Great Deal Garmin nüvi 265W/265WT 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Integrated Traffic Receiver (Factory Refurbished)

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Best Price :$219.99

Offer Price : $114.99

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Garmin nüvi 265W/265WT 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Integrated Traffic Receiver (Factory Refurbished) Features

  • Factory refurbished
  • Sleek, ultra-thin design fits easily in pocket
  • Preloaded with City Navigator North America NT
  • Supports Bluetooth wireless technology for hands-free calling when paired with Bluetooth-enabled cell phones
  • NOTE: Model number is 265WT; however, the model number on the product itself is 265W

Garmin nüvi 265W/265WT 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Integrated Traffic Receiver (Factory Refurbished) Overviews

Amazon.com Product Description This is a refurbished GPS. Refurbished generally means that the unit has been returned to the manufacturer, who brings the navigator back to like new conditions. Some GPS may contain cosmetic blemishes.

Garmin’s nüvi 265WT improves upon its 200-series predecessors by adding free real-time traffic updates from Navteq (for the life of the device) as well as Bluetooth connectivity to your cell phone. Other significant improvements in the 2×5 series include a predictive technology that provides faster satellite lock, a redesigned screen with more information, terrain maps, and an exciting new photo navigation feature. The 265WT provides complete maps for North America and the handy Text-to-Speech feature, so you get turn-by-turn spoken directions with the real names of streets (e.g. “turn left in 50 feet at Nebraska Way”, rather than merely “turn left in 50 feet”).

The nüvi 2×5 models all sport the slim design that Garmin introduced with the 200-series last year, so they all fit comfortably in your pocket or purse, and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that makes them convenient for navigation by car or foot. All of the models include useful travel tools like a JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. The 265WT also offers a wide 4.3-inch (diagonal) screen that displays 70% more of the road around you.

Integrated Traffic Receiver

Steer clear of traffic with an integrated GTM 20 FM traffic receiver designed to receive alerts about traffic tie-ups and road construction that might lie ahead on your route. No subscriptions or additional hardware needed. Just open the box, turn it on, and get instant access to traffic information–the traffic updates are free for the life of the device.

All you have to do is simply touch the screen to view traffic details and you’ll be ready to detour around any problem area. And if you end up missing a turn, or you’re forced into a detour that is not relayed through the traffic receiver, the nüvi’s sophisticated automatic routing will get you back on track in no time.

In most areas, the traffic broadcasts are continuous–there’s no waiting for scheduled traffic news updates or random alerts. Because traffic broadcasts are received via a “silent” FM data channel, you can still listen to music or news programming on your car radio without interference from incoming FM traffic data transmissions.

Hands-Free Calling

In more and more places, it is becoming illegal to use cell phones while driving without a hands-free kit. WIth Bluetooth capability, microphone and speaker, you can match your nüvi to any Bluetooth-capable phone to make hands-free mobile phone calls. Simply dial the phone number with the nüvi’s touch screen keypad to make a call on a compatible phone. To answer an incoming call, just tap the screen and speak into the built-in microphone. Making and taking calls on the road has never been easier, or safer. In addition, Garmin makes it a breeze to look-up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or even tap into your cell phone’s call history log.

Key Features/Benefits for all 2×5 Series Navigators

  • New– HotFix (Long Term Ephemeris Prediction) finds satellites faster (Learn more)
  • New– Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Basemap shows 3D shaded terrain features (Learn more)
  • New– Faster 333 Mhz processor offers faster, smoother map drawing and vehicle icon motion through turns
  • New– Redesigned user interface offers more information (Learn more)
  • New– Photo Navigation lets you upload geo-coded photos from a phone, geo-coding camera or photo site and navigate to them. (Learn more)
  • New– Add Enhanced MSN Traffic and Content with the optional GDB 55 antenna and charger (Learn more)
  • New– Send addresses directly to your Garmin from Google Maps or Mapquest (Learn more)
  • New– Automatic Time Zone Transition
  • Text-to-Speech gives directions with real street names
  • 4.3-inch Widescreen shows you more of what’s around you as you drive (Learn more)
  • Memory Card Slots so you can add maps and travel guides, or store photos (MicroSD card slot on 3.5-inch units; SD card slot on 4.3-inch units)
  • Preloaded Maps with Navteq data of North America + Hawaii + Puerto Rico, including 6.5 million searchable points of interest (Learn more)
  • Rechargeable lithium-ion battery for easy portability (up to 4 hours per charge)
  • Custom Vehicle Icons let you personalize your navigator (Learn more)
  • Integrated Antenna for a slim form factor
  • Where Am I? — instantly shows you all of the emergency services nearby (Learn More)

