Hi All,
A mate has donated a Garmin Zumo 660 SatNav for free..
He pointed out it has screen issues.. It starts up fine but the screen is unresponsive, and when it does respond its inaccurate.. For example if I press a "P" the screen will display a "K" and so on..
I have contacted an online SatNav repairer and been quoted £59 for screen replacement etc.. They give the promise that if it cant be fixed then there is no charge..
What I would like to know from my mates on the forum is...
Is it worth having fixed?
I suppose what I am really asking is, are these units any good when working perfectly?
I am not against spending that amount on a free sat nav IF its actually worth it when its done..
Any of you got one? If so, how do you rate it?
Thanks in advance,
S.
To be honest I wont use a seperate SatNav when riding. I use my phone with Google Maps, connected via Bluetooth to my lid. It talks to me giving directions. The thought of actually trying to look at a SatNav unit when riding scares me to death. I like to keep my eyes on the road and not try to look at a screen...
@froudy Google maps is ok but it has limited amount of places one can put on a trip. At least I have not at found a way how to come over this problem.
Quote from: froudy on Saturday, 13 July 2019, 07:46 PM
To be honest I wont use a seperate SatNav when riding. I use my phone with Google Maps, connected via Bluetooth to my lid. It talks to me giving directions. The thought of actually trying to look at a SatNav unit when riding scares me to death. I like to keep my eyes on the road and not try to look at a screen...
does your google maps warn of speed cameras Steve ? that's all I use my sat nav for :)
@froudy
As they used to say at school
READ THE QUESTION.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH A SATNAV ON A BIKE.
I just want to know if the Garmin I have been given is worth having repaired.
Otherwise I will buy a Bike TomTom.
I'd look on ebay etc for prices of working used examples of the same unit & go from there. If you can replace it for less, then don't bother fixing it. If it's cheaper to fix then you'll get you're money back if you don't like it & sell it on to get a tomtom.
I would repair it for £59. If you don't like it you can put it on eBay and you'll get more than that back. So it's a no-risk investment.
I paid £120 for a used 350LM, which is a lesser model I think. I don't like it much, but maybe that's me.
I wasn't criticising
@Speedy1959 I'll be installing the Satnav app on my new phone that I used to use before I changed phones 2 weeks ago. It warns of speed cameras audibly and warns if you go 5 mph over the speed limit at any given time.
Sorry Froudy my response was sharper than intended.
Sorry mate.
S.
Quote from: Mister Fishfinger on Sunday, 14 July 2019, 03:09 AM
I would repair it for £59. If you don't like it you can put it on eBay and you'll get more than that back. So it's a no-risk investment.
I paid £120 for a used 350LM, which is a lesser model I think. I don't like it much, but maybe that's me.
I don't think the 350 is a lesser model to a 660, it was brought out after the 660, it's just a different unit.
mate of mine has the 550 and is forever having problems with it. For £59 it's worth having fixed,however, i'd sell it straight away after getting it back and get a TomTom unit personally.
But check prices they sell for on eBay first, if you can't make a profit on selling it when fixed, then sell as faulty, and then get a TomTom
Quote from: Speedy1959 on Sunday, 14 July 2019, 03:45 AM
Sorry Froudy my response was sharper than intended.
Sorry mate.
S.
No problem :imrgreen: :onya:
I've just loaded the free Satnav App that I had on my old phone..It's called "Here We Go"
It gives speed limits and warns if you exceed them by more that 5mph...Mine's constantly warning me :rofl2:
It talk and you have the option to select voices etc. I've gone for English with spoken street names. The link below should take you to Google Play if you want to download and try it :onya:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.here.app.maps&hl=en_GB
Is that an offline app Steve?
Here We Go is excellent. Mercedes,Audi, BMW also thought so, they paid big bucks into it. Waze is another thats good. They both combine with Google Maps, its far away the best. In Australia i mean.
Quote from: mjgt on Monday, 15 July 2019, 06:54 PM
Is that an offline app Steve?
Yes, you can download maps so that it can be used offline
@mjgt
Quote from: froudy on Monday, 15 July 2019, 07:58 PM
Quote from: mjgt on Monday, 15 July 2019, 06:54 PM
Is that an offline app Steve?
Yes, you can download maps so that it can be used offline @mjgt
Thanks mate, I rode through Cwmbran today should have thought to let you know I was coming over the water I suppose, so you could be out (before anyone else jumps in).
Quote from: mjgt on Tuesday, 16 July 2019, 02:23 AM
Quote from: froudy on Monday, 15 July 2019, 07:58 PM
Quote from: mjgt on Monday, 15 July 2019, 06:54 PM
Is that an offline app Steve?
Yes, you can download maps so that it can be used offline @mjgt
Thanks mate, I rode through Cwmbran today should have thought to let you know I was coming over the water I suppose, so you could be out (before anyone else jumps in).
should have let us know Mick and met for a coffee :)
@mjgt
Quote from: grog on Monday, 15 July 2019, 07:15 PM
Here We Go is excellent. Mercedes,Audi, BMW also thought so, they paid big bucks into it. Waze is another thats good. They both combine with Google Maps, its far away the best. In Australia i mean.
