Will Garmin basically repair anything for the flat rate fee or is there a limit on how damaged a unit can be before they will repair, replace or ?? a unit?
How hard is it to get an RMA for a product and how long does it take to get them repaired?
A friend of mine had a GX60 with a dead internal battery. (They last about 5 years.) He was annoyed that he'd have to pay the $500 flat rate just for that, and joked that he'd want to run it over a few times with his truck first so that the repair would be worth it.
Anyway, I think with Garmin, flat rate means flat rate. But for planning, I would call them and say you are shopping for a used unit, serial number and condition unknown at the moment, and ask are there limits to what they will repair. One thing you should clarify is what they will need to know to deal directly with you. Basically, they will want to know that it will be installed by you in an experimental aircraft. When I have done it, my RV-6 was registered in my name so it was easy for them to check that with the N-number I gave them. If you are still building, they may need more info. Or if you know someone at a Authorized Garmin Aviation Service Center, you could go through them to get the RMA.
On the turnaround time, for me it was 3 working days, plus shipping time. Ask, they can give you an estimate on that, too.
