Which Garmin should I get?

**TimmyBoston** · 11-27-2008, 07:43 AM

I'm looking for the best bang for the buck Garmin navigation setup...Which one should I get and why?

**Confuzius** · 11-27-2008, 08:03 AM

One of the Nuvi's. I can't personally vouch for them, but over at gizmodo they come highly reccomended:
http://gizmodo.com/5098461/5-gadgets...ey-buying-them

Search around the site for reviews of spesific model numbers.

**TimmyBoston** · 11-27-2008, 08:12 AM

I was looking at the Nuvi 205w in my area, it's on sale for $150, now I've got to do some net searches to know if that's a good price.

**prewt** · 11-27-2008, 08:22 AM

i ordered the garmin Nuvi 350 for my oldest. It was $50 more than the Tom Tom but it talks and has lots of other helpful features. Amazon is almost as bad as Rorschucks House of Decants when it comes to getting my hard stolen $'s.

**MAK** · 11-27-2008, 08:49 AM

All of the Nuvi's are great. The more expensive ones may give you a bigger screen, more points of interests, etc. All of them have the same routing engine.

If you want basic directions the cheap ones work great. If you want fancy stuff (like playing MP3s, etc) go for a more expensive model.

You may also want to consider the Magellan's. They generally are less expensive but they also have very good routing software.

**expatCanuck** · 11-27-2008, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by TimmyBoston

I'm looking for the best bang for the buck Garmin navigation setup...Which one should I get and why?

Get a bottom end nüvi, because better is the enemy of good enough.

We've had either the 200 or its predecessor for just over a year. It does what it's supposed to do, splendidly.

Excellent UI. (This is huge with me - a focus of mine in university, I subsequently developed & taught a college UI Design course.)
If it came with a manual, I've never looked at it. Nor has my better half.

- Richard

**ouch** · 11-27-2008, 10:06 AM

Two years ago, I was ordered to buy a GPS.

I did the most sensible thing possible- I asked Nick. One Nuvi 350 later, and I've been the happiest of campers. Absolutely wonderful device.

I've seen the lower priced Garmins for as little as 80 smackers.

**mankini** · 11-27-2008, 11:11 AM

I pulled the trigger on a Nuvi 760 a few months ago and could not be happier. In fact I got one for my girlfriend as well. I do a tremendous amount of traveling for my job and have been pleased with the ease of use. The points of interest is a great feature I would not skimp on.

One major difference between lower end units and the 760 or others like it besides the beautiful screen is the annunciation of the name of the road/street as you approach it. This can not be overstated especially if you do not know the area. Recently I found myself on a crowded cloverleaf and the nuvi 760 alerted which lane I should be in and how soon my exit would be comming up. Keeping your eyes on the road is paramount.

Time of arrival is a cool feature and I have found it to be very accurate.

I know the price tag is high but once you get used to the extra features that the 760 offers the price becomes secondary.

Whatever you decide you will be pleased especially when your significant other is with you. No more arguments about getting lost...priceless!

**slcsteve** · 11-27-2008, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by mankini

I pulled the trigger on a Nuvi 760 a few months ago and could not be happier. In fact I got one for my girlfriend as well. I do a tremendous amount of traveling for my job and have been pleased with the ease of use. The points of interest is a great feature I would not skimp on.

One major difference between lower end units and the 760 or others like it besides the beautiful screen is the annunciation of the name of the road/street as you approach it. This can not be overstated especially if you do not know the area. Recently I found myself on a crowded cloverleaf and the nuvi 760 alerted which lane I should be in and how soon my exit would be comming up. Keeping your eyes on the road is paramount.

Time of arrival is a cool feature and I have found it to be very accurate.

I know the price tag is high but once you get used to the extra features that the 760 offers the price becomes secondary.

Whatever you decide you will be pleased especially when your significant other is with you. No more arguments about getting lost...priceless!

I have a Nuvi 770 differing only that the 770 has European maps as well as North America. Excellent city maps but really feature overkill. You can't really go wrong with a Garmin. I've also owned a basic TomTom and it did just fine. I'd suggest going to the Garmin site site for model comparisons.

http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/us

**Sabledog** · 11-27-2008, 06:07 PM

Amazon has the Garmin 350 for $150!

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-n%C3%BC...7837333&sr=8-1

I've had the 200-something for a year or so and it's been great! I just ordered the 350 for my mom for xmas.

**D.Irving79** · 11-27-2008, 06:55 PM

my fiancee has been singing that damn holiday-ish garmin song all damn night

**MFS** · 11-27-2008, 09:10 PM

I use the Garmin 350 in the car and the Garmin 430/530 combo in the airplane I fly. All are flawless, and fast. But, I always have my route mapped on a paper map as well as using the GPS. Although Magellan and others like Honeywell build great systems, Garmin is easy to use for those of us who are somewhat technically challenged and most reliable. It is really amazing and satisfying to be flying an approach into an airport in the clouds or fog and that Garmin just lines me up with the runway and then breaking out of the cloud or fog 1000 feet above the ground and there in front is the runway right where it is supposed to be.

**biomesh** · 11-28-2008, 04:59 AM

You can get a Garmin Nuvi 750 at Sams Club or Costco online for $199.

**PedroNavaja** · 11-28-2008, 04:27 PM

I own a Nuvi 350 and it's great.
You can get it at Radio Shack for $160.
You should be able to get the MapSource software and you can plan your waypoints using your computer and download them to the Garmin.

**_JP_** · 11-28-2008, 05:15 PM

The Nuvi models are really great and just the ticket for navigating on roadways.

If you want to hike with a GPS, then I suggest getting a handheld model instead, such as the 60CSx that I have. It is the best all around GPS that I could find that takes care of all of my navigational needs, both on the road and on the trail. The only draw back to it is the smaller screen when compare to a Nuvi.

Whichever type you decide on, check out all of the features and decide which ones are important to you.

**Conrad** · 11-28-2008, 06:15 PM

I have a Nuvi 350 and love it. The only major feature it lacks is bluetooth, but I never really felt I had a need for it. It's an excellent product all around. I love it.

**STAFF** · 11-28-2008, 06:19 PM

Garmin Colorado

I've had 3 nüvi's and numerous others over the years and just love my Colorado 400T. I can use it in and out of the vehicle, boating, geocaching, driving, hiking, you name it.

It's the most versatile and useful GPS I've ever owned.

**prewt** · 11-29-2008, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by Conrad

I have a Nuvi 350 and love it. The only major feature it lacks is bluetooth, but I never really felt I had a need for it. It's an excellent product all around. I love it.

Thats why I went with it. We don't need all of the fancy stuff. Talking directions was the most important feature to me, everything else it had was a bonus. Everything it didn't have was not needed.

**_JP_** · 11-29-2008, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by STAFF

Garmin Colorado

I've had 3 nüvi's and numerous others over the years and just love my Colorado 400T. I can use it in and out of the vehicle, boating, geocaching, driving, hiking, you name it.

It's the most verstatile and useful GPS I've ever owned.

If I had to replace my 60CSx I would seriously consider one of those.

**MFS** · 12-01-2008, 08:42 PM

Check out the January 2009 issue of Consumer Reports regarding their picks for the GPS in the car. Garmin wins it, but they come with advertising now!!