Garmin GRRRRRRRRRRR

[Poppy]

Bought one last year prior to going to France. We bought from Halfords and specified we wanted one for the continent. They sold us one but didn't tell us you needed to download from a disc. By the time we found out too late. When we returned from FranceTried briefly on old computor. There is no way unless you are very computor literate of knowing which (and there are many of them) maps you have downloaded if you can't spend a very long time doing the job in one go. Old comp broken and new one bought. Tried to download maps. Can't even with mapsource upgrade.Contacted Garmin who have emailed me such a complicated link to get round mapsource that frankly I have lost the will to live and it takes AGES!!!!! I am bitterly disapointed in this product and will never buy another.

[panagah]

yep, easy to get caught out. im on my second garmin, first one boke.

 

if you want you can just buy the memory card which will include western europe post code mapping. however i susspect ebay followed by another sat nav with preloaded eurpopean mapping might be a better option. saw they were only £120 somewhere. garmin card £94

[Brian Kirby]

However, you bought from Halfords, who advised you the product was suitable for your intended use.  I don't think it is quite fair to blame Garmin, they make different models and the one Halfords sold you was not, in the event, what you needed.  That fault is Halfords and, had you taken it straight back and explained why it was unsuitable you should have got your money back. 

If you new computer runs Vista, and the Garmin was discounted by Halfords as an older model, this may be the root cause of your problem.  Unfortunately, both items are technically complex electronic machines, and both have their limitations.  So few of us understand where these limitations lie that it is unsurprising Halfords staff don't know either (or PC World's, for that matter!). 

It is highly unsatisfactory, and I have no idea if it will improve greatly in future, as the rate of change and "churning" in these products is huge.  Most of them are superseded within months of being produced, and many sit in someone's stock for months after that just losing value.  We, the poor saps who buy the stuff, are lambs to the slaughter.  However, that is the world as it is, it ain't gonna change anytime soon, and our only defence is to seek advice from reliable sources, become more techno savvy, and take the duds back as soon as you discover the flaws.

[Guest JudgeMental]

may be more helpful if you indicate what you actually purchased... model version maps etc.

 

I have a prehistoric 2610 which came with tiny 256 mb card and was always having to upload areas we wanted to visit and it was a pain but easy enough once you know how

 

SD cards are now cheap as chips and I bought a 2 GB one and now have whole of Europe preloaded. I suggest you do likewise

 

or bring it around to Mental mansions (S/W London) and I will do it for you

 

Or happy enough to talk you through over the phone......if you PM me a phone number

 

BUT as Brian says if you have been mislead ad sold something "not fit for purposr" you can always try and bring it back.

 

 

 

 

[Guest JudgeMental]

panagah - 2008-01-12 12:48 PM

 

yep, easy to get caught out. im on my second garmin, first one boke.

 

if you want you can just buy the memory card which will include western europe post code mapping. however i susspect ebay followed by another sat nav with preloaded eurpopean mapping might be a better option. saw they were only £120 somewhere. garmin card £94

 

make sure while purchasing any "Mapsource" software that it come with "full unlock" or it is worthless....... as you can not install and use without registering on line. you either get a long unlock code or payi for "unlock" on line

 

. Have seen unscrupulous people selling what are essentially free disks ( no unlock) on eb*y. *-)

 

 

[Miami]

Have to agree with Brian. It appears you went for price rather than capability. I have been caught before with these things and now buy the best I can get after explaining exactly what I want.

Still got caught with my Garmin even then. Said it had a lorry route choice but have now found out from Garmin that it only works in the USA!

As Brian says, you can't win!!!

[Poppy]

We paid £ 269 for it. I wouldn't have thought that was cheap myself.Also didn't know I was suposed to have become a tecchnical expert to purchase one. I f I sold you (as say a salesman in a motorhome dealership) something patently unsuitable for even when you had gone to some trouble to explain what it was you needed, I doubt ifyou wouldbe so laid back whatever you had paid.I intend to contact Garmin again and complain. Lets see what happens.

