Traffic Information and Signal Reception Issue

Join the club. It isn't easy trying to pick a unit with all the choices available.

As you already know the traffic in Manhattan, a traffic receiver won't be a not of help unless you are leaving Manhattan and going to one of the other boroughs.

The receivers for these units only receive traffic, not construction or closure information. They also work off a lower powered digital signal sent by one of the local FM stations. Coverage is generally good in Manhattan, but like all radio services, there are some areas better than others.

You can search POI with or without satellite signal. You are looking for information that is stored. What you won't be able to do is get accurate routing information as the unit will guess as to its location from its last satellite fix. As to "it's expected of a cabbie" what ever happened to "I haven't spent a lot of time in this area so I'm not familiar with all the bars and restaurants in this part of town." Until you build up your own personal knowledge of the various areas, a GPS list won't help much other than providing a list of addresses.

Way beyond the capabilities of any GPS unit on the market. For what you are asking of a unit, you would probably be better off with a Netbook computer and a GPS receiver equipped copy of Microsoft's Streets and Trips which will receive road closure information. But then it's only construction information put out by the state. If you add a data card, you can then use a data connection from one of the cell providers to do searches. Of course, you can always get a smart phone that allows searches as well. Probably the better choice in this instance.
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If it is a true refurbished unit from Garmin or one of its dealers, yes. If it's an "open box" the answer is no.

It's beginning to sound as if an iphone or one of the Android units will fit your needs better than any GPS unit. Some of these come with car kits so you can use it as if it were a GPS unit.