Garmin DriveSmart 61 NA LMT Refurbished 1 Year Warranty

Nice GPS with a big screen. Not a bad price but traffic requires a cellphone.

I have this and it's a great unit, very nice. Only wish it would come with the traffic power cable...

for the alert

Good price. thanks

Have been looking for a larger screen and this one is pretty large. If you are using the Garmin Apk on your phone is it connecting with the same source used with the GTM 60 HD Digital Traffic Receiver/charger?
Or, is it using local traffic or a combo of both?

I bought one of the DriveSmart 61 NA LMT-S's a couple weeks ago at the sale/refurb price from BUYDigg. It arrived looking and working just like a brand new one. Did need to update to latest maps - no problem. So far, so good.

This does sound like a very good deal, especially if you need/want the larger screen. It does make me wonder though if the fact that the DriveSmart 61 is now offered as a refurb is an indication that it will soon be discontinued like Garmin has done with the DriveLuxe 51. In the past we have had discussions in the forum speculating that Garmin repackages new devices as refurbs when they are reducing inventory to close out a model.

I jumped over there to score one. Went through the entire process. Had a price of $147.98 with the one year warranty. When I selected checkout with PayPal, I was quoted $188.98. The $41 wasn't applied toward PayPal. I promptly canceled...

The web site worked for me but prior to checking out (with PayPal) I clicked on the coupon area where it says "Clip this coupon" (as opposed to typing in "CLARA").

You have to make sure you "Clip this Coupon". I went through PayPal and it subtracted $31 dollars for a total price of $118.99 w/free standard shipping.

8/22/18 8:30am

Just bought one for the wife, purchase was smooth and easy and a total of $118.99 (see photo)

https://s15.postimg.cc/vhqn3so7v/GPS_receipt.jpg

WOW, this is a great deal but I am in Canada. I need one but then I have to pay customs and duties apart from exchange rate.

One question.. Will we be able to get free map updates with this re-furbish unit?

2 or my 4 Garmin devices are refurb's, one is used from eBay and 1 was purchased new. I do map updates on all of them. Garmin recognizes the lifetime map subscriptions on factory refurbs, and even on used devices.

Hello alandb, Thanks for your response to clarify it.

Thanks for the info. I just ordered one for myself since my NuviCam's battery died.

I have this unit too.

Had a weird voice announcement involving a turnabout (traffic circle). Visually the router indicated I should go around half a circle (2nd exit) to continue going straight (west). Verbally, the unit said to take the third exit on the right instead of the proper, second exit.

I generally have voice muted altogether because that's from i'm used to from my motorcycle days. This particular time I had the gps mounted elsewhere so voice alerts would be helpful (if they're accurate).

Thoughts?

I only wish I would have seen that about a week before my road trip to remote northern Michigan and Wisconsin. My 2555 chose this past week to give up the ghost, so I headed to the nearest Walmart, about 60 miles away, to buy a DriveSmart 5" display for $179, with three-year-old maps and no way to update the device in the Great White North. That had to wait till I got it home.

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it's the dog's fault

Tried it and doesn't work anymore. Still have the GPS but no coupon. I'll wait and see if the put it back on. Some reconditioned on Amazon for almost same price.

I think that coupon was only for a day or so..

There is a new code FOUND good until mid month. Just found it.

Yep, with the new code FOUND, it brings it down to $119.00. Make sure you click the link "Clip this Coupon" as I don't believe you can manually type it in.

Got mine and it is great. In a reconditioned by Garmin box with a year Garmin warrantee. Looks like and works like new units. Wonder if it's Garmin way of getting rid of excess stock. Great purchase.

I click on pay with PayPal and the balance is $159. How did you all pay? Clicked on the code. When I went back and typed it in, it said already applied. Anyone?

We have speculated before that Garmin repackages new devices as refurbs when they want to dump existing inventory. I don't know that anyone can prove it, but I would say there is a good chance your device was never purchased or used by someone else.

I don't trust PayPal so just used my bank credit card.

Not a bad price, thanks for the tip.

Looks like this deal expired. Currently $149, still a good deal.

An interesting aspect of this was pointed out on the GPSReview forum by member Boyd. On Garmin's own shopping site (https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/552113/pn/010-01681-02#) it shows a 5 to 8 week delay if you order this model new.

