jmattis@attglobal.net wrote:
> The whole DVD thing is a rip-off. $200+ makes $3 a gallon look very
> reasonable.
>
> I just bought a newly-released Garmin c530 nav unit for $493 shipped.
> It has version 8 maps (from the same vendor the automakers use) which
> was just released 2 months ago and seems very up to date, even though
> there's been a lot of construction in Dallas/Ft.Worth. The update
> costs $75 to download every 12-18 months if you want.
>
> Hmmm. If a download costs $75, there's no excuse for a mailed DVD to
> cost more than $80.

Corrections: Garmin's NEW pricing policy of $75 per update applies to
both the download (which you apparently need for the C530)as well as the
DVD's which they mail out for those of use with 2610's and Quest units.
Last year's update cost me, I think, $129.

They just e-mailed me to let me know they are available. They send me
the DVD for free and then I pay them the fee when I unlock the DVD to my
units. Incidentally, unless they changed their policy with this price
drop, each unlock code can be used to update TWO separate Garmin GPS units.