Which nüvi is Best for You?:
Click here to see a quick, simple comparison of features for all Garmin nuvi GPS navigators

Learn More

New – Improved Interface

One of Garmin’s key product philosophies is to make extremely complex technology easy to use for anyone right out of the box, and perhaps nowhere is that better exemplified than in the user interface for Garmin’s portable navigation devices.

Garmin’s interface is a key to their success part of what makes their devices such a pleasure to use. Simple controls and sub-screens make it easy to enter or search for destinations and get data about your trip. Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with turn-by-turn voice directions, 2-D or 3-D maps and smooth map updates as you navigate.

This year, Garmin has redesigned its interface to include much more useful information.

Old Interface

200 series ui

New Interface

2x5 Series UI

New – HotFix™ – aka: Satellite Ephemeris Data Prediction

hotfix Your GPS device locks onto transmissions from a dedicated network of Satellites in order to determine its position. Until the device gets a “lock” on three satellites, it can’t effectively navigate, so decreasing the time it takes for your device to get “satellite lock” is always a goal of GPS manufacturers. With Garmin’s new HotFix technology, your Garmin GPS remembers the position of all satellites it is tracking when you turn it off, and calculates their movements in order to predict where they should be the next time you turn it on. This gives the device an idea of where it should look for satellites, and dramatically decreases the time it takes for your Garmin to get its position and start navigating. HotFix can predict satellite positions for up to 3 days after the device was last turned off.

Using Garmin’s unique Web site — Garmin Connect Photos — users can choose from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google’s Panoramio photo sharing community and download them to the nüvi for a richer navigation experience using pictures as a guide.

New – Navigate by Photo

Using Garmin’s unique Web site — Garmin Connect Photos — users can choose from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google’s Panoramio photo sharing community and download them to the nüvi for a richer navigation experience using pictures as a guide.
  • Choose from Panoramio’s collection of photos from around the world.
  • Easy to use interface displays photos on Google Maps.
  • Search for photos by location name or map area boundary.
  • Transfer photos directly from Garmin Connect to device with the Garmin Communicator.
  • View photos in Google Earth.
  • Supports Internet Explorer 6+, Firefox 2+, Safari 3+ on Windows and Mac.

New – 3D Terrain Maps

Shaded relief terrain maps show you when to expect hills, mountains, forests and other natural features. Topographic terrain maps are viewable when using the 2D “birds-eye” view.

New – Send Addresses Directly from Google Maps or Mapquest

tching to try out a new restaurant, or setting off on a road trip to locate the best toffee apples on the east coast? Now, it’s easy to search for locations on Google Maps or Mapquest, then transfer the addresses directly to your Garmin GPS navigator.
  1. Hook up your Garmin to the computer via it’s USB port
  2. Search for the location you want
  3. Click the Send link in the info window for the address. That will bring up a popup “Send to” form.
  4. Pick GPS, then pick Garmin and hit the “Send” button.

The address will instantly transfer to your Garmin device, The point will be saved as one of your favorites, and you can navigate to it or view it on a map just like with any other favorite.

The process does require a small plugin, which you can get at Garmin’s website at http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3739. You can send business addresses to your Garmin device from these countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.
Search for the location you want.

 Pick “Send to GPS”.

 Go!

Traffic-Capable for Either FM Traffic or Enhanced MSN Direct Content

MSN Direct Enhanced Traffic and Content

traffic reports With an optional receiver, you can access enhanced dynamic content from the MSN Direct service. Check the weather, avoid traffic backups, compare local gas prices, get enhanced movie listings, stock information, news and local events when you travel with your unit. Even plan trips from the convenience of your computer, via Windows Live Local, and wirelessly send custom to your nüvi.

Check out a full description of MSN Direct content features, or a coverage map for MSN Direct services.

A 3-month subscription to MSN Direct is included with the receiver. After that, subscription fees are .95 per year, or 9.95 for a lifetime subscription.

