ebay bettys

[wa5ngp]

I've noticed on ebay that there are quite a few bettys being sold with a map installed but they don't include the dvd or unlock codes.

I guess the unaware are buying them. I wonder where these Betty's are coming from? Somebody must be buying broken reconditioned ones or something and then somehow getting a map on it.

regards
Don

[Ken in Regina]

Don, could you pop in a link to an example of the ones you are talking about?

If they are used they are most likely legitimate. The installation CD also installs the initial set of maps. Lots of people who have had them for awhile will have long since lost, misplaced or thrown out the original CDs and other stuff. So it's not unusual for the used ones to show up on there with maps and software installed but no manuals or disks.

...ken...

[wa5ngp]

Hey Ken,
I'm not going to falsely accuse someone. I guess I'm a bit suspcious having been burned on ebay before. As long as the flash memory stays ok then I guess there's nothing to concerned about.

I'm thinking about getting a backup so I've been watching what sells. I use Fugawi too since I like to make my own maps so even if the city select was messed up I could still use it.

I have learned how to make Garmin maps from a group on Yahoo but its pretty complicated.

regards
Don

[Ken in Regina]

Hi Don,

I wasn't trying to get you to accuse anyone. I was just curious what information you were seeing that made you suspicious and wanted a sample to read. Could you perhaps cut/paste the text of one that makes you suspicious? That way there would be no attibution or linkage to anyone and I could analyze it intelligently.

If you want an excellently priced backup alternative, Westronics is blowing out some on eBay at around $40 each, "Buy It Now" price. He's honest about the fact that there is nothing included and that there could be up to 5% failure rate and that there will be no support and no returns. I read his description/disclaimer and the term "brutally honest" came immediately to mind. :)

I've bought two units from Westronics so far, a 3600 and a 3600A, and I've had no problems with either of them. At the price he's blowing these out at I'm tempted to pick up a couple more.

...ken...

[holycatz]

"I've bought two units from Westronics so far, a 3600 and a 3600A, and I've had no problems with either of them. At the price he's blowing these out at I'm tempted to pick up a couple more."

Ken, given that they work 'normally', what do you have to do about maps and unlock codes? Any other tricks to get them joining your stable of normally working Bettys? Thanks, Bill H

[Ken in Regina]

Hey Bill,

No tricks. I'm lucky because I mainly use Metroguide Canada which isn't locked, so it's not an issue to move it from device to device. I also use Topo Canada, which isn't locked, and a freeby Ibycus Canadian Topo.

So far I haven't had to deal with unlock codes for my new ones. I did have to get an unlock code for the new City Navigator NA 2009 for my original Betty and that was educational. The iQue is now officially flagged as unsupported on the web site, so you can't use the Unlock Wizard or your MyGarmin account to get unlock codes for Betty any more. You have to phone. Phoning was no problem .. just sit on hold and swill tea for half an hour and once they answer you've got an unlock code in, like, thirty seconds.

I only know of two people so far who have got maps for the new devices and they had no difficulties. There aren't serial numbers under the flip-up antenna but each unit has a unique device ID anyway and it's the device ID that they use for the unlock code. As long as it's not someone else's device ID that you're using, there should be no problems.

I don't know what response you will get if you try to use the second unlock code deal that was offered with the maps for the original iQue, but it probably only applied to that version of the maps. They're old enough that nobody probably wants to use them anyway.

I went ahead and ordered another one ... couldn't resist at that price!! My wife is now convinced that I'm nuts ... as if she ever needed any additional evidence. :rolleyes:

...ken...

[wa5ngp]

So if I buy one without a paper s/n on it how does one go about getting a number to give to Garmin to get an unlock code?

The other thing I found is that Garmin does provide backward compatibility on older versions. I had bought a V6 City select and didn't bother to unlock it. When I went to try to get an unlock code they said that they could not generate an unlock code since the City select was an old. they offered me a better price on a new city select but I just decided to forgo it for now.

Ken, sounds like most wives are about the same when it comes to being unable to figure out why we accumulate this junk. However, I have learned that I get some "kitchen passes" if I don't bring up her 3 dozen shoes in the closet.

have fun
Don

[Ken in Regina]

Yeah, that number of shoes sounds about right. And not mentioning them when she comments about a new toy helps me, too.

Tap for the dropdown menu on the main launcher page, tap "INFO", then tap "VERSION" on the Info screen. Near the top of that screen you'll see "Unit ID:" with a long number following it.

My original iQue 3600 starts with "0G36-xxxxxxxxxx" and my new 3600A is "0G37-xxxxxxxxxx", where the x's are a ten-digit number. That's what Garmin needs for the unlock code.

...ken...

[wa5ngp]

hey right you are. I never noticed that before despite all the falderall I've had with Betty. tks so much.

[Paul6437]

I just bought one from Westronics through ebay. I got it today. He shipped it a 5" x 7" bubble envelope, USPS first class mail. I thought it lacked on protection from shipping, being only in a small bubble envelope, but arrive without damage. There were marks on the screen and glue on the back. I cleaned the screen and the marks are gone. There are no scratches on the screen. I still have to clean the glue off the back, it's sticky. There was tape over the power button. Like the tape I put on the power button when I change the battery. The unit wouldn't power on right away. The battery was too dead and draining too much current to keep the iQue from going into a "coma". There weren't any screws that hold to top half and bottom half together!?! I opened it to remove the board from the battery and run it off of the charger power, hard reset it, and place it back on the battery. That gets I get it out of it's coma. I has version 5.2.1r2 on it. There's no serial number under the antenna, but it shows up in the info screen. It's on and charging now. It seems fine. I'll have to get some screws and clean off the glue, but not too bad. A fair deal for $40.00.

Paul

[Paul6437]

And also, it had 15.4 miles on the odometer. With a GPS and track around Modesto, CA. I should call up Garmin to make sure the Unit ID is not registered.

[Ken in Regina]

That's interesting, Paul. He must have also got some used ones somewhere along the line. The two I've purchased were both brand new. The 3600 was r6 and the 3600A was r3 (the latest). Both powered up right away without problems. And both went straight into the first-time out of the box routines on power-up.

I should get my latest one this week. I'll let you know what I receive. You're right that anything that works, even if it needs a battery transplant, is still a bargain at 40 bucks. 15 miles on the clock and no screen scratches certainly qualifies as almost cherry.

Hey, you want a bargain on the automotive kit (http://www.gpscentral.ca/accessories/iqnavkit.htm) (beanbag and car cradle with speaker built into the 12V connector)? Brand spanking new. I wanted another car cradle. Couldn't care less about the beanbag. But at that price I can always use the beanbag as a paperweigth or toss it at the cat when she's causing trouble.

...ken...