Garmin Reviews

I recently purchased an Epix Gen 2 Pro 51mm watch and a downloadable map from Garmin's website, but it was not able to be downloaded to the watch. Technical support informed me that the map I purchased, Topo 24 West, was not compatible with the watch. I have 4 other Garmin watches and had absolutely no problems downloading the same maps to those watches, but this is NOT possible with the new Epix Gen 2 Pro 51mm. I am baffled how it is that it's not possible to download Garmin's own maps to their own watches. This a huge faulty design flaw. I am trying to return the watch for this reason.

Trust me this company backs up their items for the entire warranty period.. I have never had such a great experience with any company, ever.. Seriously.... Not at all sure how it only has a 3.6 rating, but it's very true that happy customers rarely leave reviews, while unhappy ones do all the time... Trust their dog gps collars, and handsets.. Best you can get...

Although Garmin makes some good products, one must consider the after-sales support. The support that I received from an inquiry that I sent to them was absolutely terrible. I was having an issue with my Garmin watch and the person that responded simply wrote "see FAQ's." There was no link to that section provided to me and I still cannot find it. I have read several other reviews from people on Garmin support and most all experienced that same useless support. I spent over $1k on the watch and it is extremely disappointing to not receive quality customer support. This is the second time that I experienced poor support from them so that is it, I will never purchase another product of theirs! I will sell this watch and purchase an Apple. I have always had great support from them.

Received a faulty product, index 2s scale. After 3 hours of chat and phone chat I learned I had a faulty bluetooth chip. I was told a new one would be next day delivered, product guy apologized for the inconvenience, and said I could return the faulty one anytime because this was brand new and it's a Garmin product issue. Following day, I checked on the shipment status. To my frustration and shock, new one was never shipped, was told by rep that the faulty scale needs to be returned first. Product guy said the exact opposite. I asked this specific question because I knew I couldn't get to a UPS place until the following week. He reassured me and even said - 'your new scale will be next day delivered. The broken one can be returned anytime.' He informed me 'the Ups return slip is valid a month, but I can request another if a month goes by.'

Garmin makes good products. However I called the company to get an understanding of how the maps and map updates work and discovered their phone support is worse than some small businesses. The person I got was unprofessional, rude, did not know what he was talking about and also did not know how to communicate or answer questions logically. By the time I hung up I still did not know what Garmin's map update policies were. I will have to find out by talking to a third party. The person I talked to should be fired or at least placed in a different job within the company as they are unintelligent and lack the skills for answering phone calls.

I contacted customer service twice the past few days, once by chat the other by phone. Both time I was treated poorly. Neither rep I had contacted with listened to my issue. They were both condescending and rude. If possible avoid this company. There are other products that are just as good. And finally the service is very expensive. This wouldn’t be a problem if they had good customer service.

I have this issue: https://forums.garmin.com/apps-software/mobile-apps-web/f/garmin-connect-mobile-andriod/300472/oops-looks-like-there-was-a-problem-trying-to-save-this-course-please-try-again. I can successfully import a GPX file created by Gaia GPS into the Connect software on my Android phone, and I see everything in connect, the course map, the elevation profile, everything, but it will not save it after importing it, giving the error message above shown in the link above.

I purchased the watch in the fall of 2020 and I love it. However... after about a year of wearing the watch I noticed that the thumb side of my wrist starting to itch and turn red. I took the watch off and cleaned it with soap and a soft toothbrush then put it back on. The itching got worse and my wrist started to look and feel blistered. I cleaned the watch again with alcohol, then peroxide, then vinegar. No change. Blistering got worse, I stopped wearing lotion and body oil. No change. So I finally just stopped wearing the watch.

So I had a Vivosmart 4, which I used 24/7 as fitness and general health tracker. Sadly, the wristband broke a couple of weeks after the warranty expired. I tried to glue it back together with superglue, but didn't work with the silicon material. So I contacted Garmin, asking if they had any advice on how to fix it. The very next day, in reply they issued a return order asking me to send in the device. I did - and again the very next day I got a notification that a replacement was on its way! It arrived within a day, brand new and for free. Not only am I super happy to be able to track my steps again, but also massively impressed by the over-and-above customer-friendly service. Thank you so much, Garmin!

Purchased a Garmin from one of their resellers. Watch out for Garmin stuffing the sales channel with discontinued products sold as new. I purchased an Oregon that stopped operating at advertised temps when hiking a 14er. Not a good place to be. No one backed a replacement with a new unit since the return policy is so short and since it was discontinued. Garmin is crap and so are resellers.

