Anyone bought a Garmin lately?

[geekette]

I’m looking at a gift for someone without smartphone or in-console gps. It would be simpler for them to be able to use voice activation when possible, not a typer. Can do some touch screen, would benefit from the interstate intersection displays showing which lane, I will probably pop for biggest screen they have.

Of the gps brands I’ve tried in the past, I liked Garmin, my last was around 2010 and has about given up the ghost.

Does anyone have experience with their recent voice features? and are those models super user friendly?

 

[JoeWilly]

I’m looking at a gift for someone without smartphone or in-console gps. It would be simpler for them to be able to use voice activation when possible, not a typer. Can do some touch screen, would benefit from the interstate intersection displays showing which lane, I will probably pop for biggest screen they have.

Of the gps brands I’ve tried in the past, I liked Garmin, my last was around 2010 and has about given up the ghost.

Does anyone have experience with their recent voice features? and are those models super user friendly?

I no longer use a Garmin for gps; however, I have a Garmin watch. While certainly not the same, I will say Garmin's tech support, warranty, etc. has been excellent. My watch was six months out of warranty when problems arose. Garmin sent me a refurbished (not repaired, but a new, returned Garmin) for free. I would not hesitate to buy another Garmin product again given my experience with Garmin.

 

[jp10558]

IME Garmin kind of went backwards in some ways on the stand-alone car GPSs. I imagine it's because their market shrunk a lot, and so they couldn't charge the premium prices they used to. One thing that went away was any with magnetic connections to the stand, which was great when you needed to hand the GPS to someone else to do something and then wanted to re-attach it, or really take it down for any reason. The newer garmins across the board (though this is more from 4 years ago to 1.5 years ago, I haven't bought one this year) seem to me to have issues with the last mile locations. They're good for the Interstates and have nice "what lane to be in" displays that beat out Waze or Google Maps, but they seem to be off from 200-400 yards in the end locations. So for in town I find I really need to use something else or I'm getting the "one plaza over" from where the actual business is problem. I saw it a lot in HHI and Florida.

I think many have voice but TBH I usually find all voice things frustrating to use - they're either slower by far than typing and/or they misunderstand me more than typing does. Of course the other issue Garmin's have is they don't have anything like the POI database Google Maps or any of the smartphone apps have - so they still somewhat frequently won't find something, and sometimes it's as stupid as it's looking for PKWY instead of spelling out parkway to find it. Or it's using the local street name instead of the state route # name or something.

I still like having other options, especially given how unreliable Android Auto can be, but it's also more fiddly than I remember. I just don't think you'll find any other / better options that don't require a smartphone and a data plan.

 

[dioxide45]

We have a newish Garmin that has voice control, it works okay but isn't fantastic and sometimes frustrating. We often find it easier to just type stuff. Then sometimes it goes into voice control mode based on something said in the car or music on the radio.

I agree with the past comment about last mile issues. We have found that it really won't take you to the front door of a place very well. Even in strip plazas or business located in a larger center or mall development. They also have quite a few bad and outdated waypoints. i drove around in a mall parking lot looking for a McDonalds it said was there but it was actually on the other side of the street. Then there are just incorrect waypoints. Like the Bass Pro Shop in Dania Beach Florida. It had us go way beach side into residential and small business neighborhoods. Then we actually found the actual Bass Pro Shop several miles away via Google Maps on our phone. We had a similar issue with a TJ Maxx in Cincinnati where it took us to a residential address. I think that some people may just submit bogus waypoints hoping to get people closer to their business instead. I've found Google Maps far better for that last mile, though I haven't used any of the other GPS type apps on mobile.

 

[pedro47]

I have not used my Garmin since 2018. We are now using Google Maps and WAZE.

 

[davidvel]

I have not used my Garmin since 2018. We are now using Google Maps and WAVE.

Pedro, You should try Waze.

