Map Update 2018.20 Ready To Download

Ha ha!

Seriously? Where?

Breaking news!

On Garmin automotive devices (since about 2010) any device that has "LM" as part the model designation came with a lifetime map subscription. For the 3597 in the North America market, it was only sold as LMTHD, so they all have lifetime maps.

I am somewhat surprised that gpsCity can't (or won't?) give you a direct answer to that question.

If the factory-refurb you buy contains the letters LM, you're set with lifetime map updates.

Regarding dirt roads, here in northern AZ, dirt roads, whether Forest Service, Tribal, private, etc. are present and are route-able. If used on dirt roads, be sure to turn off the default "avoid unpaved roads" in the Avoidances for the device. The current accuracy of the City Navigator North America maps for these dirt roads isn't as good as it is for paved roads, but then I find the current Forest Service maps for National Forests ain't perfect either.

Just a quick observation. For the 3597, Mark your waypoints in Base Camp, then upload to the GPS. You won't get those ugly Hearts.

updates on our 2455LMT and 2555LMT units today. First thing was to update GE to version 5.5.0.0 which updated automatically with no problems. Then ran updates. Both units took about 30 minutes each from start to finish. No problems noted. Now it’s time to play and see what’s new!

Odd, I've never had this happen before:

Nuvi 2460 LMT with North America 2018.10 loaded.

Garmin Map Updater, and Garmin Map Installer each say unit is up to date.

If 2018.20 is out, how can 2018.10 return an "up to date" message?

You should probably use Garmin Express it's been reported that MapUpdater doesn't seem to work with this update. It has been discontinued for a long time now and may have reached "end of life".

Can't comment on Map Installer as I don't know what that is. Do you mean Garmin MapInstall?

Thanks! Installing GE did the trick. It's updating as I type this. (And yes, I meant Garmin MapInstall).

thanks

One Driveluxe 50 down and one Nuvi to go.

I use it off the road here in southern AZ and up north when I'm there too, as hopefully I will be soon. The wood roads aren't closed for fire danger around Flag and Grand Canyon now are they?

I didn't like their response at all. I wouldn't buy anything from them. The other plac you mentioned isn't selling refurbed 3597. I do see it on EBay tho at a cheaper price at a highly rated seller clearly marked with 30 day returns and lifetime maps. But is there something great about that discontinued unit? I see their brand new GPS's sell for about the same price.

I haven't been able to find any place online where us 276C devotees congregate and could suggest updating ideas or suing Garmin or something...because "lifetime" is a word that has inherent meaning in the English language, and if they were selling "lifetime map updates" with the idea that the "lifetime" only applied to the lifetime of the device, said lifetime to be exclusively determined by themselves, it should have been clearly stated at the time of sale. Furthermore they could easily make the updates available by simply continuing to put it on MapUpdater as they always did in the past. Perhaps that big motorcycle forum...

Will update tonight

thegpsstore.com is still showing them in stock for $179.95: https://www.thegpsstore.com/Garmin-Nuvi-3597LMTHD-Refurbishe...

As to whether there is something special about the 3597, it is a matter of opinion. Many long time members of this and other forums have purchased the 3597, feel it is the best nuvi Garmin has made and prefer it over the newer DriveLuxe models. Of course, like any product, it is not for everyone.

Oh thanks. I don't know why I couldn't find it. What about my other question - is that model better than Garmin's new ones for some reason? Like I said I have been out of the Garmin loop having used the 276 and 176 for many years now, and before that Garmin's early steam powered hand cranked models 2 and 2+.

Like I said in the above post, it is an opinion. I like my 3597. YMMV. Garmin did remove a couple of things on the DriveLuxe models that the 3597 had. One notable one is the DEM map (digital elevation view in 3D mode.) It is eye candy, but some of us like it.

AlanDB -

The GPSStore sounds pretty good. I called them. He said that I could try out refurbed units for a couple of days and then return it if i didn't like it, as long as I paid the postage both ways. BUT I asked him about replacement for my 276C and how I use it off the road as well as on the road. He said that the 3597 or any of the new units would NOT be able to find or change or make new waypoints on roads that are not "state maintained", which would be the desert roads that I go on. He said the only one that could do that would be the new 276CX or the Montana. Someone above suggested that I might need two different units to replace my 276C. Maybe so. What about Garmin's competitors, TomTom etc?

