Another Great Garmin Customer Service Experience

[Tim R.]

I need a new power cable for my radome because the locking collar broke off. I purchased this cable from an internet retailer and when it arrived yesterday it did not have the locking collar on it:cussing:. The retailer was very friendly and said "no problem", we will make it right. While they were researching I decided to call Garmin. I explained the problem and they said they would simply ship me the collar free of charge.

I am still waiting for the retailer to call me back.

This experience is not new for me. Over the years I have gotten a free 3206 Charplotter out of warranty, free charts for my Quest II, and they replaced my Etrex Legend out of warranty.

The only bad experience I have ever had was when their phone support backed up fairly badly a couple of years ago. Yesterday I got through in less then 2 minutes.

 

[Maine Sail]

Funny you should mention that. Last summer after my GPS MAP 176 was fried by lightning I bought a new 498 to replace it. Very nice HH unit with full big plotter daylight color readable screen. Well they had discontinued it and never replaced it with a unit equally as good, but I found a refurb unit on-line.

The refurb never worked right and kept losing satellite reception. Sometimes it would take 30 minutes or more to get a fix! Last Wed I finally got around to calling them.

Phone support, for marine, even in the winter, had me on hold a while but they gave me an RMA#. I shipped it out Wednesday 2/23/11 and got it back this Wednesday 3/2/11. They don't actually fix your stuff they grab a new unit off the shelf..!! Not bad, a 7 day turn around door to door.

They do still need work on their phones, and they also need folks in customer service who actually know what they are talking about, but my experience has always been good on warranty stuff.

FWIW I too have had that two piece radome cable seal screw fail..:cussing:

None of this changes the fact that what they are dong today in marine plotters is borderline CRIMINAL. Magnets in chart plotter doors is 1000% unacceptable and DUMB!

 

[richk]

Tim...I had a good experience with Garmin as well

We bought our first GPS from Garmin a while ago (read years.) The internal battery died because I left the unit in the basement over the winter with removable batteries which were out of charge. The internal battery lost its charge. Garmin replaced the unit free of charge and even transferred my way points! I still have the unit a decade later.

I like good stories and experiences; way to go Garmin!