Had watch about 8 month and used it 3 to 4 times a week for marathon training. Watch stopped working. Contacted Garmin and they said send it back . They are replacing it with a refurbished one, which I can live with but they say its only has a 90 day warranty or the remainder of my old watch warranty which is about 110 days. It had to break in the first 90 days to get a new one. It should at least have a 1 year warranty if they stand by there product. In the email they describe how good the refurbished watch is checked and then only give a 90 day warranty. In 4 month it could fail again and I would be without a watch and $200 and no recourse. Anyone dealt with Garmin warranty issues?
Giving a one-year warranty for your purchase is standing by its product, irrespective of whether it replaces your device with a brand new one or a refurbished one to see out the warranty period if you made one or more warranty claims during that year. It means the company is prepared to wear the financial risk arising from its product not being (or remaining) fit for purpose, for an entire year from your date of purchase, i.e. your having spent money (with inherent consumer risk) and entered into a one-off commercial arrangement with the company in regard of the product.
Furthermore, the policy is that if a replacement is issued towards the end of the one-year warranty period, the replacement unit will be additionally subject to its own warranty period of 90 days, to avoid the situation where the customer is (inadvertently or otherwise) sent a dud on Day‑362 with no recourse.
Standing by its product does not mean allowing you, the customer, to make the rules or otherwise impose your views and personal values on the company's policies. That is simply not your place. You also have no inherent entitlement to a brand new unit; replacement under warranty generally has a minimum standard (in many cases, as governed by applicable consumer law) of being like for like, so it is at the company's sole discretion and not your call to make whether you get a new unit or a refurbished one eight months into your original warranty period.
You are no worse off materially, or are not otherwise disadvantaged, whether the original unit you purchased stopped working on Day‑367 from your date of purchase, or get a brand new unit on Day‑255 as replacement under warranty only to have it stop working on Day‑367, or get a refurbished unit as replacement under warranty only to have it stop working on Day‑367.
Your personal preferences are irrelevant in this matter.
