[ashman78]

I just picked up my first nav unit a few days ago, a Garmin nuvi 285WT.

I've got a few favorite destinations saved, programmed the nice British man to tell me where I'm going, and got Bluetooth to work with my phone.

Anyone have any particularly useful tips/tricks/hacks or favorite features that a noob should know about? I haven't had a chance to put this thing through its paces yet, but our weekend trip should give us plenty of time to mess with it.

I disagree with a lot of its routing locally, since it doesn't know stuff like road conditions or traffic lights. But so far, it seems like a pretty nice supplement, even when you do know which way to go.

TIA
Ash

 

[02GLXWag6stk]

This is my second Garmin the 265WT which I selected over yours: preferred for the $ lifetime traffic that is embedded into the cable the GMT25 which is an option on yours for $80+. Yours has MSN traffic which has less than a year left. I have found the GMT25 traffic avoidance to be exceptionally helpful in providing real time traffic avoidance especially in unfamiliar and congested areas such as the zooiness of Los Angeles. It has enabled me to save time and aggravation. The Garmin has allowed me to do MORE exploring: ie either driving the fabled scenic Muholland Dr which overlooks LA; or exploring all of Montecito. And I recently got an SD card for all of Europe whereas in the past I did 8,000 miles without! and solo! which may seem intimidating for most. But I'm an intrepid traveler.

Like any electronic gadget today there are bewildering permutations and most find the Garmin to be not perfect (we expect too much!). The Garmin's that have been introduced in the last 18mos are significantly improved courtesy of the NavTec acquisition
and enhanced processors vs my previous Nuvi 350 which got lots of usage.

Sorry but no tricks. I find most useful "Where Am I" to find gas station, types of cuisine; Starbucks; banks; hospitals; police stations etc. I use this mostly to save new found scenic and sometimes remote locations as I tend to revisit many times. It is truly AN ENABLER.

Enjoy and Have Fun Ash:thumbup:

 

[ashman78]

I didn't put any weight on the traffic feature at all...I saw the reviews, and the Amazon one-day-only $99 price on it, and said "SOLD!" (we very rarely travel to large cities, but I can see the allure of traffic avoidance). It's $130 normally, and was around $160 last fall. Discontinued model.

The online map update was a royal PITA...a couple hours of downloading, then their proprietary downloader kept crashing my computer at 99%-100%. Then another 80-90 minutes getting the maps from the PC to the unit. Next time I need anything (like UK maps, for example), I'm buying the SD card!

 

[02GLXWag6stk]

Buying the SD card avoids all the hassles one may experience.
I updated online my older unit the Nuvi 350 without any problems.

After fussing with the location, stability, and more importantly the vision/safety issues etc I succumbed and bought their favorably reviewed friction mount.

 

[ashman78]

After fussing with the location, stability, and more importantly the vision/safety issues etc I succumbed and bought their favorably reviewed friction mount.

I keep hearing about these and seeing them online, but I'm still struggling to understand how it's better to put the device sitting on the dash vs sticking on the windshield. How's it been so far?

I've got mine located like the guy in this thread:
http://www.passatworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=292471&highlight=garmin

And I'm planning to do a similar thing with the routing of the power cable under the dash. I've already got a hardwired radar detector in the fuse panel, so this would help to clean things up further.

 

[02GLXWag6stk]

Well fortunately for you and your area- it's not like CA with all their regulations: nothing can be windshield mounted in CA.

I actually considered doing that link you provided BUT the FM traffic receiver cable is thicker and with the size of the Garmin and the angle of the windshield by the left of the steering wheel it wasn't all feasible with the constraints I had to deal with: CA!

Since I have a single DIN I tried velcroing it by the lower left of the cubby hole and still found vision/safety issues.

So I really like the portable friction mount unit despite the bulk- a necessary compromise for me in CA!

 

[traubenberg]

Trick #1 - install Stewie Griffin as the Garmin nav voice (Google it)
Trick #2 - uh ...who cares after that?

With newer models, you should be able to use ecoRoute. Save money while arriving on time!

 

[toastermcfunk]

Well fortunately for you and your area- it's not like CA with all their regulations: nothing can be windshield mounted in CA.

That was changed last year
http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_1551-1600/sb_1567_cfa_20080403_160421_sen_comm.html

 

[VAGguy]

1,400 miles eh? Ya know, it is about 700mi each way from your place to MD....


I like the british chick, got a thing for them. Imagine a blonde with her hair up and dark rimmed glasses. uh huh?

I never really messed with my Garmin or my Avic other than finding eateries or retail stores nearby on my trips.

 

[ashman78]

1,400 miles eh? Ya know, it is about 700mi each way from your place to MD....

Central FL this time...though my folks are (hopefully) coming down from BWI tomorrow. If they can get out the front door

(Per my old man: Even though Dulles and National got shut down, BWI almost always manages to keep at least one runway open. They do a couple takeoffs, a couple landings, plow it some more, then back to the planes again. Impressive.)

I've tried a couple of the voices so far. They have the basic voices and the TTS voices (street names, etc). The first one sounds clearer, louder, and more natural; the latter more computerized and muffled. I still need to look into the Stewie and Cartman voices, among others. Apparently there are some nearly-porno sounding ones out there, too...

 

[02GLXWag6stk]

MOST of the route going East thru the Panhandle of Florida is infested with alligator COPS that come out of the SWAMP.

I was aghast at scores of vehicles got pulled over! on my way from Tampa ( I flew from SDO to buy my P I S [email protected] in Tampa!) thru Mississipi.

So don't count on going much more than the speed limit! which will make it like being SHACKLED: for me it extended all the way thru 1,000 mile wide TEXAS!

And checking the weather: SoCal will be warmer over the next 5 days than Miami.