If a GPS becomes discountinued from the manufacturer do they still make the updated maps for it?
I have noticed a lot of Garmin GPS’s on Ebay for sale at really good prices however they are discontinued models.Do you think Garmin will still make any updated maps for them in the future or is it a waste of money to buy a discontinued model.
It depends on where it is made. All US companies must by law maintain parts for a device for 10 yrs after they are discontinued. Non-US companies are not required to and usually do not.
Yes, these models are discontinued, but they are not obsolete, so the latest maps still work on them.
The question is whether you get the updates for free, or have to pay (usually around $70 if purchased online). When you buy a new Garmin (even if it’s a discontinued model), they give you 60 days to update to whatever latest maps they have at that time. But they count the 60 days from when the GPS was first used. It records that information internally, and you cannot change it.
When you buy from eBay, your Garmin may have been used by someone else already and returned. In that case, if you don’t have the latest maps already, you can still get the update but you’ll have to pay.
Unless you know it’s a reputable seller with a discontinued but un-opened GPS, it’s not worth it. It’s cheaper, but is it cheaper by $70?