Beware buying Pioneer sat navs!

[Freeley]

Never tried doing a map update for my AVIC-F930BT since I bought it in May 2012, so thought I'd look into it before heading abroad later this year.
I was aware that the updates were prohibitively expensive (£120 in my case) but was delighted to see them being sold on fleabay for approx £20.
I wasn't quite so happy when i realised that it was a 2013 update and that Pioneer stopped supporting my model after that, so it looks like I'm stuck with an increasingly out of date unit or I'll have to replace it with a newer model every two years!
Not what I was planning on when I bought it.

Is this the same with Kenwood et al or is it a Pioneer only trick?

I notice that a lot of the standalone Tom Toms and Garmins have free map updates for life. I was wanting the built in, wire free, OEM look, but it seems as though I might've made the wrong choice again!

 

[jts46]

We have a tom-tom via 135, with free lifetime updates. i was going to have a kenwood or pioneer but a german couple we met 2 years ago had there cali broken into and the unit ripped out of van. At least you can hide a tomtom.

John

 

[Freeley]

Can't believe it but I looked on the Pioneer support page yesterday and they've released a 2015 map update for my model and other older models in the range.
Was so gobsmacked I'd bought it before I had chance to give it due diligence.
At least I'll be able to claim the VAT back.......