Traffic Subscription

Would be nice to get an email warning but I didn't receive one either. Mind you I don't live in an area that has traffic reporting to my 660 so I didn't experience the subscription stopping cold on me.

Which traffic receiver do you use, MSN or TMC? I'm currently on the 3 month trial for MSN and would hate to have it shut off unexpectedly.

When it does expire, I plan on getting the lifetime membership (for about the price of about 3 years, you have guaranteed service through 2012... and if you cancel, they will prorate the subscription and refund your money for the first 3 years).

But, I believe that you can check the status of your subscription on your unit.

I have the Fm traffic subscription and i got about 30 days warning on the unit on startup that the subscription was expiring. I'd rather have the unit remind me than email anyday with all the junk maild filters.

I have a 760. While its connected to the traffic receiver in the car, Menu-Settings-Traffic, will tell you when your subscription expires.

I would like it to give me a warning. I have FM traffic and I know I can manually check to see when it runs out, but a warning a week in advance would be nice. At least I could check the traffic on my iPhone and see where the accident was.

I have birthdays, anniversaries, etc set in MS office, which in turn updates my pda... If I wanted it would be a simple matter to add an expiration date...

I'm still on the initial freebie trial period (expiring in a few weeks), but the unit has not given me any warnings. I've also noticed though that half the time it's not even getting Traffic Info (on the WHERE TO screen, the Traffic Icon in the lower right is greyed out). Anyone else seeing this in the Phoenix area? Dunno if it's my reception or the station transmitting.

My 660 also gave me notice 30 days in advance. I also did not receive an e-mail.

How good is traffic anyways?
i've heard that unless you live in a very metro area, (which of course has traffic) you will not gain anything?

In a recent MA to PA trip the traffic feature and rerouting it enabled (automatically, by the way, in my 760) it saved me over 2 hours. For me that is worth 4-5 years of the traffic subscription cost.

If you don't travel and your local area doesn't get congested then it's probably not worth it for you. The questions to answer are "Does traffic congestion bother me when I'm driving" and "How much is worth it to me to save time by avoiding the congestion."

Definitely check the coverage for whatever traffic receiver you are considering.

Has anyone found this saving them any time in Houston, Tx traffic? I don't thing we have a highway down here that is not under construction or chokes up. I would love to be able to get home in an hour again. We will refrain from comment on our public transportation system.

Thanks y'all

Miss Lynn

I had the Nuvi 680 unit with a year of traffic, movie, weather and gas prices. In Los Angeles, the traffic information was interesting but, I did not follow the directions to leave the freeways unless the the problem was very bad. At this point, I have decided not to renew the subscription at this time.

Henry

Greyed out means it's not receiving any signal, Call Garmin! I just got a RMA for a bad traffic antenna today.

Bob

the easiest way to renew is wait for it to stop, then there is a code that pops up for you to refer to when renewing. I don't know if the service is worth it, but it is a big part of my gps. Only time will tell

I'm curious about how long your RMA processing takes. My cable was sent back as an RMA, received by Garmin on 7/23/2008, and I am still awaiting an update on the status and the return of a new cable. The online representative estimated 7-10 days to get the cable back after receipt, so I'm getting a little anxious.

I was told it wold be sent next day to me after they recieved mine, which I sent priority to them.

Bob

i live in houston and do find it helpful sometimes. I do change my route based on the info at times. I live in the Woodlands and drive to Sugar Land every day, 56 miles one way across Houston. Well worth using traffic.

Thanks Sweetie. I am going to give this a try then. Anything is better than wilting in this 100 degree heat. Odie and I love driving with the top down in the Corvette and it no fun when you are sitting on the Katy Freeway at a dead stop.

Thanks y'all

Miss Lynn

FYI, I received my cable back today. It took 20 days from when Garmin received the return until I received the replacement, a new cable/antenna in the original packaging. Looks like it includes a 15-month subscription as well. It's working fine in the house - will check out in the vehicles later.

are you limited to the traffic subscription that comes with your unit?
E.G with a magellan i got MSN Traffic but I have heard of TMC, can you switch? Is it better?

I had the same problem. I priority mailed (USPS) it from AZ on 8/4/08, arriving at Garmin on 8/6/08. Garmin sent repaired GTM-20 on 8/7/08 via UPS ground arriving in AZ on 8/12/08.

