The new TomTom Rider 2 and Best Buy

[Freebird]

OK...here's the continuation of my Christmas Story.

 

As I mentioned in another post yesterday, my wife bought me a TomTom Rider 2 for Christmas. She was so excited that she had surprised me with something that I had wanted (a GPS) for a while now. The problem was, I spent all day yesterday messing with it and could NOT get it to power up. Then I got an email from BradT telling me that another member here had bought the same unit and that he had to hold the power button in HARD to get it to power on. So after reading his email this morning I took it out of the box again and pushed the button VERY HARD and sure enough, it came on in about 2 seconds. All is well.

 

I then played with it for about 30 minutes but pretty much already knew that I was going to return it. The problem is that the TomTom Rider does not have an audio out jack or a built in speaker. The only way to use the voice prompts is to use the included bluetooth headset. That means that not only would I have to buy my wife a bluetooth headset but then some sort of hardware to convert the existing audion system of the RSV to bluetooth in order to use the headsets for the intercom, sterieo, etc. I think that TomTom really missed the mark with this setup.

 

I ended up heading to Best Buy about 10:00 this morning to return the unit. The nice young lady asked me if there was anything wrong with it and I said well the main thing is that it's just not compatible with my bike. She then informed me that there would be a 15% "restocking" fee. I said are you telling me that it is going to cost me about $85.00 to return this product. She replied yes, all the stores do that. I said NO...Walmart doesn't. At any rate, I then asked her what the policy is if the unit is bad and she replied that there would be no restocking fee in that case. I said OK then....I can't get it to turn on. She said that she would have to test it and verify that fact to which I replied...PLEASE...do that now. She took it out of the box and pressed the power button and sure enough, it wouldn't turn on. She took out the AC Adapter and plugged it in and again...it would not turn on. I didn't tell her to press very hard on the button. She shrugged and said hmmmmm.....it must be defective and then gave me a full refund. I'm sure glad that TomTom makes them hard to power up.

 

So now I'm on the fence. I'm trying to decide between the Garmin Zumo 550 and the 450. I know that the popular choice here is the 550 but after comparing them, I don't know that I can justify the extra $300.00. I don't want the XM capabilities and the only other thing that I see is text to voice. Am I missing anything?

[BradT]

I do not believe our Best Buy Future shop or just about any other charge a restocking fee. NOW That is a good one. Nice move though trying to get here to turn it on.

 

Not sure what text to voice is that you are refering. I thought the only difference was XM and Blue Tooth.

 

I have the 450 for 2.5 years without troubles, the 08 map update added some nice features that I never had in the 07 version. Not fussy on Map Source but never use that much anyway. I too did not want the XM and I just did not want to be bothered with the phone while on the bike (that is one reason I get on the bike).

 

Oh 550 model has a car adapter, where the 450 does not. I had a Ram mount Suction cup that sticks to the car window and I made an adapter for the cigerette lighter, and I had a FM modulater so I can listen to the MP3 while in the car or Truck. Hate that person talking to me all the time.

 

Good luck

 

Brad

[Midrsv]

The zumo 550 adds bluetooth phone capabilities and I'm not sure if the 450 plays mp3 music. For me the phone capability was worth it.

 

Dennis

[Mariner Fan]

Don,

 

I really like the XM radio feature and especially like the ability to answer my phone through the headset.

 

I'm glad I have the 550.

 

 

Bob

[Freebird]

Yes, they both play MP3. I don't care about the phone when I'm riding. I don't want the XM because I already have a Sirius unit that I move back and forth between the bike and my work car and don't want to add another subscription. The only other thing I know of is the text to voice. From what I understand, that just means that though the 450 tells you when to turn and etc., it doesn't actually say the street names.

[Mariner Fan]

Don,

 

The 550 has a car adapter that has a built in speaker and window mount. If you are planning on using the GPS for your car you might want to consider this. It doesn't come with the 450 and is a pretty expensive add on.

[BuddyRich]

One of the advantages of having the bluetooth and a phone connected to the Zumo is this. When your riding and you need to look up a hotel or fuel or food or what ever when the Zumo displays the info one option is to call, All you do is hit the call and it dials the number and everything. With the cable I make you just start talking when they answer. Don't even have to stop and start fiddling with the phone next to the road.

[Freebird]

OK OK OK.....

 

So...have any of you seen it cheaper than this from a RELIABLE source?

