Garmin GPS Receiver

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Silver) (Electronics)

I have used Garmin products before and like the reliability and performance. This unit works very well and in addition a great value price wise. The touch screen works perfectly – no more hassling with non-user friendly buttons. Very easy to navigate the GUI and always seems to find a signal quickly. Routes seem to work well for me (have had it for 2 weeks so not fully tested on routing). Voice prompts are functional and options exist for different languages – I like using the English accent voice. Another great benefit is the size – no external antenna and a small thin unit with a big screen (big enough for me)very well packaged. You could carry it around for hikes or biking as it has that mode and can easily fit into a pocket. All in all I’m very satisfied and use it every day for business because it saves me time and money.

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Silver) (Electronics)

First off, I bought this as a convenience, not a necessity. I used to use those book type detailed maps and when it was time to replace it for around fifty bucks, I decided to pay about ninety more and get all of the convenience GPS units offer. I hated trying to follow roads from page to page on those book maps. Plus, I only got one metro area for my money.
For the money I can’t complain too much. The June, 2008 Consumer Reports came out two weeks after my purchase and I would refer you to that issue for a detailed review of all the top brands on the market.
What I don’t like about this unit is that roughly half the time I think there are better routes to take. I was hoping it would take into account peak commute times when calculating Fastest Route. I mean it’s not the fastest route if it takes you through bottle necks during traffic times. I’m not saying it should have built in traffic alerts. That is a subscription service, but it should at least be smart enough to identify bottle necks and calculate speed as a combination of time and speed limits. It calculates everything as if you are the only one on the road. And in Atlanta you cannot drive like that. There are so many times that navigating to a freeway is not the best option. So, you could tell it to do the Shortest Route, but that is the other extreme. It may have you do some crazy maneuvering just to save a few feet in distance.
Secondly, when I know I don’t like the route it has chosen I tell it to detour. It gives me another route and that is it. If I tell it to detour again, it only goes back to its original route. Very frustrating. Now if I was in unfamiliar territory I suppose it would get me to my destination without getting lost and I would be none the wiser for taking a stupid route. But in my testing of my area, the problem is that I have not built a great deal of confidence in this thing.
CR rated this one with less than average routing, but if you were to get one of the upgraded models, the routing is above average. So, I can’t justify the extra money, but it may be worth it to you.
ONE LAST THING…..IMPORTANT. I just called Garmin support, which was very fast and helpful btw, and they let me know that a new 2009 North America map was available for my unit that I just bought. It came with 2008 maps, which I assumed was current, but I am eligible for a free download until June 1, 2008. When you register your product online with Garmin, it asks you for the units serial number and then tells you what updates are available. I’m in the process of upgrading and am very pleased to get the most current maps for free. After June 1st you will have to pay for the same map.

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Silver) (Electronics)

I bought my 250 just before we left on a month long trip through the southern US. It performed well. I loved the small size and portability. It was amazingly sensitive and able to pick up satellites even on the ground floor of a two story house. We were able to find a Thai restaurant close to where we were staying in Forth Worth using the POI. DFW freeways are confusing but the 250 did its job. There is a learning curve on using it. If you are in an off map location like a parking lot, be sure to drive a short distance so that the GPS can determine where you are before you make any turns. I ended up spending 5 minutes getting back on route. I turned before the GPS knew what direction I was headed and I got off track. Also, you should know that roads change all the time. In the month we were on the road we used it every day. 3 or 4 times we drove through new construction and the GPS showed us driving through the fields. When we got through the construction the GPS had us back on the map. I looked at the fancier Garmins and decided that I really did not need all the bells and whistles that they offered. My former navigator, my wife, says that the 250 has paid for itself are ready by lowering her stress level. We never argue about directions anymore.

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Silver) (Electronics)

I now have two of these units for the family cars. Love ‘em! They’re very intuitive to use – even my wife was able to work it with hardly any coaching. No sooner had the units arrived in early October, then I got free upgrades to City Navigator v8 from Garmin. The touchscreen works quite well. The voice is clear and plenty loud (I have mine set at 50% volume). And the unit is small (thin) enough to slip easily into a pocket if you have to.

Garmin has mastered the window mount hardware – it works just like a rear-view mirror for adjustability – and it’s solid.

Haven’t used it much with the battery – it’s normally plugged into the car lighter – so I have no input on battery life, but it’s certainly a handy option to have. You can take it in the house and do your address entry in comfort.

If you’re looking for something super-sophisticated with Bluetooth, an MP3 player, and “turn left at Main Street”, you’ll want to go to one of the higher level Nuvi’s. The 250 tells you to “turn left”, just not the street name.

If the 250 were waterproof and a little more shock-resistant, I’d get one for the motorcycle too (went to the Zumo instead).

