What Garmin Features Do You Miss From Older Garmins?

 

As posted above, what Garmin features, that were on older, legacy GPS units, do you miss, that are no longer available on current Garmin units?

A couple that come to my mind are:

-The clock. One/some of my older Garmins allow you to select a "clock" that displays the current time, including seconds.

-Some older Garmins, think the Garmin Nuvi 1690/1695 and Garmin Mobile XT here, would offer a Google search and the ability to navigate directly to the address found in the Google search.

-Traffic is still around and weather. But, things like NüLink! services:

Fuel Prices

Custom POIs With "Send To GPS"

Flight Status

Currency Converter

White Pages

Movie Showtimes

Hotel Prices

Anyway, what, if any, older Garmin features do you miss that seem to be long gone from newer Garmin navigators?

Downloaded Waypoints Name & Icon displayed on GPS Map

It used to be that waypoints downloaded to the GPS displayed on the GPS Map with the name adjacent to the waypoint given when created in MapSource. Also displayed the icon chosen in MapSource.

This was with my 2610 GPS.. My 3597 only shows very limited symbols in the GPS symbol set and of course not the name.

I miss

Seems my older units were better at identifying the "road ahead" and I miss the dashboard feature where one could select different styles to suit ones mood.

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Lives in Edmonton AB A volunteer driver for Drive Happiness.ca and now (since June 20 2021) uses a DS65 to find his clients.

What Happend to "Recalculating, Recalculating"?

(lol)

mp3 player

mp3 player 660 had it... Wish 2689LMT had it too!!

In 660 I changed "Recalculating" to "OH NO!!! You're Lost Again!! -- Can't you follow instructions???"

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A 2689LMT in both our cars that we love... and a Nuvi 660 with Lifetime Maps that we have had literally forever.... And a 2011 Ford Escape with Nav System that is totally ignored!

Resettable Odometer

Yeah, there's a trip odometer that is resettable, but the odometer is not resettable. The odometer indicates the distance the GPS has traveled. What good is that? The odometer on the 60CSx was resettable, the odometer on the 64s is not resettable.

--
When you are dead, you don’t know that you are dead. It is only difficult for the others. It is the same when you are stupid.

Garmin Ecoroute / Driving Challenge

I miss the little leaf which would appear on my Garmin screen for ecoroute / driving challenge to show how economical you are driving, providing you a score at the end of your trip. I think the newer units may have this but it's called something different and no longer a built in freebie. I think you have to purchase something. Bummer.

On reflection...

I seem to recall on a previous model there was a pedestrian mode... that would guide you back to your car.. never used it but it seemed like a good idea that could come in handy.

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Lives in Edmonton AB A volunteer driver for Drive Happiness.ca and now (since June 20 2021) uses a DS65 to find his clients.

mp3 Player

It's why I am still using my 660. I have 2 older vehicles with cassette players and with an adapter it's the easiest way to play music on road trips.

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Tampa, FL - Garmin nüvi 660 (Software Ver 4.90), 2021.20 CN NA NT maps | Magellan Meridian Gold

I have had several Garmin

I have had several Garmin units over the years. I currently use a 590LM. The one annoying feature on the new models is the use of via points when loading a route. If you are partially through a route while navigating and must restart your route it is not easy to identify what will be the next via point. My older 660 model took your location and automatically navigate you to the next closest via point on your route. -JEP-

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So Many Roads.....

My 3597 shows the

My 3597 shows the closest(next) via point when resuming travel.

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Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267

What I (Would) Miss (Why I Keep My 760)

mp3 and Audible book player

Sound through the car speakers

If the new units offered these two features I would buy one. As it is I stick with my old 760 because it does have these features.

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GPSMAP 76CSx - nüvi 760 - nüvi 200 - GPSMAP 78S

Well ...

RIDEMYST wrote:

I have had several Garmin units over the years. I currently use a 590LM. The one annoying feature on the new models is the use of via points when loading a route. If you are partially through a route while navigating and must restart your route it is not easy to identify what will be the next via point. My older 660 model took your location and automatically navigate you to the next closest via point on your route. -JEP-

Current units will take you to the first one on your route you haven't yet hit. This to me makes sense. I only use viapoints when I know I have to get there otherwise I use shaping points.

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Where there's a will ... there's a way ... DriveSmart51LMT-S, DriveSmart50LMT-D, Nuvi 2508LMT-D, 1490LMT, 1310, Montana 650T, Etrex 20

THANK GOD its gone. I

THANK GOD "recalculating" gone. I previously deleted that gem from her vocabulary anyway.

what is a "shaping point"

what is a "shaping point" and how is it used?

