Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)If you are a first time GPS buyer and want an easy to use unit with intuitive touch screen controls and the best unit you can get for under $300, I recommend the C320 (or C330 which comes with pre-loaded maps). I bought this unit for much more a little over a year ago and so far I am quite happy. It has saved me many miles of extra driving! It also makes me a braver night time driver as I have difficulty spotting a sudden turn in the road at night time. But with my GPS I know exactly when to turn and it even tells me 'stay right' etc. This was confusing at first but now that I know what it means I find it very helpful to not have to change lanes at the last minute. It makes me feel safer on the road at night in unknown places! I can easily type in addresses on the touch screen with it's large display or look for a place of interest (a restaurant, library etc.) if I change my mind while at an intersection and then continue on the specified route. I often type in store names like "Target" or "Borders" on a whim and it takes me to the nearest one in the area. It just made a couple of mistakes so far once for a Kroger and once for a Walmart as the store had moved to another location about half a year ago but even Google maps had shown me the wrong location for that Walmart. It is also convenient to be able to specify the cuisine and locate the nearest restaurant to your current location or near your destination. However the restaurant choices are by no means exhaustive, it may miss a couple of good ones here and there but may show you ones you never knew existed.
I chose the C320 as you can load whatever maps you need by just getting a larger SD card, especially as SD cards have come down in price.
Before using this unit, I had used the Magellan Roadmate 300 for a few days, and Garmin's routing is a definite improvement over Magellan in terms of speed of route calculation and accurate routing. The Magellan locked up a couple of times although it was a new unit and I had to pull off on an exit and power it down for several minutes before it started reading the correct route. The Garmin C320 has never frozen on me. If I do not take the prescribed route or miss a turn it takes just about 2-3 seconds to figure that out and recalculates my route, this is way faster than Magellan or any other GPS system I've encountered so far. This is great feature as the next turn might be just 5 seconds away and you may miss it again if the unit takes too much time to recalculate!
Some reviews complained about the maps sayingthe unit said that they had reached the destination even though they were 100-200 feet away and sometimes confused between left or right of the street. But if you have used other GPS systems you would know that no GPS navigation system is perfect and I generally prefer Garmin navigation over Magellan.
The C320 allows you to specify your preferences such as - Avoid highways, avoid U turns, avoid toll roads etc. And you can set it to "Shortest distance" or "Fastest time". I've found that the shortest distance can sometimes take you on backroads or unusual roads which you normally may not take. This option gave me a great new route between office and home which avoids traffic but when I used the same option on a longer drive it suddenly detoured off the highway ans took me through bumpy back roads, a most unpleasant experience! But with experience I have learned the best way to calculate my route using the options. There is a bit of a learning curve with all GPS systems and the more advanced GPS users have rated Garmin navigation very highly in the several comparisons I read on the web.
The C320 does get a bit confused in situations where -a) there is a small roundabout (like in apartment communities) and may keep missing the exit turn and b) when there are intersecting highways over and under the highway on which you are traveling, especially if it takes you more than 15-20 seconds to cross that area where the highways intersect c) In very long tunnels. But now that I know this I just stay on route and as soon as I've crossed that area it starts showing the earlier route.
Some reviewers complained that the unit does not show the complete route turn by turn text instructions - that is not correct- as it will show you the turn by turn text instructions if you touch the green text bar over the route map.
If you want to take a detour at any point in your route it will calculate an alternative route for you if you touch the detour button, but will try to get you back on the original route very quickly. You can create points of interest in the route through the software and you can also save your favorite locations or most used addresses on the unit.
I prefer having a portable GPS than an in-car GPS as the software update is cheaper than in car GPS and I can carry it with me to use in rental cars when I travel. I tried out the in car GPS system in my friend's Honda and Garmin had better routing and a better "voice". The Honda GPS's high-pitched "Chinese Schoolgirl" voice drove me to distraction....!
January 7, 2007 update: I've gotten so used to my GPS that I don't know how I lived without it. The only complaint I have about the unit is that it is very hard to read in bright sunlight and I have to depend on the voice instructions. Also, please don't leave it mounted in the car if it's above 90 degrees as my unit's battery died after it was out in the summer for a few days at 100 degree temperatures and now it takes time to read satellite signals when I start out as it starts from a "cold" state.
May 7, 2007 Update: I called Customer Service last week as my internal battery died and the unit started falling off my windshield as the heat exposure reduced its grip. Hold time was very short, 3-4 minutes each time I called. They offered to have the unit repaired for $150 which is more than half the cost of a new unit, so I refused as it wasn't a critical problem. However, they offered to send me a new mount (including the windshield mount piece and car adaptor) for free despite being out of warranty . It was FedExed and reached me in 3 business days. That's good customer service!
Overall I am satisfied with C320. Better GPS systems exist (some made by Garmin) but this one is the best bang for my buck by far!
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Garmin StreetPilot c320 3.5 Inch Portable GPS NavigatorProduct Description: With a simple touch screen interface, automatic route calculation to any destination, and turn-by-turn voice-prompted directions, the StreetPilot c320 GPS navigator is a powerful companion for your adventures on the road. Plus, Garmin has designed the "c-series" of car navigation units to be as simple and easy-to-use as possible-- no more intimidating features,just straightforward, basic navigation at your fingertips.
The streetPilot "c-series" GPS navigators feature a simple touchscreen interface, with automatic route calculation to any destination. The 3.5-inch diagonal, 16-bit color display makes navigation a snap. A convenient touch screen allows for quick access to features such as addresses, recent locations, food, and lodging. Selecting a destination is as simple as a few finger-strokes, and you can choose between a three-dimensional navigation view or the more traditional "bird's eye" overhead view.
Although the c320 boasts distinctive and sleek styling, simplicity is the name of the game. The only buttons are a rotary volume knob and an on/off switch. The device is secured by a suction-mount cradle that fastens to the windshield for easy portability between vehicles. You can customize the unit's appearance with an array of colored faceplates that are sold separately.
For navigators who only require detailed maps for a limited area, the StreetPilot c320 features an SD card slot, a 128 MB SD card, and MapSource City Select street data on CD-ROM. To load the area you need, simply select the specific area of interest on your computer and the data is transferred from a PC to the unit via a fast USB connection. The c320's bright, 3.5-inch diagonal, 16-bit color display makes navigation a snap. The unit also features dual integrated speakers for high-quality voice prompts, and an internal lithium-ion battery for out-of-car route planning.
What's in the Box StreetPilot c320 receiver, vehicle suction cup mount w/integrated power cable, PC/USB interface cable, 128 MB SD memory card, and setup guide. Also, Americas Recreational Basemap and MapSource City Select North America CD with full unlock.
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