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Garmin vs Garmin
Over the past year I have owned 5 Garmin nuvi GPS units, a 755T, a 260W refurbished, a 255W, a 780, and a 260W new. Except for two, the 780 and the 260W, all have been returned.
After borrowing a family members Garmin 260W to use on a trip that took me through a major city, I decided to purchase a Garmin GPS for myself. Instead of buying a 260W I opted to purchase a more feature rich model. The model I chose was the Garmin nuvi 755T with advanced lane assist, FM transmitter, and a few other features I thought might be beneficial. The first time I tested the nuvi 755T I was a little disappointed. The city where we live is not small, but apparently not large enough to take advantage of advanced lane assist or some of the other (expensive) features of the 755T. Also, the advanced lane assist is a visual aid, and I find that I rely more on the spoken directions than onscreen directions. All the Garmin models I've used assist you in lane choice with spoken directions and I've found that's all I need. The FM transmitter of the 755T allows you to run the Garmin voice through your car's speakers. This was also a let down. To use this feature you have to select an unused FM channel full of static noise then tune the Garmin to that channel. To hear the Garmin I had to turn the speakers up fairly loud. Unfortunately the connection between the GPS and the radio is not always 100% and the static noise in the background fades in and out in a rather annoying manner. I decided not to use it as the built-in speaker in the 755T was adequate. Back to the store went the 755T. I saw no reason to pay for features that were either unavailable in my area, or ones that we would never use. Unsure of what model to buy next I went with a Garmin model I had used before and purchased a refurbished Garmin nuvi 260W. A 2000 mile trip out west was the perfect time to test the Garmin 260W. Although it is a basic model no longer promoted by Garmin, this GPS offered everything I needed. My only complaint about this particular 260W was that at times it took 15 - 20 minutes for the unit to get a lock on the satellite. If I remembered to turn it on in advance of leaving it wasn't a problem. The Garmin 260W I borrowed from a family member had no problem getting a lock on the satellite. However, from what I've read it is not an uncommon problem with this model. On the positive side, the 260W worked flawlessly on my trip, guiding me through and around many major cities. In the end I just couldn't get used to the slow satellite lock and I returned this GPS as well. Next I purchased a new Garmin nuvi 255W. With HotFix satellite technology I figured locking-on to the satellite wouldn't be a problem, and it wasn't. Within a minute of turning it on it already had a lock on the satellite. So far so good. This time I took the 255W on a road trip to the north on less traveled interstate highways. Unfortunately, within a short time I began to lose faith in this GPS model as well. On the way to the interstate it is necessary to take some smaller two-lane state highways. The Garmin 255W was trying to direct me to a small road several miles past the highway I needed to turn on to get to the interstate. When I turned where I knew I should, not where the Garmin wanted me to, it recalculated time and time again trying to get me back on the road to nowhere. Only when there were no more crossroads did the Garmin grudgingly accept my chosen route and calculate the next turn (onto the interstate). About 1/2 the way to my destination the 255W instructed me to exit the interstate. I knew this was wrong so I checked my map. It turns out the GPS was trying to direct me to a two-lane highway that ran parallel to the interstate. The route didn't appear shorter or faster so I'm not sure why the 255W nuvi thought this was a better route. Regardless, once again I disobeyed the 255W which tried valiantly for miles to get-me back on it's misguided route. I also discovered a difference the 755T and 255W share that the 260W does not - if there are many miles before the next turn the Garmin 260W displays the highway name or number you were currently traveling on (I like this). When you are within several miles of the planned turn or exit, the 260W announces the upcoming turn and the display changes to show turn directions. With both the 755T and the 255W only the next turn is displayed, even if it isn't coming up for another 300 miles. I don't know if this is a changeable option on the 755T and the 255W. If it is I couldn't find it, and Garmin support didn't respond to my question. Back went the 255w. I saw no reason to keep a GPS with newer maps but a worse sense of direction. My next GPS was a Garmin nuvi 780. The 780 offers route planning. I thought that this might be a good feature as it allows you to plan your route in advance and override potential miscalculations by the GPS. The 780 is one of Garmin's older units and lacks HotFix technology, but mine was able to get a fix on the satellite in under a minute. I haven't road trip tested this unit, but short in-town trips have been accurate.
I also purchased a new (not refurbished) Garmin 260W. I know it's an outdated model but it's the model I've enjoyed the most. Though not as fast to lock-on to the satellite as models with HotFix technology, my 260W usually gets a fix in several minutes or less - perfectly acceptable to me.
My Conclusion: Also , if you're like me and you rely on spoken directions more than the onscreen display, you can save money by purchasing a model with a smaller screen. |
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