Garmin® Drive 53 5" GPS Navigator At $99
Fri, 12/05/2025 - 9:32am
       11 years
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Cabella’s has this unit at $99 with shipping included. Details are at https://www.cabelas.com/p/garmin-drive-53-5-gps-navigator
Some further searching indicates that Best Buy has a similar deal. See https://www.thegpsstore.com/Brands/Garmin-GPS-Marine-Electro...
Garmin Sale
Garmin site has it listed for $99.99. $50 Off regular price, no mention of shipping.
https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/1019429/pn/010-02858-00/
Old Geezer
Traffic may not be included.
Garmin site has it listed for $99.99. $50 Off regular price, no mention of shipping.
https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/1019429/pn/010-02858-00/
Examining the Garmin offering, which says "Traffic Not Included" made me check the Cabella's and Best Buy. Neither of those mention traffic so it likely isn't includes from those sources as well.
John from PA
Traffic Data
The Garmin Drive 53 needs a GTM 36 or GTM 60 receiver cable to get traffic data.
Two problems. First, Garmin discontinued the cables, so if one isn't included with the GPS you'll need to look someplace other than Garmin to buy one.
Second, the HD Digital Traffic is being phased out, so you may not be able to receive traffic data even if you have a cable.
Newer devices can pair with smartphones using the Garmin Drive App for traffic data. The Drive 53 is not on Garmin's compatibility list for the app although you could always try it.
Old Geezer
Depends on which Drive 53 you have.
The Garmin Drive 53 needs a GTM 36 or GTM 60 receiver cable to get traffic data.
If the Drive 53 does NOT include traffic, then one of the GTM cables would be required. The Drive 53 with Traffic however includes the traffic receiver inside the shell of the unit, just like the DriveSmart 65 I own - if you didn't use the smartphone app - and the old nüvi 65LMT I owned. The GTM 36 and 60 were discontinued specifically because Garmin integrated traffic into the device itself.
In my experience, the units with the traffic receiver inside the shell of the unit did a better job pulling in traffic signals in northern Rhode Island than my 3550LM with a GTM 60. Neither is as good as the smartphone app however.
"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." --Douglas Adams
another far cup
old-school traffic
worked, was free to customers once the device is bought,
using "wasted" bandwidth
why wouldn't anyone want to exchange that free functional service
for a paid service, every month, dependent on phone companies
the title of my autiobiography "Mistakes have been made"
Old school traffic. Sure it
Old school traffic. Sure it was free for life, but it's slow and the service is very spotty, often being only usable in cities.
Modern traffic. Still free though it requires a smartphone and a miniscule portion (megabytes) of the smartphone's data plan to use it. Service is far more expansive and often works in rural areas.
Most people have smartphones, and all smartphone owners have data plans. Why wouldn't they want to exchange the free but slow service for the free and much faster one?
"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." --Douglas Adams