Or he could have RTFM...

Hmm. Interesting problem.
Personally, I'd download the garmin Mapsource program and have it spew me out the proper maps I need for the country I'm in, and then look into the 'Bay for additional software as needed.

You can use any type of SD card so long as it is big enough to hold the information you upload. Say 2gigs to start.

I would have thought that the SD card would consititute part of the base unit itself. UNLESS there is a very clear instruction page telling you not to ship the SD card back and a page showing where it is and how to remove it.

I'll bet a dollar there is no such instruction.

This strikes me as Garmin's failure. How much is the unit? I got a fully functional Navigon for $89

I would have contacted Woot. You purchased it from them, and it was DOA, so they should have been able to simply authorize a replacement rather than dicking around with all this warranty bullshit.

I'd still contact Woot. From what I've heard they have good customer service, and I'm sure they'd be interested in keeping a customer - at the very least, they'd probably help you deal with Garmin.

Also, yeah. The SD card is required for the unit to work - it's not an accessory. The definition of "accessory" ([dictionary.reference.com]):

a subordinate or supplementary part, object, or the like, used mainly for convenience, attractiveness, safety, etc., as a spotlight on an automobile or a lens cover on a camera.

If it's required for the damn thing to work, then it's not a supplementary part. Send that to Garmin and let them know they're a bunch of idiots.

Sorry, but I'm with Garmin on this one. I've owned 3 different models of Garmin GPS's and family members also own a few. I've never seen one that comes with a SD card installed. Garmin ships the units with maps pre-installed in internal memory, and you can buy optional map updates, different types of maps (topographic, etc) and maps of other countries on either SD cards or CD/DVD-rom's. In the case of the latter you need a blank SD card that you plug into the GPS then upload the maps via your PC.

I just found the manual for the StreetPilot C510 here: [www.garmin.com] and the first place it mentions SD cards it says "You can store files, such as JPEG image files, in the c510's internal memory or on an optional SD card". It also says "Insert an SD Card (Optional)". Furthermore, the section "What's in the Box?" only lists the GPS, a power cable, USB cable, mounting hardware, and a DVD of maps if you bought the "deluxe" version. There's no mention that an SD card is included.

Sorry, Hal, but the SD card is clearly a user installed optional accessory and not something that came with the unit. However I'm wondering if the SD card is truly the issue here. It sounds pretty likely that you may not have even had one since it's an option and not required for normal operation.

It MIGHT be the case that for whatever reason Garmin simply wiped out the contents of the internal memory in the unit, in which case you should be able to re-load the maps from the DVD using the instructions in the manual. Use the MapSource program from the DVD to select the maps you want to use then upload them to the GPS using the instructions in the manual. Garmin locks maps to specific GPS units via serial numbers and software keys (unlock codes) that are included with the DVD's. If you haven't unlocked the maps yet then just follow the instructions in the program using the key on the yellow piece of paper provided with the DVD. If you have already unlocked the maps and Garmin sent you a new GPS with a different serial number then you'll need to contact Garmin technical support and explain that you got a new unit under warranty. They'll send you a new unlock code for the maps that works for the new serial number. I had a Garmin handheld that died on me with maps of two other countries installed on it. When I sent it in for repair they ended up sending me a replacement unit, and once their support folks verified that they quickly sent me the unlock codes I needed without any hassle whatsoever.

@starrion: The SD card is an optional add-on that you can use to increase the capabilities of Garmin units. It's not required for normal operation, nor is it something that Garmin includes in the box. Take a look at my post below for details.

As a followup to myself, if you don't have a map DVD (the "Deluxe" version) then clearly Garmin screwed up with what they sent back to you. They should have ensure the maps were installed and functioning properly. Contact their support department again and explain that you sent it in for repair and when you got it back it simply isn't showing any maps. Don't mention anything about a missing SD card since it's an option that you don't have and don't need. Just tell them the unit powers on but doesn't display any maps. If they can't fix it over the phone (it may just be a system setting you need to tweak) then I'd suggest doing what one of the previous posters said and request a replacement directly from woot since you bought it from them.