FM Traffic

TMC traffic service coverage map With an optional receiver, you can get alerts from TMC Clear Channel about traffic tie-ups and road construction that might lie ahead on your route. All you have to do is simply touch the screen to view traffic details and you’ll be ready to detour around any problem area. And if you end up missing a turn, or you’re forced into a detour that is not relayed through the traffic receiver, the nüvi’s sophisticated automatic routing will get you back on track in no time.

In most areas, TMC Clear Channel traffic broadcasts are continuous — there’s no waiting for scheduled traffic news updates or random alerts. Because traffic broadcasts are received via a “silent” FM data channel, you can still listen to music or news programming on your car radio without interference from incoming FM traffic data transmissions.

A 3-month subscription to TMC Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network is included with the receiver. For more information on subscription fees, coverage in individual cities, and traffic data networks in the United Kingdom and Europe, check the Garmin website.

Widescreen — See More of What’s Around

The super-bright, 4.3-inch (diagonal) touchscreen display gives is anti-glare for ease of viewing during the day and automatically changes its color profile for easy viewing at night or in dim light. It offers 2d or 3D perspective views.

The widescreen format gives you 70% more actual screen area than a 3.5-inch screen. Primarily this translates into a better view of the area through which you are driving. This is especially useful in showing you what parks, restaurants, ATM, gas stations, etc. are nearby, or in letting you know whether a detour is a good idea. Also, the device itself is larger, meaning controls on the screen are more widely spaced and somewhat easier to push.
Wider screen lets you see more of what’s around. Compare these actual size views of a 3-inch (diagonal) screen

3-inch screen

 and a 4.3-inch diagonal widescreen

4.3-inch screen

Where Am I?

On any nüvi (including this one), you can just tap “Where Am I?” to find the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, nearest address and intersection. Also see your exact latitude and longitude coordinates.

First-Rate Map Data


nüvi accepts custom points of interest (POIs). View larger.
 The nüvi comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator NT street maps for all of North America, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, including a hefty POI database with hotels, restaurants, fuel, ATMs and more. Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. Garmin gets its map data from NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping.

In addition, nüvi accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs Important note about map updates: Due to our high volume of sales, almost every Garmin portable GPS navigator sold by Amazon.com will come with the most recent map version. If you ever do need a map update, you can purchase one from Amazon.com at our Garmin Store.

Garmin Lock

Garmin’s patent pending theft prevention system that disables the unit from performing any functions until the user types in a specific 4-digit PIN or takes the unit to a predetermined secure location

Beyond Navigation

Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer.


Navigation is just the beginning. The nüvi 2×5 models features travel tools including a JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more.

This device is compatible with optional content plug-ins available via microSD card, such as the Garmin Travel Guides and Garmin SaversGuide provide detailed data for attractions and information on nearby merchants offering discounts, so you can customize nüvi for your travel needs. For Accessory Map Cards and Travel Guides the Units Feature: a MicroSD Card Slot on the 3.5 inch Units, and an SD Card Slot on the 4.3 inch Units.

Garmin has also added the ability for customers to add custom points of interest (POI’s) from third parties such as school zones and safety cameras.

Trick Your GPS Ride

custom vehicle icons
Custom vehicle icons let you ride in style, at least inside your GPS.
See more icon option		 All Garmin nüvis support configurable vehicle icons. These fun, customized car-shaped icons come in a variety of colors to add a personal touch to your vehicle’s position on the map.

What’s in the Box?

nüvi 265WT, Preloaded City Navigator NT for North America (full coverage), Lifetime traffic, FM traffic receiver with vehicle power cable, Vehicle suction cup mount, USB cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual

Notes

  • Optional software for language translation, detailed travel guides, and savings programs allow you to customize your nüvi to fit your travel needs
  • Like most USB Mass Storage Devices, the nüvi is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me.

Which nüvi is Best for You?

Note: All nüvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.