I guess I'm hijacking this thread. Perhaps I'll move over to the Adventure Rider GPS board. I just signed up there. They seem to be interested in this sort of thing.

The 3597 is not an offroad device. Although it has an offroad mode, it is awkward at best and can't import tracks, only routes. That is why I suggested in the earlier post that you may need 2 devices ... one automotive unit and a handheld.

That said, you can make a waypoint anywhere on a 3597, so I disagree with what you were told.

" you can make a waypoint anywhere on a 3597"

If I can make a waypoint anywhere, I should be able to see my existing off road desert and forest waypoints, and even move them if necessary. I never import tracks or routes. I just want to be able to see my off the paved road desert and forest waypoints, and also the desert and forest roads that are shown on the City Navigator, just as I can see them now on my 276. I don't expect any automatic routing off the road. Maybe that's what he was thinking of.

Give me the coordinates of a couple of examples. I will put them on my 3597 and post a screen shot.

Ha you want to find out where my gold mines are hidden! You need to get up pretty early in the morning to fool ol' Dobsy! OK only kidding...hang on...be right back...

OK here's one back east but way off the beaten path:

N39 45.317 W74 26.544 -0 ft

And if you don't like that one here's one out west, up by the Grand Canyon:

N35 55.599 W112 08.827 6633 ft

City Navigator 2018.1 shows the dirt roads by both of them.

I have not used Photobucket for a long time and it is slow!slow!slow! So I hope the links work.

Your waypoints can definitely be put on the 3597 and they are on navigable roads ... not off road. Here you go:

Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Image 4

Photobucket sucks with all the advertising crap and popups. Use Imgur. Way faster and so easy to use. It's a 100x better.

Thanks for the tip jackrabbit000.

i have a 2013 chrysler with garmin as the gps model ctp17 software version 7.09 gps 4.15.06

I'm currently in Ouray CO heading to Denver for the holiday weekend to see family.

I know of no current fire restrictions or road closures in the Forests or Northern AZ now although some roads may still be closed due to mud, etc. If traveling the Coconino NF, get and install the Garmin-compatible MVUM map and activate it for Forest Roads. It's not route-able still has its uses. A search here for MVUM should bring up the thread.

In reference to the 3597 and dirt road waypoints, I have saved Forest locations with my 3597 and also installed Custom POIs (Fire Lookouts) and they do appear on the 3597 display.

Why folks like the 3597:

it has a powered mount. Currently with the new automotive On the Road models, only the DriveLuxe has a powered mount.

as already stated, the DEM map is kinda cute in a semi-topo sort of way.

the mount is magnetic so there's no clicking of buttons to release the nuvi.

Compared to the Drive Luxe, the factory refurbed 3597 is what frugal folks (me!) want when comparing prices to the DriveLuxe.

Thanks, Alandb, and everybody.

"Compared to the Drive Luxe, the factory refurbed 3597 is what frugal folks (me!) want when comparing prices to the DriveLuxe."

Not much price difference actually - and now that the 3597 has been discontinued the Garmin lawyers might declare its useful life over. Also I've seen some reviews noting that it has a metal case that gets very hot in the sun. Bad news here in southern Arizona.

I think it was a big mistake to omit the DEM file/function from the new models. It is more than eye-candy for me. Well zoomed out it is way better than any paper map for showing you the surrounding area. If I was towing a trailer I would find it invaluable. BTW, it is on the NuviCam.
Doug.

I suppose you's also be able to mark the waypoints on the device and then move the wp's to Basecamp, fix them, and move them back again, yes?`

Yeah it's great! Thanks.

I am not sure if it is metal ... looks like plastic to me but I can't really tell. It has a brushed aluminum color which I think would be better for reflecting the heat than black or charcoal. I think you will find all the newer models run pretty warm because of the faster processors and larger brighter screens that draw more power.

I did see that you can get the DriveLuxe 50 refurb for the same price. It is a 2016 model, very similar in function to the 3597. It adds the FourSquare POI feature, but removes the DEM feature.

Edit: You are correct, it is metal. I found this you tube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeF95hjCDck. IMO though, it has not been a problem and would reflect the sun's heat better than black plastic.

Yes, but you have to delete the saved places from your unit before upload them. Out May take a couple of tries before they slow up properly.

