Garmin Nuvi 260W
Jan
1
2008
Placeholder only for the Garmin Nuvi 260w, similar to the 260 but with a widescreen.
| Store | Rating | Best Prices |
|---|---|---|
Compare all prices on the Garmin Nuvi 260W Auto / Road GPS ranging from $114.99 to $349.99. | ||
 |  In stock at Tiger GPS | $129.99 |
 | In stock at AVALON TRONIX | $122.98 |
 | In stock at RadioShack.com | $124.99 |
| In stock at RadioShack.com | $349.99 |
 | In stock at ClubMac | $119.99 |
 | In stock at OnSale | $119.99 |
 | In stock at MacMall | $119.99 |
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I just need a gps that had a great screen, is user-friendly, reliable, text to speech, maybe…..don’t need the extras likebluetooth, music, etc. I think this Nuvi 260w is the answer. When is it coming out? and how long do you think it will take for the price to start falling?
The 260w is already shipping… see the stores listed above.
I am a first time GPS buyer and am also just interested in a basic user friendly unit with text to speech and wide screen. I believe I have zeroed-in on the Garmin nuvi 260W, nuvi 650, and nuvi 750 which seem to be about the same. Any suggestions?
Steve, if you haven’t done so already, you can compare the 260w with the 650 and 750 to see some of the feature differences, there are not too many as you mentioned.
So a guy at Best Buy tells me the 260W will allow you to program in up to 5 stops for any one trip, route you there, but won’t announce you’ve arrived at your stop or automatically begin routing you to the next stop. Is this accurate? I’d like to be able to plan a trip where I include multiple stops/destinations. Can I do this with the 260W. Thank you very much for any help!
Andrea – Unfortunately that isn’t an option available on the 260w.
That’s a bummer.
I suppose I should know better than to trust the sales associates at Best Buy. Comical because when I’ve asked for help in the past, they’ve told me point blank they don’t know anything about GPS units. This one offered help and it superficially seemed that he knew what he was talking about.
Guess I’ll look at the Nuvi 750 instead.
Thanks for the quick answer, Tim.
I am trying to decide between the nuvi 260w and the tomtom xls. The tt seems to have better features like multi trip routing. But I have been told by friend who own Garmins that they are more intuitive. That you can progam a destination in 3 step opposed to 5 with others. That is what they said I just want to verify the accuracy. Also could you tell me what bluetooth data is the tt has that. One last question with the optional traffic do you need to purchase a separate device to make that happen? and can you specify the cost of each service. Thanks so much.
Jim – Some people think the Garmin is more intuitive, some people think TomTom is more intuitive… just comes down to personal preference. It doesn’t take any more steps (by a significant margin) on a TomTom vs Garmin.
Bluetooth data means that if you happen to have a compatible phone with a compatible data plan, the GPS can wirelessly use the data connection on your phone to download things like weather reports, certain software updates, and traffic reports.
For the optional traffic service you can either use a phone (see above, if your phone happens to be compatible) or purchase the external cable traffic receiver to make it happen. The cable is about $120 and comes with one year of service, after that service is about $60/year.
Hello, I was just wondering when this years map updates will be in stores on the devices. I am looking to buy the 660, but feel it would not be a good dealing buying it now with the old maps when I have heard the new ones will be out in i think 1 to 2 months. Thanks for your help.
Jim, Garmin typically makes map updates available at the end of April.
My new 260W frequently does NOT announce the street or highway name. It says, “Take ramp on right” or “In 300 feet turn right”. When should it give me the street or highway names?
Hi Elaine,
It depends on the choice of language.
American English does not announce road names whereas American English – Samantha does.
So you have to try different accents.
Im looking to buy a new Gps but there are so many out there I have it down to a Garmin or the TomTom what brand do you thing is a better buy.
Welton – That is kind of like asking “what is better, Ford or Chevy?”. Both are great devices, one might match your feature needs and desires more than the other.
I am looking to buy either a Garmin nuvi 200 or a Tom Tom One V3. Which is the most user friendly? Do both given addresses of POI?
Lynn, they are both very user friendly. People may have personal preferences one way or another, but they are both pretty simple to operate. They both provide addresses of POIs.
