Good upgrade from a Garmin 255W?

 

I have a Garmin 255W without lifetime maps. To add lifetime maps would cost me $90. Seems to me that a newer Garmin with lifetime maps would be a better option since it is now over 2 years old. What do you think?

BTW, it can be a Magellan or a TomTom, as long as it does the job.

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Gotta travel on ... with my nuvi 2450LM.

How about a 2450LM

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare.do?cID=164&compareProduc...

With the 2450LM, you get:
Display size, WxH: 5.0" diag
Includes lifetime map updates: yes
Routes: 100
Lane assist: yes
Junction view: yes
myTrends: yes
Auto sort multiple destinations: yes
Garmin Locate: yes
Enhanced pedestrian navigation: yes

About $150 at Amazon.

just what do you want

in a replacement unit? The 255 is a great unit and has features not found on newer models such as an audio out jack. Lifetime maps can be purchased right now for around $70 and a traffic receiver can be found for a little extra on flea-bay. That puts your cost somewhere around $100 which is less than you'll spend on another unit that somewhat mirrors what you currently have.

As to changing brands, it's a learning curve as "this new unit doesn't do X lie my old one did." or "I don't like the way the menus are set up. It's hard to find Y."

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Illiterate? Write for free help.

No audio jack on a 255W, but

No audio jack on a 255W, but otherwise I tend to agree with Box Car. That said, if you really want to upgrade, the next step up from the 255W would probably be a 1350LMT. You'll want a MicroSD card of at least 4GB to handle future expansion however since the 1xxx units only have 2GB of memory built in like the 255W.

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"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." --Douglas Adams

bad thing about this goof

Strephon_Alkhalikoi wrote:

No audio jack on a 255W

is I have a 255WT I bought on a BB close-out for $79. It's still in the plastic overwrap around the factory box.

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Illiterate? Write for free help.

My 260w

My "late in the model run" 260W (late model 260's are same as a 255W)(But no traffic} is still going strong.

But, bit by the upgrade bug, I bought a 1490LMT ... which is a WRONG choice ... bad mistake ... I would avoid the entire 1XXX line ... primarily because of insufficient memory for the upgrade maps and complete junction view files.

So, once again, bit by the upgrade bug, I got a 2460LMT and couldn't be happier with the model. It also has 8gb memory, plenty of room for new maps and JCV files for years to come.

So, I agree, the 255WT is a great little unit. Buy the lifetime map updates for it and you'll be happy. Amazon and others often have the lifetime update map card on sale for $60 or so.

However, if you are bit by the upgrade bug, avoid the 1XXX series ... choose something in the 2XXX series.

By the by, my still-functioning Garmin I5 backs up my still-working 260W which is backed up by my 1490LMT which functions as a back-up to my 2460LMT.

Addicted, no. What's amazing is my wife believes my "one can never have too many back-up GPS's" line.

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Garmin 205, 260W, 1450LMT, 2460LMT, HEREwego for iPhone ... all still mapping strong.

I'm going to refer you to my

I'm going to refer you to my responses on your thread "Should Garmin Recall The 1xxx Series", specifically the following points, with annotations related to this thread.

1. You have a valid point regarding the internal memory being only 2GB. It shouldn't have cost Garmin that much more to put more memory on the motherboard.

Thread Related Comment: The 255W only comes with 2GB of memory, yet people are not bitching and moaning about the small amount of memory on that device. The only complaints are about the 1xxx series, and to this day I do not understand why. Your 260W suffers from the same memory constraints in that it only has 2GB of memory and will require a SD card for future map updates. My 200W has 1GB of memory and couldn't even load the entirety of 2010.10 in its memory, requiring a SD card for the overflow.

2. The 1xxx series is a low-end GPS.

Thread Related comment: The 255W was Garmin's entry-level GPS until it was discontinued. Upon its being discontinued, the 1xxx became Garmin's new entry-level units until the introduction of the Essential 30, 40 and 50 models for 2012.

In any event, the 1xxx series is expected to be discontinued at the end of the month. The current unit that replaces the 255W would be the 40LM, but the OP would lose the ability to add traffic since the Essential line doesn't support traffic at all.

One of my last comments on your recall thread applies here: perhaps you should hold yourself responsible for purchasing the wrong unit instead of blaming Garmin. For all you know, the OP may well be happy with a 1350, just as I am happy with my 1300.

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"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." --Douglas Adams

Well

Well, Strephon, no sense to rehash all this, but the 2gb memory on my 260w(255w clone) isn't a problem because the lifetime updates only include the NA maps.

