"I bought this GPS for my girlfriend because she was always having trouble in cities and constantly is getting lost, so it made sense to invest in a GPS that would help her to navigate from place to place easier. I wasn't attached to any brand when I looked but was always impressed with the reviews and testimonies from friends with a Garmin who said they never had problems and were in love with it. I looked at the 205 as it's cheap, but for the price the features and peace of mind of having a Garmin are unbeatable. First, the life-time traffic is great because it helps cut-down on time stuck on the high-way and shows her the quickest way from point A to point B before she even knows the difference. Second, the screen is large and the user interface is incredibly easy to use. It's a bit expensive, but if you're going to invest in a GPS unit, then you might as well make sure you do it right. I'm not sure that a GPS is nearly as valuable without the traffic and not having to pay any subscription fees just sent it over the top.
Definitely purchase if you're looking for easy to use and for a unit that gets it right every time." Garmin nüvi 255W/255WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic
So basically I got this and it is truly the greatest thing ever if you drive a lot. Not only does this one come with the FM traffic receiver(much better if you live by a big city-check out their website I live in NY),which is worth $[...] by itself, this unit is great on its own. Nice big screen, good sound, did I mention LIFETIME TRAFFIC??, and it has so many POIs in it. Plus if the unit does not have your desired POI, you can go to Google Maps, connect the unit to your computer via USB cable, and send the location to your Nuvi.
Eco-route helps you save gas (create a profile and it works better) and don't worry about sitting in traffic anymore with the traffic updates. There are a few ads, but well worth the time you don't have to sit in traffic. Granted I live in NY and we have good coverage here, but check the website for your area.
Smooth scrolling during driving, and quick updating. You also get a free download of the newest maps, which does take a while, but its worth a free update, which regularly goes for $[...] (or you can pay $[...] and get lifetime map updates). Do yourself a favor and buy the friction mount so that you don't have those rings on your windshield for thieves to see(big problem around here). This way you can just put it under the seat.
This one doesn't have the bluetooth, but if you go read the reviews for the 265wt, most people say it stinks anyway and this one is [...] bucks cheaper. It also doesn't have lane assist(I can figure out lanes all by myself and I figure most of you can as well) or voice recognition(don't really care, but you might want this option)
This is a great price. Check around (make sure to add at least $[...] for the traffic receiver) and you will see there is no way you can pass this up if you are in the market for a GPS system.
Also, Garmin does not list this model on its website, which worried me at first, but I have had no problems with updates [...]seems to think that they are simply ones that were reflashed by Garmin with the American maps. I agree, but if this truly worries you, perhaps you should buy the 255w and get the traffic separate. Up to you, but this is much cheaper and works like a charm. I suggest that website to compare models as well. Very informative and helped me greatly with my purchase.
Great navigation system. We used it a lot this summer on our vacations and it has navigated us all over, up and down the east coast, from northern New Jersey to Williamsburg, VA. It has been right on for us everytime but one time. Takes a little too long sometimes to search for a location by name, but otherwise loads up pretty quickly. I also figured out it takes via points by touching the locations on the screen and you can scroll around the map using the touch screen "drag and drop" method. I love that you can search for things like restaurants and stores on it when you are in an unfamiliar place. Also, the traffic transmitter is great to have and it sucessfully navigated us around several traffic jams. Also the speed limit posting on the screen is also nice to have. But is also turned my 6-yr-old daughter into a backseat driver as she can monitor on it how fast we are driving versus what the speed limit is :)
FYI - My 255wt is the same as the 255w, but the 255wt includes the traffic transmitter with no montly charges ever for traffic subscriptions. I highly recommend the unit with the traffic transmitter. Also the 255wt is the same as the 265wt, except the 265wt has the added bluetooth capabililities. If that is not a deal breaker for you (as it wasn't for me), I would go with the 255wt if its a lower price.
This is a very nice GPS. It works well and is easy to use. I recommend it to anyone who asks me about GPS's.
Things you need to know:
1. This is a "wierd" model from Garmin. You won't find the 255WT on their website. The box is labeled 255WT, but it's marked 255W on the unit itself. It's basically a 255W with the TMC traffic receiver included via the vehicle power cord; that's what makes this unit a 255WT - an additional peice of hardware.
Any Garmin GPS that is TMC traffic compatible can use that device to receive traffic updates.
It's very similar to the 265WT, but this model does not have Bluetooth.
2. If you buy from an auction site, Garmin will not warranty it. (It can be registered, though.)
3. You need to register it. The problem is, it does not come with a USB cable to connect it to your computer. The cable can be picked up any where like Best Buy, Radio Shack, possibly Wal-Mart, etc.
Once you've got the cable and the unit connected to your computer, go to my.garmin dot com. Once registered, click the My Dashboard tab, this will tell you what's available to update.
You only get one free map update.
To get your free update, you must download the update within 90 days of first use.
4. One of the biggest advantages of this unit vs. the 255W is the free lifetime traffic. A lot of GPS's offer traffic information, but charge quite a bit more for that option. This unit comes with the FM Traffic Message Channel (TMC) receiver which it uses to get information broadcast over FM radio frequencies.
Important things to know about the traffic feature on this GPS:
You must have the GPS connected to your car charger for it to receive the traffic information.
The power cord/car charger doubles as the traffic receiver. It would be nice to be able to see if there's any traffic on your route before leaving. While a bit annoying, at least it doesn't require an additional antenna. I have a Sony GPS that requires the power cord, plus an additional antenna to get traffic, so there's cords dangling all over the place.
You do not have to activate the traffic.
It's automatic. You'll know you're receiving traffic information if you see a little car icon in the upper left portion of the screen.
At times, my traffic icon is very slow to display...sometimes as much as 10-15 minutes. I live on the outer edge of the coverage for my area, so that may contribute to the slowness. What I've found is if I leave it plugged in to the car charger (and the charger also plugged in and receiving power), the traffic icon is always there.
There is MSN Direct traffic available for this unit as well. It costs extra, but has more features. But, according to their website, MSN Direct will cease operations on Jan 1, 2012.
5. Once registered you can go to Garmins website and download customizations like different vehicle icons, voices, etc. Most custom voices don't speak street names, though. They simply say, turn left in 200 feet.
You can also download a free program from Garmin that allows you to record your own voice.
Or, you can use a program to edit the Text to Speech (TTS) file in the unit. This allows you to keep the factory spoken street names but still change what the unit says. Simply "google" TTS voice editor, and you'll see the link to download the application.
Another cool site provides many custom vehicle icons for use:
vehiclesforgarminnuvi dot com
6. You can create/download your own POI's. This allows you to create a list of custom business, etc, that you want to search on. An example would be BBQ restaurants, WalGreens, etc. There's a very nice site where people build these files and you can download for free:
POI-factory dot com.
You can also create your own POI's if you know the street address:
poigenie.co.uk
This is a very handy feature. The only thing I don't like about it is that the custom POI's are not "imbedded" into the factory POI's, so searching for them requires a few more "clicks", but no big deal.
7. The suction cup mount will not mount to textured dash boards unless you use the supplied mounting disc. But that disc has an adhesive backing and is near impossible to remove once you stick it to the dash. I bought a vent mount off eBay that works great, the GPS is still near eye level and is more out of sight from peering eyes. - Garmin Nuvi 255 - Garmin Nuvi 255w - Gps - Garmin 255w'
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