More info on GNS 430/530 WAAS upgrade

I recently made an inquiry to Garmin regarding their new requirement
that GNS 430/530 owners pre-order the WAAS upgrade prior to November
2005 to guarantee the $1500 price their marketing department has been
stating for the past 2 years...

Keeping in mind the WAAS upgrade for these boxes are already years
overdue, and Garmin does not have much of a track record for meeting
their own schedules. I don't see any guarantee they can make their new
date in late 06. I asked the 'insane' question, "What if Garmin pushes
this date once again and I move far away from the dealer I placed my
upgrade order with?"

A Garmin rep stated I would have to cancel the original order and
forfeit the $1500 upgrade price to whatever the final price turns out
to be...

I am leery of placing an order with this kind of company. I just don't
trust them anymore. They sold the GNS 430/530 as WAAS upgradeable for a
reasonable cost, period. I called Garmin corporate to confirm when I
bought my box. Now years later, constant delays and restrictive terms
and conditions are getting irritating. What kind of company requires a
pre-order of an upgrade promised years ago, that won't be delivered for
at least another year and a half? While my box is out of the aircraft,
will they provide a 'loaner' so I can still use my aircraft, or am I
just SOL until they decide to return my box?

WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE GIVE GARMIN SOME REAL COMPETITION? They really
need to be taken down a peg or two.

PPT33R wrote:
I recently made an inquiry to Garmin regarding their new requirement
that GNS 430/530 owners pre-order the WAAS upgrade prior to November
2005 to guarantee the $1500 price their marketing department has been
stating for the past 2 years...

Figgure out the interest on more than 1 year for $1500. Bet it comes close
to, or covers, any price increase.


Keeping in mind the WAAS upgrade for these boxes are already years
overdue, and Garmin does not have much of a track record for meeting
their own schedules. I don't see any guarantee they can make their new
date in late 06. I asked the 'insane' question, "What if Garmin pushes
this date once again and I move far away from the dealer I placed my
upgrade order with?"

A Garmin rep stated I would have to cancel the original order and
forfeit the $1500 upgrade price to whatever the final price turns out
to be...

I am leery of placing an order with this kind of company. I just don't
trust them anymore. They sold the GNS 430/530 as WAAS upgradeable for a
reasonable cost, period. I called Garmin corporate to confirm when I
bought my box. Now years later, constant delays and restrictive terms
and conditions are getting irritating. What kind of company requires a
pre-order of an upgrade promised years ago, that won't be delivered for
at least another year and a half? While my box is out of the aircraft,
will they provide a 'loaner' so I can still use my aircraft, or am I
just SOL until they decide to return my box?

WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE GIVE GARMIN SOME REAL COMPETITION? They really
need to be taken down a peg or two.


Come on. If Garmin is better, then they are better. They HAD and HAVE
competition, in UPS, King, Collins and others. When GPS came along,
the major avionics makers buckled under the strain of new technology
like a house of cards. Garmin was the competition, and competition won.

If Garmin delivers a WAAS upgrade, at ALL, to a unit that is what, 5
years old or more ? Then I think they will qualify as freaking
geniuses. It would have been, and still is, more logical to just say
the heck with backwards upgrades for the 430/530 series and start again.

Scott wrote:

Figgure out the interest on more than 1 year for $1500. Bet it comes close
to, or covers, any price increase.

I was under the impression that one had to order the upgrade but not
pay for it until the upgrade occurs. I certainly would not bother with
the order if payment were required now.

--
Peter

Scott Moore wrote:

If Garmin delivers a WAAS upgrade, at ALL, to a unit that is what, 5
years old or more ? Then I think they will qualify as freaking
geniuses. It would have been, and still is, more logical to just say
the heck with backwards upgrades for the 430/530 series and start again.

Another big "if" is whether WAAS and LPV will be around 5 years from now.

PPT33R wrote:
x?

WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE GIVE GARMIN SOME REAL COMPETITION? They really
need to be taken down a peg or two.


Garmin bought out their competition. My 480 has WAAS.

wrote:

Another big "if" is whether WAAS and LPV will be around 5 years from now.

Now this speculation is something I never read before. What would be the
reason for the demise of this technology, assuming it does not survive the
next several years?

--
Peter
























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I've been trying to convince my club to consider the 480 over the 530, any
thoughts on that?

Brad

"Ron Natalie" wrote in message
...
PPT33R wrote:
x?

WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE GIVE GARMIN SOME REAL COMPETITION? They really
need to be taken down a peg or two.


Garmin bought out their competition. My 480 has WAAS.

Were I to do it over, I would have definitely gone with the UPSAT box,
aka GNS480. It was designed from the ground up to meet the WAAS TSO.

I can't see that happening, especially when RNP is being deployed
commercially. Boeing & Airbus are now certifying their newer airframes
for RNP .1, which allegedly integrates GPS, INS, and DME into the FMS.
The GPS portion requires RAIM and is much more reliable with WAAS.

TIS, on the other hand, is a whole other issue...

You have to place the order, but the Garmin rep told me they won't
charge you until they ship.

The other issue I have is the initial demand will be very high, so
expect to be without your box for a couple months or more. How will I
be compensated for my aircraft down-time whilst my 530 is off at Garmin?