Garmin's new single unit map update policy

Hello all,

I recently purchased a Nuvi 660 and was lucky enough to get the free
update to City Navigator 2008, which works great in my vehicles. I also
just purchased a GPSMAP 60CSx for when I go out hiking.

Being as I have City Navigator 2008 on the Nuvi 660, I wanted to put my
State from the City Navigator 2008 maps on my 60CSx. The problem I ran
into was Garmin in all of their ultimate wisdom have recently changed
the number of units that can utilize the software packages starting with
the 2008 versions. Now with all future software updates from Garmin
only one unit can be updated. To update more that one GPS unit,
additional software packages will have to be purchased, even if you only
want to load a single State. Currently the only thing I can do is to
load the older version 8 on the 60CSx without having to purchase another
software package.

I am personally considering returning the GPSMAP 60CSx to where I
purchased it because of this issue. I really believe this new policy is
a huge mistake on the Garmin management's part.

While I was on the phone with a Garmin service representative I asked
whom I could write to about their new one unit map policy. I was given
the contact information below and want to share this information for
those of you who may want to write to Garmin about their new map policy.
Hopefully if enough folks will take the time to write, the policy will
be reconsidered. I'll bet if a couple of thousand letters show up in
these peoples inbox, things will change back quickly.

Garmin contact information follows:

Dr. Min H. Kao CEO
Garmin International
1200 East 151st Street
Olathe, KS 66062

Other officers that could use a little encouragement at the same address
are:

Min H. Kao Dr., Chmn.; C.E.O.; Dir.,
Kevin S. Rauckman, C.F.O.; Treas.,
Andrew R. Etkind, Gen. Couns.; Sec.,
Brian J. Pokorny, V.P.; Operations,
Gary V. Kelley, V.P.; Marktg.

Please take a few minutes to make your feeling known about their new map
policy. I know I will be.

Email messages can be sent to TECHSUPP@Garmin.com as well.

Please keep all correspondences sent to these people direct to the point
and professional.

FYI: Min H Kao ranked 235 among The 400 Richest Americans In 2005.

Garmin CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
5th Floor Harbour Place
George Town, Grand Cayman
Cayman Islands

Phone: 345-946-5203
Fax: 345-945-3390


GRMN INSIDERS ON BOARD OF DIRECTORS*
Min Kao Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of Garmin
Corporation, President of Garmin International Inc., Garmin USA Inc.,
Garmin Corporation and Garmin AT Inc., Director of Garmin Corporation,
Garmin International Inc., Garmin USA Inc., Garmin AT Inc and Garmin
(Europe) Ltd age 58

Kevin Rauckman Chief Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer,
Treasurer, Treasurer of Garmin International Inc. & Garmin USA Inc.,
Director of Finance - Garmin International Inc and Director of Garmin
International Inc. & Garmin USA Inc age 44

Gary Kelley Vice President of Marketing, Vice President of Marketing of
Garmin International, Director of Marketing, Garmin USA Inc. and
Director of Garmin Europe Ltd age 60

Clifton Pemble Director and Vice President of Engineering - Garmin
International, Inc 41

Other Board Members on Board of Directors*
Gary Burrell Garmin Ltd. age 69
Gene Betts Embarq Corp. age 54
Donald Eller Ph.D. Garmin Ltd. age 64
Charles Peffer Garmin Ltd. age 59
Thomas McDonnell DST Systems Inc.age 61

*Data is at least as current as the most recent Definitive Proxy.

Not other packages. No further software need be purchased or installed.
You need to unlock the software to use with the other unit, that's all.

You won't get anywhere. As I understand it, this is a new licensing
requirement from NAVTEQ.


Rich Owings
http://gpstracklog.typepad.com
http://gpstrackingsystems.biz

I think we need to get this clarified with NAVTEQ personally.

Garmin used to (possibly still do) refuse to sell european maps to
european customers without forcing the sale of hardware the customer
didn't want or need.

There was a suggestion that NAVTEQ were to blame for this restriction,
but a quick email to them quickly blew that one out of the water.

This is an extract of Garmins' response after contacting NAVTEQ:

(Laura Tomei - International Cartography Manager, Dec. 2004)

------
You are correct that this policy is not imposed by NAVTEQ. NAVTEQ has
nothing to do with the decision to sell the City Navigator Europe only
bundled with the GPS units in Europe. This decision is a Garmin
decision to protect our wide network of very supportive distributors
and dealers in Europe. If every customer would do like you have done,
purchasing the hardware in North America, we would have no business,
no support network and most of all NO SERVICE network to provide to
our customers around Europe.
If no service network was provided, who would fix or replace your unit
if it failed? You would have to send the GPS unit to the USA, which
surely you couldn't find very convenient.

Although you might think this policy is unjust, we find that this is
the best way for us to assure our presence in the European market.

Units and software sold in North America usually have less royalties
and development costs and that is the main reason why prices are lower
in the USA, and of course the current favourable currency exchange.
So we might understand that customer like you are enticed to purchase
in the USA or Canada, however our decision stands. You are correct,
it is indeed our decision to protect our business network in Europe.
------

On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 22:44:48 -0500, Mike in Utah


Returning the unit is certainly your option and there are other
manufacturers to choose from.

In the real world do you really think Garmin cares what you think or
that any of the chief executives are going to take you seriously?

The population of the USENET gps groups is so very small, compared to
the total number of users with Garmin products, the impact of a very
few here contacting Garmin would be miniscule.

Probably most people here don't like the new policy (I don't) but the
final choice is to do your due diligence on company policies and to buy
or not to buy Garmin's products.

I personally will continue to buy their products because I think they
are the best consumer gps products available.