A shaping point is just like

A shaping point is just like a waypoint, it's a point to navigate to, but it's unannounced, and it you change your route by driving on another street, you won't be nagged to return to the spot.

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Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267

Search along route

iQue will search for POI within a selected distance from your route. It will let you choose from .1 to 5 miles. It was very useful if you wanted a fast stop.
3597 shows the info with extra steps but not as quickly.

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DriveLuxe 51, 2017 VW Arteon w MIB3, nüvi 3597LTMHD x 2, 1450 died, 205w retired, iQue first and possibly the best

Downloaded Waypoints Name & Icon Displayed On GPS Map

dandeman wrote:

It used to be that waypoints downloaded to the GPS displayed on the GPS Map with the name adjacent to the waypoint given when created in MapSource. Also displayed the icon chosen in MapSource.

This was with my 2610 GPS.. My 3597 only shows very limited symbols in the GPS symbol set and of course not the name.

Agree - I miss this feature...

What Garmin Features Do You Miss From Older Garmins?

If I recall correctly, with some older Garmins, you could do a search, but not enter anything in the search bar. It would then show all nearby POIs in the software. With my 3597, I think I have to enter at least one character. It doesn't sound like much, but sometimes it was actually handy to display all nearby POIs, without having to enter a character. You would sometimes find things you didn't know about that way.

2nd that

dandeman wrote:

It used to be that waypoints downloaded to the GPS displayed on the GPS Map with the name adjacent to the waypoint given when created in MapSource. Also displayed the icon chosen in MapSource.

This was with my 2610 GPS.. My 3597 only shows very limited symbols in the GPS symbol set and of course not the name.

Seems we got a much better display on 3597 but icons are low-fi.

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DriveLuxe 51, 2017 VW Arteon w MIB3, nüvi 3597LTMHD x 2, 1450 died, 205w retired, iQue first and possibly the best

I don't miss anything since

I kept my Garmin 350!!!

Fred

What Happend to "Recalculating, Recalculating"?

bdhsfz6 wrote:

(lol)

I heard that one time a couple weeks back on my 2639LMT, took me by surprise............................

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2639LMT, 67LM (X2) and 65LM

dying breed

Right now most of those options and more are built into car systems. In short time "entertainment center" or whatever it will be called will be standard issue on new cars. So standalone GPS is not worth to manufacturer enough to invest more for additional futures. If you will have 12-14" screen on dashboard how 5" GPS screen can compete?

well...

I've tried on board systems, they're nowhere near as good or as flexible as my standalone GPS so I'll be using one for a long time yet smile

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Where there's a will ... there's a way ... DriveSmart51LMT-S, DriveSmart50LMT-D, Nuvi 2508LMT-D, 1490LMT, 1310, Montana 650T, Etrex 20

ReCalculating

I just updated maps and firmware in my drivesmart 50 last month and it's occasionally spits out a recalculating. Freaks me out when it does that.

Not really a feature, but I

Not really a feature, but I like the way the older units were powered in the mount instead of the mini USB cable. I just started having problems with my 2689 because of the cable connection.

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. 2 Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT-S, Nuvi 2689, 2 Nuvi 2460, Zumo 550, Zumo 450, Uniden R3 radar detector with GPS built in, includes RLC info. Uconnect 430N Garmin based, built into my Jeep. .

Mp3 and voice commands

I miss the mp3 player, except when I'm using my 855 which is one of the last models that has the feature. The voice commands are also very convenient when driving.

Agree.

soberbyker wrote:

Not really a feature, but I like the way the older units were powered in the mount instead of the mini USB cable. I just started having problems with my 2689 because of the cable connection.

That is the main reason I chose the 3597 and DriveLuxe (both refurbs)

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Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon

Does anyone remember compass arrows?

One that would display true north or magnetic north on Garmin Street Pilots?

--
Garmin Drive 61, nuvi 2597MT, too many really.

Agreed

I too miss these items.

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RKF (Brookeville, MD) Garmin Nuvi 660, 360 & Street Pilot

I miss

the compass arrow and if you go off route, asking if I want to recalculate instead of just doing it automatically.

Well ...

