd email. So, today I called them and asked for their complaint department. They put me in touch with a Supervisor. He was very kind and helpful. After he heard about the emails and what I was tolded in them, he was upset at the service department. He says the units are on major backorder, but they WILL send me one when they come in. He also asked for copies of the emails I got from their service techs. So, as I have read here many times, it took a phone call to get this straight. It was done in 5 minutes, after emailing about it for over a month.

The old saying always works the squeaky wheel always gets the grease.

I got my update disk yesterday in the mail and it worked flawlessly--- just thought i would give you guys the news. It didn't cost me a dime so it can be done.

UPDATE: I got my DVD with the 2008 maps today. For those of you still trying, I suggest a phone call to a supervisor. That is what worked for me.
Good luck and PEACE
WILL

The box states, and I quote,
"Pre-Loaded with maps of North America". No where does it state that it comes with the latest mapping software available.

When you buy a GPS unit for $128, and you know the map is $70, what makes you think you are going to get the update free?

I think if you come to the source and are polite and understanding, ask WITHOUT DEMANDING about the update, you will most likely either get it free or reduced. HOWEVER, if you come in with a chip on your shoulder, saying that you want your free update or else, you will probably be met with resistance.

I saw a woman with 20 C330 units in a shopping cart. That would be $1400 of FREE maps, and Garmin has to make a profit somewhere. Be relistic.

Thanks

This is an excellent point. Magellon has been giving mapping updates away free because the maps are so piss poor (excuse the French). I'd rather have a good map, than a free map of crap.

MY THOUGHTS ON UR THOUGHTS-
It`s misleading. Thats just like buying a brand new tv on sale from the 1 manufacturer that says "color tv" and it only has red. With your logic we`d say "They didn`t say which colors!" And if Garmin is worried about making a profit on their maps, they should start by listing what maps are on the unit on its box in the first place. Why do you think they don`t? Easier to package, they know most people won`t find out their outdated when they 1st bought it. So you be realistic, use your head! I agree about being polite. And if I was that lady I`d take every unit back. Why do you think Garmin has given so many $70 updates away free? THEY know its wrong! Oil the greasy wheels, let the ignorant masses be ignorant. They make good business sense, but that doesn`t mean its not shady.

Some are still missing one of the points here.

The C330 and C340 are discontinued and discounted in price from what they once were, and some of the ones recently purchased may have been in retailers stock for several months. I purchased a C340 around Thanksgiving and it had the newest version maps installed, but some older stock may not have the newest version. The free update is not being advertised for these units partially due to the discounted pricing, but as some people have realized, asking in the right way can still get you the update for free (or at least for a discounted price).

Would you rather pay $300-$400 for the unit and be assured of the free updated maps in writing?

still wish retailers would admit to outdated/dis.

If the units are discounted because they are outdated and discontinued, they should be sold as "old" models. Just like you can get last years car at a discounted price when the new models come out. When I bought my C330 I didn't know it was discontinued and after I saw in this forum that it was I checked Garmins web site and found that it was still for sale there and it did not mention that it was discontinued. I haven't looked lately but as far as I know from the 'official Garmin website' it is not discontinued.

I just checked again and the Streetpilot C330 is not listed as a discontinued model.

I didnt know either-and you know noone standing to make a profit was gonna say a word-SHADY!

It seems to me that it is a bit unrealistic to buy the cheapest unit you can find, then be surprised when it isn't the most modern and up to date technology. I did a lot of research before deciding on the Nüvi 260, and I knew early on in my exploration that the c330 was outdated and soon to be discontinued. Had I then purchased it in spite of that knowledge, I'd have expected there to be shortcomings with the unit.

IMO, when you bargain shop for old technology, you have to expect it to be outdated.

Bought a c300 in '06 because they stated you never had to purchase map upgrades.... LIES ALL LIES!!!! STAY AWAY FROM GARMIN!!!!

C580 i HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY C580

OK, I guess my post above was a little off base, in that the C330 has not been discontinued as the C340 was, but the other observations above still bear fruit.

If you buy a unit that has been GREATLY discounted recently (maybe a couple of hundred dollars in some cases), why complain about paying $50, $60, or $70 for a current map update. Though the technology might be lacking a little (to current standards), you will find MANY people on this site that think this is still a very capable unit, and is a bargain at the discounted pricing (even if you have to buy the map upgrade). I guess if you still think you are getting ripped off, take the C330 back for a refund and spend more (maybe more than the map upgrade would cost you) for a model that does have free map updates to the current map.

In the end, I guess you get what you pay for, in most cases.

Who are you emailing at Garmin? I owuld like to speak eith them to get an update.