This makes me suspicious that Garmin is doing the same thing with the DriveSmart that they did with the DriveLuxe ... selling off inventory before discontinuing the model.

I have the Drive 60 refurb and paid more than that

I got DriveSmart LMT 61 with this deal. I love this device, so far very very happy with it. It looks like that traffic info is lot superior on this model compared to old model. I love this unit..

I've had one for a little bit now, got a second one via this deal for my wife. She's loving it as much as I do, her coming from a Nuvi 2460, eons better. She even said a route she had been using the 2460 for was improved and shorter using the DS61.

This is by far the best GPS I have ever owned, and that's a lot.

1. The screen can be seen very well in all light conditions

2. You can display four different trip data items at the same time and choose what they are. These are in addition to MPH.

3. You can download the Garmin App and connect to SmartLink.

4. The Shaping the Route is great and works fine.

5. I have just discovered how to track the Florence Hurricane and provide a history of its movements.

6. The mounting system is superior to any I have had. Attaching and detaching the unit from the mount is fast and easy.

A really great unit.

Good Luck!
Wil

Indeed the best unit so far I had. I just disabled most of the smart notifications. I don't need to see email or text messages on Garmin screen. The issues is that they don't disappear automatically, you have close the window. I love the route display when you start the navigation.

The BuyDig deal is back (as of today, 9/18/18). Price is $169.99. There is a coupon called DAISY which saves you $50 bringing the price down to $119.99.

It is a very good price for a very good device.

https://www.buydig.com/shop/product/GRDRIVES61RB/Garmin-Driv...

When there scroll down to the description text and note to click on "Clip this coupon" to get the final price of $118.99 with shipping.

bad influence. It's certainly not like I need any more GPS devices...but that appears to be a smokin' deal.

Great price..I've owned 2 of them since they came out. One for backup. The data used by the cell for it is nothing at all. It will work with the traffic cable but the cell has the best traffic,etc for this use. I like the smartphone link for dropping locations to the gps by phone to navigate to. And the tracking feature as well. Still uses no data really. I was worried but now after using it all the time.. 38k miles a year ..no issues.

for the heads-up!

They must have bought them by the pallet. This has been on going now for a number of months. Still a great price. Wish the mount was magnetic.

Yeah, this is what I'm seeing too - - very little data used. Somewhat less than Waze.

Can you say what these two features are called? I must have missed them.

Guys, any way to turn off all those orange, flashing banners at the top edge of the screen? I believe I've disabled the audio alert, but find that bright orange banner (small animal alert, etc.) flashing on the screen to be a huge distraction. Can't find any setting to limit that stuff. I do like the school zone warnings.

You can't get rid of the orange banners I'm afraid, just the warning tones.

Sussamb.

You might be able to at least modify what you get. Check the procedure at https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/drivesmart51-61/EN-U....

My 2558 and Dezl 770 came with 1 year warranties. Buy refurbs and save money. Had a 765T refurb also and never a problem.

I'm happy with my current Garmin Nuvi 2598LMTHDT in my Camry,
but my Sienna GPS is not user-friendly. So considering this one...Garmin DriveSmart 61 NA LMT-S with Lifetime Maps/Traffic
for the VAN.. Your thoughts and input greatly appreciated.

The only negative I have seen is short battery life, about an hour, but most units of that size will have shorter life due to the need to keep weight down so it doesn't vibrate on its mount.

Also, that deal at $119 may no longer be available. See https://www.buydig.com/shop/product/GRDRIVES61RB/p (check description;includes some freebies) or https://www.buydig.com/shop/product/E1GRDRIVES61RB/Garmin-Dr...

You can enable or disable the audible tone for some types of driver alerts. The visual alert appears even when the tone is disabled.

Select Settings > Driver Assistance > Audible Driver Alerts.
Select or clear the check box next to each alert.

The DriveSmart 61 is a great choice, but be aware that it does not come with a traffic receiver like your 2598 did. On the 61, Garmin recommends using Smartphone Link for traffic and does not bundle the device with a traffic receiver. You can separately purchase the GTM-60 receiver (at additional cost of course). If you want to purchase a device that includes the traffic receiver, look for a DriveSamrt 60 (previous model from the 61).

Edit: Amazon has the DriveSmart 60LMT Refurbished listed for $78.38. It is currently not in stock, but the listing says it will be in stock on Dec 7. You can't go too far wrong with that price.