gps on ebay

Bob - your add (?) in the trader section for a copy of world wide basemap is misleading - The CD does not contain Aus Land Basemap 1.02 ..you can only create a very basic basemap of Australia for use via SD card. Detail is very bad (worse than the basic Basemap available on base model Meridians and Sportracks). A good indication of the lack of detail on the world wide basemap CD basemap is the size of the file created ~ 1.5mb. The "proper" Aus Land basemap V1.02 is about 8.5mb.

Maybe you should change your add in case someone gets the wrong idea??

Cheers
Greg

Greg,
the blurb on the Magellan site says:
!! Mapsend World Basemap with Contours

"MapSend® WorldWide Basemap software enables you to create a basemap for any region of the world and upload it to your mapping Magellan® GPS receiver. Adding WorldWide basemaps to your Magellan GPS receiver does not erase your built-in basemap -- it enables you to add basic reference map coverage for areas not covered by the built-in map. New basemaps can be loaded and saved via a PC to GPS cable from your PC to your Magellan MeridianTM series handheld (requires an optional Secure Digital (SD) memory card), directly to the SD card using a card reader/writer, or directly to the memory of your Magellan SporTrakTM Pro, SporTrak Map or MAP 330 GPS receiver. WorldWide Basemap is licensed for use with a single Magellan GPS.

Each basemap region you define contains the essential basic map features such as cities, highways, waterways, railroads, national boundaries and shorelines. WorldWide Basemap also includes basic topography contours, which can help you stay oriented to your environment and find Points of Interest. In addition to the visual map presentation, the map features can be located using tabular search functions – on the GPS as well as in the PC application.

Easily toggle between the built-in basemap and your new WorldWide Basemap. Your Magellan GPS receiver will automatically transition to a detailed map when the zoom scale is 700m (medium Map detail setting) or less and the majority of the displayed is covered by the map.
For use with your Magellan Meridian series, SporTrak Map, SporTrak Pro or MAP 330 GPS receiver.

Benefits:
Extend the basemap coverage of your GPS to anywhere in the world
Convert your GPS into a powerful travel aid
View worldwide maps of transportation and landmarks, cities,
towns, highways, railways, ferries, rivers, lakes, and basic topography
Define any region you need, easily upload to select Magellan®
GPS handhelds
Search for Points of Interest"

Greg, are you saying Magellan is giving people the wrong idea?
I think you should declare any association you may have with Magellan.

I agree the Magellan description of their product is deceptive, and you plainly are fully cognizant of its limitations. Which is why I have included the CD of detaliled basemaps, and the firmware updates for all models, with the package. The purchaser won't be disappointed.

Bob

Bob, I was referring directly to your Add in trader- not to the Magellan Worldwide Wide basemap CD - different issue, sorry you got confused. You make no mention in your add that the basemap you refer to is on a CD you are providing in addition to the WWBM CD - I was just trying to make people aware that the standard issue mapping software on the Magellan WWBM CD (from you or elsewhere) does not contain the basemap in question but a much lesser version. I have no affiliation with Magellan (otherwise I would probably be saying the WWBM CD is fantastic) though I do make use of some of their products and have for some time, because overall I would have to say Magellan products are very good, even if somewhat overpriced…bit like Toyotas (I have a few of them also..no! I don’t have any affiliation with them either).
Cheers
Greg

Glenn,

I bought a GPS (Magellan Colour with Aus basemap and 128Mb card - $900) using Ebay. When I bought there were heaps on offer. The trick is to research the seller history through the feedback section. Some sellers use the "Buy it Now" feature on Ebay. Not as cheap as on auction for a particular unit but usually indicates they have a stock of the item and use Ebay as a shopfront.

Also watch and wait for the deal you think is right (good seller history and not TOO cheap!). I only dealt with an australian vendor. I know you can probably get better deals going to the states direct but there seem to be quite a few guys over here that buy these units in bulk from the states, add the aus basemap and then resell much cheaper than the retail shops do.

Obviously you pay the extra for the opportunity to walk into the shop, compare and test out the product, flash the plastic and walk out with the product in hand with a local warranty. But is that really worth paying 50-100% more?

The other protection (correct me if I am wrong anyone) is dealing with someone here in Oz and paying cash into thier nominated bank account there is a better chance of the authorities tracking down the seller if the goods don't turn up. Better than sending a draft overseas and never seeing anything!

If you are prepared to take the risk you can make good savings. GPS units for example are ruggedised electronics so are unlikely to have problems requiring warranty attention.

