Is there an alternative to Garmin?

MondoRich

MondoRich

Registered user
Joined
Mar 19, 2013
Messages
391
Reaction score
1
Location
Scotland
Evening, hope you've had a nice day:comfort

Sadly I spent large portions of mine speaking to Garmin customer support re my Nav 4

There was a map update but it told me I didn't have enough space for the whole of Europe so could only have one of 10 or so different smaller areas despite having a recognised SD card sitting empty in it. The unit is 4GB and my SD card 32 GB which they said was plenty to load the whole of Europe.

Three calls to Customer Support and no progress - they don't understand why it can't see the SD card despite sending screenshots etc etc

Each time a different CSA promises a solution then sends an email that means nothing and we get nowhere.



Hi Richard,

Thank you for your call today if you follow this link -

Reinstall or Change Map on an Automotive Device

Kind regards,
Connor
Garmin Europe


Hi Richard,

Thanks for your call,

To resolve your query please follow the steps outlined here: Garmin Express Prompts me to Select a Region I don't want During a Map Update
If there is anything else we can help you with please do not hesitate to let us know. Alternatively, please visit our Support Centre where we provide a list of helpful troubleshooting guides and FAQs.
If there is anything else I can help you with then please let me know. Alternatively you can search for a solution here: https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/

Kind regards,
George
Garmin Europe


Hi Richard,

Thank you for contacting Garmin.

To investigate this further we will require photos of the issue. Please provide these as an attachment to your email or pasted into the body of the text in JPEG format.

If there is anything else I can help you with then please let me know. Alternatively you can search for a solution here: https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/

Kind regards,
David
Garmin Europe



I thought I would incentivise things by also telling them that in the "Store" I could only see "safety cameras" to buy and no other maps - they were confused - but this is no good.

I see that the Nav 6 is also problematic and since my wonder wheel is less than wonderful at the moment I wonder if it's time to ditch Garmin and the less than wondrous wheel and go elsewhere.

Sorry, long story, any ideas for a Nav that will fit on the Nav Bar that came with the bike, can be easily wired in and works better than this?:nenau

Thanks

Rich:beerjug:
 
Are you using the latest version of Gamin Express. v. 7.8.0.0 ?

I've also seen reports of issues with Nav 6. I've never experienced any with either my Nav 4 or Nav 5.

I think that the only alternative that will fit into the BMW GPS mount is a phone adapter such as - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/132738301780
 
Normally garmin express will split automatic the map between card and device if no space on device, try other sdcard and make sure format is FAT
 
Bee line is the future

so easy to use very accurate

I guess it depends on if you want full mapping in front of you or just turn by turn but with a Quadlock and your phone you can have both

No problems with updating downloading shite and all the issues that come with Garmin products
 
All the maps and GPS via BMW connected app on my phone in the phone holder, turn by turn instructions on the dash, sound in the helmet, who needs an old fashioned GPS. You will need a bike with TFT display though.
 
BobT said:
All the maps and GPS via BMW connected app on my phone in the phone holder, turn by turn instructions on the dash, sound in the helmet, who needs an old fashioned GPS. You will need a bike with TFT display though.
Click to expand...

Hm.. I don't have much experience with the Connected app. So I decided to give it a shot a couple of weeks ago.

For my last 4 days ride, consisting of 20% gravel roads and generally main and backroads, I planned the route in Basecamp and exported the route as .gpx file and imported it into my phone.
When checking the imported route in the Connected app, it looked similar to the Garmin map.

Time to ride.
As long as i followed the route to the letter, the TFT instructions where matching the Garmin route.
After a while, construction work on the road meant the need for a slight detour. Garmin handled it just fine, it had a new route drawn up in less than 10 seconds, leading the way to intercept the planned route ahead. The Google instructions in the Connected app on the other hand wanted me to turn back and pick up the route where I left it.
And it kept nagging for a U turn at every possible intersection and side road available, all the way until we where back on the planned route.

This happened several times. To sum it up, whenever we left the planned route, Google offered absolutely no help to find a new road ahead.

