Garmin Reviews

I purchased the Venu3s as a replacement to my old Apple Watch. I assumed most basic smart/fitness watches have the ability to have either structured swim workouts built in the app, or a third-party app can connect to the watch for a structured swim set. Even though the website says the Venu supports structured workout builds, apparently that’s just not true. As swim workouts are considered “enhanced”. (That language isn’t clear and had to be searched for by a Best Buy employee, and your own employee on the phone. If it’s not compatible, why are the models listed under compatible in the swim workout section? It’s deceptive.)

Sent me to collections after I unsubscribed on my phone. Not one single attempt on Garmin's side to contact me about said problem. Not one call, email or via mail. Just straight to collections. It’s almost feels fraudulent and scammy to not contact someone about their bill and just send them straight to collections. I will be going with a different brand for hunting this year, one my friends have had zero issue with. Sucks it’s a good product but I cannot stand behind customer service like that. Unacceptable that they would damage my credit score over 40$ with ZERO attempts to contact me about the situation. Will be making social media posts about the situation too because like I said that is unacceptable

I have had the need to send back my watch to Garmin on a warranty claim. The watch was replaced and sent back without the band that I left attached. I called customer service to inquire about my band and was told that the small print in the instructions mentioned not to send any related items. I assumed it was referencing chargers or cables. NEVER thought it would include the band. I requested my band to be replaced, and they refused and offered a replacement for $250. After several calls, they refused to comply with my request to replace the original band. This is no way to run a company.

I have used Garmin's for years and navigated all over the Caribbean. But, the biggest problem I have and others is the mounting receiver does not hold the unit in securely. Hit one sharp wave or rough seas and the unit flies out across the deck. You're lucky if it does not break. When I called customer service, all they could tell me is to buy a new unit?? What, why would I buy another of something I don't like?? Then I find out everyone else is having the same problem.

On April 19th, I ordered a Garmin watch costing over $800 that was supposedly delivered about a week later. I never received the package, so I opened a support ticket with Garmin on April 24th. From that point forward, the customer service experience was extremely disappointing. Garmin would only respond after I followed up multiple times, and communication often took several emails or phone calls just to receive a basic update. I called Garmin support three separate times and was repeatedly told the investigation was still ongoing, but I was rarely provided proactive updates unless I personally reached out first. The last guy I talked to literally told me he gets these calls often, wishes he could help more, and "he would be mad to if this was happening to him"... Wow, so helpful!

Purchased nuvi 67LM for $125. Upon starting the Garmin Express application to update the maps it displayed a message to update the Garmin Express app in order to make further purchases, which is strange because it was suppose to come with lifetime map updates for free. Downloaded and ran installer for new Garmin Express only to find it had installed a version that does not run on Macintosh. Upon visiting their website I see they no longer support the version of MacOS on my computer. Yes, you can get free maps as long as you buy a new computer every 3 years. SCAM!

My recent experience with the people from Garmin was outstanding and now I am a customer for life.

I have had multiple Garmin products over the years from handhelds to Marine navigation, satellite receivers, transponders, etc. As time has gone on, I have found both the company and the products have diminished in quality. I don't know, maybe they found China? As for me, I am going to find another vendor.

I have an Echo Map Ultra 106. It is under warranty. I have called support two times only to be put on hold for up to 45 minutes. I have taken pictures, videos and sent proof of purchase. Then when I called back they gave me a list of more videos and pictures that they needed. This unit was installed by a dealer. They could not even find where it was registered or my previous calls.

I purchased a Garmin Dezl LM truck GPS several years ago. It said lifetime updates. I did the updates and now it does not function the way it did before. Now support said, "Sorry about your luck. We don't service that model anymore." Paid over 500.00 for it and they just hang up on you. Good luck to you if you put your money on them.

First for nearly $650. I should have a watch that always works and it should charge as soon as I plug it in instead of having to jiggle the cord to get it to work, especially since it’s brand new. Oh, and I shouldn’t have to have burn marks on my wrist from the watch after three days of use. I tried making the band loose to not hurt my wrist and then it wouldn’t connect and I’d have to put the passcode in every freaking five minutes then I make it too tight and then my wrist would sweat and cause it to burn and this was an adjustable Velcro watch so there was no reason for it to not adjust properly and fit well and not hurt my wrist.

I had many Garmin products over the years and was quite happy with them. Until now. I recently purchased a Garmin RV 1095 GPS for my motorhome. It has a large display, and most importantly, it can route my motorhome away from restrictions like weight limits and low overpasses. I noticed my GPS battery was always at 0% when I left it in the mount. I did some troubleshooting and noticed that after a few seconds after power was removed, it would shut itself down, like it’s supposed to. But then it would restart on its own. It would repeat until the battery was drained. It only did this in the mount, so Garmin Support offered to send me a new mount. At first, the replacement order was for a much cheaper mount than the original, but I caught that before things were finalized, and they sent the right one. However, it didn't help.