 Screen
Size
inches
(w x h)
 Included Maps
 Text-to-Speech
(Directions in
Real Street
Names)
 Traffic
 Bluetooth
 Media

 3D Terrain
Maps
 Photo
Navigation
 FM Transmitter
(audio through
car stereo
system)		 Multi-
Point
Routing
 Battery
life
(hours)
Cont. U.S.,
Hawaii, and
Puerto Rico		 AK and
Canada		 Europe
nüvi 200 2.8 x 2.1
 check Photos
 up to 5
nüvi 200w 3.81 x 2.25
 check Photos
 up to 5
nüvi 250 2.8 x 2.1
 check check Photos up to 5
nüvi 250w 3.81 x 2.25
 check check Photos up to 5
nüvi 260 2.8 x 2.1
 check check check Photos up to 5
nüvi 260w 3.81 x 2.25 check check check Photos up to 5
nüvi 270 2.8 x 2.1
 check check check Photos up to 5
nüvi 205 2.8 x 2.1 check MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)		 Photos check check up to 4
nüvi 205W 3.81 x 2.25 check MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)		 Photos check check up to 4
nüvi 255 2.8 x 2.1 check check check MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)		 Photos check check up to 4
nüvi 255W
 3.81 x 2.25 check check check MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)		 Photos check check up to 4
nüvi 265T 2.8 x 2.1 check check check Integrated FM
receiver with
lifetime traffic;
MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver)		 check Photos check check up to 4
nüvi 265WT
 3.81 x 2.25 check check check Integrated FM
receiver with
lifetime traffic;
MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver)		 check Photos check check up to 4
nüvi 275T 2.8 x 2.1 check check check check Integrated FM
receiver with
lifetime traffic;
MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver)		 check Photos check check up to 4
nüvi 350 2.8 x 2.1
 check check check FM (with opt.
receiver)		 Photos, MP3s
 up to 8
nüvi 360 2.8 x 2.1
 check check check FM (with opt.
receiver)		 check Photos, MP3s up to 8
nüvi 370 2.8 x 2.1 check check check check FM (receiver
included)
 check Photos, MP3s up to 8
nüvi 650 3.81 x 2.25
 check check check FM (with opt.
receiver)		 Photos, MP3s up to 7
nüvi 660
 3.81 x 2.25
 check check check FM (receiver
included)
 check Photos, MP3s check up to 7
nüvi 670
 3.81 x 2.25
 check check check check FM (receiver
included)		 check Photos, MP3s check up to 7
nüvi 680 3.81 x 2.25
 check check check MSN (receiver
included;
1-year free);
FM (with opt.
receiver)
 check Photos, MP3s check up to 7
nüvi 750
 3.81 x 2.25
 check check check MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)
 Photos, MP3s check check up to 5
nüvi 760 3.81 x 2.25
 check check check MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)		 check Photos, MP3s check check up to 5
nüvi 770 3.81 x 2.25
 check check check check MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)		 check Photos, MP3s check check up to 5
nüvi 780 3.81 x 2.25 check check MSN-enhanced
(receiver inc.;
3 months free)
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)		 check Photos, MP3s check check up to 5
nüvi 850
 3.81 x 2.25 check check MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)		 Photos, MP3s check check up to 4
nüvi 880
 3.81 x 2.25 check check check MSN-enhanced
(receiver inc.;
3 months free);
FM (with opt.
receiver)		 check Photos, MP3s check check up to 4
nüvi 5000
 4.5 x 2.7 check check check MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)		 check check external
battery
only

Basic MSN Direct Content Features
traffic reports Traffic Reports
  • Find the best route through traffic. Your GPS device uses MSN Direct traffic data to select the best route for you to avoid traffic congestion.
  • Check traffic flow. Know at a glance where to expect slowdowns in traffic.
  • Get accident warnings. Receive warnings about accidents, road closures, and construction in the area that may affect you.
Gas Prices Gas Prices
  • Compare local gas prices. See a list of recent gas prices in your area and an indication of how recently the prices were reported.
  • Find your way to the savings. Once you find the best price in your area, use your navigation system to guide you to the gas station.
Weather Reports Weather Reports
  • Stay on top of current conditions. View the current weather conditions in your area, including today’s high and low temperatures, chances of precipitation, and more.
  • View the three-day forecast, Plan ahead by checking the three-day weather forecast for your area.
  • Check weather in other cities. See current weather conditions in major cities across the country.
movie times Movie Times
  • Search for a movie. Find the theaters in your coverage area that are showing the movie you want to see.
  • See which movies are playing. View which movies are playing in your coverage area or at your favorite theater.
  • See show times and get directions. Once you find a show you want to see, check the show times and use your GPS device to guide you to the theater.
Enhanced MSN Direct Content
Web Favorites Web Favorites (Send custom destinations to your GPS with Live Search Maps)
  • Powerful trip planning: Use Live Search Maps on your computer to look up an address, search for a business, or plan a trip
  • Choose your favorite location, and then MSN Direct delivers the address, phone number, and more straight to your navigation system.
  • Visit Live Search Maps at http://maps.live.com.
Local Events Local Events
  • See what’s happening near you. Find nearby events to see what’s happening in your area.
  • Find the events that interest you. Browse events sorted by category.
  • Search for an event. Get details about a particular event.
Stock Quotes Stock Quotes
  • Watch the stocks that interest you. Select stocks that you want to keep an eye on, and then see regularly updated stock prices and daily changes.
  • Get a little more detail. Touch a stock in your list to see daily highs, lows, and trading volume.
News Headlines News Headlines
  • Browse the headlines at a glance. See breaking news and other major news stories of the day.
  • Read more details. Select a headline to read all the details about the news story on your navigation system.
MSN Direct Coverage Map

