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Garmin Warranty Returns -- experience? (Read 100 times)

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rectumdamnnearkilledem

    If you have ever had to return a Garmin, what was your experience?  How long did it take to receive your repaired/refurb device?

     

    I just sent a request for return of my FR 210 to Garmin.  In the past week it has decided to "lie" re: satellite connection and I've had runs show me starting 2 miles from where I actually started a run (and running over barns and through trees, heh).  No good reason for this…I'm running in BFE with minimal trees (and what trees there are are bare of leaves) and blue skies.  This unit has been more erratic than all the other Garmins I've used, combined (2 305s, Edge 500, Nuvi)…and it's only 5 months old.

     

    I'm sorta contemplating picking up a 310XT, instead…and then selling the returned 210 on eBay.  I LOATHE that damned 4-prong clip.  I suspect it's that stupid doohickey that is responsible for a lot of my 210's issues.  Lately trying to connect it to the clip has caused it to repeatedly crash and restart.  It's also been known to totally discharge the device if I don't remove it within an hour or so of clipping it on.  I never had this sort of issue with my 305s and could pretty much leave those docked any time they weren't in use.

    Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

    remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

         ~ Sarah Kay

    stadjak


    Interval Junkie --Nobby

      I don't know . . . this is how my Garmin 610 return went at my LRS:

       

      Me: I bought this about 14months ago.  I was wondering if you could help me in any way [regarding returning it to Garmin].

      LRS: What's wrong with it?

      Me: It freaks out and freezes after mile 8 or so.

      LRS: Did you buy it from us?

      Me: Yep.  I don't have a receipt, though.  Is there any way you can help me [with talking to Garmin]?

      LRS: I can give you a new one.  Does that work for you?

      Me: *apoplectic*

      LRS: Here you go.

      Me: Uh, do you want me to fill out any forms?

      LRS: Nope.  Have a good run.

       

      And that's when I stopped buying running shoes from Amazon or anywhere else.

       

      Hope you have as much luck as I did.

      2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

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      rectumdamnnearkilledem

        Wow, sweet!

         

        Yeah, my 210 came from Amazon…and with the $50 GOTR rebate they were running it was a pretty sweet deal.  But it's been a buggy PITA since pretty much day 1.  At first it was merely sorta quirky (primarily due to the connection clip dealie -- the engineer who came up with that needs a wiener punching), but in the past couple of months I've wanted to toss it out the nearest window more often than not.

        Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

        remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

             ~ Sarah Kay

          I've had to do it a couple of times. Call and get a RMA number from them

           

          The first time: It took about two weeks from the time that I sent mine before I got the replacement.

           

          The second time: I found out about the expedited shipment method, where they shipped a replacement the sane day but pre-charged me for the price of a replacement, then credited my account after they received my defective unit. I got the replacement unit within 3 business days. The CSR also mentioned a trade-in program where I could've upgraded but I like my 305. The second one was out of the warranty period (by just a few months) but they waived the fee.
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          rectumdamnnearkilledem

            The CSR also mentioned a trade-in program where I could've upgraded but I like my 305. The second one was out of the warranty period (by just a few months) but they waived the fee.

             

            Ahhh…so they could potentially offer a 220…?  That's intriguing.  I would maybe be willing to pay for that upgrade (reasonably certain I don't even want to bother with another 210, since my experience doesn't appear to be particularly uncommon).  Does anyone know what the charging attachment method might be?  Now I seem to recall sorta scanning a DC Rainmaker review -- I think for this device.  *off to do research*

            Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

            remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                 ~ Sarah Kay


            Best Present Ever

              honestly, I think you just have defective unit. Mine is fine, and my friends haven't had this same experience.

              If you have ever had to return a Garmin, what was your experience?  How long did it take to receive your repaired/refurb device?

               

              I just sent a request for return of my FR 210 to Garmin.  In the past week it has decided to "lie" re: satellite connection and I've had runs show me starting 2 miles from where I actually started a run (and running over barns and through trees, heh).  No good reason for this…I'm running in BFE with minimal trees (and what trees there are are bare of leaves) and blue skies.  This unit has been more erratic than all the other Garmins I've used, combined (2 305s, Edge 500, Nuvi)…and it's only 5 months old.

               

              I'm sorta contemplating picking up a 310XT, instead…and then selling the returned 210 on eBay.  I LOATHE that damned 4-prong clip.  I suspect it's that stupid doohickey that is responsible for a lot of my 210's issues.  Lately trying to connect it to the clip has caused it to repeatedly crash and restart.  It's also been known to totally discharge the device if I don't remove it within an hour or so of clipping it on.  I never had this sort of issue with my 305s and could pretty much leave those docked any time they weren't in use.