 

I think it's $657.00 here...it has been about 15 seconds since I looked and I don't remember for sure.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/GARMIN-010-00567-00-Zumo-550-Receiver/dp/tech-data/B000H2W4E6/ref=de_a_smtd]Amazon.com: GARMIN 010-00567-00 Zumo 550 GPS Receiver: Electronics[/ame]

[mini-muffin]

Heck I got Jeff one from TigerDirect it was a re-man and it isn't the Zumo, but it works. I got him the Magellan. Check out their website might find something you like for a good price. This is their GPS page.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_tlc.asp?CatId=2372&name=GPS-Navigation

Margaret

[BuddyRich]

The links ain't workin.

[mini-muffin]

I didn't see anything either.

Oh and for everyone here if you buy something at Best Buy they all charge a restock fee it's on the back of all their receipts.

Margaret

[BuddyRich]

Pcnation has them. I think theres a thread on here somewhere with good prices and what they said about the store.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-21846.html

[Midrsv]

OK OK OK.....

 

So...have any of you seen it cheaper than this from a RELIABLE source?

 

I think it's $657.00 here...it has been about 15 seconds since I looked and I don't remember for sure.

Amazon.com: GARMIN 010-00567-00 Zumo 550 GPS Receiver: Electronics

 

I've had good luck with www.buydig.com and they have it for $631.27 with free shipping. I've bought several cameras and my Zumo from them and I've never had a problem with them.

 

Dennis

[brscooter]

Don after you got your refund you should have told her, "Oh by the way it will turn on if you hold it down hard" and then walked away.

[Mariner Fan]

I've heard that buydig is reliable.

[Bvinson]

I have bought a three refurb units from www.getfeetwet.com they are great to deal with and you will have it in a couple of days. They are a Garmin dealer and the refurbs I have gotten from them have all been like new units and all have worked perfectly. Thay have a full 1year warranty just like new units. Their customer service is first class and on of the best internet companies I have ordered from. Here is a link to a 550 for $579.99 http://www.getfeetwet.com/products/SKU-010-N0567-00-Exclusive--Garmin-Zumo-550-MotorCycle-GPS-with-One-Year-Manufacturer-Warranty-(Factory-Refurb)__010-N0567-00.aspx

[Tom]

Don,I also bought mine from BuyDig.com and it is not one of the ripoff joints,I had great service and opted for the free shipping and got it in 4 days

[sarges46]

Don

 

Did you see this zumo 450 on Amazon?

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MF7L46/ref=s9sdps_c2_23_at1-rfc_g1_si3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=0BE3X6D6CFQ0TG7B75V6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463383391&pf_rd_i=507846]Amazon.com: GARMIN Zumo 450 3.5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator: Electronics[/ame]

 

Cheapest I've ever seen, even though its only a 450.

[k7mdl]

Just bought a 450 from Comp-U-Plus (http://www.compuplus.com/i-Garmin-Zumo-450-Motorcycle-GPS-Navigation-System-010-00567-05-1008910~.html) for $339 and used Live Search Cashback link to get there, for an additional $20 cash back - so $319 plus about $14 shipping. This was about Dec 22, told wife, and she hurredly called my son. They were going half and half on an Zumo 550 for me for Christmas present. She reached him about 10 minutes before he placed his order. Otherwise would be returning one. They are selling new Zumo 550 for $630 right now I see.

 

I would have gone with the Oregon 300 or the Zumo 550, but the 450 is too good a deal to pass up. The price has started falling on the 450 very recently. Garmin has just this month listed the 450 as a discontinued product. The car mounts are on eBay for around $60 if needed. the MC mount is expensive, and the City DVD is another $90 if purchased separately. So $320 - $160 = $160 for the Zumo unit itself, not bad at all and $300 under the 550 right now.

 

I plan to use the 450 with the motorcycle mount on 2 motorcycles and my truck. All 3 will have a RAM ball mount and a 6 pin small waterproof plug with power and audio wiring. Also each wil have a dust cap to keep the water out when disconnected.

 

The 450 will have a matching plug a few inches away with the audio and power. This way I break one connection and remove the whole unit from the RAM mount and transfer it - no hassle.

 

In the truck I have a small cigarette lighter mounted FM transmitter with aux line level input so I can hear the turn instructions and MP3s.