Get detailed info for your Zip Code at the MSN Direct website.

MSN Direct Coverage Map

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Customer Review

Ok, I’m just like you… I want to know the good the bad and the ugly before I spend my hard earned (yet limited) cash on anything I buy online. Like me, you do the homework and read all the reviews and wish some people would be more specific. I’m going to do that for you. I’ve had the Garmin Nuvi 265WT since Mid-July 2010 (Several months now) and I used it to travel over 3000 miles from the Pacific Northwest to the Mid-west and back.

How’s it work? It works great! This is my first GPS and I can’t believe how I’ve managed to live without one. I’ll get into the specifics in a few moments but first, I got this because my girlfriend is “Directionally Challenged” and since she can’t drive, she’s the one I depend on to tell me where to turn, etc. before I got my GPS. Needless to say, we fought like cats & dogs because we would miss a turn or get lost and end up being late for an appointment, even when we left early enough for it. (It happens).

So we decided to get a GPS… but which one? There’s a whole bunch of them out there! Well, I’ve learned through my research that Garmin is the leader in quality and reliability so that helped me narrow down the search as far as which brand. Now, which one is for me? Well, based on price, age of technology, etc.

I was able to narrow it down further between the Garmin Nuvi 255W and the 265WT. (Don’t let the “T” throw you. It stands for Traffic. If you see the letter T behind any of the brands, it means it comes with a traffic antenna that’s built into the cord.) I’m happy to find out that you get FREE lifetime traffic reports and you don’t have to sign up for anything fancy. If you have the traffic antenna built into the cord, you have this feature! I’ll talk more on the traffic later.

Okay, Garmin 255 vs 265 ~ What’s the difference? I was able to compare mine to the 255 and there’s a big difference in the quality of the sound. The Garmin Nuvi 255W sounds like someone’s hand is over their mouth (Muffled) and only one voice on the many voices you get to choose from is actually clear enough to understand.

If you didn’t know, your Garmin has male & female voices, I counted 66 different ones on mine. So if your native language is not English, they have every other language – you name it, it’s in here! Pick that language and the GPS will talk in that language with very nice accuracy!

The Garmin nuvi 265W has better clarity than the 255. It doesn’t sound muffled and is pretty clear. (It can always be better as some people would argue with this point)… but comparing the two GPS, 265W sounds better! Other than the sound, the 255 & the 265 are nearly identical, except the 265 has bluetooth built in for those who want to be hands free on the road. I didn’t use this feature so I can’t comment on it. I don’t remember if the 255 has the Traffic antenna built into the power cord but remember, if it says WT, it has it.

(Please Note: Amazon is selling the 265W and is leaving off the “T” but they are including it when you buy it. I know it’s confusing but in the fine print, it does say this comes with the traffic cord.) Since I’m back to the traffic feature, might as well get it out of the way…

The traffic feature picks up the local (city) traffic-monitoring signal of what ever city your in (If that city is broadcasting it). It will be on the left side of the screen and have two little cars in a circle. If you click that it will give you several options. You can check to see if you have traffic on route to where your going (which I found was a nice feature) and if you’re not going anywhere but just have it on, it’s nice to see the birds eye view of the main highways and where there’s red, there’s congestion. Please keep in mind, people blame the GPS for being wrong if there’s no traffic where they said there should be and vice versa. It’s not the GPS fault… it’s the traffic monitoring system which maybe slow to update.

If there is traffic along the route your taking, it will give you a button to “divert” around the traffic which is nice. I didn’t try it but it’s nice to have if I’m running late.

