Number of search results for garmin: 128

running a garmin drive 53 with traffic reporting
Tue 14 Apr 2026

I've been using Garmin GPS automotive receivers for over two decades, own a pile of Garmins spanning from 2005 all the way to current models, know how to make my own maps from OpenStreetMap data, and so on. I know a lot about these things. Something I do wonder is how a believer thinks GPS […]

garmin 2027.10 map update
Sat 28 Feb 2026

The latest 2027.10 map update is out for Garmin navigators. Garmin for whatever reason uses the future year for version numbers. No idea why, but whatever. I own a bunch of Garmins both current and old, and all my screens were updated with the exception of two that are over a decade old, which is […]

the oldest usable garmins
Tue 17 Feb 2026

As time goes on and more people realize that navigation on a phone is complete garbage, they're turning to Garmins. I own a bunch of them. Got the newer stuff with the , and (yes, I do own all three), older stuff that goes as far back as two decades ago, and many models in […]

i bought a garmin drive 53
Fri 24 Oct 2025

The is the entry level car navigator from Garmin. Even though I already own the 6" and the 7" , I wanted the 5" Drive 53 anyway just to see if there are any real disadvantages using a smaller display. I think a Drive 53 is worth owning, but not for the typical reasons others […]

older garmin gps navigators that go vertical
Thu 25 Sep 2025

While the DriveSmart and are nice (I own both), neither of them can be set to a vertical display or portrait view. To get that new, the is what you want... ...if it fits in your car, which it may not, because it's huge. The physical dimensions of the 86 are 7.6" (19.2cm) wide by […]

Garmin DriveSmart 66 finally gets a lock screen
Thu 7 Aug 2025

This was a long time coming, but better late than never. It's kind of funny, because Garmin was in fact ahead of its time and then grossly behind the time at the same time. I'll explain. In early-early nuvi models like the nuvi 250W from the late 2000s, there was in fact a section called […]

garmin "timeline" feature that's existed for more than a decade
Thu 22 May 2025

Ordinarily, when one uses a modern Garmin or , they see the Recent menu option from Where To? screen and think, "That's all there is?" No. There's more. Some wonder if a Garmin navigator has a Google Timeline-like feature. Yes, it does. The screenshot above is from my DriveSmart 76 using the Trip History feature. […]

the garmin that handles heat best
Thu 15 May 2025

When hotter weather begins, I switch over to a Garmin that can handle the heat, because if I didn't, there would be problems. While my is oh so nice (it truly is), having a capacitive screen mounted to the windshield during hot summer daylight driving makes me nervous. This is a followup to what I […]

garmin drivesmart 76, four months later
Thu 24 Apr 2025

I talked about the vintage Garmin 200 series earlier this week, so I figured I might as well give a report on what I'm using currently. I bought my in December 2024, which at the time I write this is about four months ago. Before I get into how it's been working, I'll note up […]

garmin drivesmart 76 (because i don't do smartphone navigation)
Tue 24 Dec 2024

There was a very brief period of time when I tried using navigation on the phone. Twice. The first time I tried it, I could barely read the screen due to sun glare. The second time, the phone overheated from Florida sun in less than 10 minutes and shut down. I went back to using […]

garmin 2025.20 map update removes junction view
Thu 17 Oct 2024

I was excited to see the new 2025.20 North America map update had been released. Given the giant Garmin nerd I am for automotive models (I own way too many of them), I got to see what happened after the update on everything from the current all the way down to the old Garmin nuvi […]

How to prevent a Garmin GPS from overheating
Thu 23 May 2024

The is still a popular model at the time I write this. I use a personally, but the 65 is still really nice. People like the 7" screen (technically 6.95"), love the legibility as it's really easy to read, love the screen brightness, the voice control, the traffic reporting, and so on... ...but WOW, are […]

Garmin 2025.10 North America map update
Tue 19 Mar 2024

Amazingly, Garmin released another map update. Why is this amazing? They're the last man standing for standalone car navigation systems, that's why. It's very nice to see Garmin still releasing map updates. I currently run a Garmin DriveSmart 66 as my daily driver in the car. It has worked very well. I'm not going to […]

My giant pile of Garmins
Tue 24 Oct 2023

I think I may have a problem... ...or do I? I've not counted, but I think I have close to 40 Garmin navigators. I know the count is somewhere in the 30s. My pile of these is only one of two things I have a hoard of. The other is Casio watches, but that pile […]

I bought another Garmin nuvi 2599
Thu 4 May 2023

It is absolutely worth having this as a backup for my backup. While my primary GPS is a , the Garmin nuvi 2599LMTHD outfitted with (works on USB alone with no 12V required and enables FM traffic) and a is my backup in case the DS66 fails. I like it so much that I bought […]

New for 2023: Garmin Drive 53 car navigation
Tue 2 May 2023

I'm very glad Garmin still makes these. Garmin recently released the ; this is a basic car navigator. I personally use a more advanced model, the . The bigger and are also available. The North American version of the 53 is a back-to-basics navigator from Garmin, which is something they do very well. It doesn't […]

How to power a Garmin GPS with a plain USB cable
Thu 30 Mar 2023

I don't know how long this will stay on the market, but if you use an older Garmin GPS, while you can. Definition of "older" Garmin GPS: Any Garmin nuvi, Drive, DriveSmart model made before 2020 that uses the mini USB connector (the one that looks somewhat like a little trapezoid on the small end). […]

Garmin discontinuing map updates for older models
Thu 2 Feb 2023

I'm genuinely surprised this didn't happen sooner. Garmin says that a whole bunch of models will no longer receive map updates as of July 2023. Basically put, the map updates will stop for most models made before 2013. While true it states this will only apply to Australian and New Zealand models, it would not […]

Garmin DriveSmart 66, four months later
Tue 17 Jan 2023

It was worth getting this. In September '22 I . I liked this model enough to where I bought a second refurb model for backup for 44% less. Do both work? Yes. Do they work well? Yes. After four months of use, my DS66 still works fine, although I know enough about Garmin automotive navigators […]

Garmin DriveSmart 66 review
Tue 13 Sep 2022

Money was spent on this. Was it worth it? Yes. At the time I write this, I've been using Garmin GPS navigators for 17 years (since 2005) and have used many of their automotive models. The is one of Garmin's latest offerings. Due to the fact most people are used to infotainment and phones, here […]