GPS V update to v5.00 City Select

adamski49 · Apr 9, 2003

Gecko and others who have an older unit try registering the unit again, in a different name if need be.

I've just bought a second hand V off eBay for my wife. it's 10 months old and has been registered before (so the previous owner tells me).

I've just registered it with Garmin and requested the unlock code for v5.00 ... total cost $0.00

Just a thought.. good luck!

...and don't tell Garmin

Adam

Gecko · Apr 9, 2003

Did you have to request the CD first them go on line and register or register then request the CD ? I have registered mine as well just last week - it accepted my registration too and today the CD arrived in the mail but I haven't been on line yet to try and get the unlock codes....hopefully I'll get lucky too

adamski49 · Apr 9, 2003

Gecko

I don't think it matters. On my unit I requested the CD first but on this second unit I just went for the code to see if I could get it for free and then requested the CD.

I think the unlock code is related to the unit rather than the MapSource software.

Good luck

Adam

Gecko · Apr 9, 2003

Hi Adam
Sadly it seems that Garmin recognized me from my original unlock way back last year so I have had to cough up the $100. Ah well I guess it was inevitable. Anyway I now go from being one of Garmin's best ambassadors to being well pissed of with them. The tossers couldn't even grace me with the courtesy of a reply to the email I sent them asking , politely, if they could explian to me their policy. So , Tossers they are and Tossers they will remain.
I just hope that $100 will be worth it. I will however go on record and say this is the last Garmin product I buy. When the GPS V outlives itself I won't be buying any of their products again. I just can't stand being blatantly ripped off by arrogant corporations.
Ride Safe
Gecko

MikeO · Apr 9, 2003

Gecko,

forgive me, but why are you so pissed off with Garmin? I've always found them to be very helpful & prompt in replying (although clearly this isn't your experience

).
If I understand the situation correctly, you are receiving an upgrade to the mapset you bought the GPS with and you're being charged for this upgrade.
Have I missed anything? (in another thread or something), because the situation seems reasonable if I've summed it up correctly........

MikeO (who is considering upgrading to V5) :confused:

adamski49 · Apr 9, 2003

Gecko

Sorry to hear that

It definitely seems unfair that the more 'switched on' users who registered and uploaded the latest uprades are penalised when it comes to upgrading to v5.00 in comparison with the 'technically challenged' who just used the GPS out of the box without registering online or updating software and are now in line for a free upgrade no matter how old their unit.

Why don't you sell your unit on eBay and buy a new one for yourself (complete with the free upgrade) - you'd be surprised what people will pay for a second hand GPS V without even checking about unlock codes etc. I reckon you could save yourself half the upgrade cost.

Mike O

I've bought two second hand GPS V's in the last month and have been able to upgrade both to v5.00 for free because they weren't registered with Garmin by the previous owners.

If I was in Gecko's position I'd be equally pissed off, although maybe not enough to write Garmin off altogether.

And, yes the v5.00 upgrade is definitely worth doing even if it is pricey.

Cheers

Adam

MikeO · Apr 9, 2003

adamski49 said:
I've bought two second hand GPS V's in the last month and have been able to upgrade both to v5.00 for free because they weren't registered with Garmin by the previous owners.

No, still don't get it

. So the previous owners of your units didn't use the Mapsource? My SPIII would be extremely limited in its use if I didn't unlock the maps - which I have to register to unlock. I guess an option would be to leave it in its box until a new software version was released and then claim an upgrade

But why not just buy a unit and use it, then upgrade it when necessary? I still don't see what Garmin have done that is wrong or unfair, or why Gecko should be pissed at them.............

MikeO :confused:

carlhowe · Apr 9, 2003

I bought a GPS V last summer. I registered it with Garmin. Earlier this year I had a hard disk failure - so bought new hard drive (in Feb 2003). I reinstalled the software and to run it I had to re-register with Garmin. Got upgrade to 5.0 last week. Unlock code free.

Is the need to register related to when installed on a computer. If you need to register each time you install on a new PC, then free upgrades for life possible?

Carl

adamski49 · Apr 9, 2003

Mike

The V deluxe comes with the CD fully unlocked and the unlock code in the box - you don't have to go online to unlock it, only to upgrade to newer versions of the software.

I think they were originally supplied with v4.00 and you can update to v4.13 online. Now v5.00 is available anyone who registered after Jan '03 can get a free CD from Garmin and a free unlock code online.

Because Gecko upgraded to v4.13 he now has to pay $100 to get v5.00.

A quirk of the upgrade process that has benefitted me but not Gecko.

Hope that clears it up a bit

Cheers

Adam

Gecko · Apr 10, 2003

Mike O said:
Gecko,

forgive me, but why are you so pissed off with Garmin? I've always found them to be very helpful & prompt in replying (although clearly this isn't your experience ).
If I understand the situation correctly, you are receiving an upgrade to the mapset you bought the GPS with and you're being charged for this upgrade.
Have I missed anything? (in another thread or something), because the situation seems reasonable if I've summed it up correctly........

MikeO (who is considering upgrading to V5)

Mike the thing is it seems like plenty of other folks are able to get the upgrade for free - it just depends on when you registered your machine with Garmin . Good luck to them - I say , I'm just on the wrong end of this marketing promo. So loyal Garmin customers who have purchased their units and already bought additional unlock codes get to pay another $100 whilst new Garmin customers get it all for free and don't have to pay anything additional for the additional full European City Select or the upgrade.....also the newbies are paying less today for their GPS's anyway so all in all I reckon if I had bought today instead of December 2001 I would have saved a lot of money.
Here's the sums:

.............................................December 2001..........April 2003
GPS V....................................Euro 998....................Euro 845
Mapsource V4......................Free............................Free
Full European Unlock Code...Euro 170.....................Free
Upgrade to Mapsource V5....Euro 100....................Free
Total.....................................Euro 1268...................Euro 845
............................................( GBP 875)...................(GBP 583)

Guess which one is me.......

MikeO · Apr 10, 2003

Okay, got it now (I think

).

MikeO

roadrider · Apr 10, 2003

Update

And if you own the Garmin Streetpilot 111 the upgrade to version 5 of the mapsource is $150!! Ouch!!

MikeO · Apr 10, 2003

But....

I knew I would have to pay for Mapsource upgrades when I bought my GPS.....

Oh forget it..........

Gecko · Apr 11, 2003

Mike I figured it would be the case - certainly when I got mine I knew if I wanted larger coverage (all Europe) it would cost but it's the fact that they are giving it away on the one hand and charging mugs like me on the other that ticks me off.
I have to confess however that Garmin are now in contact and although the first email was just blah blah blah policy blah blah - I wrote back as sympathetically as I could and I think they are starting to understand my viewpoint. I have been promised a further email next week and in fairness the tone of their email was conciliatory.....maybe they are human after all

GPS V update to v5.00 City Select

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