Dear Garmin (I know you read this forum) >>>

C&P from my e-mail:

For the issue with the points of interest showing the dot. We had many customers that thought the detailed information on the screen was to lets say busy so it was changed. I will gladly pass along the request and that detailed information may come back to the map detail.

With Best Regards,
Cynthia W
Product Support Specialist
2nd Shift Automotive Team
Garmin International

My question to Garmin would be what do they consider many customers 2 ,3, 10, 50,000. Also I woluld like to know how many menbers of the POI Factory have been asked to do a customer product survey for Garmin. I know I haven't.

Interestingly, I have received 2 e-mails from Garmin asking me to participate in a customer survey. In both cases I have not been able to get past the first two questions of the survey ... 1) What is your age group 2) What is your gender. After answering those two questions, I get a message saying that my further participation in the survey is not reqired.

So I concluded that Garmin is not interested in the opinions of old males. If they ever send me another survey I am going to say I am a 29 year old female

The newer models do offer 3 routing options for each destination calculated. This feature, under Calculation Mode, is called "Prompted" and is available on models like the 37xx, 23xx and 24xx.

Garmin should be interested in the opinions of old males. Because Garmin isn't going to find much interest in their products with the under-30 crowd. 29 year old females aren't interested in standalone gps devices, they're just gonna use their smartphone to get around.

I bet if we did a survey of this site the vast majority of members are over 40.

Want to try for over 50?

My friend use iPhone4 and give up GPS, he is also a truck driver.

Perhaps that is the kind of information Garmin was trying to get at in the survey. Since they never let me proceed, I have no idea what was in the actual survey questions.

In any case, it was a poorly designed survey from a customer PR perspective as it made me feel like my opinion didn't matter.

I have to admit that I haven't read all of the posts. But, like any reasonable person, I would rather get good routes. I have been using a Garmin 465WT for a while and always get to the destination. However, there have been weird routes.

Since we need a second GPS, it would be good to see what is recommended.

I've owned a 3790 for a year and literally never gave that option a second glance. Thank you for bringing it to light!

I too own the 3790 and just changed the option to prompted. What can I expect when I put in a destination? I am just sitting here in the wee dark hours at the puter.

When you select a destination, you'll wait a few seconds while it calculates the routes. Then you'll see a map with the "fastest time" route, along with distance and ETA. On the left you'll see up and down arrows which you can touch to view the "shortest distance" and "most fuel-efficient" (I forget the exact wording) routes. When you find the one you want, touch "Go", and that's the route your 3790 will use.

The good news is the "prompted" feature wasn't in the 3790 a year ago when we both got our units. It was added in a firmware update somewhere along the line. May have even been one of those "undocumented" additions we see on occasion. So you haven't missed it for the full year.

That makes me feel better. I usually go through all the menus and play with everything when I first get a new "toy", but once I get used to using it the way that makes sense for me, I tend to forget about revisiting options. When upgrades come along I install them, but unless something like a forum post about a new feature catches my eye, I don't often go looking for changes. So it's good to know it wasn't a "senior moment". Thanks.

I notice when using prompted, and using the shortest route, if the gps has to recalculate it goes to the fastest time route not the shortest as orginaly chosen

Alandb

With the surveys design, what make you think anyone's perspective matters. Its probably to late for Garmin to ever regain the cornered market again anyway.

They blew it by not staying on the cutting edge, when they failed to develop a common android app. Instead they decided to stay greedy and keep their app closed architecture and not using the open google OS by getting in bed with Asus and created the Nuvi Phone. Buy doing so they have lost a large segment of the smartphone market under the Garmin name for the next few years.

We were driving on some "newer" roads in South Texas around Lake Jackson, and suddenly we were out in the middle of nowhere according to the Garmin. I updated maps earlier this summer, and those roads aren't that new! Wow, that was strange! Good news is we did get back onto the roads, but if we'd followed the GPS, we'd have wound up in the water! Blub!

I love my Garmin and have had no problems that common sense fixed.

