Great, simple to use unit for anyone new to GPS mapping

I bought a slightly used Garmin Nuvi 1350T unit here on eBay. For about $100, this is an excellent unit with clear, easy to follow directions and on-screen instructions, good turn by turn directions, and voice coaching at key trip turns.

I put it in my Chrysler 300 to test it out and measured the unit's accuracy compared to my $2000 built-in navigation system on the Chrysler. The Garmin was easier to use, more accurate on estimated time of arrivals, had a clearer set of voice coaching for turns and directions, and was very easy to follow.

The built-in tools and features are easy to navigate and may be helpful if you need additional storage capacity for pics and things. The 1350T unit I got came with lifetime map updates and an easy-mount window and dash suction cup-based stand, along with the 12v car power cord and usb cord for getting map updates via the internet.

This unit also has some neat features, like programmable options to use it as walking GPS unit, an option to let the unit know you wan to use it an airplane (when allowed), and economy modes for coaching you to be more efficient in your driving habits (fun scoring of how "green" you drive). These extra features make it very usable not just for driving, but also for orienteering, walking, boating, flying, or just goofing around. Add the fact that you can use this to help navigate public transit options and connections (in places like DC, NYC, SF, and Boston, this is very helpful I would imagine), this unit has something for everyone and can be used by whole family.

For the money, Consumer Reports ranks this as a best buy. For the new user, this is a great unit. Usage is really intuitive, easy, and there is not a steep learning curve to get basic functions up and running right out of the box.

Prices in October 2010 have been hovering around $175 for a new unit on ebay, with many good retail specials on new units for $130-$150 for the unit without the whole accessory pack or lifetime map updates. Used or reconditioned unit prices have been averaging $99-$135 for the same time period. The prices seem to be declining on this model as the newer units are being released.

I would not hesistate to recommend this unit for your family or friends who are technologically challenged- it is easy to use, has a nice wide display, and is user friendly. I would also recommend buying a unit package that includes the accessory pack- that way, you get everything that goes with your unit when you purchase it and do not have to pay separately (including shipping and handling fees) for the accessories you will eventually need anyway. The only negative is the battery life which is said to be 4-6 hours, but my unit has done better than that already (but I did have it hooked up to the cars 12v electrical system most of the time).

GARMIN nuvi 1350T

Wanted a GPS unit for family. Something easy to use. Garmin was the ticket!

Searched several through ebay looking for best price and well feedback too.
The Garmin came brand new in the package not used or remanufactured as others were being listed.
With a Garmin you get a quick refrence guide to get ou started using it...but i found out quickly you can go ti the website and download a complete user manual w/ trouble shootign guide and such!
No dissapointments w/ GARMIN ....i have heard salesman who off TomTom actually suggest Garmin over TomTom....

If looking for GPS go Garmin or stay home !

Excellent GPS

The Garmin nuvi 1350T is my first GPS. I purchased it because I plan on doing a lot of driving back in the eastern U.S. late this spring. I've been testing the Garmin and needless to say I'm very impressed. The display unit is easy to use. Entering a destination takes seconds. In traffic, if you miss a turn for any reason, the Garmin will recalculate the route in 5 seconds - not tell you to do a U-turn. The Garmin website offers plenty of support, plus extra downloads. As a first time GPS user I could find no faults with the Garmin product and consider myself most fortunate that my first GPS is such an excellent product.

A great buy!

This is my third GPS unit. When it came up on eBay as a daily special as a refurbished unit, I was certainly interested because of the very low price, but somewhat concerned about its being a refurbished device. Since this unit had the advantage of speaking street names (my earlier GPS units did not do this), I decided to give it a try. I found it easier to use than my prior devices and have had no problems whatsoever with the reliability and functionality of the unit in the three months it has been in my car. The text-to-speech (reading of street names) is still not on a par with the computer on Star Trek's Enterprise, but it is a close enough to be understandable in American English. More importantly, the large screen and ability to utilize large text makes seeing the screen easy, even while driving. I'm definitely a happy customer with this device, and recommend it wholeheartedly.

A lot for a little

I got this as a reconditioned unit to carry in the car we tow behind a motorhome - the motorhome has the main Garmin, this was just a little add-on. However, I soon found this updated software (and more current map database) to be highly attractive. Couple of problems: I like to have both the direction of travel and the time to arrive shown on the screen, with this unit it seems to be an either/or. However, the automatic rerouting due to traffic problems is utterly amazing. It saved me significant time during a slow-down in Pittsburgh (by taking me off-highway and via residential streets). I got the unit with a bean-bag mount. While this was just great (so could put it under the front seat when parking to reduce theft), the suction cup was less satisfactory than the mechanical mount my old Garmin has (had to re-suck every few days). Very easy to use and reasonably accurate. However, this unit does NOT have the ability to know if you're in a car, a bus, a truck, or a large RV...shame on Garmin for taking that away. If you buy their truckers version, you get these features but you loose campgrounds and other points of interest and RV'er wants. So, taking the good with the bad, I'd give this an "average" rating. That said, for the few dollars I paid for it, I think I got a great value and I'm perfectly satisfied with this as a backup unit for our towed vehicle!