Ebay Buyers Beware When Purchasing Garmin GPS Products

For those of you considering purchasing a new/refurbished Garmin GPS product through eBay;

Here is some info taken directly from Garmin's website (FAQ section - search under ebay) See my comments at the end.

Question #1. Does the unit I purchased on EBAY have a warranty?

Answer:
Products that are purchased from online auctions such as EBAY are not covered by warranty. Online auction confirmations are not accepted for warranty verification and Garmin will not replace any missing components from any package purchased through an online auction.

Question #2. Does Garmin have any authorized dealers on eBay or any other online auction site?

Answer:
Garmin does not have any authorized dealers that sell new products directly on online auction sites. Any purchases made through online auction sites are on a "buyer beware" basis. A copy of the original sales receipt is required as the proof of purchase for warranty repairs. Online auction confirmations are not accepted for warranty verification and Garmin will not replace any missing components from any package purchased through an online auction.

There is always the possibility that products purchased through eBay or other online auction sites could be stolen merchandise. You assume this risk when you buy through these auction sites. If you buy a Garmin product through an online auction site and later send it to Garmin for service, if the product is determined by Garmin to be stolen merchandise upon receipt at Garmin's facility (through a serial number match), Garmin reserves the right to return the product to its rightful owner or send it to the investigating law enforcement authorities.

Question #3. I purchased a unit through an online auction and Garmin has just informed me that the unit is stolen. What can I do?

Answer:
If a unit is purchased through an online auction, such as eBay, and that unit is found in our stolen-units database, Garmin is not obligated to release any registration or unlock code information. Also, please be aware that Garmin can request that the stolen unit be returned to Garmin without compensation and report this information to law enforcement authorities.

If the product has already been returned to Garmin for service and is determined by Garmin to be stolen merchandise upon receipt at Garmin's facility (through a serial number match), Garmin reserves the right to return the product to its rightful owner or send it to the investigating law enforcement authorities.

** My Comments **

I purchased my Nuvi 350 on eBay through a so-called Garmin "Authorized Dealer". Three days later when my unit broke, I found out that Garmin would not honor the warranty and they told me that my refurbished unit was already registered to someone else. Garmin also told me that they had never heard of the "eBay dealer" that I had purchased the unit from (ebestdeals4u). This is how I got into fixing the Nuvi's on my own.

Now, I'm not saying that the sellers on eBay are going to rip you off. In my case, my Nuvi worked fine except that the power switch broke 3 days later.

As for stolen units: I'd be cautious of anyone selling a unit with just the GPS and no accessories or just the GPS and car adapter alone. Be more suspicious if they claim the unit is locked with a PIN and that they have forgotten it. If a seller has the original box and all of the accessories, it's less likely that it was stolen from a vehicle. However, ask them if the deal includes the yellow Garmin registration card. You'll need that to register your unit with Garmin and obtain future updates. It has specific information unique to each Nuvi. No two cards are alike.

However, just because you have the card, doesn't mean your unit hasn't already been registered to someone else. If thats the case, you're out of luck, unless the seller can give your the ID & password that it was registered with through Garmin.

You can be assured that if you purchaseed your unit through a well-known retail chain, your Nuvi WILL have a warranty recognized by Garmin. No, I don't work for a major retail chain. I am an Engineer in the Electronics field (not Garmin or any other GPS manufacturer).

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to email me at ks3r at sharc dot net.

Good luck & safe travels,
- Jim (SHARCNET)