moshe_levy Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 All- My Zumo circa 2006 is dead. All tech support has been exhausted, and Garmin offers a trade in - for $150 you send the dead Zumo back and get a refurb with a 90 day warranty. That, to me, sounds good - but I called them and they pushed shopping around for a new model. I did, but they're pretty expensive, and I don't use the GPS much. Anybody else ever faced with this? What did you do? For the amount I use it, the refurb sounds good to me. -MKL Link to comment
dirtrider Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Afternoon MKL There might be ways to revive your Zumo 550 if you want to spend the time, effort, & do the research. (even the touch screen is replaceable at a very low cost if you do it yourself) Have you done a master reset? (if not try that) Unfortunately the Zumo 550 isn't outright supported by Garmin anymore so the tec help is hit or mis. (mostly mis) In any case, I really like my Zumo 550 & really don't care for the 660 66? 66??, nav IV replacements so in my case I would get the $150.00 refurbishing. Link to comment
Effjay Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I'd go the refurb route - especially since your interface is already set up for the 450/550 series. Also, I suspect you'll get a refurb unit with latest maps installed. My original Z550 bought new is still going strong plus I bought a 2nd Z550 from an ADV inmate for a good price. His failed and he needed GPS for an upcoming trip, so he bought a Montana, sent the dead Zumo in for refurb and then sold it to me. It not only had current mapsets but Lifetime upgrades too! BTW, contrary to common belief, LM carries over so long as original purchaser doesn't unregister or a new owner re-register to a new name. Link to comment
johnlt Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I'm on my second refurb. I think it was worth it but if it goes again i'll look at my options again. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Afternoon Again MKL Tell us what your Zumo is or isn't doing, maybe we can give your some ideas to try. Link to comment
moshe_levy Posted November 20, 2012 Author Share Posted November 20, 2012 DR - yes tried everything they told me to do. It works and then a week later, it's dead again. I don't use it that much. The refurb is looking better and better. -MKL Link to comment
TyTass Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Hey Moshe, My 550 was a 2006 variant and it crapped out 2 years ago. I did the $150 refurbish and it's still going strong. I just couldn't justify spending a lot a money again unless to upgrade. However, the 665 didn't seem that much of an upgrade to justify the expense. So, the refurb 550 has been great for me. Frankly, I would like to upgrade ... but I'm holding out for the 665 replacement, which I hope has features more like older GPS rather than being even more automated (restricted) than the Zumo's have been. That said ... I think I'm waiting in vain, judging from the direction Garmin is taking their GPS's in general. Link to comment
Highway41 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Hi Moshe. I'm on my 5th or 6th refurb having just sent my last one in and think the price is worth it. Was a better bargin when it was $75 but.... Bill Link to comment
moshe_levy Posted November 20, 2012 Author Share Posted November 20, 2012 Done. $120 - they lowered the price. -MKL Link to comment
RevRay Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 All- My Zumo circa 2006 is dead. All tech support has been exhausted, and Garmin offers a trade in - for $150 you send the dead Zumo back and get a refurb with a 90 day warranty. That, to me, sounds good - but I called them and they pushed shopping around for a new model. I did, but they're pretty expensive, and I don't use the GPS much. Anybody else ever faced with this? What did you do? For the amount I use it, the refurb sounds good to me. -MKL Same thing happen to me, I traded in my expired unit along with $150. Two years later all is well, Kind of? only hiccup now is interface with XM antenna once or twice a year for no apparent reason XM stops broadcasting. Usually on a long lonesome highway.... Link to comment
Effjay Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Same thing happen to me, I traded in my expired unit along with $150. Two years later all is well, Kind of? only hiccup now is interface with XM antenna once or twice a year for no apparent reason XM stops broadcasting. Usually on a long lonesome highway.... I had a similar (if not same) situation happen on my Z550/GXM30 combo and determined it was the only moving part on the "hockey puck" that was failing, i.e., the input cable near the mini USB connector. Too many times moved between moto and cage (SP2730) had fatigued internal cable wiring. Doing a snip/patch is difficult on the cable due to several small gauge wires and doing inside the receiver/antenna also impractical. I ended up buying a complete GXM30 in combo with another Garmin 'Bay purchase (don't ask) and swapped the good cable/housing with my old one and all is well now. BTW, I have a perfectly usable extra GXM30 available if one needs new electronics - not the cable/housing. I'm just say'n... Link to comment
UberXY Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 $120 for a refurb + LMs is a good deal. Ive had a 550 for about 5 years or so. Sent it back under warranty once but did not get LMs. The unit still has two small problems that I can live with: 1. About twice a year it dies and will not turn on. I take out the battery and clean the terminals on both the battery and unit, and it works fine again. 2. Once in a while, on start up, it goes to a screen that says "Updating Firmware - 5%" and stays there. This is while not connected to a computer. I just turn it off and turn it back on, problem gone. BTW you can cut and shorten the long cable for the XM antenna. I did mine and it works no problem. Xacto knife/razor blade and a low wattage soldering pencil. I also painted mine flat black and it sits very inconspicuously under the windshield of my K12. Link to comment