I bought the 260W but haven’t opened yet. Read in responses about multiple destinations. Called Garmin and they said you could say program in 5 destinations as favorites. Go to closest one. then do whatever and it would direct you to next one. Before i open is this true. We sometimes like to do garage sales and never know where various streets etc. are. thanks.
Lee – Yes.
I am realyy interested in the 260w. I’ve been watching the prices and will soon buy. I really just want the basics – no bluetooth or traffic info. 2 features I’d like to see are a compass and speed indicator.
Are these common on GPS units? The 260W. Anybody else think these features are worthwhile?
Thanks,
Jim
I am a first time buyer. I’m between the Garmin 650 and Garmin 260W.They both sem to have very similar specs and features. The 650 was discontinued, according to one store, in Jan. 2008. Originally it was priced higher than the 260W. Now it’s available for less $$ at some online dealers. Anyone have an opinion as to which is the better value?? Would the 650 come with outdated maps?
Tim, Is the bluetooth option really worth the extra $$ (provided my phone is compatible)
I liked the features of the 4050 Magellen, but have been told Garmin is the best on the market and shouldn’t buy anthing else, so am torn between who to listen too and trust, stick with gut feeling that I liked the Magellan or spending the $$ on the 760 or stick with a basis 260W. If you where buying for yourself for a basis user, who requires street names announced and ease of operation, what would it be? I also noticed no one answered Elaine question about the 260 not always stating the street name. I noticed the same thing when looking at the demo unit in the store.
Thanks
Jim – I personally don’t see much value in a compass or speed indicator. The map shows you were to go and hopefully your car has a speedometer.
Sid – The 650 would likely ship with older maps. Many people are having luck getting Garmin to give them a free upgrade, but some people have been told no. Myself, I’d stick with the 260w.
Geoff (and Elaine) – so long as a text to speech voice is selected, it will speak street names. As far as Bluetooth goes, I’m not sure I can tell you what value it will provide for you. Personally I rarely use that feature because the speaker in most GPS devices (and microphone for that matter) is fairly weak.
Tim, I’ve read that maps are updated about the end of April. Would buying a 260W now give me a 2008 or 2007 map? Thanks for opinion on the 650.
Thanks Tim
The right unit for me could rest on a ledge and cover part of the speedometer. I wouldn’t have to worry if I glance down and saw the speed on the GPS.
As for the compass, just a cool, nice to have thing. Sometimes when I get turned around, I ask myself what #@ direction am I going. Wouldn’t be a problem with a GPS though.
Thanks again. Very nice site, although I’m seeing many more brands of GPS that are not reviewed here.
Sid – The new maps are indeed out. If you purchased a 260w and it came with 2008 maps, you would be entitled to an upgrade (free download or $10 for the DVD) from Garmin to the 2009 map.
Over 90% of the market is made up of only 5 brands, so we cover those the most. There are several dozen brands that make up the remaining tiny percentage, and they are typically not very good devices, or we have fears about their longevity. As such obtaining map updates from those companies in the future is questionable, and thus we recommend purchasing from one of the “top 5″. There are of course exceptions to that. We reviewed and for the most part liked the Harman Kardon offering, and the HP iPAQ has some potential. And the Dash Express is truly unique. But almost every month we see new companies entering the GPS market, and old companies exiting the GPS market. We try to focus on those we think are in it for the long haul.
Thanks for your input once again Tim.
I will not take up any more of your time, except that I may post what I bought (once I’ve made up my mind and made the purchase).
jimboy
Tim, I have ordered the 260W, per your suggestion. However, I’m a bit confused about the maps. Should a new unit (260W) ship with a 2008 or 2009 map? Are 2009 maps out yet? How much is the cost of new updates?
Thanks for your time,
You won’t be able to tell if it will come with 2008 or 2009 maps. The 2009 maps are out. You won’t have to pay for the 2009 maps if it comes with 2008 since the newer maps were released before you made your purchase.
Can you confirm if the 260W is as wide as the 660? As wide as they come?
And that it gives / speaks street names ?
Yes, see the specs on this page.
I’m sorry to bother you more. Is there one the same as the 260W that comes with traffic? I heard the 660 is discontinued. I like all the features on the 260W, I just want traffic as well.
See this list. Some of them have an optional traffic receiver, but those are the ones that are most similar that either come with or are compatible with the traffic receiver.
