lobstar911 wrote:I hear this has a downloadable map pack for finding the missing Big o' Cosmos from the Woot-off.

Best Woot comment EVER!!!!!

I have this model and its ok. The speech recognition is pretty much worthless. First of all you have to find and press a remote button to use it, which kind of defeats the point. Second, you have to almost be screaming at the GPS multiple times for it to understand you. Its not very good at figuring out what you are saying and you constantly have to be watching the screen to see if its even close to following your directions. I think it is more distracting than just touching the screen. I have tried out the new model that has voice recognition and its way better, also way more expensive. So just buy what you want they mostly all get you there. Oh and no 3d maps on this one.

Refurb or no, this is a great price

Maybe this will help find the giant monkeys after you launch them. Those monkeys are huge.

By-Tor wrote:WARNING!!! I am a die hard Garmin fanboy, but I have to say that my 855 is the worst Garmin GPS I've ever had. I have had about 6 different models over the years, but the 855 has serious lag issues when entering addresses and I frequently have to remove the battery because of lockups. The worst part is that the unit can lock up the highway and you'd don't really notice because the road is pretty straight. Before you know it,you've blown past your exit because you are waiting on the GPS to tell you to exit. Not good.

Perhaps they've fixed that problem, and that's why they have a bunch of refurbs?

What concerns me more is that you say you've had about 6 different Garmins over the years. Do you have a habit of losing them, or do they all die in short order?

Thanks for messing with me woot! But I have to go to bed so I'll still have a job to pay the next time we play for a Big Orphaned Cetacea.

“Maybe. Or maybe it’s a sort of test, to see who the real fans are. I’m finding clues that point to the real ending coming as part of the special on the ten year anniversary. Oh, hey, look at that, did you see that? We’re on 4th and 23rd! And that building’s number 1516! I wonder… could something be hidden on the 8th floor in Room 42? I gotta write this down in my log notebook so I can come back later after dark and break in.”

LadyBacon wrote:Does it work with Windows 7 for updates and such?

It works with Windows XP, Vista, or 7

And Mac.

NO LIFETIME MAP UPDATES on this DIScontinued product
Kills the deal.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=33922&ra=true

sessyman wrote:Does this come with lifetime map updates or would we have to buy them?

Map updates for North America are $49.99 for a onetime update, or $89.99 for lifetime updates ... which is, uhmm, yeah ... more than the GPS ...

http://www.gpsnow.com/Garmin_nuvi_855_Maps.htm

Also, the Garmin website has numerous voice and vehicle icon downloads. They've recently added Spongebob and Dora, which should keep the kids entertained on a road trip. Some are for a fee, but most are free, and they even have software for you to record your own voice prompts. Current config on mine is a pirate ship with Dr. Nightmare leading the way.

Be sure to check whether a specific download works for this model, though, especially before paying for it.

Notice in the picture it say locating satellites. Get used to that. Save your money, buy a tomtom.

I have one of these its a good all around solid unit but you are going to need to update the maps and i think its around 40 to do so or like 90 for a lifetime subscription of updates.

SPRINT+ANDROID USERS

Your Sprint Everything Plan comes with free navigation, so if you own an Android such as the EVO and are on Sprint, I can tell you that SprintNav is better than Garmin. I've owned one before and tossed it after I got my phone.

stevesds wrote:NO LIFETIME MAP UPDATES on this DIScontinued product
Kills the deal.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=33922&ra=true

I have heard that the maps are easy to find online with a simple process to unlock them. Not that I would ever think of downloading them myself and not paying Garmin's ridiculous prices for something that should be provided free.

I'm a big fan of the Garmins. Some points:

Yes, I'm sure your smartphone has a very nice GPS. Most smartphone GPS apps, however, do not function very well when the data connection is not present or flaky. I personally had my Android Gmaps thingy get me remarkably lost in Indiana when it lost the data connection. The Garmin, however, always works.

Map updates are NOT included. Last time I priced 'em for my 755, they were $49.99 for a single update, or $79.99 for lifetime updates. I went for lifetime.

This one does not include the FM receiver for traffic updates; you'll have to buy that separately if you want it.

Lane assist is actually somewhat useful if you're on an Interstate in a reasonably-sized city -- and let's be honest, where else would you really need it?