[Miami]

£269 does seem a lot for something that did not already have the maps on. I would have thought that it would have had a disc rather than an SD card which holds a lot more for that price.

I had a problem with mine which I bought from Halfords and they exchanged it immediately. Garmin are a lot better to deal with than Tom Tom! I would go back to Halfords and ask if they will exchange it for Nuvi 660. That has all the maps of Europe already on a disc. We have found ours to be much better than our old Tom Tom 700 which was a fiddle to programme.

[mpb]

WE RECENTLY BOUGHT A TOM TOM 750T. IT HAS FULL STREET LEVEL OF EUR AND FREE FOR LIFE TMC WHICH WORKS ON THE CONTINENT, THIS IS ALLREADY PRE- LOADED ON A MEMORY CARD. YOU CAN ALSO ADD POI OF YOUR OWN(CAMPSITES ETC).

M.P.BROWN

 

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER :D

[Guest JudgeMental]

Poppy - 2008-01-13 10:13 AM

 

We paid £ 269 for it. .

 

and what is it exactly?

 

model

 

maps V?

 

memory card size

 

Its not rocket science, I am sure some of us can help......

 

 

 

[Poppy]

Went to Halfords who were very helpful. oing to download the mapsfrom one oftheir computors! Thank you Halfords.

[Miami]

Poppy - 2008-01-13 2:46 PM Went to Halfords who were very helpful. oing to download the mapsfrom one oftheir computors! Thank you Halfords.

Result!! Well done!

[Terrytraveller]

Hi Mick,

 

I've just purchased the TT750 for £179 from Halfords and its jolly good value. I have been using the Mio 269+ for the last few years, its fairly expensive to upgrade the maps, and there are various patches to load in so the Mio is compatible with the new map software.

 

I have just scoured the web for TomTom POI's and have found and loaded the following which work very well.

 

If you want them I can email them to you - Regards Terry

[JohnP]

Which model of Garmin do you have and which map version?

There are many models. Some use a memory card with limited area map storage and others use a hard drive which will store the whole of Europe + 1000's of points of interest POI.

 

I am on my second Garmin a 2720 which is now obsolencent so will have to upgrade in a year or so. It has been totally reliable.

When the maps are downloaded from a computer disc you have to have a key code to use the maps.

This key code sometimes comes with the map disc but on some models and from some retail outlets you have to buy a key code as an extra.

 

Persevere. I'm sure that it can be sorted.

[JohnP]

Elizabeth. I don't know where you live, but if its in the Aldermaston region I can recommend a dealer who will sort it for you.

[Guest JudgeMental]

John, it's like talking to a brick wall. I am starting to feel sorry for Halfords..... :-D

 

John, Your 2720 does it allow you to download POI's? as my prehistoric 2610 does not. if it does, could you contact me as I am about to buy a new Garmin and everyone seems to use TT and I need Aires etc that can be downloaded to Garmin...

 

the new 700 series garmin nuvi now allow you to plan routes on PC and download routes etc...like our old units. up to know nuvi's have not been able to this. and at under £300 its pretty good value

[Terrytraveller]

Hi Eddie,

 

Give some serious thought to the TT range before you go spending your money, which you might want to use for buying me a drink whenever we meet.

 

You can also plan routes etc.. on your PC with TT720, also I like the support for maps, also ability to edit maps and POI's on both the PC and download other edits with the Mapshare concept.

 

For example - if I add names to previously unnamed roads in France/Britain for instance and update POI's I can upload these for others to use, and download those from other users. I can choose to use these updates or not from trusted sources etc.....

 

Another big advantage with TT is the Map you get installed with a new TT, will always be updated when you register your SatNav and go online (broadband is a must for this service), so it matters not, how long your TT has been in stock with the retailer, you will not get stuck with an older map, you will always have a new version.

