Major Price Drop for GPS Units

**jmorton10** · 06-19-2007, 06:13 AM

One other thing I might add is, Garmin has absolutely AWESOME customer service. Garmin`s CS is FAR better than any other GPS manufacturer if that is important to you.

~John

**wifehatescar** · 06-19-2007, 09:04 AM

Sorry if it was covered (too lazy to read all 4 pages), but what would be a good, but cheaper WATERPROOF unit I could use on a motorcycle?

**velobard** · 06-20-2007, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by jmorton10

One other thing I might add is, Garmin has absolutely AWESOME customer service. Garmin`s CS is FAR better than any other GPS manufacturer if that is important to you.

~John

CS may be great, but I`m pretty peeved at the recent change by the corporate muckity-mucks who decided "no free updates...period" with regard to mapping software. Until just a month or so ago if you bought a new Garmin you could download free map updates. They usually come out with a new set once per year and about 10 days ago I received my new Garmin nuvi 680. I was checking some stuff out about it online in one of the GPS forums and discovered that at the same time I received mine with version 8 software, new units are shipping with 2008 (version 9) software but if I want it I`ll have to pay the full ~$70 upgrade fee. They told me there`s no way to know which I have until I take the unit out and turn it on. I did learn on the GPS forum that the version 8 models apparently have a small "v8" printed next to the UPC barcode, but that doesn`t help when you`re ordering online.

I bought mine from Sams Club online and I called their CS to explain my problem. I told them I`d rather not put this in their lap by returning this unit so I can have the current mapping software (there`s a lot of road construction around here, so it matters), but I don`t have much choice. It would be cool if Walmart could apply some pressure to Garmin to get some sort of concession.

**BlackElantraGT** · 08-04-2007, 04:45 PM

If anyone is looking into buying a Garmin Nuvi, one must have item that I highly recommend a Nuvi owner to get is their friction mount, seen here:

Amazon.com: Garmin Portable Friction Mount for Nuvi, StreetPilot I Series & C530, C550 (010-10908-00): Electronics

I got mine from Best Buy in store because a few weeks back it was on sale for $29.99, plus I had a $5 rewards coupon to use, but Amazon`s price is really nice, especially considering free shipping is included and you don`t have to pay tax, not to mention they`re reputable to deal with.

I`ve had my Nuvi 660 since Xmas and what you will eventually deal with is a problem with the suction windshield mount that comes with the unit. It will eventually not hold its suction and the rubber leaves behind a baked on ring on your windshield that is quite difficult to remove completely.

I believe it`s a design flaw, and according to other posts I`ve read it seems that Garmin`s customer service also acknowledges the problem too because they will send you a new suction mount if you call. The problem though, is that it will begin failing again.

For many months I was dealing with licking the rubber suction or applying 50/50 ipa to help the mount stick, only for it to fall off during driving or fall out by the next time I got in the car. The longest it would stay on the windshield was less than 24 hours.

The only regret I have now is not buying this product sooner. If you looked at the Amazon link I posted, you will see that out of 73 reviews, it has an amazing 5 star rating. One reviewer had a really good comment about how having a windshield mount just attracts unwanted attention. Even if you hide your nav in your glovebox, the thief will just assume correctly that you`re hiding it there. And if you happen to take your nav with you everywhere, then the thief would have still broken into your car.

With the friction mount, when I get out of the car, I simply put the mount on the floor, or my center console. It also hides my iPod from view because often times I`m too lazy to hide my iPod. Unless someone were to come up to your car and start peeking around, they wouldn`t be able to tell just by looking at your windshield whether you were hiding something valuable or not.

Plus, part of the benefit of having a portable nav is being able to use it from car to car. It`s much easier to just place the friction mount on any dashboard and go, versus getting the windshield suction mount to stick correctly, and then deal with having to clean off the windshield once you remove it.

Also, keep in mind that in California it`s illegal to mount a navigation to your windshield so by using this you`re abiding by the law.

I know this posts sounds like a freaking advertisement LOL, but I`m in no way affiliated with Garmin, Amazon, or Best Buy (unless you want to count the time I worked as Xmas help years ago.) I wanted to post this because of the frustrations I had for many months dealing with the original suction mount and I know if someone else has a Nuvi out there, most likely they`re experiencing this same problem. Save the time and headache and just buy the $30 friction mount. You won`t regret it.