I have multiple Garmin auto GPS units. I had a problem before on an earlier device and they said they could not fix it. Now I have another of the higher-end GPSs that will not work with the supplied cord and they said they cannot fix it and I have to buy a new one. The 'discounted' price they offered me was more than it was available for on Amazon. I am done with Garmin and do not recommend them to anyone. You are better off just using map apps on your phone.

My Garmin auto navigation device stopped holding a charge so it cannot operate when not attached to a power source (which was a excellent feature). When I called Garmin the customer service rep said that when the device gets to be several years old, that is what happens. I asked if there was a replacement service because when you purchase a Garmin device, there is no warning on the package that the device will be worthless after several years. After a lot of back and forth where he tried many ways to "double-speak" this built in manufacturing failure, he finally said I could exchange it for another Garmin device with a 30% credit. Obviously I am not going to spend any more $$$ on a Garmin device, I now have an unattractive paperweight. Fair warning to other potential buyers: you spending money on a device which is built to fail after a few years.

Their product works ok, but sometimes makes mistakes, so I view it as 85% reliable. I wanted to update the maps, but it does not work. I tried calling customer service, but could not get through. I tried their online chat, but they just send me a canned response, including steps I do not know how to do. End result - I can't update (even though they say lifetime maps).

I haven't had the opportunity to use the product yet as I have spending 24 hours trying to download the Maps update. Awful!!! On the Garmin RV 785 it just keeps saying "updating". :((( I know my cable connection is fast, so it must be their website... very disappointing.

Garmin CEO contacted me and resolved this issue. He was not aware of USA Mart LLC. He took action to prevent them to interfere in the future.

A GPS bought for me as a Christmas gift..I used less than a dozen times and had several problem with reception. When it wouldn't acquire signal I called the company. They refused to help or update the product.

Hi, 3 months ago I had a problem with my Garmin Fenix 5 Plus Sapphire Titanium. The problems occurred in reading GPS, maps and pace. In October I reported this problems to Garmin Customer Service. An adviser informed me that I have to wait two months because my watch model was out of stock. After two months nobody contact with me about my case. When I called to the Garmin I heard standard apologies. They informed me that they still haven’t my watch in stock to replace my one which I sent them a while ago. I asked them to do something with it as I need my watch to my running. Even I agreed to replace for cheaper version 5 X Plus. An adviser which I spoken with said that they have in stock and will send it next day. I was asking couple of times is it will be definitely 5 X Plus model and he every time confirmed it. Unfortunately they sent me the cheapest version this watch 5 Plus and I felt cheated and upset.

My level of frustration with Garmin is increasing and since their help is closed on Saturday it gives me time to share my thoughts. I have a Garmin GPS map 66st for over a year. When I received my first device I could connect it neither to a computer or to a smartphone in spite of hours spent on the phone. Garmin replaced the device and same problem. I have tried deleting my account and recreating it, starting from scratch. Nothing. When I plug it into a computer it flashes "downloading waypoints" and then turns the device off. Garmin express will not recognize the device. When I attempt to pair it with my iPhone also it starts including providing a pairing code and then fails. Of course no information on any of these failure modes on any support site I can find. Most suspiciously GPSMap 66st is not even on the list of selectable devices. Is there a fundamental issue that Garmin will not recognize. This is most disappointing! Please advise.

The Garmin Vivoactive 3 is a product with lots of promises as a training tool but that delivers on almost none of them. Heart rate measurement accuracy is on par with most wrist-worn devices, which is to say unreliable inconsistent. The GPS works ok, but that's because GPS is good technology, not because of the quality of the device. But where this thing becomes less than useless is in some of the functions that anyone trying to train needs to rely on. Particularly bad are the manual lap function, altimeter, and intensity measurement. This is the second one of these I've had, having returned the defective first one. Maybe they are all defective. I've spent hours online with Garmin reps, resetting this and that, to lose all my carefully chosen settings each time, only to have the thing keep failing to perform its advertised functions.

I bought a Garmin Nuvi GPS for my car ten years ago before they were so common in cars, and it still works great. I have owned an Vivosmart HR watch for 4-5 years for swimming and tracking other fitness items. Recently, after I thought the HR battery had given out, I bought another Garmin watch that wasn't quite as easy to program as what I needed. Garmin not only took the new watch back 3 weeks after I got it - no questions asked - but their customer service agent helped me troubleshoot the battery issue with the 4-5 year old watch. They had a great attitude and were super helpful. They said, "If it doesn't adequately improve the battery life, you can have it replaced with us." The cost estimate for the replacement was only 25% the cost of the watch when it was new. Great products. Great service. Very fair prices. Hard to ask for more in a company.