Rath *Proud owner*

I've had a 3590 about 6 years now. Occasional strange routing as previously noted, but overall it works good. A few years back I bought a new Jeep but never activated the built in GPS until they offered a discount. The built in one is horrible. I don't think it ever updates, and trying to put in someplace to go is a challenge at best. My 3590 still travels with me, so when I get tired of battling with the built in GPS the 3590 comes to the rescue. Once at my destination I set the built in one to save the location for next time.

I can't speak about the newer Garmins since I don't have one. However there is one way, although a slow one to get Garmin's attention. Stop buying them. They will either do a better job or loose that portion of their business. As for the 3590, I like it. Hopefully my opinion won't change after having downloading all the latest updates.

I have had a Garmin GPS for a long time (different Models)
l I have a Hyundai Tucson and with the Android Auto app is easier to use and is always updated (no typing in address, just tell it where I want to go even ask for a business)
It tells me if there is traffic and will route me around it.
I understand most of the cars today will do the same thing.
It uses Google maps and very little data.
I am a senior citizen and my children and grandchildren all use their smart phones, doessn't Garmin understand that it is usually the older people who buy a GPS
todays youth are too Hi-Tech to use a stand alone GPS.

My use of Garmin's spans more than 20 years.

No extra charges, no "accidental" connection fees.

With lifetime traffic and free map updates, I couldn't ask for more.

My travels have spanned 50 states and 6 Canadian provinces without the use of a map. None!

Look around and there's Garmins on planes , ships, boats, trucks, buses, cycles, automobiles and riding around in hiker's hip pockets.

Bravo Garmin. Job well done!

I too have been using Garmin's for a couple of decades. It appears the problems reported by the OP almost 10 years ago are still with us today.

These "hickups" and glitches in firmware and map updates are the reason I now do them infrequently. I never do an update when first released and wait until the wrinkles have been ironed out. Even then, I'll sometimes go 2 or 3 years between updates.

I still use and love my Garmins though.

This hasn't happened to me recently, but I remember a time when my nuvi would -- for some strange reason -- route me through side streets rather than keep me on the main roads. I have no idea why it glitched like that, but a reboot sometimes helps.

Navigation got changed from Fastest Route to Shortest Route.

I found a Nuvi 1490 in a thrift shop and brought it home, did a factory reset, then a complete map update. When I tried to use it to navigate to a town about an hour away it was showing an arrival time 3 1/2 hours later. After viewing the route map it would have taken me that long to drive that route. I think I'll stick with my Nuvi 265.

Check Settings>Navigation and see what the route settings are. Should be Fastest.

Also check Settings>Maps and make sure all the current maps are installed and checked to use.

I am sorry. I just don't see what you're seeing. I wish I did.

Furthermore, I assume the aviation and marine world still use Garmin, but with rare exception buses, hikers, bikers including cyclists everyone is using their iPhone or Android including their in-vehicle peripherals for navigation. Remember, "there's an app for that".

Probably would come as a surprise to some.. but there are still a lot of us that do not have a smartphone and see no reason to have one. My "flip phone" does all I need while driving.

Go out west. Cell service is spotty, at best. Only time I've lost satellite service was inn HEAVY tree cover. 50 minutes from any cell service.

To Sam888, please let me be clear, I never said the phones were bad. Pricey maybe; bad no. Stores still stock all those Garmins, Magellans, Tom Toms, etc. because folks are buying them.

#1 - My Garmins have served me well.

#2 - I am cheap; and, as a result if I need to look something up on the road, I use a "WIFI only" tablet.

For communication, I use a T-Mobile flip phone that costs $ 21.00 a month -- that includes tax, tag, title, everything. That's on top of my Garmin which is free.

I figured, if a flipper's good enough for Warren Buffett and folks like Ralph6410, that's probably all I need.

Some love their smart phone, and that's great. We all enjoy different things and spend our money in different ways.

We're all different.

Sorry but I disagree. I don't use my phone for navigation when walking, my Garmin GPS is far easier to use and hold in my hand. My phone stays in my pack although it does have maps and a nav app on it should my GPS fail, although it never has yet.

As for driving, I use my Garmin. My wife's car has Android auto that we use with Google maps, fine for a quick point to point route but rubbish if you want to have more control over where you're going.