This may not be the optimal solution, but it is a solution:

You can buy your own SD card. They're dirt cheap at the moment. The software is locked, but you could easily go to various corners of the internet (piratebay.org would be where I start) and find an image file (iso file) for your particular model of GPS.

From there you can use a copy of Daemon Tools (free) to mount the image on a virtual drive, and you should be able to copy the files from your virtual drive to the thumb drive no problem.

Either that, or you could very possibly use your CD burning software such as nero to "burn" the ISO to your SD card.

I'm at work so my PC is on lockdown for most of the "grey" sites on the internet that would be needed for a project like this, but if it's the route you decide to pursue (i.e. can't get help from Garmin), I'm more than happy to do some research when I'm on my own internet connection.

I'm with Garmin as well. The argument that the SD card is an required to make it work and is not an accessory doesn't hold water - that argument would then apply to the power cord - and the author acknowledges that the power cord is an accessory.

The author was told to send the base unit and nothing but the base unit. That nothing else would be returned to the author. The SD card is what provides GPS navigational functionality to the unit - but it is by definition an accessory.

Man... trolls are out in force today. I foresee some disemvowellments in the near future.

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@Chumas: 2g is a good starting point, but some card a really weird. I have a Mio GPS and they use a 2G card but if you try to back it up, onto another 2G card, it will not fit. The original is just a around 100 bytes larger than the blank, so you have to use a 4G.

@IphtashuFitz: This is a European GPS. Here's the Woot description page: [www.woot.com] They included an SD card which has the North American maps.

The question is, who included the SD card - did Woot put that in there, or did Garmin release a model of that GPS with the North American maps on an SD card?

In any case, you looked far closer than I did. I'm with Garmin now. This model is a European GPS and so it includes the European maps on its internal flash. Woot appears to have thrown in the 2GB microSD card with the North American maps - that's an accessory; the unit is perfectly usable for the purpose Garmin intended it to be used for (a European GPS). I would contact Woot instead. Perhaps they'll offer to send you another one for a smaller fee? (Like, under $10.)

@IphtashuFitz:

You should read what you wrote.

• Garmin ships the units with maps pre-installed in internal memory, and you can buy optional map updates, different types of maps (topographic, etc) and maps of other countries on either SD cards or CD/DVD-rom's.

• "You can store files, such as JPEG image files, in the c510's internal memory or on an optional SD card"

• There's no mention that an SD card is included.

This makes it sound like if there WAS an SD card included, that it wasn't integral to the unit's function? What you've posted makes it sound like it's a great way to supplement what's already in the unit, it will add lots of functionality, and new features but that the unit will work without the optional card. This is obviously not the case.

How was Hal supposed to know that there was a memory card installed when the instructions don't even make mention of it? Much less know that the card has very necessary information on it that garmin won't replace should he send the unit back.

I can understand Garmin's argument, but I still find it to be somewhat ridiculous. Perhaps they should have just sent him back the replacement circuit board because the LCD screen and plastic case are also just accessories that allow you to see the output. Whether they're in the right or not, they're treating their customer in a completely unreasonable manner, and they deserve an ass kicking for it.

The SD card is NOT required for the unit to work. Does Hal live in Europe? The C510 is a European market unit. Garmin units can easily be configured for use outside of the region they were designed for, but if Hal does not live in Europe and Garmin replaced his GPS with factory specs, it could just be that he isn't in an area that has map support. What Hal probably bought was a GPS that had supplemental map support via the SD card slot.
Furthermore if the unit shipped DOA and Hal didn't know about the SD expansion slot, how does he know there was an SD card in there to begin with?
I have never seen a Garmin GPS that comes with an SD card inserted in the expansion slot *from the factory*.