Tim, thanks for the info, great to have a site where you get good info and quick responses
still not sure which model to get, but will probably go with the 260W
Tim, I bought a 260W & the specs say that it has USB connectivity. Now this may be a stupid question but does the USB cable plug into the power port? I can’t see anywhere else it plugs into. If it does, it looks like a weird plug! I haven’t bought a USB cable yet ’cause I’m not sure about this. I’d appreciate any info you can give me. Thanks in Advance.
Yes Rick, the power port on the back is a “miniUSB” plug and can connect to your computer through a USB to miniUSB cable, much like that most digital cameras use.
Thanks for the quick response Tim. I guess I’ll order the USB cable now. I’m glad I found this site.
What’s the difference between the 250w and the 260w? Based on a quick inspection they seem to be the same. Am I missing something?
Thanks!
The 260w includes text to speech, the 250w does not. The 250w is also cheaper.
Sorry I meant the 255W. It looks like the 255w has 0 routes and the 260w has 1. I am a little confused as to what this means? Overall which would you recommend? Thanks!
The 255w can be connected to an optional traffic receiver, the 260 cannot. Neither support multi-destination routing (# routes). The 255w is a little lighter, and has a slightly shorter battery life (4 hrs vs 5). You can switch to a QWERTY keyboard on the 255w and it has the “where am i” emergency help feature.
Based on some research it seems like the 255w is not selling at many places. Would you recommend the 260w over the 255w?
Thanks
Correct, the 255w has been announced but I don’t think it is shipping quite yet. If those differences are not important to you, go with the 260w now as the 255w will sell at a higher price when released.
Does the 260w have the where am I feature? And this feature enables to me to find certain places like hotels close to where I am right?
Thanks!
The 260w does not have the ‘Where am I?’ feature… but that is not what it does. The ‘Where am I?’ feature tells you where you are like “in Greenville, Maine on Elm Street between Maple Avenue and Birch Lane”. The 260w can locate hotels close to where you are. Those are called POIs, Points of Interest.
I beg to differ.. I own the 260W and it DOES have the “Where am I?” feature.
Michael, as of the date I wrote that reply (over 14 months ago) it was true. Garmin has since changed the firmware on the device to give it features that were not originally included. If you look at the specs tab of the 260w page on Garmin’s site, they still don’t show it as having the feature. Some shipping versions of the 260w still don’t have it.
Oh okay! Thanks Tim! Also, the 260w has text-to-speech so it says “turn left in 500m on Maple Cres.” right? Also, do you know if it is possible to get a black 260w from elsewhere othe then best buy?
Thanks!
Yes, the 260w has text to speech. I don’t know about color availability, sorry.
I can see that you like to remain impartial, and I appreciate that. If you don’t mind, could you provide a pros/cons list comparing the 260w to the TomTom one XL-S? If there’s another you’d like to include in the pros/cons comparison, that would be fine. Like many of the previous posters, I am looking for an affordable GPS that has text-to-speech, plenty of POIs, and is easy to use. Thanks!
The 260w has an advantage when it comes to battery life (5 hours versus 2) and the “hold” switch which is nice if you want to use the GPS for walking and navigating around a city. The XL-S has an advantage when it comes to route customization, offering mulit-destination routing, more advanced detour features, and more route planning tools. The XL-S is also currently running about $50 less than the 260w, and offers the ability to connect to a traffic receiver should you decide to get one down the road.
However for a (currently) similar price to the 260w, you might want to check out the TomTom 720 which adds Bluetooth hands free calling, an FM transmitter, more POIs, MP3 player, Photo viewer, the ability to connect to an iPod, optional traffic receiver, 5 hour battery life, and a few other extras.
Wow…thanks for the prompt reply! What is your opinion on buying a “refurbished” GPS? Too risky?
Typically with consumer electronics I’m a fan of purchasing refurbished devices. They typically get greater (human) scrutiny than a product that just goes off the assembly line with automated testing. But the downside on a GPS device is that it might not come with as recent of maps as a device that is flowing faster through the inventory channels, and not all GPS manufacturers will offer an updated map (for free) on refurbished devices.