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              rectumdamnnearkilledem

                honestly, I think you just have defective unit. Mine is fine, and my friends haven't had this same experience.

                 

                Oh, it's definitely defective on some level, but just about every criticism of the device centers around the charging clip, so I'm sorta loathe to keep using the same model -- fool me once, yaknow.  It looks like the 220 has a different sort of clip design, more similar to the cradle of the 205/305.

                Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                     ~ Sarah Kay


                delicate flower

                  I don't know . . . this is how my Garmin 610 return went at my LRS:

                   

                  Me: I bought this about 14months ago.  I was wondering if you could help me in any way [regarding returning it to Garmin].

                  LRS: What's wrong with it?

                  Me: It freaks out and freezes after mile 8 or so.

                  LRS: Did you buy it from us?

                  Me: Yep.  I don't have a receipt, though.  Is there any way you can help me [with talking to Garmin]?

                  LRS: I can give you a new one.  Does that work for you?

                  Me: *apoplectic*

                  LRS: Here you go.

                  Me: Uh, do you want me to fill out any forms?

                  LRS: Nope.  Have a good run.

                   

                  And that's when I stopped buying running shoes from Amazon or anywhere else.

                   

                  Hope you have as much luck as I did.

                   

                  Cool.  I bought mine from Coscto.  I'd expect it to be a similar experience there but with fewer questions.

                  <3

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                  rectumdamnnearkilledem

                     

                    Cool.  I bought mine from Coscto.  I'd expect it to be a similar experience there but with fewer questions.

                     

                    Our nearest Costco is nearly an hour away, but I'm trying to convinced DH that we should have a membership.  Everyone seems to have glowing reviews of the place.

                    Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                    remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                         ~ Sarah Kay

                    Julia1971


                      I had a pretty good experience.  My 610 got water logged on 10/10 during a pretty light rain storm.  It was also still under warranty.  I emailed them the next day and after a couple of emails the same day they agreed to send me a new one.  I sent it to them on 10/12 and it looks like I registered the new one on 10/19.  So, 8-9 day turnaround total.  For me, it was a positive, hassle-free experience.

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                      rectumdamnnearkilledem

                        I still have my 305, which had gotten buggy after a couple years of use, but still works in a pinch.

                         

                        Damn, but that thing's heavy to go back to after months with the 210.  I love being able to see the little graphics showing how many satellites it's locked onto.  I miss that with the 210 and the Edge 500.  I don't think either of those show satellite-lock progress like the 305 (and I assume 205) did.

                        Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                        remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                             ~ Sarah Kay


                        delicate flower

                           

                          Our nearest Costco is nearly an hour away, but I'm trying to convinced DH that we should have a membership.  Everyone seems to have glowing reviews of the place.

                           

                          Without actually looking it up, I believe their return policy is something simple along the lines of "We just want you to be satisfied."

                          <3

                          Gator eye


                            Battery died on my 210 just about 1 month out of warranty, Garmin said tough titty but we would be happy to sell you a refurbished unit for 90 bucks. I was a little pissed off about having to spend the money but it was cheaper than buying a new one. About a week later I get my refurbish 210 and the battery wouldn't hold a charge, back to Garmin it went, a couple weeks later another unit shows up and after the second run the mode button fell out. Back to Garmin and now I'm on my 3rd refurbished unit and I think I finally got a good one, it's been a couple months and it's still working. If I had it to do over I would give up on the 210 and buy a new 310.

                            Customer service people over to Garmin are very nice and helpful but there quality control on the refurbished units suck.

                            muppy


                              I had trouble with my 110, sent back in first year,no problem with garmin and replacement sent. A year later replacement was acting goofy and was unable to reset it,  email garmin and after a few suggestions that didn't work they offered to replace it for me for $99.00, I said no way, it's only gonna last a year. They email me back that if I send mine back they replace it for free. Can't beat that and now I'm loyal to garmin, hoping Santa Claus gets me a 910xt!

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                              rectumdamnnearkilledem

                                I heard back from Garmin.  They advised updating the firmware.  Checked and it's up-to-date already.  Then advised a hard reset, which I did, but it took a lot to get it there…it wouldn't power-down.  Finally powered-down and it took 3 tries to get it to come back up and run through initial set-up, again.  So I'm going to take it out for a test run today to see if it's better behaved.  Not holding my breath, though, given how difficult it was to reset to factory settings.  I also cleaned the contacts on both device and clip, but it didn't make it any easier to sync up with my computer.

                                Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                                remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                                     ~ Sarah Kay

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