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Garmin Only Issues RMA# to Authorized Dealers

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bacstabber

bacstabber

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I needed to send in my SL-40 Radio for repair because it didn't transmit reliably on several frequencies. I thought that this was going to be a simple call to Garmin/Apollo for the RMA# per the website instructions, pay the fixed repair fee and ship the radio. But there was a catch. After several handoffs on the phone, I was connected to the Apollo rep. who informed me they won't issue a RMA# unless you are an Authorized Garmin Dealer. I mentioned that I installed the equipment in the aircraft and that I am the authorized repairman but this made no difference. I suggested that Garmin should consider changing this policy because Homebuilders are now such a large part of their aviation business. I expected a response from the Apollo Rep but all that I got was a hangup, no comment! I have heard about Garmin's difficulties with providing good Customer Service but this was my first real taste of intentional rudeness. So if you expect to get your Garmin equipment repaired, be prepared to have to seek out an Authorized Garmin Dealer, with their added expense, to send your equipment back to Garmin for you.

[ed. I'm copying and pasting some text from further down the conversation from a representative from Garmin. v/r,dr]

"Hello Jack,
My apologies for the experience you had when calling our support team, fortunately this seems to be just misinformation as we do in fact work with the experimental customers and changed this policy over two years ago so we could create RMA's for experimental market. all that has to be done is to contact our experimental phone number at 866-854-8433, once we can verify this is in fact n experimental application we will create the RMA for you and provide instructions on where to send the unit for the service.

again, my apologies for the misinformation. if you do have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact me
__________________
Trek Lawler
Supervisor, Aviation Field Service Engineering
Garmin International"​
 
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It is a shame that Garmin comes across in such a negative way. We do tend to like their products. But at the same time, we do like much of what our small shop Homebuilt avionics providers have been selling to us for so long. Competition is good. I personally like personal, sincere, honest and courteous service provided by the smaller Companies that have served Homebuilders for so long.
 
On the flip side, by bench testing a unit prior to sending it in, I've been able to save more than one person from sending back a perfectly good unit. Installation issues (especially in EAB aircraft) are not all that uncommon. I think the intent of Garmin's policy is to confirm a problem with a unit prior to returning for repair, which makes sense. This can generally only be done by someone who specializes in this service, ie: your Garmin dealer.

This is also where having a "relationship" with a dealer can help, I personally do not charge for bench testing or getting an RMA if the customer has purchased the equipment from me or I work on his aircraft regularly, and I'm sure many dealers are the same. I even pay for return shipping if the unit is under warranty and it was purchase from me, that way the customer has zero out of pocket expense. However if you buy everything from the cheapest internet source you can find, then you generally don't have anyone to turn to and that will go out of their way to help you if you have a problem.... just saying.
 
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Are we talking about the same Company?

Wow, I guess the Certified side is different. I recently had an issue with one of my GDU 370 G3X displays. I called Garmin, Experimental side, and had a refurbished GDU 370 immediately headed out to me for a flat $350 fee. Received the GDU in two days and was back in the air. Sent the defective unit back after I was back in the air. $350 and two days down time; I have nothing but praise for the Experimental side of Garmin.
 
Walt said:
On the flip side, by bench testing a unit prior to sending it in, I've been able to save more than one person from sending back a perfectly good unit. Installation issues (especially in EAB aircraft) are not all that uncommon. I think the intent of Garmin's policy is to confirm a problem with a unit prior to returning for repair, which makes sense. This can generally only be done by someone who specializes in this service, ie: your Garmin dealer.

This is also where having a "relationship" with a dealer can help, I personally do not charge for bench testing or getting an RMA if the customer has purchased the equipment from me or I work on his aircraft regularly, and I'm sure many dealers are the same. I even pay for return shipping if the unit is under warranty and it was purchase from me, that way the customer has zero out of pocket expense. However if you buy everything from the cheapest internet source you can find, then you generally don't have anyone to turn to and that will go out of their way to help you if you have a problem.... just saying.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that great first hand perspective on this subject Walt!
 
I called experimental side of Garmin & they issued me a RMA no problem for a 330es issue,no Garmin dealer needed. Quick turnaround too. The unit was still in warranty if that makes a difference.
 
GRT Service??