Garmin company has no respect to their customers... I have Fenix 6x sapphire model, costs around 1100 $ with tax. Also I had several Garmin products before... And for last 3 days I can’t see any of my workouts, sleep and other data on my app. On the other hand; I have no idea why my watch sends all personal data (which is actually confidential) to a server which is downnn for last 3 days (beginning from 24th July 2020)...

My new Garmin cannot handle the heat. If I don’t take it inside my house in summer heat it will not work. Last one I owned lasted years with no problems. Not this one. Got it for Christmas and it didn’t make it through the following summer.

Garmin fenix 3 HR. Paid over $500. In little over a year started having software issues. It’s out of warranty. To replace for refurbished is $130.00 plus tax. Meaning I will have refurbished watch and it would cost me more than $600. It’s ridiculous. Customer service not willing to work something out and help. So in plain words. In approximately year and half I supposed to spend $650.00 dollars to have refurbished Garmin fenix 3 watch. For this price they should give better warranties of have some better replacements options. Now you can find this watch online for $320 brand new. So decision to make is to have refurbished for $650 or new for $850. Since I already spent $500 year and a half ago. Garmin customer service doesn’t care.

All I wanted to do is to update the maps in my Garmin 61 GPS. Some guy who said his name was John **. Based on his accent, I doubt this is his real name. Before I knew it, he wanted me to sign up for some $799 software I didn't need. In my opinion this is a complete scam. I advise one and all to stay away from John and Garmin Express.

I bought a new fishing chart, UHD 93sv, and Livescope system with the perspective mount. Spent nearly 3k for everything. I had it installed and it didn't work. The installers told me it was either the cable or cradle was faulty. I called Garmin daily for 4 days, each day spending hrs to get through. Each time they had me doing additional things and updating the new system. After all else failed and a week of wasting time, they decided the cradle or cable was bad and promised to send me new parts via 2 day airmail. Well today is 5 days after they promised and they informed me that they will just be shipping the parts tomorrow. Just be warned how you will be treated and that faulty original parts are common in the package. I won't be buying garmin again.

Impossible to install and Garmin sat nav will send you around in circles. How come a company like Garmin are still in existence? Summary: Stay clear of their products. These products look great but believe me stay clear. Expensive JUNK!

I would like a watch to do what I want it to do. This watch does what it feels like. The face changes to reflect info I am not looking for, nor desire. When I want the time, it shows me how many steps I've take. Pushing the button does change the face to the time, but then it goes right back to steps reading again. BTW, the steps are not accurate. I find it actually measure arm swings. In a market, if I am pushing a cart with both hands, I don't get credit for any steps. If I push with on hand, and swing the arm the watch is on, it does register steps. Next time I'll buy an Apple!

Ordered unit from Garmin direct. Found it cheaper with a 3 year warranty somewhere else. Went to cancel the order 10 minutes after purchase and was denied. Tried to call and cancel it Monday and they said it had already shipped. Called again on Thursday and told them I want to cancel it again. It was supposed to be two day shipping and it's already 5 days from date of purchase. The guy on the phone was rude and kind laughing about the fact that I couldn't cancel the order. Terrible customer service.

Do not purchase this product. There are no instructions. The product does not find the correct address. It gives incorrect navigation instructions for the maneuvers and you cannot configure it to a view that is useful for driving. There is no easy way to contact support without having to spend many hours reviewing incomplete documentation and tracing through a myriad of non-relevant information. I thought this would be similar to an app like on my phone (which is too small to see). I have a great navigation system in personal car, but need to use rental vehicles. Thought this product would be good substitute when using a rental vehicle. I was very wrong. Do not purchase this product unless you have many hours to spend reviewing documentation from many different sources then figure out how the product is supposed to work.

Purchased a Drive 60 LM (reconditioned) for $74.95. Upon receipt I followed directions which eventually took me to phone contact. After 35 minutes on the phone trying to get the unit working they told me I would have to pay $79 for maps for two years or $119 maps for lifetime. Since the add and to statement said "Includes free lifetime maps" I protested. The phone rep was very rude, when I asked to return the unit she said that was not her job. I asked to talk to a manager and was put on hold for 15 minutes before I gave up. I paid $5.25 and $10.90 in shipping and a restocking fee of $11.25. I have tried unsuccessfully to find a way to talk to Garmin. Lost in Iowa.