Granted it's the cooler months but we live in Southern Arizona from October to April and the 3597 has never had a problem with heat. Last October I don't think there was a day when the temperature didn't get into the 90s and even low hundreds on a couple of occasions. Our 3597 sits on the dashboard all day, every day.

Thanks

If in deleting your extra files from your device. It won't make hardly any difference. If you're running low just download the mapset that you will need eg. West Coast using Garmin's web mapupdater: http://www8.garmin.com/support/collection.jsp?product=999-99...

Your link is for Garmin WebUpdater NOT Garmin MapUpdater. WebUpdater will not do anything for downloading maps. The link for MapUpdater can be found here:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/39873

As of this afternoon I still can not use MapUpdater to download 2018.20, and I'm thinking that it may no longer work. It has been discontinued/not supported for a number of years now, although until this update it has continued to work

Also there are many MB's to be gained by deleting all the Voice files plus the other files (text, help, etc.) that you don't need. As the map file sizes continue to grow there will be a time when deleting files won't do the trick any longer but there is always the Cloning Method (See our FAQs) to install a full map update on an SD card instead of the GPS.

Which is better, the 3597 or the DriveLuxe? What's a DEM feature? I'll probably get one or the other from GPSCity - $180 for the 3597, which is selling for $433 on Amazon. I'm prepared to hate it, though. I've been using the 176/276 series for so long.

Every Garmin I've ever had - all with plastic bodies - was affected by heat the same way, including extreme on the dashboard locked inside a car in extreme desert sun - the screen temporarily fades and becomes difficult to see until it cools off, but no lasting damage (my 276C is about 13 years old).

DEM is Digital Elevation Map. It shows a 3D terrain view when navigating in 3D mode.

I think the newer Garmin automotive devices just shut down if they overheat. It has never happened to me though, so I am not sure. I use a vent mount on my 3597. Even though that vent is closed, I suppose there is still come cooling that comes through the damper vanes when running the AC.

As to which is better (3597 vs DriveLuxe 50) it is a matter of opinion of course. Here is a thread that has some discussion on that topic: http://www.poi-factory.com/node/45925?page=0#comment-427528

Read through this thread with interest since I have a 376C (same as 276C but with weather capability.) I've been through various struggles to keep the maps updated on the 376C (never had the "lifetime" map option.) Then I bought a Nuvi 2597 with lifetime maps for use in my truck. So...update the maps for the Nuvi (just did 2018.20), update them to the computer, too, use MapInstaller to transfer the maps I want to the 376C.

As far as I can tell, there still isn't a true replacement for the 276/376/478. You might want to consider buying a Nuvi with lifetime maps not to replace the 276C but to keep the maps updated.

One other point: CNNA is so-so on dirt roads here in the Northeast. I like OpenStreetMaps Topo better. I build mapsets using both and switch between them- easy to do on the 376C.

Correction: From GPSStore not GPSCity! GPSStore is not coy about whether or not it comes with lifetime maps.

DEM sounds like a good feature. How about the 4 Square POI's on the DriveLuxe? That sounds like it might be even a better feature, because Garmin's POI's aren't that great - though much better than they were in their early days when they'd show things like bead shops but not gas stations and Walmarts.

I personally don't find the FourSquare POI's to be all that useful. Although they are not built in on the 3597 like they are on the DriveLuxe, you can get to them (through the phone, not the 3597) through SmartPhone Link which I use for traffic.

I suspect the driver alerts on the DriveLuxe (things like "curve ahead") may be somewhat useful, although some forum users have called them annoying.

Thanks for letting us know that this method still works.

thanks for the heads up

Updating maps via a new GPS and then transferring the maps to my 276 has been suggested to me on here so I'm glad to hear that it actually works. No, no true replacement for the 276 series.

Thanks

Um, well... After further testing and checking, being more careful about what I was doing this time, I found this isn't working so well after all. MapInstall isn't seeing the new maps to download to the 376C. It took my poor addled brain a while to figure out I was reloading old maps, not new ones. I'm sorry if I messed anyone up with my misinformation.

Has anyone determined with certainty (from a reliable source) that Garmin's MapUpdater will no longer be available to load maps?

In the past (e.g. with 2018.10) there was a delay of a few days after a new map update came out before MapUpdater could be used to load the map. Was the 2018.10 map the last map to be loaded with MapUpdater?