Garmin car GPS wanted

[chuckr30]

I have $200. I would like to buy a new GPS for my car with routing ability. My Garmin 60csx does not have routing, nor the detailed US maps. Besides I want a bigger screen anyway.

 

I'm looking at one of the Nuvi's. I am in Michigan and will be travelling in Canada frequently. Which Garmin is best for me?

 

Note: I have seen the stickied links about reviews and did not see any reviews for car GPS units with routing.

[+CacheFreakTim]

I went with the Nuvi 500. The Nuvi 500/550 are just like the 2xx series but have a Geocaching mode. They really are the best driving/caching GPS out there.

 

Check out this post where I posted a bunch of picutures of it

[+W7WT]

I agree with CF Tim. We have had the Nuvi 550 for a few years. The only problem I know of was the bringing up a few long titles and that has been fixed. Very easy to use. I have been a long using of the Garmin 76 line and bought the 78s. I have been disapointed in it. Didn't really need it as the Nuvi 550 did such a great job with paperless caching. I recently got the 60CSx on sale at REI for the wife. She had been using the 76CSx which is about the same as the 60CSx but I thought she might like the fit in her hand better. Anyway I have returned the 78s and exchanging it for another 60CSx. The reason I got the Nuvi 550 is I also wanted Alaska where my son lives.

[chuckr30]

Thanks. I got the Garmin Nuvi 1450T, which has US, Canada and some US islands. It is supposed to have traffic updates but this has a very very limited area.

 

Only locked up once, then I got a software update. Have yet to try it after sw update.

[+mpilchfamily]

Pick a Nuvi almost any nuvi. I like a large screen but it may very based on where you will place it in the car. Some of the really large screen units are great in trucks but small cars are great with ones the size of the 1300.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

The Nuvi 500 and 550 are the only ones factory designed for geocaching including uploading of field notes for totally paperless caching.

The 500 has a topo also and I think the 550 includes Canada but no topo.

[+mpilchfamily]

I thought the T designation determined weather it had topo maps or not. And i've never seen a 500t.

[+CacheFreakTim]

I thought the T designation determined weather it had topo maps or not. And i've never seen a 500t.

 

It usually does, but the 500/550 is the exception to the rule. The 500 comes with City Nav and Topo maps for the lower 48 states. The 550 has no Topo maps but has city nav for the US and Canada. These are the only differences between the units. Obviously if you don't live in or travel to Canada the decision should be simple.