So 'everyone' is not using their phones

Using a smartphone as a handheld GPS isn't practical for continuous use. The battery drain is too high. An external power source from a vehicle or portable power bank is necessary.

If you're going to carry a power bank in your pocket, why not just use a handheld GPS and save the smartphone battery for an emergency.

Also, if you're like me, you use a boatload of waypoints with your handheld which are difficult to upload to a smartphone.

In Virginia there is now a law that says "Hands Free" only for cell phones. Luckily my pickup has Bluetooth that I can use to talk on the phone, if needed.

What I don't understand is why Garmin doesn't point out in their advertising the advantages of a stand alone GPS. A stand alone has superior routing, more onboard POIs, easily added Custom POIs and a host of other advantages. AND, if you get a LMT version, you won't be spending over $100(USD) for map updates (depending on vehicle manufacturer) as well as fast re-routing around traffic jams.

They are missing out by not promoting the advantages.

Because maybe there's more money in the wearable and sports watches end of the business. The standalone GPS as we use it is not how the majority of others use it.

My friends, and even my brother, bought a Nuvi GPS and NEVER updated the map or loaded any POIs. Too much "bother", even after I showed them how to do it.

That market of people is WAY bigger that the market of us GPS fanatics. They are perfectly happy using whatever the car manufacter has in the vehicle, heck, most of them probably never ever ask the sales people about the built-in GPS.

My stepdaugher uses google maps on her phone in a vent-holder, doesn't touch the phone any more than I touch my GPS when driving. Why would she want a standalone GPS? I can't think of a single reason to even offer her a standalnoe GPS. She wouldn't use it. Too much bother.

I thought that you were going to make the case that the GPS (at least in the case of my DriveSmart 51LMT-S) the the GPS provides satisfactory bluetooth and audio for hands-free phone usage too.

I love my Garmin NUVI for its ease of use but I have to admit the navigation can be crazy at times. I find that it often goes in circles to get the same place a straight path would have taken you. Also, I find that many places are not listed when you do a search, places that have been there for years. I hope they do listen and do better.

Way back when Garmin was growing fast because of massive demand, they had money to spare. They were selling anything they came up with, a GPS was a marvel, everybody wanted one, and they paid big bucks. Nowadays, with GPS in smartphones, there is tense competition and capital is much tighter, meaning Garmin had to cut back in capacity and capability. Sounds like customer service took a major hit.

Garmin's doing just fine. Their stock is trading at $ 157, roughly 58% up over a year ago. Sweet!!

Garmin Nuvi 765T Maps: 2022.20

We just came back from a very disappointing Garmin trip experience. Not only did we have to override Garmin's navigation several times, but we have one other MAJOR irritant.

We were on or seeking state highways in and around towns but you would never find them with Garmin. Garmin ONLY provided local nondescript street names that were totally useless.

Luckily, My wife’s iPad has the Google Map App which gave us a blue dot locator and more info. Also, I have a non-supported Rand McNally RVND unit that gave us highway numbers and street names.

We should not have the driving distraction of consulting multiple GPS sources to figure what damn highway are on or watching for. City street names ONLY? REALLY???? What a crock.

Garmin failed us at time I am shopping with the idea of buying a new Garmin RV1090, but I am rethinking that now.

Not sure why you were "seeking state highways". Your GPS is a routing device with the aim of getting you from A to B. My experience is it does that very well. You can input destinations from within its database, including addresses, cities, POIs etc. You can even input road intersections. Having done so it gives you directions to get there.

It isn't linked to the Internet so if you want to Google for stuff you need to use another device. It has always been thus.

Incidentally your GPS is a fairly old device. Modern devices even give instructions such as turn left at the traffic lights.

I had a 1490. I liked it except that it developed the random reboot problem. Then a SW update bricked it and Garmin replaced it with a new Drive 55.

The same SW update bricked my 765 and they replaced that also.

That is pretty good customer service.

Yes, they do have problems occasionally, but it sure is WAY better than my 2014 Toyota Rav4 nav system.

I think the complaint is that the Garmin often only show Highway Names when Highway Numbers maybe of more value.