Garmin does not stand behind their products. My watch face cracked after six weeks of being used just as a watch - I didn't drop it, drop anything on it, bang my arm against something, or do anything besides wear it on my wrist like a normal person. I don't rock climb or road race or work in construction; I work a desk job and swim in an indoor pool a few times a week. Their customer service rep told me it was my fault, directed me to a page that outlined Garmin's policy that any damage to any item is not their problem, and then offered me an exchange at half the price point of the original watch. Don't buy Garmin. Shop around and buy from a company that will back up their guarantees of quality.

Customer service is trash. Easy to activate and or reactivate is trash. Phone services to speak with someone is trash. I can go on and on about the fact I have spent one and a half hours and still can not pay for a activation and plan.

Garmin support is wasting time and keep sending you troubleshooting links without actually helping you. They don't help you at all. They do not respond to your questions. They learnt to just copy paste links and they call it answering your questions. Horrible.

I have always used a Garmin GPS. My last one was bought in 2011. I got away from it when I could use my cell phone. Then I was on a trip and lost cell phone coverage. It was stressful. I just kept driving until the cell phone coverage came back. I was only off course a few miles. This got me looking at a new Garmin. I found the Garmin 86. The game changer was WIFI updates, voice commands, and it worked with Alexa and your cell phone! After research, I was sold. I found a renewed one on Amazon for $225. This Garmin is awesome once I got used to it. We are going to spend next summer on the road. I can't wait.

Got an Instant 2 Solar as a gift about a year ago. The watch lasted about two hours and died. Contacted customer service, sent photos, videos, etc. at their direction then silence from Garmin. I've tried multiple times just to get help and get a repair or replacement but nothing. Do yourself a favor and buy something else besides the Garmin planned obsolescence junk.

Great products backed by a messed up company. Good luck trying to buy a replacement lithium battery. If it was any harder it would be impossible as customer service points you to part of the website that does not list it.

Garmin GPS navigation devices used to be my go to. What about 6 months ago they changed their settings on devices to where it will change your route without saying a word to you or warning you and there's no provision to stop it. Even when you mark a certain route it will reroute you a different way after you agree to it. Until they fix their messes I cannot get conscious recommend Garmin GPS devices for any navigation.

I saved and bought a Venu3S. The battery life and phone capabilities sold me on it. I waited, then wore it and damaged it on my first bike ride. I was devastated. Garmin’s customer service is top-notch and was able to resolve my issue fairly. I am 100% satisfied with the options they gave me to replace my watch.

When you're asking simple questions and you don't speak their language, they talk down to you. Not helpful at all. While the product is nice, the company is in serious peril with people who talk to you with the expectation you should speak their language when asking questions. This kind of unprofessionalism is unacceptable. I doubt they would have treated me this way face-to-face.

My complaint with Garmin is specifically around customer/technical support. I bought the Fenix 5s about 7 years ago and love it. Unfortunately, the battery stopped holding charge. I did all of the suggested fixes, problem persisted and I told them I felt it needed a new battery. They said the battery can only be changed by their technicians. I say great, where do I send it? There are no authorized repair sites, it must be done by their engineers in-house. Ok, how do I send it to the engineers? The attached is the final response after days of back and forth.

The products are great, I have quite a few. The real flaw is in the updates. The software is glitchy and it propagates the myth that companies send kill codes, so you have to buy another one. Email customer service and all they do is, send you a link to the help page that, after trying all of the steps, told you to contact customer service. The chat is really slow. I am not saying, not to buy it, just know if you have an issue with updates or performance, you will be frustrated.

Warning! I just paid $75 to update the Garmin maps for my Honda. The downloaded maps are already a year old! There is no indication of the publication date of the maps you're buying until after you've paid and downloaded them. Garmin customer Service will not refund or give credit.

The Garmin Representative asked me to take additional steps to cover my transducer under warranty that were excessive and ridiculous. I purchased the unit from bass pro shop, and had it professionally installed. Then in less than 60 days the transducer stopped working, and I have to have a boat mechanic (I had to pay them also) come out and tell me the transducer is bad. I then call in and Garmin needs pictures, and images of the saying on the screen. Absolutely ridiculous. They do not stand by their product and make the customer jump through so many hoops, showing they hope the customer will just give up and they do not have to cover anything under w.

Garmin claims 2 days shipping time + processing time that can take almost 2 months. Even if you cancel the order minutes after the purchase, they will hold your Money for weeks. This is unacceptable for any serious company.

Purchased Garmin Drive 53 (M) No Traffic GPS on September 9, 2024 from Sam's Club. It is advertised as ready to use, but battery needed charging. To adjust the brightness, which is defaulted to 40%, the instructions say you must plug the GPS into your vehicle power supply or computer. Worked fine the first time I used it a few days later. I charged the battery after my first use because I am going to an event today and wanted to make sure I got to the correct address. Today when I wanted to enter and save an address, the brightness was back to 40% and the battery said it was low. I have contacted Garmin via email but doubt they will do anything for me. I paid $150.12 for the Garmin 53 and wish I had not bought it. Sam's Club website says the item is unreturnable. I will be using my old Garmin Nuvi 255 for my trip today. I do not recommend buying the Garmin 53.

