Number of search results for garmin: 129

Setting up a Garmin nuvi 660 in 2022
Fri 8 Jul 2022

I bought a Garmin nuvi 660, and wow did I learn some eye-opening things by actually getting one of these. Before getting into that, this is how to set one of these things up: Understand that the maximum map file size allowed on either the 660 itself or any memory card () can be 2GB […]

Garmin nuvi 1100LM, a diamond in the rough
Tue 7 Jun 2022

This little guy is an unexpected gem. Garmin bounced around a lot with the UI from model to model of nuvi. All of them work, but the best models have the least annoyances in general use. The 1100LM is one that is surprisingly very good and has only two annoyances. I'll talk about those annoyances […]

Older Garmin models worth getting (updated 2022 edition)
Thu 31 Mar 2022

Back in 2018 I wrote about the Garmin models worth getting. Things have changed a bit, I've acquired some more Garmin GPSes since then, and these are the good ones worth getting in 2022. These will be listed from newest to oldest. Current (as of March 2022) This is the very last made-for-car matte screen […]

My experience with no-smartphone Garmin traffic reporting
Sat 19 Feb 2022

In early 2022 as I write this, I now have decent experience with the best non-smartphone traffic reporting for Garmin GPSes. I have used both the regular RDS traffic reporting using the TA20 and GTM35 (which is the same as the GTM36), and the HD reporting using the GTM60. When using an older Garmin nuvi […]

The last of the old school Garmins
Fri 31 Dec 2021

I'm writing this on the last day of 2021, Dec 31, New Year's Eve. I had some ups and downs with Garmin GPSes this year. Yes, I bought a . This is the very last of the old school Garmin GPSes for cars. It has a matte screen (and is in fact the very last […]

The 3.5" Garmin nuvi is still needed after all
Thu 19 Aug 2021

A weird chain of events led to the point where going back to a GPS navigator made in the early 2010s is sometimes actually the best (if sometimes not the only) option. The 3.5" screen Garmin nuvi was around from 2007 to 2011. The model you see above is the best one they ever released, […]

Garmin nuvi 56 is best, not the 50LM
Mon 7 Jun 2021

I said a while back that the nuvi 50LM was the best GPS ever made, followed by the DriveSmart 50. I was wrong on both counts. Since I wrote those, I've owned a few more Garmins, and finally found the two that absolutely and totally are the best models Garmin ever released. Second banana: Garmin […]

Using a Garmin GPS in 2021
Thu 25 Mar 2021

I decided to go big in 2021. Somewhat. I recently acquired my first 6-inch screen size GPS, an older model Garmin DriveSmart 60LMT. The current model at the time I write this is the , which for all intents and purposes is a 7-inch as its screen is 6.95-inch diagonal. Not-so long ago, it was […]

Prepper tip: Know how to use Garmin intersection search
Fri 8 Jan 2021

This is a feature of every Garmin nuvi and Drive model (DriveSmart, DriveAssist, etc.). You've probably never used it. But if the GPS signal cuts out and doesn't work, or the GPS grid ever fails, this will come in very handy and get you where you need to go. What you will need to know […]

Easy way to keep a Garmin GPS running right
Fri 11 Sep 2020

Something that nobody thinks about (usually not until it's too late) is the memory card in a Garmin GPS. On my GPSes, I can't use the internal memory for storage because the maps simply won't fit, so I use memory cards. What I've learned over the years is that as memory cards get older, they […]

Garmin nuvi 1390 - "For the love of Jill"
Mon 31 Aug 2020

Maybe not the best 4.3" Garmin, but Jill is there. The nuvi 1390 is, said honestly, not a GPS I recommend because database searching is slow, touchscreen response isn't that great, updating maps via Garmin Express is really slow (USB 1.1 and not USB 2.0), and with modern map data it's absolutely mandatory to set […]

The second best GPS Garmin ever made
Fri 3 Jul 2020

While the nuvi 50LM is the best GPS Garmin ever made, the DriveSmart 50LMTHD comes in at a close second - if used in a very specific way. If you've bought Garmin GPSes in the past, chances are pretty good you have never seen this model. There's a reason for that. The 50LMTHD model was […]

How to fix the "one hour off" problem in a Garmin nuvi
Tue 3 Sep 2019

I had this happen on two Garmin nuvi 30 models I acquired, but it can also happen on a number of other nuvis as well. This is, as far as I know, the only documentation that exists for this. I had to figure out how to fix this stuff myself. Here's what happened: I acquire […]

Is a 3.5" screen Garmin GPS still usable?
Fri 23 Aug 2019

Answer: Yes. I use one myself as a daily driver. The very last 3.5" screen Garmin car-specific GPS ever released for North America was the nuvi 30 in 2012. The 30 was launched with hardly any fanfare, lived for a short time, disappeared, and we never saw another 3.5" car GPS after that from Garmin. […]

Using a Garmin StreetPilot i3 in 2019 and beyond
Mon 24 Jun 2019

My first GPS was a Garmin StreetPilot i3. I bought it at launch date in August 2005 for $400. Yeah, I paid that much for it. I now own two more i-series StreetPilots, a somewhat beat-up i5 and the i3 seen above in really good condition. I have updated it to 2020 maps: Was I […]

The best car GPS Garmin ever made
Thu 13 Jun 2019

There is one and only one GPS for cars that Garmin made which is absolutely the best thing they ever released, the Garmin nuvi 50LM. You can find these easily on eBay. You might want to grab one after I explain why this particular model is so good. Now to note, this GPS is not […]

How to get a nag-free Garmin GPS experience
Fri 4 Jan 2019

How to get a nag-free Garmin GPS experience This page is only for the nerdy GPS user. It's probably true hardly anyone will see this, but I'm putting it here anyway for the few of you out there that absolutely hate modern Garmin standalone GPSes and just want something 100% free of nanny nags. Other […]

Garmin car GPS in 2019 and beyond
Mon 31 Dec 2018

I'm a bit of a road nerd so I like this stuff. I'll be getting back to guitar/music stuff shortly, but for now, let's talk about this "obsolete" technology. It's New Year's Eve 2018, meaning 2019 is right around the corner. I'm still using standalone GPS instead of smartphone navigation. The model I'm using currently […]

Older Garmin nuvi models worth getting
Thu 22 Feb 2018

(Note: This was written in 2018, and an updated version is here.) I'll be getting back to the guitar stuff soon, but just wanted to say a few things about older Garmin nuvi models. I know a bunch about them, and these are my picks for older models worth getting. The Garmin nuvi model line […]

Using a Garmin Drive standalone GPS in 2018
Fri 16 Feb 2018

It's been a while since I've said anything about GPS, so I figure it's time for an update. The model of satnav I use these days is the Garmin Drive 50LM; a 5-inch model from 2016 that I bought originally as a refurb. The 50LM is not all that different from the Drive 51LM, with […]