The newer drive models do have the compass arrow smile

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Where there's a will ... there's a way ... DriveSmart51LMT-S, DriveSmart50LMT-D, Nuvi 2508LMT-D, 1490LMT, 1310, Montana 650T, Etrex 20

Somewhat

sussamb wrote:

The newer drive models do have the compass arrow smile

My DriveLuxe 51 only has it in track up. I would like to see it in 3D map view.

mp3 player and FM transmitter

I'm still driving an older car without bluetooth and pairing a bluetooth on my wife's car messes with her phone's pairing.

Screen

I miss the tiny black and white LCD screen on my Garmin i2. Actually, it was easier to read in bright sun, and I could just put it in a cup holder.

Routes function instead of

Routes function instead of trip planner. Yes you had to manually import routes but it worked each and every time. With trip planner, if you delete an imported route, it's no longer possible to import it again unless you change the route name in basecamp/mapsource then reload the gpx to the device.

As usual, 1 step forward 2 steps back for garmin.

Well ...

No need to change the name in BaseCamp, just send it again.

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Where there's a will ... there's a way ... DriveSmart51LMT-S, DriveSmart50LMT-D, Nuvi 2508LMT-D, 1490LMT, 1310, Montana 650T, Etrex 20

restoring route

sussamb wrote:

No need to change the name in BaseCamp, just send it again.

What exactly is the trip planner looking for to recognize a new route?

You

UZA_Dave wrote:
sussamb wrote:

The newer drive models do have the compass arrow smile

My DriveLuxe 51 only has it in track up. I would like to see it in 3D map view.

You can set up the custom display features on your 51 to display "Direction" in any mode including 3D. Procedures are at:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/41428

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Nuvi 350, 760, 1695LM, 3790LMT, 2460LMT, 3597LMTHD, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, DriveSmart 61, Garmin Drive 52, Garmin Backup Camera 40 and TomTom XXL540s.

Hmmm ...

zx1100e1 wrote:
sussamb wrote:

No need to change the name in BaseCamp, just send it again.

What exactly is the trip planner looking for to recognize a new route?

Good question, not sure but I suspect it logs the file name and date/time somewhere. It won't re-import a trip if you delete it using the devices menus, but will if you delete it then send a new one using BaseCamp.

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Where there's a will ... there's a way ... DriveSmart51LMT-S, DriveSmart50LMT-D, Nuvi 2508LMT-D, 1490LMT, 1310, Montana 650T, Etrex 20

Being able...

...to change the speed limits as shown on the device. They had it on the 3590, but did away with it on the 3597. I always liked that feature.

--
With God, all things are possible. ——State motto of the Great State of Ohio

but ...

maddog67 wrote:

...to change the speed limits as shown on the device. They had it on the 3590, but did away with it on the 3597. I always liked that feature.

That was a cool feature but it never worked just right. On a road where the speed limit changed several times in a relatively short distance whatever the last change you made would stick as the limit on the whole stretch in my experience.

--
. 2 Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT-S, Nuvi 2689, 2 Nuvi 2460, Zumo 550, Zumo 450, Uniden R3 radar detector with GPS built in, includes RLC info. Uconnect 430N Garmin based, built into my Jeep. .

And...

It's all gone after you update the maps.

soberbyker wrote:
maddog67 wrote:

...to change the speed limits as shown on the device. They had it on the 3590, but did away with it on the 3597. I always liked that feature.

That was a cool feature but it never worked just right. On a road where the speed limit changed several times in a relatively short distance whatever the last change you made would stick as the limit on the whole stretch in my experience.

--
Nuvi 2460LMT.

Definately Pedestrian mode

Definately Pedestrian mode

StreetPilot

I miss a lot of the customization from the old StreetPilots. You could turn on/off pretty much anything if you knew where to look. You could also turn things on/off based on what level (height) you were at. So if you only wanted saved items at the most zoomed in level then you could do that.

The StreetPilot was also nice in that you could hook up an XM receiver to it and get:
- XM Radio (nice little interface)
- XM Traffic (which featured a different set of cities than FM traffic - it depended on where you most often visited)
- XM Weather - I liked this
- XM Radar - this was cool for seeing a radar image of storms around you

The StreetPilot also let you hook up a FM Traffic receiver which, for the most part, was just an alternative to the XM Traffic data (a few different cities).

Remember MSN Traffic? That failed pretty quickly. There was a time when Garmin was "all-in" on MSN traffic then they kill the network that supported it (SPOT) plus thier (MS) SPOT watches.

That seemed like such a silly move by Garmin to me - to go all in on MSN.