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Garmin Map Updates

jjsbasmt

jjsbasmt

Senior member
Until Sept 15th, $20 off of map updates at Garmin.com. Use promo code "fall13" (no quotes) to get $49.99 One Time Update for $29.99, and to get $89.99 Lifetime Updates for $69.99. I have used this promo code to update my device and just for info the update for my Garmin Nuvi 255w was approx 1.7 download.
 
I can't believe they charge to much for map updates... Well, I guess I can. You would only have to spend $200-300 every 10 years if they didn't. =(
 
I agree, and I have also noticed that for the $89.99 regular price for Lifetime Updates, you can almost get a new GPS unit and a lot of them come with free Lifetime Map Updates. I would guess that Map Updates is a money maker for them as Service is for a car dealership.
 
smackababy said:
I can't believe they charge to much for map updates... Well, I guess I can. You would only have to spend $200-300 every 10 years if they didn't. =(
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they only charge for maps for people who buy models that don't include them. Usually the LM (lifetime map) models are only about $20 more.
 
Had a Garmin Nuvi 40LM, hated it, was slow to update the route - when your going 55mph and it take 45 sec to update route, that's a long distance to drive. Garmin doesn't use a micro-usb cable and the power connector is in the back, not on the side like all cell phones/tablets are.

The worst part was when i connected the mini-usb cable to to charge while driving, the screen would go blank into a charging mode and stay there till the cable was removed. Even though it had free lifetime updates, sent it back.

Have yet to try TomTom or Magellan.
 
I find the recent updates to my Garmin units have made them very frustrating to use. Constant zooming in and out with no indication of scale, together with hiding of cross-streets makes the whole experience confusing. I also note that recent map updates still don't reflect local road changes that took place over 6 months ago. That said, I don't expect Magellan or TomTom would be any better overall.
 
Zim, you've got me thinking about my recent update. I haven't taken my unit to the road since the update. I plan to this coming Thur when I have to go near Pittsburgh to an area that I have never been. I'll post back after my trip. I don't use my unit much, but when I have (about a dozen times over the last 3 years) it has served me very well.
 
smackababy said:
I can't believe they charge to much for map updates... =(
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It's understandable, actually. There's two separate issues: road changes and business changes. The road changes require very fine detail, and people get really pissed if it's out of date - witness the hoo-rah over Apple Maps. The business changes are like keeping a Yellow Pages up to date.

I was curious what this cost Garmin, but I couldn't find any discussion of this in their 10-K.
 
GusSmed said:
It's understandable, actually. There's two separate issues: road changes and business changes. The road changes require very fine detail, and people get really pissed if it's out of date - witness the hoo-rah over Apple Maps. The business changes are like keeping a Yellow Pages up to date.

I was curious what this cost Garmin, but I couldn't find any discussion of this in their 10-K.
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The problem is, why would I pay $40 for a map update (without the deal), when almost every modern phone comes with a GPS and gets free updates? I never had a problem with Apple Maps and Google Maps always worked on Android phones I've had. I even sold my Nav unit (here nonetheless) once I realized I didn't use it because of my smart phone.

I understand it costs Garmin money to update the roads and businesses, but in this world, they are going to die charging for stuff freely available that most people have (smart phone).
 
Yes, it is reassuring knowing I have a copy of maps for all over. STill have an old copy of one of those mapping programs for laptop, with the GPS dongle just in case.
 
It's pretty easy to locate a deal for a good refurbished Garmin for $60-100 that includes lifetime maps and traffic. My Garmin is an essential tool for me-I do many frequent one-off trips for business. If I was in the market I'd pass on this deal and look for a refurbished model on ebay or amazon.

Yazoo-I suspect yours was defective. Although I've never used that model (have used several others) I never had the 45 second delays you mentioned and I always leave my USB cable plugged in without and problem.

I don't use my cellphone for a GPS because I frequently need both at once when driving.
 
Zim said:
I find the recent updates to my Garmin units have made them very frustrating to use. Constant zooming in and out with no indication of scale, together with hiding of cross-streets makes the whole experience confusing. I also note that recent map updates still don't reflect local road changes that took place over 6 months ago. That said, I don't expect Magellan or TomTom would be any better overall.
Click to expand...

Pretty much my experience with the last update. Also speed seems to vary (not as stable) as it used to be. I thought the zooming in activity was my imagination but since you mentioned it i don't think so now.
 