I do use expensive dashboard cameras and GPS for truckers for years. Now I switching from Garmin because the product they make is not good. After years of using Garmin GPS I can say that updating on this devices leads to the situation than replace it for a new one is the only option. They issued software update for all product and after few year your device, which is still works perfect cannot run with new soft and there is no way for go back to previous version of this software. Another thing is that all cameras and GPSs where you use SD cards will format this cards with "Read Only" file system and you would not be able to use those cards in another devices.

If it says Garmin on it, it’s junk. I have had three Garmin watches for running, and a Garmin GPS….all junk. Garmin knows they are selling junk, and basically could care less. Their CEO and top people all make millions and that’s all they care about…MONEY. THERE IS NOT ONE CEO IN THE WORLD WORTH OVER $25,000.00 A YEAR….NONE!!!!

I purchased a Garmin inReach Explorer in 2019 for a trip to RMNP. The device worked great. If I were evaluating the GPS alone, I would give it 5 stars. The 3 star rating is for customer service and the freedom plan, which I selected when activating my device. The plan will automatically renew annually even if you suspend the service. I did just that and my account shows a cancelled date. However, my credit card was charged annually. It wasn't until the card on file expired that I received a second email notifying me of the need to update my credit card or my service would be cancelled. I will own part of this as I forgot the fine print in the terms.

Watch was great, but unfortunately the handling of app complaints has been terrible. They ignore customer problems, ignore customer feedback and have no intention of fixing issues with algorithms. It’s a real shame.

I tried to update my 'lifetime' maps on my $800+ ZUMO 556LM and was informed Garmin no longer supports that for my device. They do offer a 20% discount on a new one, probably with the same 'lifetime' offer. I wonder how they define 'lifetime'? Gives me a warm fuzzy feeling about Garmin products.

Too many features jammed on watch. You need a master's degree to alter even the simplest setting. They are trying too hard to do everything. It was an expensive watch. But I quit and threw it away today. Going back to Apple.

Used my Garmin Nuvi after paying $100 for the newest mapping. Traveled from Texas to Florida and the map was all over the place. It is simply a waste of time using this device on unfamiliar roads. So much so I reverted to Google maps, very disappointed in both Garmin and the update.

I have a Garmin Force trolling motor and have had to contact Garmin for support once I hit a stump and blew the shaft apart. Customer service e representative was awesome. Had a replacement in 2 days at no cost to me. Latest support was I upgraded my batteries to lithium and had a issue with trolling motor not wanting to work on 36v. Spent almost 2 hrs on the phone walking through updates trying this trying that and not once was the gentleman on the other line disrespectful. In the end it was determined that the trolling motor fell in that 1 to 2% that would not except the update so new shaft replacement ordered and at my door in 2 days. Again no cost to me. Also replaced the cable to raise the motor and stow at no additional cost. Even had expedited shipping on that. It is awesome that you can call a company and actually talk to a human being and that they are knowledgeable on the product you call about.

While I have experienced issues with a number of different Garmin products, the one thing that is always 100%, is their support and customer service! As a triathlete, I have been using their products for a number of years and any time I have an issue, it is resolved quickly and above my expectations. This week in particular, I ordered a rather expensive item and my bank flagged it as possible, fraud. I reached out to Garmin first thing in the am to let them and request they reprocess my payment so I did not delay the order. Kelsey was super polite and handled it fast, especially for it being right when they opened on a Monday morning! 100% recommend Garmin!!

I have a Garmin Nuvi 350 that I purchased several years ago. I wanted to update the maps and since the new maps are larger...I used the Garmin MapSource software to only load the regions I needed. Then I purchased the lifetime maps upgrade from Garmin for this unit in April of this year. They sold it to me and the very first download of maps was not able to be loaded to the MapSource program and it is far too large to load the whole thing in the unit memory. I feel that Garmin cheated me out of $80 by selling me something that they KNEW would not work. This will be the LAST Garmin product I ever purchase. Go the way of the dinosaur.

Garmin informed me they no longer support my Garmin GPS. I cannot download any map updates. This company cheats customers by forcing them to throw out devices that still work (and end up in the dump). Companies like this do incredible damage to the environment and swindle customers.

Bought a Vivoactive 4s less than a year ago. Mainly to track swimming. It counted my calories burned as 53 for 1 hr of swim. 58 lengths of a pool. Got a recertified replacement. Yeah. I now burn 85. Customer service awful. Two watches and they both stink. Very disappointed.

I have been a user of Garmin GPS devices for more than 20 years. I recently purchased a Tread XL Overland and find it does not meet the claims advertised. The unit is provided with software that is focused on on-highway travel and severely lacking in off-highway capability. The users manual is totally inadequate and Garmin's help desk is less than educated about this product; there is not a menu tree option for this device on the interface. The staff does their best but it falls short. A lot of user discovery is needed. Even though the unit has an abundance of storage capability virtually all data is saved to the smartphone interface, data written to the unit cannot be accessed. Overall a poorly developed product.