That being said - it is *very* easy to add/replace maps to the unit via MapSource if you take time to use Google. I was able to put detailed GPS maps of Taiwan on my nuvi even though Garmin does not offer the Taiwan map set for purchase in the US market.

@Cocoa Vanilla: Woot! is an "as is" retailer. There is no way Hal could return the unit to Woot!

I can't believe employees would come here and then post their crap. To actually defend the company for stealing from a customer... wow. I just sold my Garmin GPS after I had to call 2 times because one rep told me that "Not all USB chargers are equal" and that my Garmin could not be charged with my USB car charger, only a USB cord attached to a computer. When I called back I was apologized to for the other reps incompetence and a new cord was overnighted to me, free. I just sold the whole pile of crap on ebay. I don't have time to play games with a company- even if they do make it right in the end.

@Chumas: Honestly Hal doesn't need an SD card. The unit should have enough on-board memory for the map. However since the c510 is a European market unit - the internal memory is probably being used for that.

Also, from experience, the biggest card you should gt for maps is 4GB. The Garmin units I've used will support 8GB cards, but the maps cannot be larger than 4GB due to Garmin using the FAT32 file system.

@CRCError1970: yea, but Woot! is known to go out of it's way to make the customer happy. If this person were to tell them this same story, there might be a chance Woot! might still have one of these sitting around waiting for the next Woot-off that they might even be able to send out.

Again, Woot has a pretty good service to customers... unless you want a different color earplugs, then it gets a little tricky. :-)

I'm with the guys above who recommend contacting woot. They are very customer oriented over there and should be able to assist the OP.

@CRCError1970: Shouldn't matter. He purchased a refurbished item, and refurbished should also mean working. Even if it's as-is, I'd still say it's a case of "item not as described."

@CRCError1970: True, but some states provide protections above and beyond what the retailer claims they'll provide. Having said that though, he's likely going to incur more than 100.00 in legal expenses trying to figure out which state to file a lawsuit in should it come to that.

@DeeJayQueue: I have no idea what point you're trying to make. There's a huge difference between "internal memory" and an SD card. Internal memory is just that, it's internal to the unit and not something that a user can remove. An SD card is an optional item you can purchase to increase the amount of memory in the unit.

How does the fact that the parts of the manual I quoted, which state an SD card is OPTIONAL and NOT NEEDED for the unit to work, along with the fact that the manual lists what's in the box but does NOT mention and SD card, make you think an SD card was included? You're not making any sense.

Once again, an SD card is NOT needed for this GPS to work. Garmin does not supply an SD card in the box when you buy one since it's not required for it to work. Since Garmin doesn't provide them and Hal apparently had no idea if one was installed or not, then why should Garmin be required to give him one?

Different Garmin Units are configured differently. If this unit had the advertised included maps on the SD Card they are not an option or accessory but needed for the unit to work. Further, unlikely in this case but possible, the reason a unit might not work is because of a problem or defect with the SD card.

@Cocoa Vanilla: Well then that's a totally different issue, and again it's not the fault of Garmin so they can't be expected to replace it since it's a result of user error.

@mmcnary: Unless, of course, you demand a product that isn't made, like, say... ipod ear buds that match your black ipod. lol.

I say send the whole thing back for a refund. If purchasing a Garmin is really what you want to do, wait a few weeks, and start over from scratch.

It may sound like that's kind of giving up, but you will save yourself a huge amount of time, and end up getting what you want in the end.

Really.. Last I checked woot refused to send black headphones with an black ipod.. come on now.........

@WiglyWorm:
Won't work. The Garmin maps are locked to the particular unit's serial number. The key needed to unlock the maps is based in part on that unit serial number, so downloading pirated maps simply won't work. They'll load to the unit, but you'll get an error that says "Maps Locked", which won't go away until you have a valid unlock code.

So there's a store called "Woot" and people actually spend money there?

@Esquire99: That's the sort of thing a keygen was made for.

