Tom Tom GPS free lifetime map update??

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Ok, bought a Tom tom GPS back in about 2012 or maybe 2013. It is a Tom Tom 1500MSE with 5 inch screen. One reason I bought was because it had "lifetime maps.' Well I had never hooked the GPS up and logged onto the Tom Tom website to update the maps... I figured what is the rush .. since it has the feature of "FREE lifetime maps. Anyway a week or so ago i decided to update it and am met with a screen that says my time for updates is expired and I can purchase map up dates. HUH?? I guess lifetime means far less than that. Apparently in their fine print a lifetime means the useful life of the device ( whatever that means.
I can still use it as the old maps are probably 99% accurate, but since lifetime maps was a feature it is somewhat deceptive IMO. Most of the time now i just use a GPS phone app anyway, but On long trips I do like the large screen and better voice quality that a GPS offers. Nothing wrong overall with the Ton Tom GPS as it works very well, but when they plaster Free lifetimes map updates all over the box and then that lifetime is 4 years, then Tom Ton should be direct and just say map updates free for 4 years. if i ever buy another GPS it certainly will not be Tom Tom probably Magellan or Rand Mcnally.
 
Thanks for the heads up, I was considering a Tom Tom to replace the old Magellan I keep in my work van. I'll stick to my iPhone and Google maps now.
 
Happily have lifetime maps on my two cheap Garman LM GPSs I bought years ago.
 
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No, I have never found 800 help call centers to be very helpful, plus I only use it maybe 2-3 times a year and it works for the most part. I would guess that 99% of the maps have probably not changed that much. Though I like a GPS I still use the old fashion Rand mcnally Map book and get a good mental image of what roads and exits I need when traveling to new states and cities. I mainly just prefer a GPS over a phone because at night especially, I like to be able to see the road view on a large screen with lane and exit displays.
My main beef is that as a consumer is that when a company like Tom Tomm states that a product gets FREE Lifetime maps then that should be FREE lifetime maps( as long as the consumer owns the device) That does not seem unreasonable as a consumer to expect that, fine print be [censored]. Basically they pull a switcharoo and define lifetime as less (4) years, but that is unknown to the consumer and deceptive. I will be [censored] if I will pay for maps when they were not upfront with me. My phone maps are always updated so I can use this GPS for a long time and verify the roads with my phone as needed. I suppose. I did use it just last year on a trip to Santa Monica, the road guidance was fine though a few busineses were out of date, but my phone had those correct.
 
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Originally Posted By: BJD78
if i ever buy another GPS it certainly will not be Tom Tom probably Magellan or Rand Mcnally.


Duh fudge? Garmin is the industry standard. I wouldn't bother with either of those two brands to replace a Tom Tom.

Give that Tom Tom to a friend/relative that doesn't have an in car GPS and get you a Garmin. "LM" in the product code means free lifetime map updates. "T" in the product code means lifetime free traffic updates via the built in traffic receiver. It will find you the shortest route around traffic jams in the city.

As to the free traffic updates, I believe that I read in the small print of (maybe Garmin) that the free updates are only for the life of the unit, and also only for as long as you update your device. They give you 4 map updates a year. I believe that if you update your device today, but dont update it for several years, then you wont be able to. BUT, if you update your device today, and then update it every 3 months or every 6 months, then they will continue to let you update the map, as long as it falls in the "life of the unit"

Honestly, a new Garmin bought today is WAY more advanced that a 5 year old Tom Tom, you really cant compare them. The software on the new units is pretty amazing, compared to the old stuff.
 
Tom Tom's the definition of "lifetime" was different than what I as a consumer expcted and they were not honest and upfront with the consumer on that issue. Never used a Garmin , but I did ok with the Tom Tm Interface and it did what I wanted it to do and still does. If it gets a place wrong I can verify with my phone. Anyway I think that they have dropped in price a great deal since the time I got mine some years ago. I have seen many GPS in that $80 to $120.00 price point of course one can certainly spend more but units in that price range have more features and bells and whistles than I would ever use. Not sure if I will buy another gps anytime soon and even with the TOm Tom probably 99% of the maps are still good. They are so cheap now that they are darn near disposable. I certainly will consider a garmin next time, once I did have a rental car that came with a Maggelan in San Fran, Oakland San Jose and I found the interface and voice prompts about exits and lane guidance to work just fine there and I was able to navigate around easily despite not being familiar with those cities.

"honestly, a new Garmin bought today is WAY more advanced that a 5 year old Tom Tom, you really cant compare them. The software on the new units is pretty amazing, compared to the old stuff"
Agreed there, technology changes quickly and usually drops in price, for instance the camera on my S7 phone takes better pics that a digital camera that we bought 5-7 years ago. Most phones have gps pps that are pretty decent. My phone gps is fine but I do prefer a large screen and I would probably get a GPS with a 7 inch screen instead of a 5 inch even if it cost $50.00 or so more. Our Tuscon has an 8 inch screen built in, but when we travel far away we usually take the Sonata or rent a new vehicle. i never really use the NS on our Tuscon since it never travels anywhere but Lincoln and Omaha and we do not need the GPS, do like the 8 inch screen though.
 