BTW, I was skeptical as to how the friction mount could stay on your dashboard. It does not slide at all and I`ve taken some fairly sharp turns in the car. The only downside to this product, is that it`s slightly bulky but I really do not think that will stop anyone from liking and using this type of mount instead.

**imported_Denzil** · 08-05-2007, 07:24 AM

BlackElantraGT - Thanks for the suggestion. While I don`t have a Garmin yet, I will definitely consider this when I purchase mine! :p

**BlackElantraGT** · 08-05-2007, 07:58 AM

I hesitated for years about getting a nav because I figured I didn`t have a use for it since I normally just drive around town, but now I take it with me even if it`s just to do a quick errand around town. If this hadn`t been a Xmas gift, I still would have been too cheap spending that kind of money on myself but it`s been one of the best (material) gift my wife has given me. It`s so nice being able to just go anywhere I want without having to go online to mapquest to print out directions, which I hated because it always wasted that one extra sheet of paper to print stupid, useless info.

The handiest feature for me is the Bluetooth function and I`m not even a big talker on the phone! I have it connect to my wife`s phone when we`re in the car, but if she`s not with me, it`ll connect with my phone. There are separate bluetooth add-on`s you can put in your car that costs more $300 sometimes, and the bluetooth function in the Nuvi can do anything those units do, except better. If your car doesn`t have bluetooth yet, I highly recommend spending a little extra for this function.

My wife got me the Nuvi 660 from Sam`s Club. Their prices are some of the best I`ve seen for both the 660 and the 680 (same as 660, except has MSN Direct for gas prices, movie times, weather, etc.) Costco had a coupon deal not long ago that was really good too: $500 for the 660 IIRC?

The nice part about Sam`s Club is the fact that you have an unconditional guarantee and can take it back in a few years if it`s acting up. Costco has started to change their return policy, so I don`t know if nav units are covered under their unconditional guarantee or not. Personally, I`ve returned a few items that were a couple of years old that broke down and I felt guilty as hell, as if I was ripping the company off, even though my return was legitimate and covered under their policy. No hassles ever, besides trying to look up the purchase in the system.

It sucks that they took that away because I`ve been looking to buy a digital SLR and I`d prefer to buy it from Costco, but now I`ll end up getting it from Sam`s Club. You can always find products cheaper than the warehouse clubs but when you buy from the warehouse clubs you have the satisfaction of knowing they`ll take care of you if/when something goes wrong. If anyone has purchased add`l warranty from Best Buy/Circuit City, etc. they probably know the hassle of trying to get items fixed/replaced in a timely manner.

**atticdog** · 08-08-2007, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by TigerMike

Well, after exhaustive research (almost obsessive research, lol), I ordered my new TT One today, got it for $279. I hope I made the right decision on this unit, but I think it will make a fine "first" GPS device. I am still watching prices on the Garmin Nuvis though, and may purchase one of those in the future if the prices drop to my satisfaction. I still think the Nuvis are way overpriced, but that`s me. I`m curious if I`ll get one of the newest One`s with the Hammerhead chip, instead of the famed SiRF Star III, and the latest set of map updates...we`ll see. With an upcoming trip to Disney in a few weeks, I think the One will be very handy!

I would like to get the voice of Darth Vader on my One

, but I`m a bit afraid of completely screwing it up...:nervous2:

How do you like the tomtom one?

I looking to get a gps for my inlaws for their 35th anniversary.

**Fillet1970** · 08-08-2007, 11:18 PM

As a Garmin NUVI user, I got my free upgrade to City Navigator NT 2008. I called Garmin (yes you will have to wait in queue for a while), and spoke with CS.

2008 has been installed into new units for a while....then Garmin was providing updates for the dealers (I think last month)... and recently they made it available for users.

Garmin will provide a free upgrade if you provide your POP and if the purchase was made within the last 60-90 days. One thing about Garmin, they don`t have a solid policy in this area. A co-worker of mine had a hard time.... and he puchased it 60 days ago....For me, with a little patience, my 100 day + purchase was ok. Work with the CS...if you have to escalate it (I don`t know if a discounted detail bribe will work ).

My 2 cent prediction: AIOs, faster CPU, 4"+ wide screen (touch screen), better battery life, larger hard drive, BT....will drive the price down for alot of current units. Until we see market saturation....overpriced NUVIs will slowly come down.

**BlackElantraGT** · 08-09-2007, 12:44 AM

I`ve also heard of conflicting stories about getting the 2008 upgrade and like you said, they`ve been back and forth on what their policy is. Mine is more than the 60-90 days so I can`t complain about not getting an upgrade. That`s where BitTorrent will come in handy

Hopefully a "generous" person will "contribute" soon.

