It's not that Garmin doesn't want you to upgrade to have the V5.0 & greater capabilities(there's no such policy)... Instead, it's because your unit physically won't allow it due to hardware differences between the 2 versions of units. Garmin has had 2 different versions of the same model before, only because of hardware differences and Garmin willingness to give additional features to a unitthat wasn't originally designed to have them.

The only guarenteed option you have isexchanging your "Used" unit for a "New" unit. Even sending the unit in for repair wouldn't 100% gaurentee it being exchanged with a newer version either since all the units are overhauled and returned to service regardless of the version.

Even though I personally don't think any company should "have" to do that especially since it was never advertised as so.., you're right in that it never hurts to ask though... justthought I'd give my2 cents..