That's my experience!

StevenLPlaydoe GXL TD Manual
It's on order, Delivery in April '04.
This pic will have to do till then. Can't wait!!!

Evening Glenn

I have purchased a number of items on Ebay.com.au and Ebay.com over the past six months and only had one semi disaster.

I have a number of self imposed rules which have worked well exception for the disaster.

Firstly I check as many prices as possible for the subject item.

Next I check the buyers feedback comments.

Then check the shipping instructions. - this is most important. You will see why later.

If all is OK, I then select the seller I want to buy from.

Rule No.1 - I never use the bidding system. Always use the buy now system.

If they don't advertise a buy now price, I email them and ask if they have one. 99 times out of a 100 they do have one.

Rule No.2 - If I decide to buy, I only use PAYPAL linked to my credit card. outside of Australia. (Transaction fee built into price)

Rule No.3 - I use direct credit via the internet or bank for payments in Australia. (No fee cost)

Both O/S and Australia have a risk factor, however, check out what you can from the Ebay site and its subsequent transaction history on the seller and then make up your mind.

All but the aforementioned 'dud' purchase arrived in 2-3 days from Aust, USA and Singapore.

All articles were in excellent condition and were the article I ordered. Also all have performed to the standard expected with no problems so far.

Now for the problem one.

Firstly I broke rule No 1 buy being a smartarse and placing a $1.00 bid (yep! a *^%$##*~ $1.00 dollar bid ) higher than the last bid with 3 days to go and won the sucker.

It was 12V mobile DVD player with all sorts of bells and whistles. Turns out the seller is a disposal warehouse and must have had a job lot of thousands of the bloody things.

Secondly had to break rule no 2 because these useless cootas would only accept a money order by internal USA mail from Western Union as payment.

It took 19 days for Western Union to process the order and another 6-7 days to get to the seller, who then tells me in a 'syrup' laced email that I hadn't calculated enough shipping funds into the deal.

So it was another payment via a mob called PAYCO this time, utilising the same money order deal.

Long and short of it was that I ordered at the end of November 03 and received it in Mid January 04.

It doesn't stop there though, the machine itself arrived setup for 110V power and best of all, it is a locked ZONE 1 mode machine. ie doesn't play Australia DVD'S.

It has taken me until yesterday to get around these two issues.

(1) The power supply was fixed with a Jaycar transformer 240V - 9V 2.2amps. in the house, whilst the shipped cigarette plug cable for the 4WD was OK. You try purchasing a transformer that puts out 2.2amps or above, which is stressed as a critical factor in the accompanying manual.

(2) I have a setup in a computer for burning DVD'S and wouldn't you know it - She who must be obeyed - had great joy in pointing out that this software will copy DVD'S in any nominated ZONE or MULTI ZONE format.

So I just copied a DVD and it now works perfectly.

Lessons learnt:

(1) Make sure the product will work in Australia and doesn't require extra equipment along with relevant headaches to make it work.

(2) Make sure the seller ships to Australia and what the add on costs to the advertised price are.

(3) Never use Western Union or PAYCO and/or the money order system.

(4) If it doesn't turn up for X-mas then you end up buying another one here in Aust to make things right.

Yeah! it was an expensive lesson in taking the eye off the eight ball and being a smart arse. I am now a member of 'on line auction bidders anonymous' and will never make a bid again. Just use the 'buy now price' if it suits me.

It hasn't been a total loss as I will use it in the 4WD and it interfaces with television sets as a mini DVD player with remote control and all the accompanying functions.

Regards

Ken Robinson

Hi Steven,

I hate to dispel your comment but.......

"GPS units for example are ruggedised electronics so are unlikely to have problems requiring warranty attention."

.....I bought a Magellan direct from their HQ in Perth and after one month the software froze solid. Magellan were very good to me and replaced it FOC and loaded more than normally required into the GPS. Have had this one for 18 months and it works well.

Hello Ken,

Thanks for the lesson in what not to do!!! I tried to register once at ebay and failed so I gave it a miss. Anyway, I do not have a credit card.

I have a policy of buying local, paying the price and having a come-back to the suppliers if necessary.

Cheers,

Willem1958 Patrol Pretty flash eh?

I will keep you posted on how it goes , but all is well so far .

one of those risks you take i guess.

cheers
steve

Steve,
I got a Sportrak color for 299 US, loaded the Oz base map and all is well:-). Never had a problem with Ebay, I am waiting for a $500 satphone to arrive in the mail as I write.Bob