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Garmin sucks

Joined
Oct 10, 2012
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Location
Possum Kingdom Lake, TX
I have 2 Garmin 660LM units, & 2 mounts on bikes for them. I'd like to warn anyone considering using Garmin stuff to reconsider, if you like parts availability, future parts, & honest warranty work.

I've now had a couple of chances to use Garmin customer support, & they are terrible. Their product support is 2nd rate at best. When these 2 units quit, I'm send them back to Garmin with a big eff u note. I'll never use their crap again. They couldn't be any worse at customer service or product support.
 
They've been that way for a long time regarding customer service. Ten years ago I bought a brand new Garmin GPS and was having trouble getting maps to load on it. Customer service rep informed me that my brand new unit was obsolete. I kind of took exception to that and let them know that I expected a brand new unit to have some support.

I figured out that if I loaded the memory card into a card reader I could push the maps directly from my laptop to that media and all worked well from there.

They flourished anyway since when it came down to it they were making the best hardware on the market at that time.
 
Should have bought a BMW ...
 
The latest update has nuked my custom route capability on my Garmin 58LM. I use OSMAnd+ on my phone now to get places in a moto-way. The Garmin has lost its motorcycle privileges.
 
After getting used to Standard Horizon on the boat, Garmin for land was a real let down. The biggest complaint was not being able to wipe the dust from the touchscreen without it trying to set a waypoint. When a previous Zumo died, I went with TomTom Rider. It was cheap and about 60% of what the Garmin offered. I'm using a new Garmin 64st now. Best GPS I've found since I quit using the marine stuff. And yup, Garmin sucks.
 
I have a Garmin.

I use Google maps and driving mostly.
 
Like you, I find the Garmin support sucks, have had a couple of GPS'd die after software updates or during use and always the same excuse, they don't want to know and I have to buy a new GPS. I loved my Tom Tom in Europe but didn't think they sold them in the USA and they probably don't have a waterproof model for motorbikes!!
I have 3 Zumo 660's and Garmin have stopped making the wiring harnesses/cradle and don't offer any support, these each cost more than $600 and after 3 years I am left with $2000 of GPS that is not supported, no warning or anything. I cant understand why they cant come up with one or 2 mounting cradles and make it common across all GPS models, but I guess that would be too sensible, instead every model has it's own mounting kit.. I would love to drop Garmin, but don't know of anything better in the USA.

Gary
 
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Um Gary the Tom Tom Rider is a water resistant motorcycle gps made by Tom Tom and it’s twisty rout planning rocks.
Manually plotting routes is pretty easy on their web site and it zips them right to the unit.
 
I bought a 67LM remanufactured. Lasted a month. Sent back at cost of 13.bucks sent me another. haven't tried it but they are junk they just feel like it. I don't like the woman's voice, that directs unit, sounds like my second former wife. Sounds like she is from NYC.
Do they have one with a west Texas drawl?
 
I'm going to chime in a little on this . I have used Garmin on many bikes , but never a bike model specific unit . All failed in the same way by the charge port / micro USB .
What I found out was handle bar vibration eventually wore the plug out . Battery life sucked . I had to have a unit awhile back for a trip so I bought a standard model Tom Tom
It was far better than any Garmin I ever used . The Garmin units do look better mounted on the bike to me than tom tom .
Today I no longer use a gps . Instead I write down my directions in short hand for 700 mile back road trips on 4x5 note cards . Ill use google maps to look at the route in areas I want to see before the trip . Out on the open road the phone gps / map is nice to see how far along till the next fuel stop .

My wife , and I have discussed buying another gps , but now I like not looking at it , and just riding .
 
FOD SPORTS GPS on ebay. Couple of options as far as OS and screen size. Mine is 4.3 inch and runs on Windows CE. And a 5ish inch that runs on Droid. I kind of wish I would have gotten the slightly larger one that runs on Droid but oh well. and so far I'm liking it as well or better than my old ZUMO 550.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6NiSLG8lg4&"]Chinese Motorcycle GPS Unboxing - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FuMMqTnUds&"]Chinese Waterproof Motorcycle GPS update - YouTube[/ame]
 
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Sorry you guys have had such hard luck. Other than learning the hard way that a Nuvi will break if you drop it on concrete from 5 feet, I've had great success with my Garmins. I have a lot of USB cable issues, but the problem is inevitably the cable, not the plug. I always have 1 or 2 spare cables in my baggie of electronic junk.
 
That sounds very mature and well thought out.

I have 2 Garmin 660LM units, & 2 mounts on bikes for them. I'd like to warn anyone considering using Garmin stuff to reconsider, if you like parts availability, future parts, & honest warranty work.

I've now had a couple of chances to use Garmin customer support, & they are terrible. Their product support is 2nd rate at best. When these 2 units quit, I'm send them back to Garmin with a big eff u note. I'll never use their crap again. They couldn't be any worse at customer service or product support.
 
I bought a refurbished nuvi 2630 or something about six months ago. It messed up and Garmin replaced it. I now use it for inside my vehicles and I really like it. I also just bought a refurbished zumo 390 for my Tenere. I haven't used it much but I think I like it. After reading all these posts , I'm going to throw them away. That way I'll never know if I made a mistake buying them.
 
I had a Tom Tom automotive gps and it worked well. Better than Garmin. I’ll check into them before I buy another GPS.

Mostly I’d use my phone it it was waterproof.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
A little before 5 one afternoon, cheapo Garmin on my Strom took me down a dead end road. Made me 30 minutes late getting home. By then, the ice in my cocktail had completely melted.

That was real learning experience for me. I quickly made adjustments. Strom gone, cheapo Garmin gone, life is worth living again...
 
A little before 5 one afternoon, cheapo Garmin on my Strom took me down a dead end road. Made me 30 minutes late getting home. By then, the ice in my cocktail had completely melted.

That was real learning experience for me. I quickly made adjustments. Strom gone, cheapo Garmin gone, life is worth living again...

:lol2:

This might help!

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRP5yf0XqHttAPbPBcqaYua4XBD1NV_Qxq2yTBpAKrva9U4DyxL.jpg
 
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I have found that Garmin support, after you wait for an hour or so on hold, is pretty good the one or two times I called them, but for the money, the things should work way better than they do. And be easier to use.

I certainly understand your frustration.
 
Mostly I’d use my phone it it was waterproof.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I got a little phone dry bag and use it with my Ram mount X holder thingie. It can be a little funky to see through it and completely goofs up any thoughts of activating a touch screen but it has been a cheap and effective anti-worry.
 
I got a little phone dry bag and use it with my Ram mount X holder thingie. It can be a little funky to see through it and completely goofs up any thoughts of activating a touch screen but it has been a cheap and effective anti-worry.



Just be careful when you start using those mad off road skills Brad taught you. Phones have been known to jump off those holders.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Just be careful when you start using those mad off road skills Brad taught you. Phones have been known to jump off those holders.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
:rofl: he taught but did I learn? :rofl:

I also use some band to hold it and tie the drawstring on for bonus holding power. My paranoia runs deep. ;-)

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
 
:rofl: he taught but did I learn? :rofl:

I also use some band to hold it and tie the drawstring on for bonus holding power. My paranoia runs deep. ;-)

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

You can lead a horse to water, but...

The ability to learn from one's own mistakes is rare enough, but to learn from other's mistakes is almost a superpower.

Your paranoia is well founded. Only politicians/media lie more than marketers...

I'm glad you've got your LG-D850 well secured with a triple redundant system!
 
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