What GPS that isn't a Garmin?

[Kermit power]

I've got an Edge 800.

It was fine when it worked, but then the power button stopped working, a few months after the end of the warranty period.

Garmin stuck their hands out and demanded £70 for a refurbished unit in exchange. Doubtless they will've fixed my old one for pennies, and sold it to someone else for £70.

Now the replacement unit is dying - with what seems to be a pretty common problem of corrosion on the USB connector, caused by moisture getting past the utterly crap seal - and surprise, surprise, Garmin want £70+ to replace that too!

When I spent over £300 on a piece of kit, I didn't do so on the understanding that I'd also be spending £70 every couple of years just to keep the bloody thing working!!!

So, I've had enough with Garmin. What alternatives would people recommend? If it works with my ANT+ HR and cadence sensors that would be a bonus, but not worth sticking with Garmin for. Likewise, I wouldn't mind being able to transfer over the Ordnance Survey maps of the UK I've got on the 800, but it's not enough of a feature that not being able to do so would be a show stopper.

Something which would auto-upload to Strava would also be nice.

[Kermit power]

fromage said:

Complain and quote the sales of good act and how the product even though failed outside of the warranty did'nt last as long as it should and therefore not fit for purpose. Unless they are designed to be replaced every 18 months?

I have had 2 Garmin 500 menu buttons fail outside of warranty and they replaced the first one with a new 500 and the second time I demanded a 510 as there is obviously an issue with the buttons on the 500 and they swapped it out for a brand new boxed 510.

Tried that, and now about to start a small claims court action on it. Petty, maybe, especially as I can only claim for the £80 or so the replacement cost me, not the original device, but I'm just that fked off with them!

I think the problem is that there wasn't anywhere they were willing to go on an upgrade that was worthwhile, as both the points of failure on my 800 have the same hardware on the 810.

[Kermit power]

Herman Toothrot said:

Surprised at the longevity complaints about garmins, had my 800 for years of serious MTB abouse and crashes where it's been rammed into the dirt taking gouges out of the casing and it still works perfectly. I find it interesting as well how people expect to upgrade smart phones every 18months as the old ones shagged yet have a problem with a similar electronic device expiring after 2 or 3 years.

My phone is a three year old Galaxy S3. It has worked perfectly despite being either in my pocket or in use for 16 hours per day. The kids play Angry Birds on it. It's my satnav, my music player, my portable Netflix streamer and loads of other things besides.

The Edge 800, on the other hand? Two in four years, despite only getting used maybe three times per week for a couple of hours, and spends the rest of the time sat on the desk in my study.

Hardly a like for like comparison, and that's before considering that unlike the phone, the Garmin is actually supposed to be designed for use in adverse conditions...