The FM transmitter -- like pretty much all FM transmitters -- is pretty terrible. I certainly wouldn't use it for listening to music.

It does indeed "speak" the directions. You can also download different voices from Garmin's website.

It is phenomenally easy to use -- even for the tech-challenged. However, the touchscreen is not great; it's a mushy resistive screen, and we frequently find that it takes our keypresses all wrong.

For the price, I'd say this is a pretty good deal; I may order one myself for our second car.

sessyman wrote:Does this come with lifetime map updates or would we have to buy them?

If the model has a T in it means lifetime traffic. If the model has a M it means lifetime maps. I believe LTM means both.

They define lifetime as "When ever we decide to change our software" so if Garmin decided to change their software tomorrow, it means your "lifetime" would be over.

I recently bought a refurbished 265WT from Amazon for $82.99 not including the $15 rebate thing I got from offermatic and am typing this from memory.

If you buy an 855 you are going to regret it. This model is a lemon. They continually freeze up on you and at some point the FM transmitter will quit working. I blew through 3 of these and all were returned.

By the time you buy the lifetime map update, you would be much better off taking that money and buying a newer, or at least a different model.

You have been warned. :]

wootalyzer wrote:Wootalyzer's Pricing Post! - The price of today's woot item is saved here for future reference
------------------------------------------------------------
Garmin n?vi 4.3" GPS with Speech Recognition and Lane Assist
$79.99 + $5 Shipping
Condition: Refurbished!

Refurbs run $100 to $110 w/shipping online elsewhere.

NO lifetime traffic.

DGX wrote:If you buy an 855 you are going to regret it. This model is a lemon. They continually freeze up on you and at some point the Bluetooth will quite working. I blew through 3 of these and all were returned.

By the time you buy the lifetime map update, you would be much better off taking that money and buying a newer, or at least a different model.

You have been warned. :]

i have a 885t 0 problems and i use it all the time

sfcchase wrote:Notice in the picture it say locating satellites. Get used to that. Save your money, buy a tomtom.

Having owned a Garmin for a few years, I can honestly say I have no idea what you're talking about. Only time I've ever seen it say "locating satellites" is when the darned thing is indoors.

mue8816327 wrote:i have a 885t 0 problems and i use it all the time

885t vs 855. I love Garmin Nuvis. The 855 is junk.

Okay so what is the purpose of the memory card slot? Why would you need a card in the unit?

maceone wrote:Okay so what is the purpose of the memory card slot? Why would you need a card in the unit?

To hold maps/traffic/data

maceone wrote:Okay so what is the purpose of the memory card slot? Why would you need a card in the unit?

To play mp3s or whatever.

maceone wrote:Okay so what is the purpose of the memory card slot? Why would you need a card in the unit?

You can put maps, more vehicles, voices, audio books, or mp3s on the card. At some point you might run out of internal memory, so the card expands its memory.

I keep all my custom POIs, custom voices and vehicles on my SD card. Pull the card, and boom it's back to basics.

I have a750 and the 855 I got the 855 for the voice recognition. I prefer the 750 over the 855. On the 855 they put the mic in the unit and not on the steering wheel remote. Fan noise defroster noise as well as the radio affect voice commands. It only works when you mount it very close to the driver and away from the dash (sand bag mount in a drink cup) I have a feeling Garmin knows the problem and these are the returns. This was discontinued quickley and many dealers stopped carring them

phacopida wrote:Lane assist sounds interesting - but is it accurate or realistically useful? Anyone?

For me its very useful/a must have! Though not having LIFEtime Map Updates makes this a no so good buy.

Lane assist is great if your the kind of person that travels and has a hard time knowing what lane(s) to stay in to continue on your trip on the Highways etc without making the mistake of being in the wrong lane to exit an off ramp or change onto a different interstate ramp. Then this is a must have option! It will TELL you and SHOW you the lanes to stay in before the turn or merge comes.

Example; "stay in the left two lanes", or
"stay in the far left lane to merge onto I94"
So it will also show you a close up of all the lanes and arrows will also show you what lanes to stay in until your in the turn.

DGX wrote:You can put maps, more vehicles, voices, audio books, or mps on the card. At some point you might run out of internal memory, so the card expands its memory.