Anybody got anything to say about GRT's service?? I'd be really interested to know.

Thanks in advance.
 
Repairs maybe but upgrades too?

Walt said:
On the flip side, by bench testing a unit prior to sending it in, I've been able to save more than one person from sending back a perfectly good unit.
Click to expand...

Repairs perhaps, seen lots of install issues but even upgrading or updating gear takes an RMA. I had to pay a dealer to update my SL30 when all he really had to do was fill out a shipping label. That step added a week and some $$ to my downtime just to pass the unit through the dealers hands.
 
donaziza said:
Anybody got anything to say about GRT's service?? I'd be really interested to know.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Kind of side stepping the conversation about Garmin but I can attest to my first hand experience with GRT. I have had GRT avionics in two different aircraft since 2004. They are top notch when it comes to user support. I even had an issue this year at Oshkosh. It seems my time was not consistently holding in my dual HX EFIS's. I went to their booth and talked with Todd. He told me that if I called the GRT office Jeff could talk with me about it or if I wanted to wait until later in the week he would be at the show. Since I was not going to be at OSH during the times Jeff was I called GRT that day. That was early morning on Tuesday. By about 1:00pm my cell phone rang. It was Jeff calling me to discuss my problem. He spent 15-20 minutes discussing my issue with me, gave me a resolution over the phone. I powered up my unit sitting in HBC and made the corrections he suggested. Bingo, things were back to normal again.

I have had many similar incidents with GRT. They have shipped me new EIS units to use during construction, no shipping costs, no charge, just ship it back to us when you are done. They are great to work with. I absolutely will continue using their products if for no other reason than they do have GREAT customer support! And yes, their products are top notch too!

Live Long and Prosper!
 
My $.02. The Garmin Experimental Team's customer service is as good or better than most, if not all, the other non-certified avionics providers out there.

The Gamin Certified folk's customer service is on par with other certified component manufacturers, which is as a group is, on whole, worse than the folks who, as a group, supply non-certified equipment.
 
bacstabber said:
I needed to send in my SL-40 Radio for repair because it didn't transmit reliably on several frequencies. I thought that this was going to be a simple call to Garmin/Apollo for the RMA# per the website instructions, pay the fixed repair fee and ship the radio. But there was a catch. After several handoffs on the phone, I was connected to the Apollo rep. who informed me they won't issue a RMA# unless you are an Authorized Garmin Dealer. I mentioned that I installed the equipment in the aircraft and that I am the authorized repairman but this made no difference. I suggested that Garmin should consider changing this policy because Homebuilders are now such a large part of their aviation business. I expected a response from the Apollo Rep but all that I got was a hangup, no comment! I have heard about Garmin's difficulties with providing good Customer Service but this was my first real taste of intentional rudeness. So if you expect to get your Garmin equipment repaired, be prepared to have to seek out an Authorized Garmin Dealer, with their added expense, to send your equipment back to Garmin for you.
Click to expand...

Hello Jack,
My apologies for the experience you had when calling our support team, fortunately this seems to be just misinformation as we do in fact work with the experimental customers and changed this policy over two years ago so we could create RMA's for experimental market. all that has to be done is to contact our experimental phone number at 866-854-8433, once we can verify this is in fact n experimental application we will create the RMA for you and provide instructions on where to send the unit for the service.

again, my apologies for the misinformation. if you do have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact me
 
Garmin Support

I've had three contacts with Garmin Support in the last week or two.

First at Oshkosh clarifying the One-Pack pricing and potential savings for my plane.

The Second yesterday purchasing the One-Pack.

The Third today resolving programming error loading the database for my 430W.

All three contacts addressed the current need efficiently, they answered all my questions, and the programming issue was resolved in <5 mins.

I'm quite happy with Garmin Support.
 
TrekLawler said:
Hello Jack,
My apologies for the experience you had when calling our support team, fortunately this seems to be just misinformation as we do in fact work with the experimental customers and changed this policy over two years ago so we could create RMA's for experimental market. all that has to be done is to contact our experimental phone number at 866-854-8433, once we can verify this is in fact n experimental application we will create the RMA for you and provide instructions on where to send the unit for the service.

again, my apologies for the misinformation. if you do have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact me
Click to expand...

Problem solved
 
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