The problem with my 1490LMT is that Garmin installed (without giving owners a heads up) a limited junction view file and in some cases, even a limited mapset because of the 1XXX series 2gb memory.

We all know that you can run auxilliary maps on sd cards, so there is a work around ....

But the vast majority of GPS users don't know about POI Factory, never log on to any GPS sites, and as a result, have no clue that the 1XXX series, billed as lifetime maps, don't have the room for the full updates on current maps ... which as we all know keep growing in size, as do the JCV files, so the situation is going to get worse in the future.

The OP asked for opinions on replacements for his 255WT.

I suggested he buy the lifetime maps for his 255WT ... unless he was bit by the upgrade bug. If so, I'd avoid the 1XXX series do to the limited memory of those units for future updates.

I also said my decision to buy a 1490LMT was a bad choice, the wrong decision (especially since I've been a registered member here for almost 5 years ... I should have known better and done a bit more research into the 1490LMT limitations.

And yes, I hold Garmin responsible for installing a limited JCV file WITHOUT telling the owners that the update was installing a limited file.

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Garmin 205, 260W, 1450LMT, 2460LMT, HEREwego for iPhone ... all still mapping strong.

Bad decisions make for good experience

mrgreen

We've all made them, and they contribute to our collective life experience!

In my experiences, this is one of the reasons I stay in the upper middle range on most purchases. It was a decision I've never regretted as of yet.

Thankfully, all of us here have a penchant for being geeks, and love our toys enough we take the time to learn about them. The knowledge on this site is truly amazing, and is accessible by all.

I've learned a lot here, and appreciate you all.

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nüvi 3790T | Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable ~ JFK

Lack of balance in your post

@CBWatts: Without knowing more from the OP, we MUST have balance in the discussion and allow for ALL options. Otherwise we may steer the OP into making a bad choice. Your post didn't provide any balance, portraying all the negative attributes of the 1490 without highlighting the negative aspects of the 260W (which is not a clone of a 255W). Things such as the 2GB of memory, the old interface which isn't readily suitable for use in pedestrian mode, and the slower redraw rate. To be excessively negative towards the 1490 and yet be positive towards the 260W is hypocritical. Both of them will feel the memory pinch come 2013.10, when it's estimated by me that the full map will not fit on the unit regardless of the files removed.

The OP asked for options, and I agreed with Box Car's recommendation: purchase lifetime maps. But, at the same time I provided the OP another option in mentioning the 1350. In fairness, I did not mention the 40 in the 2012 lineup except as a response to you and I should have. But, at least I didn't take a dump on the thread because someone mentioned a 1xxx unit as an option.

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"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." --Douglas Adams

I gave...

my 255W with lifetime maps, to my son in law, who adores it. I don't even know why I bought it in the first place, as I already had a 765t and 775T. Love my 765t though! I use the 775t for Europe when I go. If my 765t ever "went" I'd go out and get a refurbished one...love it!

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"Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flight, make me a child again, just for tonight."

I like tomtom via 1505

I like tomtom via 1505 TM
Traffic & map life time

2460LMT

I recently got a Garmin 2460LMT at Costco - $189.
Am very happy with it, especially the large screen (5"), a snap to read with just a glance, and the lane assist, junction view, etc, new features. I tried the 1390LMT but the smaller screen (4.3) didn't give the same readout look due to screen space restrictions.

Wrong assumption, Strrephen

Re: your last paragraph:

Please note my text. It says, "I have..." not "I purchased...". It was a gift.

And I wasn't "...blaming..." anyone. Sorry that you misinterpreted my comments.

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Gotta travel on ... with my nuvi 2450LM.

Upgrading to Garmin 2xxx series

The larger 5" display sounds like a great extra benefit ... and I can get the lifetime maps to boot. Others have suggested upgrading directly to the 2xxx series and completely bypassing the 1xxx series as well. Thank you for your feedback, Ms/Mr Craig.

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Gotta travel on ... with my nuvi 2450LM.

Garmin 2xxx series

I am thinking about upgrading from 3790LMT to a 2595LMT. It seem to have everything except the 3D buliding and route, which I can do without. $249.00 at Best Buy.

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3790LMT; 2595LMT; 3590LMT, 60LMTHD

I had a 255W for about 3.5

I had a 255W for about 3.5 years and just upgraded to the 2350LMT...got if for $149 at Best Buy Canada so a great deal. The 255 was a solid unit but for me to upgrade would run about $100. For the extra cash I get a new unit, newer technology etc. It also has the 4gig internal..

So far so good and I didn't really need the 5" screen..

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GARMIN nuvi2350LMT...