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I stopped messing with them in the age of large data plans and waze.

My only experience with Tom Tom was a poor one. I updated my lifetime unit once, and it bricked the unit.

I sent it back to them, and got another unit, and a few years later tried to update that, again it bricked it.

That was the last GPS I purchased, just went with cell phone after that.
 
My TOM TOM has free updates for 5 years now.. still free..

Call them I bet they get it fixed.
 
Call or email them. My updates stopped working, so I sent an email. They apologized, and said it was a problem with their server that caused many people to lose their Free Updates status. They flipped a switch, and I'm back to free updates.
 
Thanks, I probably will not mess with connecting the device and downloading the Tom Ton installation software to do it anymore, I figure the maps, even though old are probably accurate enough for the places I travel to anymore and if I need verification on a map I have my phone apps as a backup. Do plan on driving from Lincoln to West Point NY next June for nieces graduation,and we will likely just buy a new GPS as they are cheap enough anymore and our Tom Tom is at least 4-5 yrs old.
 
I am confused. Has Tom Tom stopped supporting the device altogether or now making you pay for an update? I could understand the former as no device maker can be expected to support a device for time and eternal and "lifetime" would mean so long as the device is supported. If the latter and they still support if but now making you pay, I can see being [censored] on this.
 
Well on my particular Tom tom GPS, when i went to try a map update, I I had never done one before I followed the directives in the manual downloaded their installation software then hooked up the device as directed and it looked like it was downloading then after a few minutes a big red message appeared stating that this device is past the time table for lifetime map updates. of course then a box came up that stated I could purchace map updates.
apparently the lifetime for free map updates is 4 years. I just wish that they would be upfront with that instead of being deceptive and lying. False advertising really. However even with old maps it will probably work just fine for me since I only use GPS as a backup. I did extensive driving in major cities long before GPS became big. Just studied Rand McNally maps and was aware of signs and exits and such.
As far as TOM Ton , yes after 4 years they still support it if you buy maps. Not sure what maps updates would cost and dont care, I wont be buying any. For me the gps with old maps probably have not changed much if at all for the places I go to.Plus I am starting to like my phone apps a lot more. i do like the large screen that a gps offers though over a small phone screen. Anyway I was more peeved at the way they weaseled out of a lifetime update. I did a google search last night on Tona Tom lifetime and there are many complaints from consumers having the same issue. so it is a wide spread issue. However a GPS even with old maps is good enough for me most of the time as I rarely need a gps. Tom Tom GPS works fine and does what it is supposed to do and i am used to the interface and various map views and voice commands and I expect i will still use it and get to destinations just fine. But I was a bit peeved about their lifetime update and I am nowhere near alone as i discovered many online complaints about that issue.
 
Did you call them?

I would give them the chance to make it right before going on and on about it.
 
Originally Posted By: BJD78

My main beef is that as a consumer is that when a company like Tom Tomm states that a product gets FREE Lifetime maps then that should be FREE lifetime maps( as long as the consumer owns the device) That does not seem unreasonable as a consumer to expect that, fine print be [censored]. Basically they pull a switcharoo and define lifetime as less (4) years, but that is unknown to the consumer and deceptive. I will be [censored] if I will pay for maps when they were not upfront with me. My phone maps are always updated so I can use this GPS for a long time and verify the roads with my phone as needed. I suppose. I did use it just last year on a trip to Santa Monica, the road guidance was fine though a few busineses were out of date, but my phone had those correct.



Ummm .. well, TOMTOM are in their legal rights, it is disclosed and your job to read the fine print.

With that said, I do agree with you and why TOMTOM is a product to avoid at all costs, it just shows you they are slime [censored] garbage company, its why they have always been second rate to Garmin.
 
Well, The I have never used a Garman and Tom tom has worked fine when I used it on trips, so No I did not learn the "hard way" just that the way they imply that they have lifetime updates and then one finds out that it is not so is deceptive if not an outright lie. Of course these companies cover themselves legally with fine print gobbdlygook that no one actually reads anyway.

Still it works fine and for my purposes a map update is not an issue for the most part, but companies should be clear about their products. Now many companies of all kinds do the same thing cable companies like Time Werner and Charter, cell phone plans, auto /home / health insurance and lots of companies sell the product and then the consumer finds out that they do not honor a warranty or a claim or the price goes up with extra fees etc. sadly many companies pull that kind C**p. I probably will not buy another GPS .. just use my phone and a good old fashion Rand McNally road Atlas.
 
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