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[Closed] Garmin hmmmm

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[#5530639]

My 14 month old Edge 500 started doing some funky stuff on the screen; which a F/W update or master reset won't cure. The screen itself is not damaged in any way. I'm a bit miffed that Garmin's answer to this is pay us £68 for a replacement! I expected more than 14 months out of an £185 item FFS.
Think it's back to a normal speedo for me!!


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 10:43 am
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[i]Could[/i] be an isolated incident. My Edge 305 is still going strong after many years of abuse.

I'd pay the £68 and if still not happy, eBay the 500.


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 11:30 am
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What he said, my 305 battery died though (common fault).


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 11:32 am
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THat might have happened to mine...I seem to remember sending it off. Still a great device. I had the 810 for a while but the 305 is a much tighter device. Dare I say better? Could be.


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 11:36 am
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There was some design fault with the battery being too small so it rattled, and then over time started switching off randomly as the contacts loosened. I think the £68 is a flat rate they have as that's what it would have cost to fix.

I think it's reasnoble, £68 to replace something out of warrenty that spends it's life in a pretty hostile environment for a box of sensitive electronics (wet, dusty, shakeing, occasionaly getting bashed).


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 12:11 pm
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Agreed. On the whole Garmin is a stand-up company with good products. With regards to the cost of a replacement screen out of warranty, you'd pay the same for a camera to be repaired or updated, for example. It's just one of those things. I'd say it was a fair price.


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 12:15 pm
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... my 305 battery died though (common fault).

I replaced mine a couple of weeks ago, cost me £5.80 including delivery, for a longer lasting battery. Swap took about an hour, and i also adjusted the connections while the back was off to stop the thing from intermittently turning itself off.

[url= http://www.jimcarson.com/2009/replacing-the-battery-in-a-garmin-edge-305/ ]instructions on 305 battery replacement[/url]


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 12:23 pm
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I did that, too, but they sent the wrong frigin battery, then when i bought another one the pads pulled of the PCB rendering it useless............grrrrrrrrrr


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 12:43 pm
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I would be straight down to the shop where I bought the Garmin with a copy of the SOGA in hand. They should last longer than 14 months.


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 12:50 pm
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I think it's reasnoble, £68 to replace something out of warrenty that spends it's life in a pretty hostile environment for a box of sensitive electronics (wet, dusty, shakeing, occasionaly getting bashed).

But surely it's designed to be used in that environment? Otherwise it's not fit for purpose. For what they charge for them, I think it's a joke for the device lasting that long. If I'd smashed the screen then that's fair enough, but I haven't; it's just randomly started playing up.


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 1:35 pm
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How many Garmin devices have you had fail on you?


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 4:10 pm
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But surely it's designed to be used in that environment? Otherwise it's not fit for purpose. For what they charge for them, I think it's a joke for the device lasting that long. If I'd smashed the screen then that's fair enough, but I haven't; it's just randomly started playing up.

Indeed, but what's to say yours hasn't just had a bigger knock than it was designed for?

"Not fit for purpose" would need to be loads of them failing with a common fault, e.g. not weather sealed properly. One failing is either a manufacturing defect, which seems unlikely if it made it to 14 months without becoming apparent. Or somethings damaged it.

£68 is probably less than the cost of fitting a new screen (inc someones time, and the admin, shipping, etc). You could try the shop, but really you're trying to argue that a device that's worked fine for 14 months had a manufactuig defect, which is going to be difficult.


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 4:32 pm
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Mine gets used on a road bike!

How many Garmin devices have you had fail on you?

I had an Etrex before which lasted years (I even sold it on) and got knocked about on the mountain bike.
In a similar vein, my mates Garmin watch is playing up after 3 months and another mates premium HRM has given up at 13 months.


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 4:42 pm
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I would have thought that the device has a 12 month warranty and is therefore out of warranty. Its bad news when problems arise just after the warranty expires but i guess its just one of those unlucky things. To me £68 seems reasonable.

I would be straight down to the shop where I bought the Garmin with a copy of the SOGA in hand. They should last longer than 14 months.

I would perhaps bow to your better knowledge here as I dont know much about the SOGA, but how exactly would the SOGA help? As for the fact that it should last more than 14 months, maybe it should, but the warranty would only last for 12. So not 100% sure where we are going with that?


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 5:03 pm
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Your warranty is in addition to your statutory (SOGA) rights.

I can't sell something with a 10 second warranty and then claim then if any of them break then it's tough tatties for you.


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 5:08 pm
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So what does the SOGA give you over and above the 12 month warranty?


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 5:15 pm
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Had 5 years out of my 205 before i dropped it onto a brick.

Sounds faulty to me where as the 68 quid would be for something thats worn out . Ie the battery no longer holds charge or you dropped it.

What frustrated me that as an early adopter i got my garmin 205 for 60 quid ..... Then they wanted 68 quid to repair/replace it .....


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 5:51 pm
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Well you can use the SOGA technically for up to 6 years from purchase, if you took it to a small claims court for an example would a judge say well a gps unit should only last 14 months or say a washing machine... The common sense answer would be no you would expect it to last longer. All depends on whether the hassle is worth more than 68 pounds to you, I had the same with a 15month old kindle and the kept trying to fob me off, it was only my insistence quoting the SOGA that got me a free replacement


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 7:02 pm
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A judge would also ask what the fault was, and if Garmin say "excessive impact" you're boned


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 7:11 pm
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And that is true, the question is would they risk spending the money to turn up for something that is worth just a few quid to them and risk loosing and that's the gamble


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 7:24 pm
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Very doubtful, considering it'd probably cost around £68 to replace it 😉


 
Posted : 19/09/2013 7:40 pm