 

Waterproof mini Connectors from Digi-Key I selected:

3 HR579-ND,CONN PLUG 6POS FEMALE SOLDER,CYCLE SIDE GPS

1 HR593-ND,CONN JACK 6POS MALE SOLDER,GPS SIDE

3 HR598-ND,CONN DUST CAP FOR 3&6POS PLUG,CYCLE SIDE PLUG, CAPS

 

- Mike

Edited December 27, 2008 by k7mdl

[Pilot]

That was a funny story, Restocking fee was a bit high, I returned a phone to them about a year ago because I found the same phone at Wally Mart for $46.00 less and told them so. They said they couldn't meet the price so they took it back and didn't charge me a restocking fee.

 

The Zumo 550 is around $600.00 unless you buy a re-built one. I have seen them for around $500.

 

You won't be sorry if you get the 550. I had a problem with mine about 3 months ago, the screen would not function correctly. It was out of warranty so I called Garmin's tech support to tell them what the unit was doing. I just wanted to send it back for repair but after talking with them for a few minutes they told me they would replace it for free. They provided me with a return number, I sent it to then the same day and received a brand new one 4 days after that. I have heard other people praise Garmin for service and now I'm convinced. So convinced that I bought my wife a Garmin for Christmas.

 

Good luck in your search, there are many quality units out there to choose from.

 

Jim

[BEER30]

Get the Zumo 550 , Don ! Even though it's more expensive . Just think back last July .If you had a GPS and phone capability , you would have not had to pay double tolls ! :rotfl: So look at it this way ,pay up now , or pay up more later !!!

You have the option also to mout the GPS on your lawnmover to mow day or nite . GPS navigation to avoid the pond . Or if you do go over the deep end , you can instantly call for a wrecker to pull you out without dismounting the mover ! :stickpoke:

 

BEER30

[Lone Eagle]

:rotf:That's funny, Gene. Also, the one that said now push the on button hard. Don, I remember coming back from our VR Rally in Colorado - DKKnight had a 550 on his bike - called ahead to a town where we decided to stop over and got the motel room. I was pretty impressed with that. I know I would most likely never hook up the bluetooth feature - as I don't want a phone on the bike as well as others have said. But having that feature might make it valuable later on down the road. I'm not as lucky as you Venture guys, I have to buy a bunch of additional support cables (I think) to run through my J & M 2003 unit (I also have to get their xm antennae to run their xm unit which is pricey) - but especially after reading your story, am pretty much convinced the 550 for me is the only way to go. Good luck to you.

[BoomerCPO]

Santa brought me the Garmin nuvi 350 for Christmas. I used it on the scoot yesterday for the 1st time and I am very happy with it. I can't hear the voice prompts because of the tunes and Barons pipes but that's no big deal for me.

 

The 3.5 inch screen is very easy to see/read thanks to the Ram Mount locating the unit near my clutch handle.

 

One thing I noticed was that my sunglasses made the screen viewing a bit difficult. I have a snap down sunscreen on my helmet tho and when using just that I had no difficulty in viewing the screen details at all.

 

Amazon.com had the cheapest price for this unit. Shipped fast and I had the unit in 3 days just before Christmas.

 

There are so darn many of these GPS units out there it really is difficult to decide which to buy! I just don't want to get lost when I go out of State and hopefully those days are behind me with this Garmin GPS.

[Freebird]

Well...I just placed the order for the Zumo 550 from PC Nation. I found it slightly cheaper a couple of places but the feedback on the companies wasn't very good. To be honest, I really wanted to just forget about ordering one at all for now but my wife insisted that this was her Christmas present to me and that she was going to be hurt if I didn't do it. Oh what a man must do to keep the peace.

 

I guess now I have to order the special cable from Buddy. Not even sure what it's for but I've been told by some of you that I need it.

[Tom]

Well...I just placed the order for the Zumo 550 from PC Nation. I found it slightly cheaper a couple of places but the feedback on the companies wasn't very good. To be honest, I really wanted to just forget about ordering one at all for now but my wife insisted that this was her Christmas present to me and that she was going to be hurt if I didn't do it. Oh what a man must do to keep the peace.

 

I guess now I have to order the special cable from Buddy. Not even sure what it's for but I've been told by some of you that I need it.

 

Don the cable allows you to hear the Zumo directions in your helmet and answer the phone and or talk if needed..I have talked to people running 70MPH and they thought I was at home on the couch it was so quiet..I know dont talk on cell while driving,some can and some cant..Anyway it is nice as a New VR member called me one day when I was over in Llano,Tx and I was able to get the call and arrange where to meet him..It is nice..Also it was REALLY nice that Buddyrich installed it for me..