|
| 
 enlarge
| Brand: Garmin
Category: CE
List Price: $699.99
Buy New: $240.00
You Save: $459.99 (66%)
New (51) Used (3) Refurbished (7) from $188.95
Rating:  1432 reviews
Sales Rank: 36
Format: Cd
Platforms: Windows Xp Professional, Windows Xp Home Edition, Windows 2000
Media: Electronics
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Operating System: N/A
Native Resolution: 480 x 272
Display Size: 4.3
Includes MP3 Player: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 2.6 x 2.6 x 2.6
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
MPN: 010-00540-00
Model: 010-00540-00
UPC: 053759065110
EAN: 0076565001226
ASIN: B000H49LXQ
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Customer Reviews:
 Not what I hoped for!!!! October 27, 2008
I have had experience with several Auto GPS's over the past 4-5 years. Most of my family owns at least one. Recently my Mom's went bad and I gave her my Magellan 800 and decided to buy a newer unit. I did some research and saw all of the positive comments regarding the Garmin Nuvi 660, so I decided to get one.
Garmin must have a really good promotions department or they have a lot of people buffaloed. Now don't get me wrong it's a nice little unit and it has a few nice features, but it also has a few bad glitches. From my perspective the bells and whistles are nice but it's supposed to be an Auto GPS. The most important thing these units should do is let you select a destination and then get you where you need to go. I think Garmin needs to do some work.
My complaints:
The Nuvi does not seem to be as smart or as good with directions as my older Mag 800. The routing does not take you the best route and sometimes seems to make you take unneccesary roads, turns etc... even when you have it set to Fastest Route. I tried playing with different setting but these seemed to make things worse not better. I can only assume the algorithm that Garmin used to decide which route to take needs some work. I plugged in my work and as I drove through Philly the unit kept wanting me get off the Skuykill. Now there is no way that any device should 'think' that getting off a highway and drive through the city would be a 'better route'. It wasn't until I hit 202 that the unit finally stop asking me to get off. Maybe it just doesn't like the Skuykill, I can't blame it, not too many people around here do.
POI's (Points of Interest). The Unit is confusing and fickle as to when it shows you POI's. You do a search for a POI, like a restuarant and tell the unit to show you the nearest, the one you want is not there, but then do a Spelling search and Bingo there is the restaurant. This occurs even if I'm sitting in the parking lot of the restaurant. I found several occurrances of this behaviour.
Even though the POI db is supposed to be so large, I found many places that are not in there. I only found two that weren't in my Mag 800 and that was because those POIs were built within the last year. Also, the POI's locations are not at all accurate. I had also found this with my Mag 800, where it took me to the wrong place when looking for a POI, but I think the Nuvi maps are worse. One restuarant that has been in my area for years, the Nuvi takes me about 5 miles in the wrong direction.
Same type of comments apply to addresses. My Mag 800 brought be right to my driveway, the Nuvi is off by about two properties. I know that isn't much but I expect a newer technology to be better not worse.
Another thing that I find weird. I recently used the Nuvi to pick up some items I bought off e-bay. When I did an address search I could not find the address in the Nuvi via the normal search, every time I entered the street number the Street would disappear from the selection list, when I entered the street it would not let me enter the number (now maybe I missed something and need to read the manual, but it should be intuitived). However, I found that if I show the map of the area where I was going and then pressed on the road, in the location of where I was going (I had to google the address so I knew where it was) the actual address number came up on the map and then I was able to save that address and then tell the Nuvi to go there. Why??? If the address is in the database, why couldn't I find it via the search utility?
a few other issues:
The thing doesn't turn on right. I have to push the power button multiple times. Hold it for 5 seconds, don't hold it, press it quickly, slowly, there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to when it decides to come on.
Although it does find satellites faster then my Mag 800 it still seems slow, specially when finding POI's.
I have not tried to update my maps. I was told Garmin provided free map updates, but now I am reading posts that say this is not true. I did have a problem, when I opened the box I found the cigarette plug on the power supply was broke. I called Garmin, they made me send the old one back which cost me $5 and they then sent me a replacement for free. I had no issues contacting their support and they handled my issue quickly, which is a plus. Magellan has horrible support which is one reason I didn't just go out and buy a new Magellan.
One feature I loved on the Mag 800, but don't see on the Nuvi, was that on the map it showed you little icons of all the POI's in the area in which you were driving (this only shows at certain levels of detail of course, and all you had to do was press on the little icon to get information about the POI. This was nice because if you were driving in an unfamilar area and needed to find a POI all you had to do was look on the screen and then press on the appropriate icon. This saved a lot of time in place of having to run through a search. I was able to look at the screen and see restuarants, phamacies, gas stations, post offices, schools, etc, that where in my immediate area, without having to do multiple searches and scrolling through lists.
In the end it's a nice unit, a few weaknesses, maybe it'll grow on me, but right now, I miss my Mag.
**** Update
Well my opinion of the Nuvi 660 has gone from EH! to not so good. I did some more driving around and tested the routing. The unit locked up on me twice for no apparent reason. I had to power it down and then back up and re-enter my destination. I played around with setting to see if I could get it to route me more direct, but found the unit still wanted me to take unecessary roads. I have decided to return the unit and try a newer Magellan Unit. I figure the risk of having to deal with their support is worth me having a unit I can trust and be happy with.
*****Update
I found a Magellan Maestro 4040 for sale on Amazon for less then what I paid for the Nuvi 660. I recieved the unit the other day and started using it. Sorry garmin lovers but I just don't get it, this Magellan unit is soooo much better, easier to use, more intuitive user interface and much faster and better at routing. Trust me if you are thinking of buying an Auto GPS, find someone who has a Magellan unit and compare it to the Garmin, I will be surprised if you pick the Garmin. Again not that I think the Garmin is a bad unit, I just feel the Magellan is better.
 great investment October 27, 2008
im currently on the US for studies and so i wanted a gps navigator to get me around. this one works like a charm and is a very good value for money.
has a few foibles such as having a weak FM transmitter, and slow data transfer (uses USB 1 not 2...). the biggest drawback is perhaps not being able to replace the batteries which is a big concern for many nuvi owners. all of which are forgivable though for the features it packs for its price. There's now talk of having free lifetime traffic with the latest firmware, giving this device another reason to have.
 Garmin 660 October 26, 2008
Works well; does not show the street you are currently on; a disadvantage; does show the approaching street. Not as helpful as it could be in telling you to bear to left or right as road splits. Will not automatically go to "map" if you do not enter anything. Have Magellan 360 (older) and it shows current street, bearing left or right but not upcoming streets. Would check out the new Magellan before purchasing.
Great...but slow satellite acquisition October 26, 2008
This is my first GPS and I love it!(I've using it for about a year).
I have taken it with me to a bunch of different cities and states and it always takes me where I want to go without missing a step!
The only complain I have is that it is VERY SLOW to find the satellites....so you just have to sit in your car and wait....but once it finds it it works great.
Garmin 660 October 26, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
When I gave my TomTom 700 to my daughter, I was going to upgrade to the TomTom 720 but after reading several review I opted to buy the Garmin 660. Although it is a discontinued item it got great reviews as compared to the lastest models from Garmin and I decided to buy the 660. It has proved to be a great decision. It has exceeded my expectations in every area. Great maps!!!Great satellite acquisition!!!Garmin nüvi 660 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
|
|
|
The Outpost Network | |
