Garmin Denies Warranty for 430W

Will Bentley · #1 02-27-2009, 09:50 PM

I am curious to know if anyone else has run into a problem such as this.
Last year I purchased a Garmin 430W from Eastern Avionics in Florida to
be installed in my 6A. I was informed that this unit has a two year warranty.
Eastern Avionics made up the harness for my unit. Bob Hart (salesman at
Eastern that sold the unit to me) stated that the warranty would be valid,
even though my local A&P tech installing my 430W was not a "Garmin Authorized
Repair Facility". Like I said, I made sure prior to purchase that the warranty
would be honored even tho the unit was not installed by an Authorized Facility.

Yesterday I called Garmin and informed them that I have a problem with
the display on my 430W. It seems the display is beginning to lose the
anti-glare property...it's just sort of crumbling off. Today I get word
from Garmin that they will repair the problem "this" time, but any further
warranty work will be disallowed due to the installer not being "authorized".
So, if I have a major problem in the next ten months I am out of luck.

I know many RV folks that have done their own installations and have yet
to hear that the warranty is invalid. The A&P that did my installation has
done a number of them and is a very good tech. Anyone else run into this
situation? Any advice? I am leaving to go overseas tomorrow and probably
won't have time to run all this by Eastern Avionics before I leave. I'll be gone
for six months.

Appreciate input any of you may have..

Thanks,

Bill

rocketbob · #2 02-27-2009, 09:56 PM

Whats the display got to do with the installer?

Will Bentley · #3 02-27-2009, 10:08 PM

Nothing, he simply said warranty work is would not be done
if the unit wasn't installed by an authorized facility...

Steve Brown · #4 02-28-2009, 06:09 AM

To put an end to the Garmin's reign of tyranny

Since they are virtually the only game in town they can set all the terms. In general, "certified" flying costs way more than it should and Garmin is one of the reasons.

That's capitalism as it should be. The same rules allow a smart, efficient, and less greedy competitor to enter the game and give them a spanking.

I'll be cheering if that ever happens.

Ironflight · #5 02-28-2009, 07:17 AM

Sounds to me like you need to have a talk with Bob Hart at Eastern Avionics - the one you said told yout that the warrentee would be valid. Did he mis-represent? Will he make good on his promise?

ddurakovich · #6 02-28-2009, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Brown

That's capitalism as it should be. The same rules allow a smart, efficient, and less greedy competitor to enter the game and give them a spanking.

Until Garmin acquires them for an obscene amount of money, raises the price, then discontinues the line. Free market economics at its best

Bill,

Do you have the option of routing the unit back through Eastern if it requires warranty services again?

craigvince · #7 02-28-2009, 08:27 AM

We have been trying to become a Garmin dealer, since we'll be using Garmin radios in our new Skylark LSAs. As an aircraft manufacturer, they won't even talk to us about being a dealer until we are a FAA licensed avionics repair station, with a full-time licensed avionics technician. Then we have to buy a long list of specialized test equipment so we can do repairs to Garmin radios. All this because we want to install Garmin 496s, SL-40s, and GTX-327s in our Skylark LSAs.

It's really getting ridiculous. The only way we can proceed is to buy the units from existing authorized Garmin dealers and basically have no warranty on the equipment, unless we pay the dealer to do the actual installation also. When I spoke with the dealer manager at Garmin HQ this past week, he said that changes are in the works this year at Garmin to reduce the number of Garmin dealers nationwide.

We're really thinking about staying completely away from Garmin products because of it.

Mike S · #8 02-28-2009, 08:37 AM

Too bad MGL isnt certified

Geico266 · #9 02-28-2009, 08:38 AM

As a side note, my 496 screen started doing the "flaking" thing. I just thought it was from a lot of use, but I'm very careful not to let the screen touch anything. What I ended up doing is buying one of those little "acrylic plastic" screen savers. Very worth while investment. Looks great and no more flaking, and very tough. I got it on e-Bay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Screen-Protector...3A1%7C294%3A50

Will Bentley · #10 02-28-2009, 09:50 AM

Thanks, all. Sounds like Garmin or the folks I bought the 430W from
has done a number on me. I will contact Eastern Avionics first opportunity
(which I may not get to do until I return from mid-east in six months) and
see if I can get my 2 year warranty validated.

I will definitely invest in that little plastic screen saver to protect my
screen from any further depletion of the coating on the screen.

Bill