These days there seem to be many more refurbished sat nav devices available for sale. A number of online stores have them on offer with large discounts and it seems that they are certainly becoming a popular option. I did a search for a refurbished TomTom GPS and found that there were a range of different models offered for sale through different vendors.
Many people are dubious about buying a refurbished sat nav. Are they right to be cautious? What should they be looking for if they do decide to purchase a refurbished GPS?
What Is A Refurbished GPS?
A refurbished GPS is just that. A sat-nav device that has had some work done. It may have undergone some sort of repair or had a part replaced. Perhaps the screen was badly scratched and therefore it required replacing. Or it may simply have had its internal battery replaced. Either way, the GPS will have had the initial problem resolved. It will also have undergone a series of further tests to ensure that it’s now functioning correctly. These stringent tests are similar to the ones carried out by the manufacturers at the time of production. All sat-nav units undergo a quality control review prior to leaving the manufacturing floor on their way to a store near you.
Provided you have purchased from a reputable dealer, a refurbished GPS should work straight out of the box with no issues.
Why Buy A Refurbished TomTom GPS? 
There are a number of reasons as to why anyone would want to buy a refurbished device. You may however rest assured that the main reason for anyone buying a refurbished model is because of the price. They are nearly always far cheaper than buying a brand new device – in fact, they can be up to 50% cheaper than the equivalent brand new model.
When you buy a refurbished model they should also come with a warranty. This warranty probably won’t be as long as the warranty you’d get with a brand new device. It will however provide peace of mind in case of an issue further on down the line.
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- Discounted Price
- Works Straight Out Of The Box
- Fully Reconditioned Models
- Comes With A Warranty
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- It May Be An Older Model
- May Be Missing Parts
- Be Careful Of Where You Purchase
- May Have Minor Imperfections On The Rear
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Helpful Advice
If you are going to take the plunge and buy a refurbished GPS make sure you use our checklist.
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- Make sure your device comes with all of its cables, adaptors, etc
- Don’t worry too much about the manual – these can be downloaded from the manufacturers or alternatively – Check Out Where To Get Some Popular Manuals Here
- Make sure it’s a “Factory Refurbished” model and not a “refurbished” or “store refurbished” GPS. This will ensure that it has undergone the same level of strict testing as the newer devices before they leave the factory
- Buy from a reputable dealer and check their terms of sale – can you return it easily?
- Can you update the maps? This only really applies to some of the older models. Nowadays you’ll be using Garmin Express or TomTom Home/ My Drive and therefore it’ll be done automatically via your computer.
- Make sure you only purchase a recognized brand – other brands will not have the same longevity and map support
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Use the link below to head over to Amazon where you can save up to 50% on TomTom sat-nav refurbs. They have all the major brands – TomTom, Garmin, Magellan, etc – so what are you waiting for? 😉
Go To Amazon Refurbished Store
Hi, Thanks for the advice I was not aware of many things. Like refurbished by the shop or by the manufacturer. I went to the amazon website, and have seen some nice refurbished GPS devices, but do you know how I can find out who did the refurbishing on amazon ?
Hi Robert,
If you were on Amazon I would recommend that you purchase those that are “Certified Refurb” or “Certified Refurbished”. This is usually stated in the title or at the very least in the summary description.
As an example take a look at this Garmin nuviCam for sale on Amazon. This has been repaired and tested by Garmin to work like new. The price on this particular unit isn’t the best, but there are certainly keener priced devices available on there.
Hope this helps,
Dylan
Hi Dylan,
I’ve seen a number of refurbished TomTom Go 510s for sale. These are current models but they state that as part of the refurbishment process updated maps aren’t available. What have they been doing to render the lifetime map updates useless?
Thanks, Lee
Hi Lee,
It all depends on the device and what features were included when it was originally purchased.
If the GPS includes Lifetime Map Updates then you should be able to access the updates. The Lifetime Map Updates stays with the device and not the owner. Therefore, if you pass your GPS onto someone else or buy a refurbished model you should still be able to access the quarterly updates.
TomTom state that “Lifetime Maps will be transferred to the new user if the device is passed on or sold.”
If the GPS is an older device then the ‘updated maps’ is a guarantee for when you first purchase the device. You’ll be able to connect the sat nav to your computer and ensure that you have the latest version. Perhaps this is the problem you have seen?
Please let me have the details of the offer you have found so that I may investigate further for you.
Many thanks
Dylan