Complaint Review: Magellan GPS MiTAC

A couple of years back my son bought me a Magellan Roadmate 2240T-LM as a gift. I do a lot of driving to customer's houses and a GPS is an invaluable tool. It worked fine, for about a year, and since I registered it, I routinely checked for new map updates, but never saw any. About 18 months after purchase, I saw that an update was available. I was going on a long road trip, so I downloaded the update. After about 2 hours waiting to complete the download, it popped up an alert of insufficient memory? It had a 2 gig drive and there was nothing on it, so confused, I tried re-downloading the update, and again, about 2 hrs later, failure to download. 

Determined to get this update, I again went through this ridiculous process, only for the same result. Giving up, I threw the piece of crap in the truck. When I went to use it the next day, the maps were completely erased and it would lock-up, unable to shut down. After dicking around their crappy website, I found some downloads for Recovery Utilities, but not for MY model. For some reason I had a TechHelp phone number, which is non-existent now, and some guy says he would email the correct file and instructions.

I tried to install this file about 10 times, following the instructions, but nothing. We certainly jerked-around with this thing for 8 hours or more, before resorting to buying a NEW GPS for this trip we had planned. I figured that after my trip, I'd get the Magellan working again, and just return the new one. No such luck. By the way, whatever file this guy sent me expired after 24 hours! It just disappeared.

I threw this worthless thing back in the box and forgot about it for about six months, when my new one was stolen out of my truck. Now here is where the real BS begins. I emailed Magellan, and asked for the stupid Recovery File, again. Hell, I got a prompt response! It instructed me to return the defect and they would send me a refurbished POS as a replacement!!??? So, I blew $10 to FedEx it to them. The email said I'd get the replacement about 10 days after they got my old one. That was Feb. Of this year. 

Like stepping into the twilight-zone, I suddenly found that they HAVE NO PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL ADDRESS!! There is apparently no way to contact these a-holes. Countless emails have resulted in nothing. So, now I'm out the $200 GPS and paid FedEx $10 to do it.

I don't know who these fqrs are but it is now a matter of principle. From what I can tell, they get their customers to send back the defective units, and then re-sell them? I can't believe this is actually a corporation. Ok, now, they have changed their website so the links pretty much take you in an infinite circle! I have never been so frustrated and angry. I will now pursue relief in small claims court, and I couldn't care less if I win or not.

In addition, I vow to tell at least 1 person-a-day what a rip-off company Magellan is.