GPS.... repair or toss ?

[spider solo]

I know there are threads about which GPS's people like for various functions etc
but I'm wondering what is a realistic length of time to expect all the functions to work.
So for my example, I have a Garmin etrex Vista about 4 years old...at this point the 'click stick' works about 50% of the time.
The screen works if I squeeze the front to back.

So does this become just another piece of hazardous waste like batteries and other old electronics or is it a cheap fix to have it spruced up. Or for that matter do places even accept them for repair?

....right now I'm anxious to download whatever info I've put into it before it freezes up all together...

thanks

 

[Peakbagr]

Garmin has great customer service. They should be able to estimate what it would take to fix it.
At the same time, there have been significant advances in GPS technology over the last 4 years including the new SirfStar chipset.
If it doesn't cost too much to repair, you might consider upgrading to one of their new units and get it fixed as a backup.
At least thats one option I'd consider.

 

[Jay H]

Welcome to the dead-clickstick club. My etrex Vista's clickstick is mostly dead, you can turn the unit on with the clickstick pushing in and get to a diagnostic mode, and that sometimes fixes things temporarily.

First, the clickstick rubber piece actually fell off mine and Garmin wanted $125 to fix it. I told them that I already took the thing apart and if you send me the stupid rubber knob, I'd fix it myself. No deal, they was to charge me $125 for a stupid rubber knob so I say "no thanks" and fixed it by using a pin and a soldering iron. At this point, the stick worked but I couldn't use it without the rubber knob but with the pin, I could move the actually sensor and it worked fine, for a bit. Then the LCD went out and the clickstick started to be actually unworkable so I haggled with Garmin for $75 to fix it. I got it back, 2 weeks later, the stupid clickstick stopped working again. It's the last I ever really used it.

Garmin may have good customer service but their policy sucks.

Jay

 

[sardog1]

The Vista click stick is one of the very few GPS hardware failures. It was a poor design from the get-go and you have lots of company. Do whatever you can to persuade Garmin to send you a replacement in a different model. Search the forums, collect stories about the failures, and pound on Garmin's table.

 

[Neil]

Every time I have gone to the local Garmin repair shop (2 miles from my house is where all broken things Garmin in Canada go to get fixed) they have offered me a brand new unit for $100. Very ecological for a company that makes a fair bit of money from outdoors recreation.

 

[spider solo]

Welcome to the dead-clickstick club. My etrex Vista's clickstick is mostly dead, you can turn the unit on with the clickstick pushing in and get to a diagnostic mode, and that sometimes fixes things temporarily.
Jay

I didn't know that so I gave it a try. Of course I didn't know what I was doing but the 'stick seems a little more lively now.
Don't know if it is just coincidence or wether I actually accomplished something...

 

[The Hikers]

I put a gob of silicon rubber where the missing knobs on my Etrax had been,let it harden, and it has worked ever since. Also keeps out the moisture/dirt. This is the kind of silicon you use to seal bathtub enclosures, etc..

Just remember all electronics are meant to throw away in a few years when they have been superceded by the new model.

 

[Jay H]

I didn't know that so I gave it a try. Of course I didn't know what I was doing but the 'stick seems a little more lively now.
Don't know if it is just coincidence or wether I actually accomplished something...

Yeah, somebody here mentioned it to me awhile ago... I think the diagnostic mode is also the way to access the thermometer on the Etrex series. For some reason, Garmin didn't provide the Temperature in any of the user screens but it has to know that for the barometric altimeter so the unit knows it, however, the only way to get at it from a user standpoint was to go to the diagnostic screen. It also shows the cardinal directions and as you move the clickstick, it'll highlight each direction.

Jay

 

[DougPaul]

I didn't know that so I gave it a try. Of course I didn't know what I was doing but the 'stick seems a little more lively now.
Don't know if it is just coincidence or wether I actually accomplished something...

I discovered the enter diagnostic mode to unstick the click-stick trick years ago. I think it just clears the current hangup.

I can generally "fix" the screen by twisting the case back-and-forth a few times.

The other "standard" problem with the original eTrex Vistas is the glue holding the rubber edge band in place becomes weak and gooey.

Call Garmin and see what they say--they have fixed/replaced a number of out-of-warranty units with these problems.


Personally, I'd probably upgrade to one of the newer high-sensitivity* units (eg eTrex Vista HCx or 60/76 Cx/CSx) and retire the old one. I wouldn't want to be fighting flaky navigation gear when the crap hits the fan...

* The high-sensitivity units will obtain and maintain a lock under conditions in which the older units can't even find one satellite.

Doug