This may not apply down under, but in the U.K., one has to be careful using Waze, as strictly speaking (according to the law) its an application, not a Sat Nav, and using an application on the move is illegal.
The reason being is that Waze has adverts. And that's what makes it illegal on the move in the U.K.
(Mate of mine who is a traffic cop told me the above - although he did also say that they advise people if caught, as many don't know). So no biggie.
Quote from: Notty on Tuesday, 16 July 2019, 02:28 AM
Quote from: mjgt on Tuesday, 16 July 2019, 02:23 AM
Quote from: froudy on Monday, 15 July 2019, 07:58 PM
Quote from: mjgt on Monday, 15 July 2019, 06:54 PM
Is that an offline app Steve?
Yes, you can download maps so that it can be used offline @mjgt
Thanks mate, I rode through Cwmbran today should have thought to let you know I was coming over the water I suppose, so you could be out (before anyone else jumps in).
should have let us know Mick and met for a coffee :)
@mjgt
I'm over the water at least once a week Notty, I'll give you a shout next time.
I have no idea where a 660 fits in the range - I have a 550 and its pretty good.
The only time I look at it is when stopped or a quick glance to tell me which general direction to head.
No Bluetooth to helmet and all that rubbish for me.
I'm convinced mine is stuck in 'taxi mode' as it takes the longest, stupidest routes possible to get anywhere.
Having used my phone for maps on the bike for several weeks I'm convinced it's the way to go for me.
I may try other app's etc but it's very handy and I much prefer it to my older sat nav's.
Agree.
Someone might have mentioned this here, but the older Garmins (my old Nuvi 360 in the car for example) used to have a screen calibration where IIRC you pick the four screen corners and it realigns where you touch.
Try Googling Garmin Screen recalibration.
You are correct Dusty..
But I finally gave up on the Garmin Zumo 660 as it was totally unresponsive, and to be honest the screen graphics looked very primitive..
I splashed on on a TomTom Rider 550 from Sportsbikeshop.
Very good price and a superfast delivery..
The TomTom cable is MUCH neater than the Garmin was.. In fact the size of the cable actually put me off installing it.
How times change
Instructions written on a sheet of paper taped to the tank used to be perfectly ok.
Speed camera warning is excellent though !
Quote from: Chrisl on Wednesday, 31 July 2019, 07:01 AM
How times change
Instructions written on a sheet of paper taped to the tank used to be perfectly ok.
When it's 932K's (578 miles) to meet your mates in the pub on a Saturday night,
It's nice to know how far the next petrol station is and decide stop or carry on....
(https://imgshare.io/images/2019/07/30/2A1AB863-57E0-41B3-8C21-F6E6FA19A1D6.jpg)
I use a Garmin Nuvi 250 probably about 10 years old while on the 1400, I plans trips using Tyre free software off the internet, works great, I'm sure Snapey is still using it.
I use tyre too.
Quote from: Hooli on Thursday, 01 August 2019, 05:37 AM
I use tyre too.
Does it work in the UK because I left my Nuvi in Oz because it didn't have UK or European maps loaded.
Quote from: Irish in Oz on Thursday, 01 August 2019, 05:42 AM
Quote from: Hooli on Thursday, 01 August 2019, 05:37 AM
I use tyre too.
Does it work in the UK because I left my Nuvi in Oz because it didn't have UK or European maps loaded.
Is it not possible to download and instal UK/European maps to your Nuvi?
My old Tomtom Go is upstairs somewhere. It was the second generation Tomtom that they brought out. I use my phone all the time now and haven't touched it for years..It's probably worth about 50p now :shocked:
Yeah, it would be, or get the required maps on a card & insert it.
When I bought it about 10 years ago it was supposed to be free updates but that never seemed to work, only things that mainly change in Oz are roundabouts become traffic lights.
I seen a nice Garmin in Halford's the other day for 100 quid, have been using my phone in car lately.
I brought the 'Life Time map upgrades' one as well. The only free map they upgrade for ya is the bloody USA one!! :furious: :furious: :furious:
I brought my unit in NZ, for use in NZ, with the advertised lifetime map upgrade option that you'd naturally think would be for NZ, no mention this isn't for NZ though, oh no! Rip off ba$#@%ds. They want $200 each time for a new bloody map & ya don't even know what's been upgraded until ya pays your $ & find out it's only different up north.
rant over, beer o'clock now.
Quote from: KiwiCol on Thursday, 01 August 2019, 03:56 PM
Yeah, it would be, or get the required maps on a card & insert it.
I seem to remember that's how I used to do it...
Download maps from some Free Site..Put on card and off you go. I had loads of different voices for it too..Ozzy Osborne was a good source of entertainment ....Take the first exit at the f*cking roundabout etc :rofl2:
That's great Froudy, must see if I can get that as well - just stuck to some English bird giving directions, can't pronounce a lot of our streets though.
My Garmin Zumo worked great all through Europe. Bar two times, and I believe that to be operator error.
Hitting the Avoid Tolls, was the problem.
In fact, I often wondered how many times I would have stopped to re-consult a paper map on that trip.
My only complaint, would be that, having use reading glasses, reading the thing on the road was a PITA.
Right between having to use glasses and not being able to see the screen details without them on.
I have contemplated a pair of bifocal glasses next time.