I keep all my custom POIs, custom voices and vehicles on my SD card. Pull the card, and boom it's back to basics.

Thank you!

phacopida wrote:Lane assist sounds interesting - but is it accurate or realistically useful? Anyone?

I have one without lane assist, and if I had it, I don't think it would be particularly helpful.

On my model, the Garmin 265WT, it will say to me, "Make a left turn on Bob street in point five miles" and do a few follow ups as I get closer. Also, in the top left hand corner it will show a left arrow and 0.5 miles, for example.

To me, it's common sense that I need to be in the left lane to make a left turn, but I guess some people needed more help, which is why lane assist was created?

maceone wrote:Okay so what is the purpose of the memory card slot? Why would you need a card in the unit?

To add extra music, maps, games, more extra voices that read the street names "sally, mr.T, Snoopdog etc(Sirius GPP), add POI from users etc.

A nice option to have but not a must. Mostly you use just need it for the maps. You can save on space by deleting all the extra voices etc your not using if you didn't have a memory slot.

Do you have to use the steering wheel thing to turn on the voice recognition, or is there some button on the GPS itself that will start that, which you can hit without looking?

jmcloughlin3 wrote:nice add placement on the popup image of the product. can't see Battlefield Earth (2000) because the ad sits in the middle of the image

What are you talking about

DGX wrote:If you buy an 855 you are going to regret it. This model is a lemon. They continually freeze up on you and at some point the FM transmitter will quit working. I blew through 3 of these and all were returned.

By the time you buy the lifetime map update, you would be much better off taking that money and buying a newer, or at least a different model.

You have been warned. :]

LMAO...anyone who buys 3 of the same model and breaks them all - I'd be bitter too...

ras07 wrote:Map updates for North America are $49.99 for a onetime update, or $89.99 for lifetime updates ... which is, uhmm, yeah ... more than the GPS ...

http://www.gpsnow.com/Garmin_nuvi_855_Maps.htm

$89.99..for Lifetime Maps, Wow!

I scored my 1300LM (brand new) back in early Dec.'10 for $99.99 from Amazon (bought 2, for me and gf)..

So it's like the 1300 unit itself only costs...$10 each.

my iphone is good enough for me!

For $79.00 it sounds like a fantastic deal, and for some it probably is. When my five year old Garmin broke I was all set to buy another but instead I have learned to rely on my Verizon Droid with Google maps. All in all I am very satisfied with it. The maps are always updated and it tells you the name of the street, though listening to it, it does pronounce things a bit odd at times but then so did the Garmin Lady. My wife has an iPhone and two weeks ago we set my Droid and she her iPhone for the same restaurant and then we put them both on the dashboard for dueling directions! It was pretty cool. One thing I wish you could adjust, and for all I know, maybe you can and I just haven't found the control yet but it would be nice to increase the warning on when you have to turn left or right or get off the freeway instead of the standard one mile or 8/10 of a mile before you have to take action. Happy wooting everyone.

Unique616 wrote:I have one without lane assist, and if I had it, I don't think it would be particularly helpful.

On my model, the Garmin 265WT, it will say to me, "Make a left turn on Bob street in point five miles" and do a few follow ups as I get closer. Also, in the top left hand corner it will show a left arrow and 0.5 miles, for example.

To me, it's common sense that I need to be in the left lane to make a left turn, but I guess some people needed more help, which is why lane assist was created?

Well if you travel to unknown major cities like Chicago, NY etc it can be useful to help show you the exact lanes to stay in. Like the 2 left lanes are your exit lanes.

ALSO some merge lanes have 2 lanes, but 1 of the lanes option you can merge left or right so it will tell you that you can use these 2-lanes vs bulking into the far left lane with every other car that doesn't know 2-lanes merge into that turn/Interstate change.

"Not just a GPS, it’s also an MP3 player, audio book player (subscription to Audible.com required), JPEG picture viewer, currency converters, Garmin games, alarm clock, and more"

Yes, but is it custom-iz-ible?

If it's not an iPhone, why would I want it?

you see that screen where it says locating satellites and has the big ? over the car? if you buy this you should expect to see that screen alot

maceone wrote:Okay so what is the purpose of the memory card slot? Why would you need a card in the unit?

In case you forget where you were going!