Accessories

2009 Map Update killed my Garmin 760
I recently purchased the Nuvi 760 and just last night I noticed I was eligible for a free 2009 map update. So, of course I took advantage of it, spending a few hours updating everything. Once finished, I noticed some places that were new that appeared on my POI. So I'm thinking...cool, got a free update (not really free after paying close to $400). Went to sleep that same night, woke up and took a client out to an unfamiliar area and noticed my Garmin wasn't working. I tried taking it off the bean bag holder and powering it up that way...no power. I tried hooking it up to my computer...no power. Basically, the unit is DEAD. I find it too much of a coincidence that I just loaded the 2009 map update and now it doesn't work (working fine before). I called Garmin and they want me to send it out to them since it's still under warranty. So I did. We'll see what happens, but I would think twice about purchasing this until it's been on the market longer.

It's Good, Just Not Great
First, I'm no newbie when it comes to GPS devices. The Garmin nuvi 760 makes the 3rd GPS I've purchased. I first tested this unit about a week ago on a trip to Tampa, Florida from "middle-of-no-where" Alabama. Navigating Tampa was made extremely easily and non-stressful with the 760.

I got this unit for about $500 at a Bestbuy, and I'm pleased with it's performance. Let me break down the pros and cons based on my preferences:

Pros:
Detailed maps
Device mounting to the windshield. Tom Tom devices tend to fall down.

Cons:
Lack of features.
No ability to omit certain roads. This feature is extremely useful when you don't want to travel using toll roads.

Throughout it all, I am very pleased with the Garmin nuvi 760, the only thing I that kept me from giving it 5/5 stars is that I couldn't recalculate a route based on my driving preferences unlike the Tom Toms.


For those who are torn between getting a Tom Tom and a Garmin, consider the following things:

Garmin GPS systems have very detailed maps. You might have to wade through a ton of models to find a Garmin gps that suites your needs.

Tom Tom GPS systems boast a lot of features, and they're usually cheaper than Garmin systems. The downside to Tom Tom is that they're foreign based, and their maps aren't as detailed.

Great for real estate agents
I bought this GPS for a friend who is also a REALTOR, and she absolutely loves it. When she's showing houses in an unfamiliar neighborhood, she just punches in the address and hits the road. It's much easier for her to listen to the directions given out loud than it is to try to read printed directions while she's driving. She also liked that she was able to select the voice that she wanted to hear. She chose not to use the female voice with the British accent because she was afraid she wouldn't be able to understand what the woman was saying.

Great purchase!
This is our first Garmin and we love it. We recently used it on a road trip and not once did we need to use a written map. It was very user-friendly and the directions given were spot on. We would definitely recommend this to anyone who's looking for a quality GPS.

Question to all you peeps who know a lot more about GPS than me.
I have an older model of Garmin and I love it except for one thing. When I am putting in the city's name, it - depending on what city I'm entering - lets me put a few letters in and then pulls up the wrong city. How do you enter ALL of the city's name so it won't stop deciding itself which city it THINKS I want? I have been thinking of getting one of the nuvi 760's but wondering if it does the same thing. Can anyone help me?