njkayaker

lopek77 doesn't really know what he's talking about (with respect to the 800).

The 500 is a well-liked, solid unit (enjoy using it!). The 800 is too.

The 800 is much better for navigation than the 500. It's not perfect, but with a little bit of being-smart, it's not a problem dealing with the rare issues.

To each his own but having maps is great.

njkayaker

It doesn't make sense but the 800 might actually work a bit better than the 810. Though, it looks like some of the problems that the 810 had were fixed with updates to firmware.

The 800 works very well.

(If it has worked "flawlessly", you haven't used it enough! )

njkayaker

Engineering is a compromise.

Smart phones (modern "flagship" models) are much, much faster computers with more memory than the Garmin Edge units (even, I suspect, the 1000). That's great. Smart phones are also much bigger with worse battery life and screens that are hard to read in sunlight. That's no so great.

The bugginess is unfortunate (especially since the hardware doesn't seem that different between the models). I suspect part of the issue is that the Garmins are memory constrained (meaning Garmin has to work to cram new features into too-limited amount of memory).

njkayaker

The 800 works well but you have to have some experience and thoughtfulness to use it (and similar devices). That doesn't mean you can't enjoy the scenery but it takes some practice.

lopek77

Did some research, and that's why I didn't buy 800. There was a software and hardware glitch on the early models, plus, all Garmins need to be hard reset from time to time...
I love Garmins, even if they are far from being perfect. I did over 20k with my 305, and it's still working.

lopek77

Thank you Mr. Expert

njkayaker

The problem with that "some research" is that you aren't hearing from people who don't have problems.

The 800 works very well (it might have had software issues at first). The problems you read about may not be common at all (nothing indicates that more than a relatively small number have those problems).

And talking about problems with "early models" isn't really helpful at all.

If the 800 needs to be "hard reset", it needs it rarely.

You don't have any experience with the 800. So, yeah.

lopek77

Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate that.

Seattle Forrest

I've never hard-reset my 800, and, again, it's seen about 20,000 miles over more than 4 years.

lopek77

It reminds me of a story with Subaru engines burning oil like crazy...Talked to 3 different authorized Subaru service dealers, and all of them said that Subaru doesn't have any issues with that...Now we have second class-action suit against Subaru about oil consumption.
2 different models of Subaru I own 2011 Forester and 2014 Outback have this issue. Consider yourself a lucky Garmin 800 user. Your good luck doesn't mean that the rest of 800 are free of issues. Several of my buddies own one, talked to tens of more 800 users in the last few years, talked to the salesman in a few stores, and I know how to use Google. The reason I bought cheap Garmin was way better reviews/feedback than the one about 800.
And it's also hard to believe your Garmin never play possum on you. It seems that every unit - cheap or expensive one - have that possum charm from time to time.

I like your signature... "Don't believe everything you think."

njkayaker

No one is claiming that "the rest of 800 are free of issues".

Many people have no idea how to use the devices either. Your handful of stories about problems doesn't mean that the problems are common.

If even cheap units have to be reset, that isn't a reason not to get the 800. Bizarre.

njkayaker

I had the "200 mile" problem twice (one of them required a reset). I had to reset my device another time when I was torture testing it. Other than those few times, I haven't needed to reset it. It wouldn't be surprising that some people needed to reset their 800 once in a while (it's a computer). (And it's possible that the first units had more issues but that's irrelevant now.)

Seattle Forrest

You're saying that people who haven't had any serious problems are proof that everybody has serious problems and there's some kind of conspiracy going on?

lopek77

What? I'm saying that if YOU have no problems with the product, it DOESN'T mean that thousands of them on the market are problem free. Thats why I said "Consider yourself a lucky Garmin 800 user".

Is that clear enough for you?

Seattle Forrest

The conspiracy talk about Subaru wasn't very clear. And you told me you have a hard time believing my 800 has never "played possum," as if I'm lying to you. You're saying a lot of things, and not very coherently.

cafzali

It's been my experience that the vast majority of issues relating to Edge units, particularly the 705, 800, 810 and up, could be solved by good housekeeping practices. I'm amazed at the number of friends I see who let tens of .TCX history files crowd their Garmin and then have problems. Whereas I keep my 705 tidy in that area and have almost zero problems.

Now, you could say that shouldn't happen and I'd agree with you. But if you've got a device that does 90 percent of what you want reliably and the other 10 percent of aggravation/dysfunction could be solved largely by different behavior, I'd pick the latter approach.

But I also recognize that different people have different issues. For me, the "bug" with them has been their HRM straps are crap and I've had the basic ones, the deluxe, etc. and they all work pretty poorly even with electrode gel to help conduct heart rate in cool, dry conditions. To me, that shouldn't happen.

hammond9705

I have an 800, rode 5,300 miles with it last year. It isn't perfect, but it's very good. If I lost it I would buy a replacement the same day