@IphtashuFitz: It appears that this unit was factory configured for Europe but later adapted for US with a SD card [www.product-reviews.net]

So I assume the SD card was boxed w the first US unit. But if not, this company could be a little more helpful by letting him know that he could download maps, or they could simply send him a preloaded US SD card (which the shipping is probably the most costly part of the replacement)

But clearly the poster should talk to someone. It's too easy to say no by email

@khiltd: Woot is a website and it is fantastic. They're basically a closeout store that does 1 item every day. You can find amazing deals there that you won't find anywhere else.

The C510 is a European unit that is not sold in the United States (at least not by Garmin dealers). The C510 is not sold with North American maps, only regional European maps which are stored in the unit's internal memory. If Woot got ahold of a good deal on a batch of C510's, they added the North American maps themselves. Garmin isn't wrong to refuse to give away expensive mapping because the customer tried to save money by purchasing a unit that isn't even supposed to be sold in the US and didn't understand what he was getting into. The fact Hal forgot to remove the SD card sucks, but it's not Garmin's fault. He was told to remove all accessories and only send the bare unit. He didn't do that.

That said, Garmin's customer service is usually impeccable. They are very particular about who they hire, and they pay their people well. However, the e-mail support can be a little bit less impeccable than the actual phone support, simply because of the process used to answer them. Hal should actually CALL Garmin and explain the situation. Garmin CSR's have a LOT of power to make things right if you ask in the right manner. Being rude, loud or unreasonable isn't the way to get them to help. If Hal calls, calmly explains what happened, and asks for the mappings, I'm willing to bet that he'll either get it free or at a substantial discount. Even though it's obvious he's the one who screwed up, he'll likely get Garmin to at least compromise if he actually calls them.

@WiglyWorm:
I'd be shocked if a Keygen for Garmin's map unlock codes existed. The algorithms change with each version of the maps, and they are frequently updated. I'm not saying it doesn't, but I suspect they don't.

@DeeJayQueue: According to the Woot deal, there was no memory card in the box:

[www.woot.com]

This entry in particular: "Map storage: Preloaded internal solid-state storage".

Sounds like it just needs to be reloaded from a DVD.

@icantreplyright: Who are these employees?

@sodomanaz: Everyone who disagrees with him, apparently.

@khiltd: Thank you for your informative post. You added a lot to the conversation.

@Avi Oslick: Can't send something that Apple doesn't even make. Come on now.........

@Cocoa Vanilla:
Read the replies below. In this case, it is an accessory because the C510 is a European unit. If he took the GPS to London, it will work just fine in it's current condition.

@Coles_Law:
Your link is for the wrong unit.

I bought the same unit from Woot, and the package was "lost" by Fedex Ground. Woot happily refunded my money, but was unable to send a replacement because they had sold them all. Woot's policy is pretty clear; they refer all warranty (i.e., DOA) issues to the manufacturer if the product carries a manufacturer warranty. I think Woot would sympathize with Hal, but Woot hasn't nothing to do with the SD being sent back with the defective unit.

@verucalise: True, but if they REALLY wanted to be helpful, they could send him some black paint!

Just kidding.... ;)

@menty666: I believe any actions would be taken in the OP's state, unless the OP agreed to a contract which states otherwise (which is quite probable).

That said, I doubt it'd come to a lawsuit. Knowing Woot, you probably won't even need to check into this. If you do, though, then just telling Woot you're ready to pursue legal action is probably enough to get them to comply.

@Esquire99:

I just did a search in "the right places" and found about a dozen such softwarez. They very much seem to exist.

Lucky for me I don't own a unit that sucks like this, so I have no need to infect my VMWare with what is 99% likely to have a trojan. :) My GPS runs destinator, which, while it is it's own pile of poo (oh, yes, it sucks mightily), doesn't require wacky stuff like this.

@CRCError1970: Not true. I've returned defective merchandise to them. What they can do is refund your payment, although they ask that you try to use their forums to solve your own problem before resorting to that. What they can't do is fix you item. (Or, possibly, replace it.)