Bought a Garmin today

[Errtt]

I've run a Garmin for some time. I don't know if they sell it anymore but its a thin one and voice command. I do the map updates about every 3 months. It has served me well. The down side is its traffic reporting feature is not always the best.
My smartphone has Waze and Google. I like the interactive reporting feature on the Waze. Google will display lane preference at times like Garmin, but I don't use the Goggle one much.
I've had times like others mentioned where the cell signal drops, my Garmin kept going.
Waze sometimes wants to take me in strange ways. On the longer trips I'll depend on my Garmin for major routes.
So I guess I run my Garmin and Waze both.
Having 2 GPS units (1 via smartphone), HAM radio, V1 detector, dash cam, I need to start thinking about adding a few more toys one of these days.
I still get the free map updates for the Garmin.

 

[Sayjac]

Congrats. I think you'll find it useful and easy to use, ie. intuitive. I've purchased two Garmins and they are both still working. Gave the older nuvi350 to my daughter. That one didn't come with lifetime maps but I later found a decent deal on LT maps at Best Buy and purchased the key card. Second one came with LT maps as after the first purchase I determined I wouldn't buy GPS another without that feature.

I consider it a helpful tool, but ime having some prior knowledge of the desired route still useful in saving time and distance. But, when that's not practical the Garmin will get the job done.

Make sure you register the unit on the Garmin site, and getting Garmin Express application on your computer helpful in keeping maps and firmware updated.

 

[spasm3]

I think a lot of the units now come with free lifetime updates. I'm curious as to which model the OP chose.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
I think a lot of the units now come with free lifetime updates. I'm curious as to which model the OP chose.


The box says Garmin Drive 51.

 

[Kamele0N]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: Kamele0N
Problem with inbuilt navi systems is that if you want to update your map...

First it cost you too much...

Second....it is too complicated...you often have to visit your dealer for that...

So many people just refuse to update their inbuilt navi systems....and then complain all the time how inaccurate they are

Garmin...you just buy lifetime license and you can do all yourself...


Nope, even people with current maps are complaining about it. Mine also has the current maps and the routing algorithm is bad. I use it sometimes when I forget to bring my phone mount and I'm not going anywhere too complicated.

Oh, I forgot I had a garmin with bluetooth and Nulink. Didn't work right when I got it, bluetooth was flakey and Nulink didn't work right. Also I'm not sure the flakey directions would have improved. It's been a while so maybe if it's gotten better I'll give it another shot. But I think the basic problem was that Garmin didn't have as much traffic data than Google so the traffic on Google is much better.


Thats why garmin has webupdater...or even better garmin express....

Dont underestinate me

Had a nuvi 760 back in 2008....later traded it for better 765 (still have it as my cold reserve)...

I own nuvi 2405 (my go to nuvi when I am on the road)....I have also Oregon450 for biking and mountain hiking

Looking forward to buy fenix 5x some day in a future...(muchos dineros €€€ )

I know how to flash nuvi265 into 465(truck version)...how to support 3D buildings on 765 and some 1xxx series...

And I have explained in "consumer electronics" subforum once how to proceed if your nuvi behaves sluggish....use search function...

I had been driving trough whole EU for almost 2years..from western France to f.... Mandok village in Hungary wich is cca 5kms away from Ukrainian border (will never forget that expirience) ... With maybe 3-4 "incidents" with garmin in these 2 years...


So whenever someone is trying to convince me that garmin is a junk (or ANY OTHER provider such as Navigon TomTom.. iGo) ..I will always say to him/her that he/she is most probably a noob with GPS devices...

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: Kamele0N
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: Kamele0N
Problem with inbuilt navi systems is that if you want to update your map...

First it cost you too much...

Second....it is too complicated...you often have to visit your dealer for that...

So many people just refuse to update their inbuilt navi systems....and then complain all the time how inaccurate they are

Garmin...you just buy lifetime license and you can do all yourself...


Nope, even people with current maps are complaining about it. Mine also has the current maps and the routing algorithm is bad. I use it sometimes when I forget to bring my phone mount and I'm not going anywhere too complicated.

Oh, I forgot I had a garmin with bluetooth and Nulink. Didn't work right when I got it, bluetooth was flakey and Nulink didn't work right. Also I'm not sure the flakey directions would have improved. It's been a while so maybe if it's gotten better I'll give it another shot. But I think the basic problem was that Garmin didn't have as much traffic data than Google so the traffic on Google is much better.


Thats why garmin has webupdater...or even better garmin express....

Dont underestinate me

Had a nuvi 760 back in 2008....later traded it for better 765 (still have it as my cold reserve)...

I own nuvi 2405 (my go to nuvi when I am on the road)....I have also Oregon450 for biking and mountain hiking

Looking forward to buy fenix 5x some day in a future...(muchos dineros €€€ )

I know how to flash nuvi265 into 465(truck version)...how to support 3D buildings on 765 and some 1xxx series...

And I have explained in "consumer electronics" subforum once how to proceed if your nuvi behaves sluggish....use search function...