 

[Brett]

My wife still uses a Garmin GPS, I prefer WAZE

 

[clifffaith]

I like to look up where we are going on my phone in my chair, but much prefer “Bindi”, our Garmin, in the car. This is our third, after having one stolen and one conk out, it must be 10 years old by now. We had it for 3 years before it suddenly came alive and said “Say a command”. Don’t even know how to activate voice (and not really interested), but once or twice a year it still pops up with “ Say a command”, and if we happen to be going home we answer “Go home”, otherwise we just yell stop or exit at it.

 

[dioxide45]

I like to look up where we are going on my phone in my chair, but much prefer “Bindi”, our Garmin, in the car. This is our third, after having one stolen and one conk out, it must be 10 years old by now. We had it for 3 years before it suddenly came alive and said “Say a command”. Don’t even know how to activate voice (and not really interested), but once or twice a year it still pops up with “ Say a command”, and if we happen to be going home we answer “Go home”, otherwise we just yell stop or exit at it.

Saying "Voice Command" should be what activates it on a Garmin GPS.

 

[easyrider]

I’m looking at a gift for someone without smartphone or in-console gps. It would be simpler for them to be able to use voice activation when possible, not a typer. Can do some touch screen, would benefit from the interstate intersection displays showing which lane, I will probably pop for biggest screen they have.

Of the gps brands I’ve tried in the past, I liked Garmin, my last was around 2010 and has about given up the ghost.

Does anyone have experience with their recent voice features? and are those models super user friendly?

Use the smartphone gps. It would probably be less of a cost and easier to use. I use a Garmin Trail Tracker GPS unit occasionally in the Jeep.I only use it to record how I got to where ever I ended up so I can go back if I need to. Everything else is Android auto and the smart phone.

Bill

 

[Treykill]

Agree w these posts, I believe Waze killed Garmin and every native GPS inside cars

 

[dioxide45]

Use the smartphone gps. It would probably be less of a cost and easier to use. I use a Garmin Trail Tracker GPS unit occasionally in the Jeep.I only use it to record how I got to where ever I ended up so I can go back if I need to. Everything else is Android auto and the smart phone.

Bill

The OP indicated the person didn't have a smartphone, so the apps won't work. Not sure the ongoing monthly cost of a cellular plan would be cheaper than a one time GPS purchase.

 

[Cornell]

Agree w these posts, I believe Waze killed Garmin and every native GPS inside cars

I just sold a car that had a native navigation system and I thought “hmmmm when was the last time I ever used this”? It seemed really primitive.

 

[beejaybee]

Remember the AAA Triptiks? Just checked and it's still an option to print our directions and they also have a mobile app. Maybe a membership could work as a gift?
In addition to using Waze, Google Maps and the Apple dude, DH still likes to bring along our Garmin named Missy when we travel though we rarely plug her in. I like having a paper map especially when DH is driving and we encounter trouble along an interstate because scouting out an alternative route on the map is easier for me than trying to expand the screen on my phone for options. When I'm driving, DH is adept at plotting out bypasses on the small screen.
Perhaps there is a free class on how to use one's phone to navigate that you can encourage your friend to take?

 

[Brett]

Remember the AAA Triptiks? Just checked and it's still an option to print our directions and they also have a mobile app. Maybe a membership could work as a gift?
In addition to using Waze, Google Maps and the Apple dude, DH still likes to bring along our Garmin named Missy when we travel though we rarely plug her in. I like having a paper map especially when DH is driving and we encounter trouble along an interstate because scouting out an alternative route on the map is easier for me than trying to expand the screen on my phone for options. When I'm driving, DH is adept at plotting out bypasses on the small screen.
Perhaps there is a free class on how to use one's phone to navigate that you can encourage your friend to take?

Perhaps, but one can get a used Garmin pretty cheap

 

[Tia]

....I like having a paper map especially when DH is driving and we encounter trouble along an interstate because scouting out an alternative route on the map is easier for me than trying to expand the screen on my phone for options......

+1 on the back up paper maps !!