And like you mention, portable nav will only get cheaper. My prediction is that they`ll be one of the hottest sellers this Xmas season. If an iPhone did navigation, that would just be the ultimate device to have.

**Fillet1970** · 08-09-2007, 01:14 AM

Just a little tip for you BlackElantraGT...I got my NUVI in March. Those guys at the Garmin call centre get alot of calls.....empathize them, treat them like one of the guys, understand the BS they go through and the guy just might do something for you. Like on the GPS forums, it`s true....their policy....inconsistent, so give it a try. I did one phone call followed with two "buisness standard follow-ups"....I didn`t get an email reply, but got it from UPS yesterday. My co-worker took the "escalate to supervisor" approach and got his through that channel.

Atticdog....TomTom One is pretty cool. The GUI is not bad and it`s an excellent value...I tried my buddy`s and it was easy to use. I went with Garmin because I prefer the Navtec mapping over TomTom`s TeleAtlas, Text-to-Voice feature and Garmins long term presence. The mapping capabilities and updates were important to me, and Navteq is unbeatable in that area (in my opinion). Good news for Tom-Tom...with their TeleAtlas purchase, it should be good current TomTom owners (improved map updates)

**TigerMike** · 08-09-2007, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by atticdog

How do you like the tomtom one?

I looking to get a gps for my inlaws for their 35th anniversary.

I really like the TT1! I took it with me on a trip to Orlando and back (Memphis area) and it performed absolutely flawlessly. I carried paper maps just in case, but never even laid a finger on them the whole time. I really like the screen interface and the way it zooms the screen for turns and complex intersections. That is extremely helpful. Also, when we were in Orlando, we wanted to go out and grab some Mexican (tired of Disney food! lol), and the TT was able to point us directly to a popular dining spot only a few miles from where we were. I would likely have never been able to do that on my own.

Overall, the TT really gives me a big boost of confidence in new cities or areas of town I`m unfamiliar with. It will get me there and back with no problems or fuss. It has made venturing out and exploring so much easier. With the new TeleAtlas updates, I haven`t yet noticed any situation where it has seemed out of date.

The only thing I would really love to have on the One is the speech capability, like the Nuvi 350. Even though I was definitely able to navigate without the speech, it would make things easier, and I probably wouldn`t have to rely as heavily on the map screen while driving. I will likely get a Nuvi too in a few months, just to have as a backup and for its own POI list.

With the TT1`s going for $249 now, it`s easily one of the best for the price. I would highly recommend them! If you can/want to spring for more, the $360 Nuvi 350 is a screaming buy as well.

Regards,

Mike

**atticdog** · 08-09-2007, 05:29 PM

Thanks for your input!

Im looking to get a gos for my parents and inlaws

I have a Garmin 2610 and the can be bought refurbished now for around $200

Im looking to spend under 300

I know there are easier units to use than the 2610 but it still works so well and for the price its hard to beat

**chris dee** · 09-29-2007, 04:47 PM

I gott pick up one of these. tom tom where can i get one? lol

**BlackElantraGT** · 09-29-2007, 05:41 PM

Being that Xmas is right around the corner, and new units being released for the upcoming holiday season, I`m going to guess you`ll start to see some even better deals. Personally, I wouldn`t buy an older model, refurbished one for $200 considering you can pick a brand new one up for not much more. The newer units will probably also be a lot more user friendly.

Costco sent me their Oct. coupon book and they have the new Garmin Nuvi 250W for $299 after $100 off. Not bad for a portable unit with a 4.3" widescreen. I don`t know if this is necessarily the best deal or not, but I can always buy something from Costco or Sam`s Club and know that I didn`t overpay for it.

I love my 660, but it`s still not perfect. They recently released the 760, which addresses a lot of the shortcomings of the 660, such as multi-segment routing. I do deliveries for my father-in-law`s/wife`s Avon business and the ability to calculate multiple routes based on the addresses inputed would come in really handy.

**TigerMike** · 10-03-2007, 07:34 AM

It will be interesting to see how the GPS market shakes out now that Garmin missed the opportunity to acquire NAVTEQ, and Nokia got them instead. I would like to have a Garmin unit as a backup to my TomTom One, but I wonder how Garmin products may be affected in the future by the deal, i.e. lower quality due to higher costs, not as robust map sharing develpoment, etc...