a free c330 update !!!

I'm sure you were...firm but polite in your communication and persistence with garmin.

You received positive results with a "mature" attitude/tone in your communications...unlike other less positive results as noted in other threads on the same subject and same unit.

Just an observation on my part. Let me know if I'm off base.

It seems there are many issues that if you keep calling Garmin and eventually talk to the "right" rep, you can get the deal you wanted. I would prefer not having to go through that circus act and hope I get to talk to the "right" rep whenever I need to contact Garmin. Why not some consistency leaning towards keeping customers reasonably supported. Just my two cents.

Be sure to keep on top of them so they don't "forget" what they told you and have to go through all of that again. Hopefully, since you have the manager's email that won't be the case. Did he include his full name?

Unfortunately, just like everywhere else, Garmin's customer service support is staffed with "people" Some "people" are better than others in dealing with customers and giving them the right information as they understand it, and as you have discovered, if you keep spinning the wheel you eventually get a winner. Congratulations on your positive results!

But the to be fair to the Garmin Phone techs you are talking about..It has been Garmins Posted policy to not Offer the free upgrade for the C330, It has been posted here and on other boards that this has been the Policy. I am told that Garmin has to Pay Navtec for Each 2008 disk they give away, as a royalty for the Software. I dont't know how much this is but I am sure it is Not figured into the Price on the now Discontinued C330. So lets not be so quick to Judge Garmins customer service that we know has been more than fair most all the time.

flame suit on....

While I completely agree with you, this map update fiasco should be a cut and dry situation with a firm policy in place. For example, you buy a unit and if has old maps you have 90 days to request a free update. If a new map update comes out within X amount of time after purchase and you're still in the window when you make your request, you get a free update. Beyond that time frame, it's sorry Charlie as you had more than enough time. Very easy to enforce uniformly. It's not person dependent, either. Also, if the unit is discontinued, such as the C330, then it's either supported (or not) for everyone across the board and they shouldn't give different solutions to people for the same problem just because they got a "nice guy". Sometimes, inconsistent CS, such as being told different things each time a person calls can be as damaging and frustrating as bad CS from the get go. Can make a person feel like they've even wasted more time as I know I've been on hold for long periods of time calling Garmin CS.

How are we supposed to know this is discontinued? I was just at the Garmin website looking at the C330. It doesn't mention anything about being discontinued. My opinion is that Garmins real policy (I admit it's based an absolutely no real knowledge on the matter) is "Give them the runaround to see if they give up. If not, then do what is right."

I am now waiting for my update. I sent an email and was told it would cost $70. I called and the phone tech told me it would be $70. I asked to talk to the supervisor and he went thru the explanation of it not fitting in memory and that ..., then offered it for half price. I said "no I think it should be free" and then he offered it for free. It all seemed to follow the script from previous posts. They were both very polite and I thanked him for the update and spending the time with me.