Buyer Beware on Garmin Reactor 40 Autopilot

[Wild Blue]

I purchased a Garmin Reactor 40 "Hydraulic Corepack" for my new to me trawler. The Corepack includes all the control electronics, but not the drive motor. It's a fine A/P system similar to the one I installed on my prior trawler. Since the new boat already has a hydraulic drive motor, I thought "Hydraulic Corepack" was the correct system choice.

Boy I was wrong. Garmin also sells a "Mechanical/Retrofit/Solenoid Corepack" for the same $2050. Unfortunately "Hydraulic Corepack" really means "for GARMIN Hydraulic Drives ONLY." Very misleading and Garmin will NOT exchange my new ECU-10 Unit for the correct GHP-12 ECU supplied with the "Mechanical/Retrofit/Solenoid Corepack".

So I thought I might be one of a handfull that made this mistake until I looked at eBay and found plenty of ECU-10s and no GHP-12 ECU for sale! In fact most online suppliers are currently out of the GHP-12 ECU.

So don't be mislead by "Hydraulic Corepack" name, go with "Mechanical/Retrofit/Solenoid Corepack" for NON-GARMIN hydraulic drives. For only $800 more I was able to get the correct component shipped directly from Garmin.com. Cheers Alex on Wild Blue

 

[BruceK]

I thought Garmin information and advice issues were limited to Australia, seems not. My problem, created by bad advice, was fixed immediately Garmin USA applied a size 12 boot to Garmin Australia`s butt.

 

[boomerang]

Honestly ,there isn't anything too misleading about how Garmin markets their products. Maybe a little confusing but not misleading. I would venture a guess that you purchased the system yourself & bypassed a dealer. Not that there is anything wrong with that, IF you know exactly what you need & are able to spec out something as sophisticated as an autopilot system without the assistance of a dealer or certified installer. I would also guess that the reason that the dealer who sold you the system wont take the corepack back because you had installed it before you realized you ordered the incorrect one & now it's a used part.
If my assumptions are correct, there's really no reason to be upset with their product or company..

 

[Stabi]

Mr Boom, Not really sure where you are coming from or how you can make your "assumptions", my take is that Wild Blue is trying to inform everyone so that they do not make the same mistake. I see it as helpful, not critical, but YMMV

 

[boomerang]

Mr Boom, Not really sure where you are coming from or how you can make your "assumptions", my take is that Wild Blue is trying to inform everyone so that they do not make the same mistake. I see it as helpful, not critical, but YMMV

My assumption was that he installed the part before he figured out he ordered the incorrect one & that's why the dealer wouldn't take it back.

 

[motion30]

My assumption was that he installed the part before he figured out he ordered the incorrect one & that's why the dealer wouldn't take it back.

Your assumption based on what facts?

 

[Codger2]

Human nature being what it is...my assumption is that Boomerang has Garmin on his boat.

 

[tiltrider1]

Thank you for the education Wild Blue. Let’s try to be a friendly forum.

 

[BandB]

Thank you for the education Wild Blue. Let’s try to be a friendly forum.

But lets also tell the whole story and not try to put the blame on the vendor.