Low end VS High End?

I don't think you are missing anything. There can be several reasons for a significant price drop. The 200 line of Nuvis is getting a little long in the tooth, so the decision may be due to slower sales of a particular model and an attempt is being made to revive it. Another reason can have the same root, lower demand so the decision is to drop the product and they are attempting to clear the pipeline.

The best advice is to research the different models offered and pick one that most closely matches your needs. If it is on sale, then so much the better.

Use the comparison tool and see what features each unit has, and doesn't have, and then consider the dollars.

I have a GPS60CSx and I don't regret paying for the "high end" features. I can't begin to tell you what it can do that others can't. There isn't much on it that I don't use.

i really prefer to plan my routes ahead - so if the unit cannot handle multiple downloaded routes, then i would rather pay up for one that does.

I paid a little extra for street names spoken aloud, along with custom POI voice alert. Not sure what the price difference is today.

I also paid a little extra for Bluetooth so I could use it as a hand-free device for my phone.

I always tell people to get the stuff that best fits your needs.

I do not have the bluetooth but, sometimes, wished I did. Now for the streets being spoken I thought would not be a big deal. Man was I wrong. Very nice not to have to look at the monitor and the street signs at the same time.

On the higher end units, you usually get more internal memory. My 775T has 8 gigs, and that's a lot of map upgrades before having to use a card.

Add to that routing, TTS, MP3 player, BT, and a few other niceties, I don't regret spending a few more dollars.

I tend to buy important electronics in the 70% (or so) of the top of the line range pricing. Flat screen TV's, cell phones, GPS' etc. You get what you pay for.

I agree that you need to make sure you get a unit that does what you need. I have the 360 and 265WT and they are both fine for what I use them for -- getting here to there.

I totally agree about getting the better GPS, it's the little things you don't get in the $99 units that make the difference. I too have the 775 and use the MP3 player and BT all the time (in fact, if I get in a rental with A2DP, I love the fact I can stream both music and navigation through the car speakers). Interestingly, when I search the Garmin site for new models that have these features that I never knew I would have wanted, Garmin tells me that the 775, albeit almost 2 years old, is still the best model. Go figure.

I wish more people understood these little advertised features so the GPS manufacturers would include them in more models. Finding a built-in MP3 player is getting harder and harder each year.

I paid over $500.00 for my Street Pilot 2820 when I bought it. Prices were higher overall then, but the features the 2820 had like being able to customize the screen to show what you wanted it to show and things like that I don't think are available on many if any of the GPSr today. Like one of the other guys said, you get what you pay for.

I just purchased a 3790LMT, moving up from a street pilot 2720. The new unit shows terrain contours, and will also allow various topo maps to be loaded - a great improvement for those traveling out west. I think this is a great feature, especially when trying to find spots not on the usual maps. I'm sure this is a great benefit for those that do geocaching. One feature that the street pilot had that I miss is the ability to put any data field on the screen. I miss having to choose between time of a arrival, and elevation. Ont he street pilot, you were able to have both.