I had been driving trough whole EU for almost 2years..from western France to f.... Mandok village in Hungary wich is cca 5kms away from Ukrainian border (will never forget that expirience) ... With maybe 3-4 "incidents" with garmin in these 2 years...


So whenever someone is trying to convince me that garmin is a junk (or ANY OTHER provider such as Navigon TomTom.. iGo) ..I will always say to him/her that he/she is most probably a noob with GPS devices...



I still have a Garmin GPS 12. Still handy for hiking on trails, no maps. Got one of the first Streetpilot C320's. I thought they were a bargain at the time when they were under $500 as earlier GPS's were going for $1000. For some reason in the last couple years when they updated their algorithm, it actually made it worse, some of their older models were better. Now it does weird things like tell you to get off the exit and then get back on which would actually slow you down. It's an older model though with current maps, a Nuvi 2597. At one point I used to get a new one every couple of years because it was cheaper than buying the updates, but now that they're free, I kinda stopped and google maps is way better. I usually just punch up all the places I want to go on the computer and then they're in a list of recent locations so I don't even have to type in the location.

Anyway to clarify, the Mercedes built in navigation is worse than Garmin even with current maps. Garmin is better than the built in navigation, but does weird choices, tends to avoid a local parkway route where the speed limit is posted at 30-40, but most people do 50-60 on it. Google maps will take you on it though, Garmin doesn't so Google is better with their navigation and algorithm although once in a while I can get there faster using different local roads.

 

[Kamele0N]

Well it depends wich settings you have...

Newer models have algoritms wich predict where maight be a traffic jam from TMC informations nuvi recived them in the past....or algoritm monitoring your driving habits (even if you are just driving around without a destination)...

I used to turn off this chioces in my settings and voila...my nuvi directions were way better then ever before

Many people tend to update their nuvis with maps with wrong comoression.... They put NTU maps on older nuvis built gor NT maps (or vice versa)....and then routing with such nuvi become disastrous...

Or...they never reset their garmin from time to time(it clears its memory off all the junk)

Or they never clear its GPX folder (the more you travel the more "saturated" that map becomes with yozr data....to the point where garmin can no longer carculate proper routes)

Or when people update their nuvis....they never reset garmin after that....whenever you upload new map...there is always some old data from previous map left behind...and its vice to do that to avoid the future conflicts while routing...

With these little and simple steps your garmin will always work like a champ....

 

[Kamele0N]

Originally Posted By: pkunk
The thing about the Garmin that really shines over a cell phone is the ease of using POIs. When in my motorhome, finding a campsite or nearest gas works so much better. With the cell, I have to use different apps, then input that info into Maps-too complicated and time consuming



POILoader + www.poiplaza.com

 

[NGRhodes]

Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: CKN
Gee.....And I thought those were "yesterdays technology" and GPS programs in cellphones have taken their place.........
As long as you're in the big city they work fine.

I just got back from a 5,000 mile road trip and cell phone reception was very sporadic, and I would have ran through my data plan in no time.



^^^^This.


It is not just the data usage, but signal blackspots, usually not bad if you have the map already loaded, but if happen to be staying in an area with zero phone signal, you are stuck.
There are a number of apps with full offline capability, I use TomTom (which is brilliant in the UK), CoPilot is another I know of. Though Google maps has a clunkly offline implementation (have to download sections of a map at a time).

 

[SHOZ]

I have a Garmin Nuvi 1450 and it has free lifetime updates. Works great, I've had it for years. Much better than a phone.

 

[Kamele0N]

14xx and 24x5 series are amongst best&trouble free nuvis produced...

 

[SHOZ]

Mine fell off the table once with the USB cord attached. It broke the internal connector and I had to send i toff to get fixed.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Mine fell off the table once with the USB cord attached. It broke the internal connector and I had to send i toff to get fixed.


That happened to a previous model of mine, it slid off the dash a few times which stretched the cord a few time and finally it didn't work. I was going to send it in, but they wanted so much to fix it, that it was cheaper just to get a new refurb unit, it was also a way to get new maps.

 

[SHOZ]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Mine fell off the table once with the USB cord attached. It broke the internal connector and I had to send i toff to get fixed.


That happened to a previous model of mine, it slid off the dash a few times which stretched the cord a few time and finally it didn't work. I was going to send it in, but they wanted so much to fix it, that it was cheaper just to get a new refurb unit, it was also a way to get new maps.
Garmin said no repair. I found a place on line and it was $60 with shipping, no fix/no fee.

https://satnavrepairservice.com/

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Mine fell off the table once with the USB cord attached. It broke the internal connector and I had to send i toff to get fixed.


That happened to a previous model of mine, it slid off the dash a few times which stretched the cord a few time and finally it didn't work. I was going to send it in, but they wanted so much to fix it, that it was cheaper just to get a new refurb unit, it was also a way to get new maps.
Garmin said no repair. I found a place on line and it was $60 with shipping, no fix/no fee.

https://satnavrepairservice.com/


I forget what Garmin wanted, either $80-$90 as it was out of warranty. I ended up getting a refurb for around $90 and it was a newer model with current maps so even getting it fixed for $60 isn't worth it. This was before the maps started to be free.