Since two of you report the update issues, I think I'll hold off updating my garmin for the foreseeable future. No sense breaking what works. Thanks for the info.
 
smackababy said:
The problem is, why would I pay $40 for a map update (without the deal), when almost every modern phone comes with a GPS and gets free updates? I never had a problem with Apple Maps and Google Maps always worked on Android phones I've had. I even sold my Nav unit (here nonetheless) once I realized I didn't use it because of my smart phone.

I understand it costs Garmin money to update the roads and businesses, but in this world, they are going to die charging for stuff freely available that most people have (smart phone).
Click to expand...

I'd say most people would still use an actual GPS (especially older generation) over their phone. It's also more likely to use the GPS the longer the distance. I'll look stuff up via Google Maps for a quick in town drive or if I get lost, but we took a road trip to Breckenridge last Feb - we used her in-dash GPS all the way. (I'd have used my Garmin if she didn't have one)
 
I wonder what percentage of people who own dedicated GPS solutions actually bought them before smartphones were ubiquitous.

I'm guessing that a lot of people bought a dedicated GPS like a garmin because they didn't already have Android Navigation free on their 5" smartphones. But when you are sitting there with already a smartphone that has GPS, it's that much tougher to justify spending money on a dedicated GPS that doesn't also play games or lets you read books or do anything else that smartphones and tablets can do. I mean look at how compact digital camera sales sort of went away now that everyone already has a cell phone camera?
 
KingFatty said:
I wonder what percentage of people who own dedicated GPS solutions actually bought them before smartphones were ubiquitous.

I'm guessing that a lot of people bought a dedicated GPS like a garmin because they didn't already have Android Navigation free on their 5" smartphones. But when you are sitting there with already a smartphone that has GPS, it's that much tougher to justify spending money on a dedicated GPS that doesn't also play games or lets you read books or do anything else that smartphones and tablets can do. I mean look at how compact digital camera sales sort of went away now that everyone already has a cell phone camera?
Click to expand...

Strangely enough, I have a GPS unit in the dash of my car, but I use my iPhone more often. It is just much easier.
 
I use it for long trips and because it is easy to add lots of points of interest. I took a trip to Florida from Minnesota recently and having speed cameras loaded saved me money. My garmin gives me a .3 mile warning. Iowa would have been expensive. I also had all disc golf courses listed on the way so that any time I felt like stopping for a break I could quickly find the nearest one. For fun I loaded Diners, Drive Ins and Dives from the TV show and checked to see if any were near when hunger hit.

You have to know its limitations though. If you deviate off the planned trip it does a poor job of rerouting. On the way back I took a detour through Chicago to buy pizza. As I exited Illinois I noticed that it was telling me to take a 400 mile detour. I had to turn it off and replan the remainder to get it to get back to the shortest route.
 
Guurn said:
I use it for long trips and because it is easy to add lots of points of interest. I took a trip to Florida from Minnesota recently and having speed cameras loaded saved me money. My garmin gives me a .3 mile warning. Iowa would have been expensive. I also had all disc golf courses listed on the way so that any time I felt like stopping for a break I could quickly find the nearest one. For fun I loaded Diners, Drive Ins and Dives from the TV show and checked to see if any were near when hunger hit.

You have to know its limitations though. If you deviate off the planned trip it does a poor job of rerouting. On the way back I took a detour through Chicago to buy pizza. As I exited Illinois I noticed that it was telling me to take a 400 mile detour. I had to turn it off and replan the remainder to get it to get back to the shortest route.
Click to expand...

I didn't realize you could do all of this with a dedicated GPS. But still, I think especially the next generation of teens/young adults don't want to mess around with preloading and would rather just ask Siri (or google now) to do everything for them with a smartphone. Or use apps like trapster for red lights and other issues during road trips (I believe the trapster data is so fresh and updated instantaneously by users real-time, that it cannot be beat by any GPS unit due to that power of the networking by enthusiast users: http://www.trapster.com/
 
I didn't know about that app. My home state doesn't allow speed or red light cameras, but for traveling I will definitely load that as a backup.
 
I just avoid that type of stuff, by you know, not speeding or running red lights. >_> I know, I know, what an odd concept.

But everything you're commenting about can and is done on a smart phone that the majority of people have.
 
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