Now, there might possibly be some tweaks in the settings that I was not able to find. But to sum it up, the Connected app with it's instructions reminded me of a mother in law that nags a lot without offering any helpful information.
What the Connected app does the best? Draining my phones battery, making it last 1/3 compared to when the app is not activated.

I appreciate that some people like the Connected app, but to me it proved to be absolutely worthless.
 
You’re not the only one having this problem. I’ve got a Zumo 660 with the same issues. Tried new install of Garmin express, puta new card in and still no good.
 
knutk said:
Hm.. I don't have much experience with the Connected app. So I decided to give it a shot a couple of weeks ago.

For my last 4 days ride, consisting of 20% gravel roads and generally main and backroads, I planned the route in Basecamp and exported the route as .gpx file and imported it into my phone.
When checking the imported route in the Connected app, it looked similar to the Garmin map.

Time to ride.
As long as i followed the route to the letter, the TFT instructions where matching the Garmin route.
After a while, construction work on the road meant the need for a slight detour. Garmin handled it just fine, it had a new route drawn up in less than 10 seconds, leading the way to intercept the planned route ahead. The Google instructions in the Connected app on the other hand wanted me to turn back and pick up the route where I left it.
And it kept nagging for a U turn at every possible intersection and side road available, all the way until we where back on the planned route.

This happened several times. To sum it up, whenever we left the planned route, Google offered absolutely no help to find a new road ahead.

Now, there might possibly be some tweaks in the settings that I was not able to find. But to sum it up, the Connected app with it's instructions reminded me of a mother in law that nags a lot without offering any helpful information.
What the Connected app does the best? Draining my phones battery, making it last 1/3 compared to when the app is not activated.

I appreciate that some people like the Connected app, but to me it proved to be absolutely worthless.
Click to expand...

When you imported the .gpx file into the connected app, it probably gave you three files to import. The first file alone gives the major waypoints and the BMW app will route between those with the suggestions of fastest, shorted or bendiest. If you import all three files then you will find that the second file has around 3000 waypoints, the way that basecamp has shown the exact route. If you get roadworks or similar and skip a waypoint then it tires to send you to the next waypoint that is one metre further down the road. I get the same with .gpx import from Calimoto.com.
The trick is to make sure that you only import the one file with the main waypoints and make sure that the boxes are unticked for the other two files from within the import. I had the same problems as you, but now use it all the time.
A great tip is to set your phone to keep the screen on while charging, (youtube videos explain how to do that), you will then have the whole route shown on your phone just the same as your Garmin did, as well as the turn by turn instructions on the TFT.
 
Normally this issue is down to a card that needs to be formatted correctly to be recognised
 
sakm said:
Normally this issue is down to a card that needs to be formatted correctly to be recognised
Click to expand...

I would agree with that. SD card was corrupt and the format was knackered. New card resolved the problem and new maps installed automatically between the new card and Garmin.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
DrRich said:
Sadly i've done that on three cards with no luck
Click to expand...

It has been quite a while now since my Zumo 660 left the building. However, I seem to recall that there was a limit to the maximum size of the SD card it could handle.

Have you tried a 8gb or 16gb card by any chance?
 
I’ve now tried a 32gb and a 16gb. It had an 8 in it when I started. Incidentally. 32gb is the maximum you can use.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

  • Locked
Wthe 660 is connected to my Mac, both the garmin and sd card are showing on the desktop as folders, but garmin express can’t see the 660. Help please.
2
Replies
22
Views
463
Wapping
Wapping
lagauk
Please help! Zumo 660 map update has lost Europe maps
Replies
13
Views
183
lagauk
lagauk
Snelly55
Struggling to transfer a map from a Nav 6 to my iMac
Replies
4
Views
195
Snelly55
Snelly55
Not enough Space on Computer - Garmin says no
Replies
13
Views
368
MacJ
Nav V vs Nav IV Map Coverages
Replies
11
Views
198
Wapping
Wapping


Back
Top Bottom