 

[Talent312]

Garmin saved me from having to stop to ask for directions, ever again.
Then there was DeLorme Street Atlas software. Both are old hat now.
I have a TomTom in a drawer somewhere. Never use that, either.
Sigh... Time marches on.
,

 

[geekette]

Use the smartphone gps. It would probably be less of a cost and easier to use. I use a Garmin Trail Tracker GPS unit occasionally in the Jeep.I only use it to record how I got to where ever I ended up so I can go back if I need to. Everything else is Android auto and the smart phone.

Bill

Intended user doesn’t have smartphone, just a Jitterbug.

 

[geekette]

Remember the AAA Triptiks? Just checked and it's still an option to print our directions and they also have a mobile app. Maybe a membership could work as a gift?
In addition to using Waze, Google Maps and the Apple dude, DH still likes to bring along our Garmin named Missy when we travel though we rarely plug her in. I like having a paper map especially when DH is driving and we encounter trouble along an interstate because scouting out an alternative route on the map is easier for me than trying to expand the screen on my phone for options. When I'm driving, DH is adept at plotting out bypasses on the small screen.
Perhaps there is a free class on how to use one's phone to navigate that you can encourage your friend to take?

I collect paper maps at rest areas, my last atlas is at least 20 yrs old.

The recipient is not a computer user, printing anything isn’t feasible. No smartphone, none wanted. My personal experience with phone maps is subpar vs the Garmin or onboard navigation in my car. I like the voice activation in my car, makes life so easy, plus it will quiet my stereo to tell me something. Phone apps won’t do that, and I can hardly hear em even turning stereo off.

 

[jp10558]

I collect paper maps at rest areas, my last atlas is at least 20 yrs old.

The recipient is not a computer user, printing anything isn’t feasible. No smartphone, none wanted. My personal experience with phone maps is subpar vs the Garmin or onboard navigation in my car. I like the voice activation in my car, makes life so easy, plus it will quiet my stereo to tell me something. Phone apps won’t do that, and I can hardly hear em even turning stereo off.

Actually the modern phone apps with Android Auto for instance both display Waze or whatever on your car screen and with all the displays in the cluster too, it'll quiet the stereo also.

 

[geekette]

Actually the modern phone apps with Android Auto for instance both display Waze or whatever on your car screen and with all the displays in the cluster too, it'll quiet the stereo also.

Problem is, the guy doesn’t have the phone or the display in the car, so he’d still be stuck. I don’t need the phone apps in my car as I do very much like the onboard system. I appreciate the info, tho. That’s an improvement for those that prefer to use the phone apps.

 

[easyrider]

Intended user doesn’t have smartphone, just a Jitterbug.

You could get a cheap 6 inch + smart phone with a pay for minute plan. The GPS would still work even if you ran out of minutes. The screen would be about the same size. It could likely be voice activated . For another $15 you could get a magnetic phone holder for the car. I think this would be a better set up because you could use free wifi to use the internet to plan your route with the phone.

Bill

 

[Snazzylass]

Sorry, did you say what the intended use is?
My mom mentioned something about a navigation system for her car a few years ago. Naw, at her age, if she doesn't know where she is going, she doesn't need to go.

 

["Roger"]

I still pack a five year old Garmin when I fly and rent a car. I like the bigger screen as opposed to my smartphone and the fact that I can easily mount it on the top of the dashboard. The biggest drawback is that it does not keep up with local conditions nearly as well as Google maps, Toyota connect, or anything on my smart phone. (It does keep up a bit with local traffic conditions, but not as well as the others.)

 

[Brett]

I still pack a five year old Garmin when I fly and rent a car. I like the bigger screen as opposed to my smartphone and the fact that I can easily mount it on the top of the dashboard. The biggest drawback is that it does not keep up with local conditions nearly as well as Google maps, Toyota connect, or anything on my smart phone. (It does keep up a bit with local traffic conditions, but not as well as the others.)

Right, the real-time update with traffic is a big advantage with WAZE. But it only works if you have cell phone service