The ADVERTISEMENTS (*Cue Dramatic Music*)- I’ve read so many reviews of people whining and complaining about the advertisements. WHAT ADVERTISEMENTS? You mean the little tiny one that pops up when ever I’m stopped at a red light that says “Crabfest at Red Lobster”. So what? It’s half an inch top to bottom and maybe two inches side to side that disappears once I start moving. Give me a Break! I barely notice them and 98% of the time forget they even exist. Don’t let this bother you… they don’t get in the way.

So driving from Portland, Oregon to Grand Junction, Colorado was a breeze with my Garmin 265W(T) – Before I left, I typed in the address and hit save and it saved it so when I was ready to leave, it told me where to go, step by step. I love that I don’t have to look at it when I’m driving because it will give me a heads up that I’ll be turning left or right up ahead and it will even say the name of the street.

The first heads up will say “In one mile, turn right on baker street” Then when I get close by, “Turn right” literally before I have to turn for a flawless turn… no sudden last minute lane changes. If I look at the GPS, it will show the arrow of where I am now and where I will be turning and will put the little icon right on top of the street/location you’re at, so you can’t go wrong. Same thing if you’re taking an On Ramp to a highway you’ve never been on, it will stretch out the pointy line so you will stay right on track.

Another neat feature I like is the speed limit indicator. When you’re in route somewhere, it will show the speed limit of the road your on (95% of the time). I saw the speed limit sign up ahead change and I watched my GPS which said 55mph change to 65mph within a foot of the speed limit sign! (Very Impressive Garmin!). Naturally, driving several thousand miles, I was able to stay in the speed limit and passed through several speed traps with no problems because while I couldn’t see the speed sign (say it’s night time), I just looked at my GPS and it said the speed limit AND the speed I’m going! Using the satellites, it was accurately clocking my speed! I thought that was sooo cool. :-)

It’s got a ECO-Button that uses the above technology to help you better learn how to save gas by measuring your acceleration, deceleration and speed consistency to give you a score of up to 100. (100 is perfect). It averages everything and let’s you know what kind of eco-friendly driver you are. That works sometimes, but I couldn’t be eco-friendly when I was in stop and go/rush hour traffic where we’re speeding up and slowing down but when I was out and about, I got the general idea and it helped me save on gas. (Another nice feature).

If you don’t go the route you want (Say you turn off the road to stretch or take pictures, etc.) It will automatically recalculate your position and tell you where you need to go to get back on track! (VERY NICE!)

If you’ve got FAMILY or a significant other who has to go to the bathroom, one of the nice things you can do is click on “Points of Interest” and click on “Fuel” to find the nearest gas station so they can go relieve themselves and you can get some coffee to stay awake… All this while in the middle of driving from point A to point B. I found myself having to divert course in a city I’ve never been in and the GPS took me there like I lived there all my life… it was nice.

The Points of Interest (POI) – It’s got a whole bunch of POI’s pre-programmed in, to look for restaurants, fuel, shopping, repair, you name it! Even in a different city, it can tell you where’s the nearest …. based on where you are at the time. If there’s a certain POI that you don’t see or want to find, you can type it in. I found myself typing “Walmart” and it showed me where all the walmarts were and what ever one I wanted, I just clicked on and hit “GO” and it took me there! (Replace Walmart with the name of your favorite store, etc.)

Along the way, if there wasn’t a POI, I made one. Example… As I was driving and found a rest stop, once I drove in, I clicked on my car icon on my GPS and it will show my current location, the nearest address, nearest intersection and there’s a great big button that says “SAVE LOCATION” – I used that a lot, especially for the rest stops. So once I clicked it, a keyboard came up and I typed in what I wanted to call the spot I’m at, and it saved it under my favorites folder!

So on the way back, I could see far down the road the rest stops I stopped at before so I can decide if I wanted to pull over or not. I also made my POI for places that have free wi-fi so once I needed to go to a wi-fi hotspot, I went under my favorites folder, clicked on the name “Free Internet Wifi” (I made that up) and from where I was, the GPS took me right back to that spot.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When you click on your car/icon, it will also have 3 major buttons next to the Save Location. These are nice to have… they are Hospital, Police Station and Fuel. So knock on wood, you’re driving down the road and someone gets sick, you click on the hospital button on your GPS and it will show you ALL the hospitals near you, tell you how many miles away, point you in what direction and even give you the address & phone number in case you need to call ahead!

