Garmin South Africa....... YOU SUCK!!!!
We own a soon to be ex-Garmin device, why do I say this.... well for one major reason, Garmin South Africa's service SUCKS like a suppurating hemorrhoid!!!
We had an old Garmin that started to become a tad problematic and unstable so prior to a trip to Croatia we took it into Garmin South Africa for two reasons, firstly to have a look at the device and then to purchase maps for Croatia.
On the issue of the device itself we were told that the battery was going but that it will be fine and not cause a problem, on the maps we were told that the Europe maps (that we currently owned) were up to date and the ones to use.
At the same time we decided to update our South African maps - remember this - at no time were we told that if we swapped our device, the maps would become null and void. We paid R800.00 to update our SA map in April 2012. We were offered to swap our old device for a new one and pay in the difference, but chose not to as we were told the unit was working fine.
HMMMMMMMM epic fail on both counts; the maps were consistently incorrect and got us lost on more than one occasion, and then while getting lost in the city of Split the device failed altogether, now for those of you that travel like we do - self driving, not on a bus driven package tour, then you will know how important a working navigation device is, and so here we were stuck in a city with no clear idea where we were.
No problem.......
whip up the internet on my trusty iPhone (quick punt for Apple)......
look for the nearest Garmin supplier, get the address.......
Open the maps on my iPhone (although I must add Old Apple maps)....
Drive to supplier........
Firstly we purchase a new device as the old one is by now D.E.A.D. and the discuss the map issue, they tell us that the Europe maps do not properly cover the Adriatic region and you must purchase the Adriatic maps......
DIDN'T ANYONE EDUCATE THE TURKEYS AT GARMIN SOUTH AFRICA ABOUT THIS !!!!!!!
But anyhow, we go our merry way with our sparkly new device and map; did we get lost again .... NEVER!!!!
Enter our next trip:
Hah, I say HAH!!!, and you thought it was over...
We are setting out on a road trip of our own country.... South Africa, going on a long and winding road trip, so we need the Garmin and South Africa maps.
Now the maps we had previously purchased with the old unit is on a large format SD card that doesn't fit into the new device, we need a small SD card.....
So off to Garmin South Africa goes Pam (my wife if you don't already know)....Tum te tum te tum....
It went some thing like this:
Pam: "Hello Garmin type support person.... I updated our South Africa map in April 2012 for my Garmin which died even after you people told me it was fine and now the SD card is the wrong size, can I upgrade said card for a correct card......"
They should have the following written above the door:
Omnes relinquite spes o vos intrantes....
it means....
Abandon all hope yea who enter here......
Garmin type support person: "Sorry but to get the map changed because you didn't buy the unit here you must pay FULL price for a new one (ZAR 2400.00 or USD 280.00) , or you must bring the dead unit back in and then we will trade it in for a new unit for which you must pay for (ZAR 2000.00 or USD 180.00)..... and then we can give you the maps at a reduced price (ZAR 1000.00 or USD 115.00)
Why were we not told this in April when we paid our money to update the SA map for a unit that was beginning to give trouble?
FOR FRACKS SAKE.... I DON'T WANT ANOTHER UNIT.... I'VE PURCHASED A NEW ONE THROUGH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING!!!!.... I JUST WANT TO CHANGE THE SD CARD FOR THE MAP I'VE ALREADY PURCHASED.... WHICH PART OF THIS DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND!!!!!
We own a soon to be ex-Garmin device, why do I say this.... well for one major reason, Garmin South Africa's service SUCKS like a suppurating hemorrhoid!!!
We had an old Garmin that started to become a tad problematic and unstable so prior to a trip to Croatia we took it into Garmin South Africa for two reasons, firstly to have a look at the device and then to purchase maps for Croatia.
On the issue of the device itself we were told that the battery was going but that it will be fine and not cause a problem, on the maps we were told that the Europe maps (that we currently owned) were up to date and the ones to use.
At the same time we decided to update our South African maps - remember this - at no time were we told that if we swapped our device, the maps would become null and void. We paid R800.00 to update our SA map in April 2012. We were offered to swap our old device for a new one and pay in the difference, but chose not to as we were told the unit was working fine.
HMMMMMMMM epic fail on both counts; the maps were consistently incorrect and got us lost on more than one occasion, and then while getting lost in the city of Split the device failed altogether, now for those of you that travel like we do - self driving, not on a bus driven package tour, then you will know how important a working navigation device is, and so here we were stuck in a city with no clear idea where we were.
No problem.......
whip up the internet on my trusty iPhone (quick punt for Apple)......
look for the nearest Garmin supplier, get the address.......
Open the maps on my iPhone (although I must add Old Apple maps)....
Drive to supplier........
Firstly we purchase a new device as the old one is by now D.E.A.D. and the discuss the map issue, they tell us that the Europe maps do not properly cover the Adriatic region and you must purchase the Adriatic maps......
DIDN'T ANYONE EDUCATE THE TURKEYS AT GARMIN SOUTH AFRICA ABOUT THIS !!!!!!!
But anyhow, we go our merry way with our sparkly new device and map; did we get lost again .... NEVER!!!!
Enter our next trip:
Hah, I say HAH!!!, and you thought it was over...
We are setting out on a road trip of our own country.... South Africa, going on a long and winding road trip, so we need the Garmin and South Africa maps.
Now the maps we had previously purchased with the old unit is on a large format SD card that doesn't fit into the new device, we need a small SD card.....
So off to Garmin South Africa goes Pam (my wife if you don't already know)....Tum te tum te tum....
It went some thing like this:
Pam: "Hello Garmin type support person.... I updated our South Africa map in April 2012 for my Garmin which died even after you people told me it was fine and now the SD card is the wrong size, can I upgrade said card for a correct card......"
They should have the following written above the door:
Omnes relinquite spes o vos intrantes....
it means....
Abandon all hope yea who enter here......
Garmin type support person: "Sorry but to get the map changed because you didn't buy the unit here you must pay FULL price for a new one (ZAR 2400.00 or USD 280.00) , or you must bring the dead unit back in and then we will trade it in for a new unit for which you must pay for (ZAR 2000.00 or USD 180.00)..... and then we can give you the maps at a reduced price (ZAR 1000.00 or USD 115.00)
Why were we not told this in April when we paid our money to update the SA map for a unit that was beginning to give trouble?
FOR FRACKS SAKE.... I DON'T WANT ANOTHER UNIT.... I'VE PURCHASED A NEW ONE THROUGH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING!!!!.... I JUST WANT TO CHANGE THE SD CARD FOR THE MAP I'VE ALREADY PURCHASED.... WHICH PART OF THIS DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND!!!!!
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