I would call Garmin and reference the RMA. It could have been shipped back. They will give you the UPS tracking number.

Hope this helps.

Personally, I do not think one can change subscription types. The MSN Traffic receiver is different than the TMC Traffic receiver. You will have to "obtain" a TMC Traffic receiver for you Magellan unit.

Which is better? Depends on preference. I returned my Nuvi 680 for a Nuvi 660. I only wanted traffic, without the extra MSN stuff. It was nice, but one had to keep the MSN Receiver charged such that it can keep updating the gas/movie information.

Hope this helps

Just received and email, my 3 month MSN traffic trial expires in 3 weeks... I was hoping they'd also give me a discount, but I just went and bought the lifetime subscription. The lifetime has a 'pro-rated' refund over 3 years if you cancel, seemed like the best deal to me.

Larry

My trial subscription just ran out and just got a lifetime (labeled "one time" on the Garmin site) for $60. I thought the lifetime was much more than that. Is this what everyone else has been paying?

I also received a new cable from garmin with a tag stating it included 15 months of msn traffic. Is this a standard tag or do I really have msn for 15 months? I wont be traveling into one of the service areas for about a month so I can't test it out at this time.

gusb

is the lifetime plan that is being offered the MSN product, or the same as the initial 3 month service that comes with the 760?

I could not find the $60 deal for a traffic plan that does not expire - I hate to refer to this as a lifetime plan.

I have the Fm traffic subscription on my Nuvi 760 and i got a warning about a month in advance on the unit that the subscription was expiring. Myabe you missed it. You get the warning at startup.

I got the message, my trail traffic plan has expired on my 760.

I want to renew for a one time fee of $60, cant find this deal on the garmin web site.

My friend just bought a 770 and it came with a FM/TMC Traffic receiver and 3 months free trial.

The only thing I could find anywhere about renewal plans was an Annual Fee of $60.00 for the FM/TMC traffic subscription.

I believe that the 770 can also receive the MSN Direct TRaffic too... but you have to buy that receiver as an option. But the MSN does come with 15 months included AND you can buy that "Lifetime" subscription.

The onyl experience with a Traffic service that "I" persoanlly have , is with the XM NavTraffic.

And in two words.... "It Sucks". I cancelled it and would not subscribe again unless and until they make some VAST improvements in reliability and reporting.

Tim

I didn't do anything special to get the lifetime deal. I went to the Garmin site and signed into "My Garmin." Stepping through adding a subscription I got a page that then, and only then, read "one time" subscription as the only purchasing option. The code page, that came up after processing my purchase, shows the code that I must input into my Garmin and the words "lifetime subscription."

I wish I could tell you why I got the deal, but I can't because I simply don't know.

This is why I'm looking to get an AC to DC Cigarette Lighter wall plug adapter. That way I can charge the GPS battery, and keep MSN downloading overnight while traveing, etc.

The MSN cable has a battery inside, it will keep recieving data for days after you unplug it (per the users manual). I never tried to see how long mine would hold a charge.

Larry

As I often ride my 'wing instead of my car to save on fuel, the battery in my plug definitely runs down after a number of days. That being said, the data begins refreshing as soon as the car is started, and in a (relatively) short amount of time, it's back again.

Patience, patience...

Joe

I have a 660. Mine gave an onscreen warning a couple of weeks prior to my subscription running out. When the time was close I re-subscribbed and had no lapse in service.

I've made it a habit to check the traffic when I first get in the car before I put my car in gear. I got in the car this morning to find out that my free 1-year subscription to MSN Direct has expired. They did give me a product key to use when I renew. It would be nice if the unit would give some indication that it is going to expire other than leaving you high and dry.

I just renewed it using the one-time payment (lifetime option) which will cover me untli 1/1/2012. Here's to happy, traffic-free commuting!

A free 1-year subscription means One year! you didn't really need a reminder or a warning?

Just remember your LIFETIME Traffic subscription runs out on 1/1/2012. "in just 3 years 2 months"

Bob

That would be true if I could remember to the day when I activated the free subscription.

...I started the thread. Warnings seem to be sporadic and irregular.