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Silver) (Electronics)

I had a TomTom Go Classic that went kaput. I paid about $600 for it. This Nuvi 250 was about half that but, it has some shortcomings when compared to the old TomTom. For one, the voice is unnatural and tinny by comparison. I miss having the compass and the turning arrow on the screen. The maps and POIs seem a few years out of date but that was also a problem with the TomTom. There do not seem to be any free map updates available. It came with no case, A/C charger or a wire for connecting to the computer. The TomTom Go classic came with everything including maps on CD. All maps on the Nuvi are pre-loaded and aside from storing photos, I cannot figure out what the SD card slot is for. The manual does not explain much. The windshield mount is solid but short, and places the this device farther away from the driver than the old TomTom mount did. It takes 2 hands to remove the device from the holder unles you want to risk breaking the suction.

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Silver) (Electronics)

Does this model have all sorts of nice features like traffic monitoring and bluetooth compatibility, no. Does it get the job done and easy to use, yes. If you’re looking for a solid entry level GPS with a nice price point, this is a good model.

It has a comprehensive locations database including hotels, landmarks, gas, etc. Searching it can be a little bit of a pain, but it does get the job done. Takes a little while to get its position when you boot but I haven’t lost signal on the road unless I was in a garage or tunnel or something.

The voice isn’t bad and handy too.

I’d recommend this if you weren’t looking for all the bells and whistles.

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Silver) (Electronics)

I echo most of the comments already mentioned under this 3 star rating category.

Firstly, my experience is the flimsy metal power/screen lock switch hidden under the gray plastic lever. If you expose the unit to impact or vibrations, eventually the weakest 2 of the 4 point connections to the circuit board will shear off.

The metal switch assembly under the slider will pivot away from the board losing it’s tongue-and-groove connection with the slider. The slider will not be able to grab the switch assembly to power off the unit. You would have to use the vehicle’s DC cord to power off the unit when you turn off the vehicle’s ignition.

I don’t recommend it, but if you have to repair the switch, you will have to remove the adhesive serial number label to expose 2 T5 Torx screws. The problem will then be trying to open the case. If you use too much force, you risk permanently damaging the 2 short clear sticky tape wiring harnesses which connect the LCD to the circuit board. Your unit will then be worthless.

Secondly, since the wiring harness from the LCD is cheap sticky tape, leaving the unit in a boiling hot or frosty cold vehicle is definitely not recommended. The adhesive will dry up, disconnecting the harness from the circuit board contacts rendering the LCD screen useless. So, follow the instruction manual on the temperature tolerances of the unit on this one.

Thirdly, the battery is encased by a metal cover secured with more fasteners. You must remove the case in order to replace the battery yourself. To repeat, doing so may permanently damage the unit. When the battery dies outside of the 1 year warranty, you may as well recycle and buy another one. Garmin will charge at least $125 (shipping and handling included) for out of warranty repairs. Basically, it’s like a $50 dvd player. If it dies, buy another one. But, in the case of the Nuvi 250, it’s $219. A lot of money.

UPDATE March 19, 2008: I have added a labeled photo showing the inside of a damaged Garmin Nuvi 250.

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Silver) (Electronics)

I had this for a few months now, used in MA, DC and around Dallas. Before this I was using my LG 8500′s (Chocolate cell phone) GPS feature and loved it, except that I had to pay monthly fee and it used up my air time. The major difference I found between the two was the time it took to acquire the satellites; especially when used in a new location. It has been a few times the Nuvi 250 took more than 5 minutes to lock on; the weather was good and I was not in the woods or blocked by buildings; I wasn’t patient enough to wait so I just start driving, and eventually it came back to life. The Nuvi 250 usually won’t take more than 30 secs to find the satellites but it was very annoying when it got lost.

Another thing I found is that the Points of Interest search was slow and the database does not seem as complete as my cell’s. I was just searching for Staples around Concord, MA and it missed the closest one found by my cell. Obviously the data was downloaded to my cell on the fly so it has the advantage of being more up-to-dated and can potentially be more complete.

Other than those I found the Nuvi 250 to be useful; just need to turn it on ahead of time.

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (English/French Version) (Electronics)

I ordered the Nuvi 250 two weeks ago. Quick satellite aquisition, signal lost in tunnels, picked up at end of tunnel. Well designed windshield mount. Does all of the basics well. A little slow searching for restaurants by name. Good battery life, if you don’t like to use the cigarette lighter. The smaller screen is better for city walking tours because it fits easier in a pocket. Smaller screen also blocks less view on the windshield. Love the unit, great price. Easy to read during the daytime with the top down. Dims automatically at sundown. Who really needs Blue tooth? Kids like viewing SD chip pictures on unit during a vacation. It will not read SDHC chips/ 8Gig. No external antenea. Overall.. Great unit/ Great price! Good decision!

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Silver) (Electronics)

I go on the road four or five times a month to several different states and the Nuvi 250 has become my best friend
finding most location without problem;However it can be confusing I was looking for a small town in upstate NY DELANCEY and the unit did not locate same until I did a search all with the street address and then it was located as De Lancey NY also on the screen map it lists certain roads as CR 16 (County Road 16) but then I tried to locate the road by that name it did not come up; only when I looked up the road by name (Treadwell-Frazer road) did it show on the unit (Do not throw your maps away)It can be confusing to a new owner; some roads are listed as Hwy (route number);others are listed as US (route number)
Once the information is entered into the unit it has been 100% accurate, Maybe better instructions would help

I would highly recommend this product