The Garmin Nuvi 265WT is loaded with a lot of very nice and useful features. It’s got a big screen, great battery life, and will take you where you need to go. When we were in Grand Junction, we made the place we were staying our POI (Point of Interest) so when ever we drove away from the house and explored the city, at anytime, we just clicked on the POI that we made and it took us right back to where we were staying! We didn’t have to worry about getting lost.

Any Errors? In all fairness, yes, it had 1 minor error – it took us to a store that no longer was there. Was that the fault of the GPS? No. The software does have to be upgraded and you’re given ONE free update within the 60 days you have it. If you don’t upgrade it, you will have the option of paying for any future updates. You can pay 0 something and get free updates for life (which I don’t agree with but that’s business for you) but if you use it constantly, it maybe the right choice for you.

Is it perfect? No. There’s lots of things that can be improved but people… come on… it wasn’t that long ago we had this technology! We’ve come a long way and all of this is constantly being improved on. The one “Flaw” if you can call it that is lack of instructions. You just have to play with it and figure it out. That’s the only thing they dropped the ball on. Everything else is wonderful!

I LOVE my new Garmin Nuvi 265WT. Are there better ones? For the great price I paid, IMO… No, this is the sweet spot on getting quality, size and reliability for this GPS. Yes, there are fancier screens, yes you can get fancier graphics. From doing all my homework, research and reading TONS of reviews of MANY GPS’s… The Garmin 265WT is a no brainer. Stop Reading and Just Buy the damn thing already. IT WORKS BEAUTIFULLY!

Oh- One last thing… If you go to Navtones dot com you can download the voice of K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider and have it be the voice of your GPS! When you download it, it will ask you for your name, so now when I’m using my GPS, it address me “Steven, I’m Knight Industries Two Thousand. Where would you like to go?” And if I’m not going the way KITT/GPS routed for me, KITT would mouth off saying “Steven if you don’t want to listen to me, I’m going to turn myself off. I’m recalculating…”

There’s other celebrity voices and things to customize your Garmin 265WT… Just do a google search and look for them. They made my trip a very enjoyable one. :-)

Hope this review helped. Sorry it was long winded but I give credit where it’s due!
Trust your gut and hopefully trust this review.

I’m very happy with my GPS and it’s very reliable. I recommend it and LOVE IT.

You can’t go wrong with the Garmin Nuvi 265W(T).

Stop Reading and Buy it! (Thank me later)

:-)

Very good value… if only for the “Bluetooth Function” for my Blackberry! – Al Sterling – So.Orange County, CA
I started using GPS systems nearly ten years ago. I bought the Sony Etak GPS software and receiver for my laptop. Just imagine a 15″ screen GPS and lotsa’ capability. That setup, but with a DeLorme software and receiver package, is still in my company vehicle today. But for the new-generation, portable GPS units, I scanned the market and selected Garmin, and the 265WT, for its optimal mating of capability and very resonable cost. And this is the second Garmin 265WT I’ve purchased in the last few months. The first one was for my brother. And at that time, I never thought about the bluetooth capability, and how it could solve another problem. I’ve been complaining about the small, hard to see number and letter keyboard on my Blackberry Tour. I even called Verizon to find out if there was a “keyboard accessory” that I could plug into the Blackberry; something to make the dialing and features menu legible without having to put on my reading glasses while driving. The Garmin 265WT does just that, and wirelessly! Now, I can access nearly all the features of my tiny-keyboard Blackberry, via my Garmin 265WT. And I can do it using the “large character touch screen” on the Garmin! Having a hands-free, full featured bluetooth accessory for my Blackberry was a huge plus! That alone made me ecstatic about this second Garmin! And on top of all that, this particular model has a very efficient GPS function, “with traffic warnings.” So for me, I’ve got everything I wanted and more. Great value!

Garmin Review – Joseph Young –
Excellant product. Very easy to install. Function use better than the built in I had on a Lexus. Amazon services were easy, order process excellant, it arrived within 3 days. Price was 1/3 of what I would have paid elsewhere.

love this unit – dan –
i love this unit.went to spokane and it took me to every place i told it to. only had one proplem when the road was closed, was not a big deal it just recalulated and away we went.would buy this garmin again.
Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 18, 2010 13:57:04

 

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