Effjay Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 $120 for a refurb + LMs is a good deal. Ive had a 550 for about 5 years or so. Sent it back under warranty once but did not get LMs. The unit still has two small problems that I can live with: 1. About twice a year it dies and will not turn on. I take out the battery and clean the terminals on both the battery and unit, and it works fine again. 2. Once in a while, on start up, it goes to a screen that says "Updating Firmware - 5%" and stays there. This is while not connected to a computer. I just turn it off and turn it back on, problem gone. BTW you can cut and shorten the long cable for the XM antenna. I did mine and it works no problem. Xacto knife/razor blade and a low wattage soldering pencil. I also painted mine flat black and it sits very inconspicuously under the windshield of my K12. To clarify, the used Z550 I bought as mentioned came with LM but highly doubt it was a "gift" from Garmin. LM is identified by unit ID/serial # when connected to Garmin's Lifetime Updater utility. Most probably, the original owner of my unit (not the ADV guy I bought from) purchased LM and it carried over to me after refurb since the unit hadn't been unregistered or re-registered. A Garmin tech confirmed that if I registered it to my name, I'd lose LMs... Link to comment
racer7 Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 A couple points When a 550 quits and won't restart it is sometimes simply a loose battery. Open it up, bend the battery contacts for a better fit and put the battery back in. I have "fixed" a few recalcitrant 550s used by our club members with this simple action- the stock spring is simply too weak. Refurbs are fine, I'm using one. I still have a pair of 550s in use on 2 different bikes but can't say I think they are a decent "current" GPS. First, the fixed memory is way too small. Also, the gps receiver they use is not sensitive enough and all too easily loses signal compared to items designed in the last couple years- it can be slow to regrab a signal once lost, also. They're not as bad as the first generation gps units tha5 prceeded them (back when Magellan gps units were competitive) but the gap between a 550 and new stuff is pretty large.. Refurb prices are apparently up- mine was $75 about 3 yrs ago and was done due to a screen failure. I could have replaced the screen myself for half that cost but no warranty, etc if I had.. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 --- First, the fixed memory is way too small. ---- Evening Racer What is your issue with the suggested small memory of the Zumo 550. I haven't ever found my Zumo to be lacking in memory as it does everything I expect without giving me any signs of memory issues? Link to comment
donbmw Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 For over a year or more the 550 will not hold all of North American in the internal storage. Don Link to comment
dirtrider Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 For over a year or more the 550 will not hold all of North American in the internal storage. Don Morning Don That is a STORAGE issue not a memory issue. Even then it's no big deal as the Zumo 550 will take a fairly large SD card that will hold LOTS of map data. I have the entire North American NT map on my Zumo 550 + the entire North East 24K topo (that alone is 3.4 gig) + a few custom maps, + over 800 songs & some pictures. Still have room left on my SD card. The Zumo 550 finds & uses that mapping on the SD card as a seamless function so nothing lost by placing maps on the SD card. The big gain is the ability to easily remove the SD card & stick it in your computer Slot to upgrade mapping. It takes forever to upgrade the Zumo 550 mapping through the very slow USB link (like filling a swimming pool through a garden hose). By putting the mapping on the SD card then putting the SD card in the computer slot it takes only minutes to update the mapping. Link to comment
donbmw Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 For over a year or more the 550 will not hold all of North American in the internal storage. Don Morning Don That is a STORAGE issue not a memory issue. Even then it's no big deal as the Zumo 550 will take a fairly large SD card that will hold LOTS of map data. I have the entire North American NT map on my Zumo 550 + the entire North East 24K topo (that alone is 3.4 gig) + a few custom maps, + over 800 songs & some pictures. Still have room left on my SD card. The Zumo 550 finds & uses that mapping on the SD card as a seamless function so nothing lost by placing maps on the SD card. The big gain is the ability to easily remove the SD card & stick it in your computer Slot to upgrade mapping. It takes forever to upgrade the Zumo 550 mapping through the very slow USB link (like filling a swimming pool through a garden hose). By putting the mapping on the SD card then putting the SD card in the computer slot it takes only minutes to update the mapping. I thought he was talking about the memory issue as being the storage issue. I have not any memory issue and have been using a SD card also. Don Link to comment
dirtrider Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Morning Don Big difference between Memory & Storage. Memory is basically RAM or ROM not disk space or storage. Link to comment
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