 

There are many more advantages when using a more popular device, you don' want to get stuck with a Betamax again.... :-)

 

Regards Terry

[Miami]

Hi Terry

Don't disagree with you on TT but many of the Garmin products will do exactly the same.

One advantage is that Garmin use the Navteq maps which are definitely more accurate than the TT ones and are the same as those used by Autoroute. The directions also include spoken street names as opposed to just the direction.

I have had both and do prefer the Garmin one for accuracy. TT has too many fiddling adjustments but it is down to pure choice particularly if you can really find a shop that actually has salesmen who know what they are selling.

The best way to make a choice is to look at the reports on the net. This is good link

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/menu.php

[hapi_chappie]

Judge, The Nuvi's work very well with various POI's.  I use the POI Edit programme and create a large range of CSV files, which Garmin's POI Loader transfers to the Nuvi.  It does take a little bit of initial configuring, but once fine-tuned to contain YOUR choice of data, is very simple. All in all it is a very elegant solution.

Graham

[Guest JudgeMental]

 

Terry, happy to buy you a drink at any time!

 

I am comfortable with Garmin and I like the mapsource full mapping on my PC.... there is not much between units these days. but GPS forums are inundated whenever a new TT unit comes out with the amount of faults they have. where as Garmin although probably a little more expensive, have a decent reputation and excellent support. I am not that very good with computers/gps etc so decent support is important

 

Graham, would you be able to email me some converted files for Garmin?

any motorhome related stuff - European /camping/aires/low bridges.....what ever you have would be nice *-)

 

 

[Mike B.]

Graham hi

I have a Garmin C510i deluxe which is fine but I did have difficulty downloading aires etc onto it. If it will work on mine and you email the judge as requested, could I be cheeky and ask you to CC me on it please? It's worth a pint or two if I see you

Mike

[hapi_chappie]

Judge, Mike.  Happy enough to send you some files, although this web site has some problems as we speak. 

I really recommend that you configure POI Edit for your own purposes. There's a great artice previously posted on this Forum explaining how to do it!  It will take approx 30 mins first time.

The benefits are that you will be able to select your own special interests, of which there is a staggering range of choices available.  You will also be able to refresh these very easily to capture the latest data-sets as and when they get updated - this takes me less than 5 mins now, including updating to the Garmin. It really is THAT easy :-)

Let me have your mail ID's if you still want me to mail you something.

Good luck, Graham

[Poppy]

Well its English helpline is very poor especially if compared with my printers Romanian one and my BT Indian one all of which talk you patiently through things.

[Guest JudgeMental]

Garmin free phone support: 0808 238 0000 ( Southampton not Calcutta*-) )

I have used them many many times since 2000 and found them very helpful and patient....

 

 

On the subject of POI's.

 

Once you have downloaded say, french aires to your GPS. Do they appear on map? or is it possible to set up that they appear on unit as symbol's as you drive along? As Miami has just told me on his unit you have to input them as a destination (presumably from a list) and they are not visable on map :'(

 

Not ideal me thinks, as I would prefer if they where a symbol on map that I could highlight and head towards if necessary..... Is this not possible?

 

 

[hapi_chappie]

Judge. I agree with your general comments on Garmin and particularly it's helpline.

As for the POI's: When using POI Loader, you are able to define a Proximity parameter for each POI data-set.  This is the same capability that advises you when you're approaching a speed (sorry, I meant "safety") camera.

In practise, for things like Low Bridges you sure want to know about if you're approaching one, but Aires, Campsites etc. I find I use them in the same way you would to find a Petrol Station.  So when I'm ready to rest, I go to the Custom POI's option and select the category of choice (EG Aires) and navigate to my chosen one - all listed by distance and name.

If you really do want your screen cluttered and concentration broken with every passing campsite, you could set a wide Proximity Alert.  Although in practise you may consider running Autoroute on a device with a screen that is more suitable.

Hope this helps?

G