A Garmin for where your going. A good GPS for the money

Author's Rating:

Pros: Where am I function. Cost, Flexibility, Speaker Volume

Cons: Can't program while charging off USB.  Route may not be the best way to go.

The Bottom Line: 
Good Turn by Turn GPS with easy to view screen.  Has a few quirks, but no short falls.  Gets you where you are going.

Author's Review


The Background  
Recently after getting lost with some directions printed out from MapQuest or Google, we decided that it might be a good time to join the rest of the 21st century and purchase a GPS.  Within the past month, my wife's grandmother, who's in her 80's visited us from NJ.  She was sporting a TomTom.  So, I thought that might be a good option.  After all, here I was an alleged computer and internet savvy engineer, and I'm still resisting some of the high-tech trends in electronics. 

Well, off I went to check out the TomTom reviews on line from several different sites, including Epinion.  After reading a few reviews, I decided I would expand my search to some other brands.  One of the main reasons was that my wife is hard of hearing, and I read that the volume on the TomTom wasn't that great.  Plus, I read some folks complaining about failed firmware upgrades leaving them with bricked (dead) units.  To substantiate that, I also noticed that there was an apparent glut of refurbished TomToms available at online retailers, leading me to believe that these dead units are getting sent back for repair and recycled as refurbished products.  Alas, our grandmother's works fine, she's happy with it; maybe it's just the bad luck of the draw.  But enough about the TomTom.

I found a number of good reviews on the Garmin 255W, and the price was in the ball park of what I was willing to pay.  There are many online stores that offer these.  But in the interest of keeping some money local, I checked with our BestBuy, and they had a bunch in stock.  And without the aid of a GPS, I found my way to the mall, and picked one up.

Details About The Product  
The unit is available in a standard (255) and widescreen (255w).  There is also a 255WT which includes an FM traffic module that provides real-time updates for traffic conditions, as part of a subscription service.  We purchased the 255W for our basic use. 

The 255W model is about 4 ¾"W  X 3"T B ¾"D, and the touch screen is 4 ½" diagonal.  It includes a 3 position switch on the top, a mini-USB connector in the back for power and downloads, and finally an SD memory slot.  Standard accessories include a DC power adapter for the car, a suction mount to attach to your windshield, and a permanent mounting disk (for states that require dash board mounting) used in conjunction with the suction mount.  Also included are the usual quick start and regular manuals, etc.

How Well Does It Work?
Every time you turn the unit on, the first thing that comes up is a disclaimer that you have to touch, stating that you (the driver) won't be programming the unit while driving.  Sort of annoying, but I in today's litigious society, I understand their reason.  The main menu allows you to view the map of your current location ("View map"), or select where you want to go ("Where to?").  The main menu is also where you set the desired "Volume" or select "Tools" for user customization, and access to other features.

Under "Where to?" you can enter address, select home, points of interest, favorites, coordinates, and more.  The "Tools" menus provides access to settings for user customization, such as language, things to avoid, (e.g. toll road, dirt roads, etc), security, and other settings.  Also under tools, you can select "ecoRouteTM" and "Where Am I?" which are very helpful tools. 

The "ecoRouteTM" function allows you to enter parameters about your vehicle such as city and highway gas mileage and cost of fuel.  This will allow you to predict how much the trip will cost.  But I think one of the most interesting features is the "Where Am I?" menu.  Based on your present location, this selection provides routes to police stations, hospitals, and gas stations.  I hope to never need the first two, but I can see how the last one will be a great aid during road trips.

When hooked up to your vehicle 12V power jack using the supplier dc power cord, the unit turns on automatically when the ignition switch is turned on.  The slide switch also allows turn-on of the unit when disconnected from the power cord, and the lock position on the slide switch prevents accidental touch screen changes.  I was hoping that while hooked up to a computer USB port, you could still access the programming functions.  However, that condition only allows for battery charge, and data transfer. 

In actual use, the unit is very easy to program.  In fact there are applications that allow you do download addresses right from Google maps directly into your Garmin. Just after we purchased this, we programmed the address for a local restaurant and followed the recommendations, just to see how it worked.  It took us on a route I would not have followed.  So local knowledge, traffic patterns, and short cuts are not part its programming.  However, it got us there in any case.  And, I like the fact that if I deviate from the recommended path, it recalculates pretty quickly.  As you approach your turns, it announces where to turn, and then about 50 feet before the turn it reminds you once again. 

My Recommendation  
This is my first foray into GPS.  I think the Garmin Nüvi 255W will suit our needs nicely.  It's just the right size, had a number of useful features, and will make travel much easier.  I look forward to getting off the beaten path with this, and taking some more scenic routes on our family trips between NH and PA.  I feel comfortable recommending this unit after a few days of use.