Tim,
I decided to go with the 260w, and ordered from a website (total price was around $225 with tax included). I received an email the next day to call and confirm the order, where some guy tried to sell me a “memory card” which he said was absolutely essential to any GPS. Is this true? Did I get ripped off, in other words should I have ordered from another site? Or was thus guy just full of it?
Lee – no, you certainly don’t need an SD card. See this article:
Do I Need an SD Card for my GPS?
Tim, thanks a ton for your help!
I am looking into buying either the Nuvi 260w or the StreetPilot c550. How do they compare?
Jessica – you can compare those two here.
Tim,
For your readers’ benefit, I would like to post a quick warning. Do not order any GPS (I tried to order the 260w) from either of the following websites:
1. techondigital.com
2. 86th street photo and video
Both are scam websites that claim to have certain models, then try to sell you a bunch of extras. If you don’t order the extras, they tell you there’s a 3-4 week wait…if you buy the extras, they’ll send you the GPS tomorrow. What a joke!
Tim,
Nice website. Like many others posting to this site I’m debating between the XL-S and the 260w. Post 48 really summed it up quite well and I appreciate you opening up consideration to the 720 too.
I already purchased a XL-S but haven’t opened it just yet, because I want to make sure I don’t find something better for a comparable price 2 weeks later! After sales and discounts the XL-S was [snip, see comment policy]. Does the 260w ever go on sale for about the same amount? Would the 720?
Any other comments on the units? Is one screen brighter than the other? Is one more accurate than the other? For walking around neighborhoods I saw that the XL-S has a battery saving feature where it “wakes up” to warn you when to turn. Have you tried this feature and does it extend the battery life out more than 2 hrs or is 2 hrs with this feature enabled? Does the 260w only show flags for POIs or does it show little icons like the XL-S?
Thanks!
Michael, since Garmin has a little bit better brand recognition in North America, they tend to fetch slightly higher prices. You can track current prices for all of those models over here. The prices are updated a few times per day.
We made a few comments the other day about screen brightness you can read up on. While different models were used, you could expect similar results. I haven’t tried the “wake” feature… I’m not certain it will do what you expect it might. I’m not certain it will save much battery life. Just for walking around, the Nuvi would likely be a better pick since it has the “hold” switch to prevent accidental touch screen input.
The 260w will not show any POI icons on the screen unless you zoom way in, then a few seconds later it will auto-zoom back out. So for that task the TomTom is the winner.
I am an older man with little tech knowledge. I own a Nuvi 260W which I don’t use often so I usually have to use the device’s help function to use all the features. Is there a source for a guide which could be read in the home. Excellent site. Thanks
Scott, I don’t know of something exactly like that, although you might see if this is of any help.
Tim, thanks for helping all us newbies
I am looking for a unit that would allow me to purchase additional regions such as Canada and UK and other countries in Europe since I do travel a lot for business and this would be very handy; is that available on the Garmin 260W? I appreciate your time!
You can purchase additional maps for the 260w. (Canada does come on it.) Sometimes however you are better off purchasing a device that has all of the maps you need on it from the factory. For example all of these come with maps of North America and Europe out of the box. (With the exception of the 260w which I included for comparison’s sake.)
I just bought 260W and the map is 2007 not even 2008. is there anything i can do to update the map to 2008 or even 2009
Irene, I don’t think you are looking at the correct place for the map version number. The 260w wasn’t released until well after the 2008 map was released, so it never shipped with anything prior to the 2008 map. Also, before the 2008 release the names of the maps were numbers like “v7″ and “v8″, so there never was a map titled 2007.
Hi Tim,
Well, I decided to go with the Garmin Nuvi 260w. I think both the TomTom XLS and Nuvi 260w are great products, but we decided to go with the nuvi. Thanks for all your unbiased help!
I do have one question concerning the 260w on disk space management. I threw a spare 32meg SD card in the unit from an old digital camera and realize that the unit needs a bigger card to store additional TTS voices. I see there are a few additional voices on the unit that I don’t think I’ll ever use and would like to remove them for now to make room for voices that appear on Garmin’s web-updater. Can I remove the voices through Windows explorer (like a jumpdrive)? Is that how data is managed on the nuvi – like a jump drive?
Just want to check before I start moving things around on the unit!
Thanks,
Mike
Michael, you can manually remove voices like that. Other people have done that, but also had trouble reinstalling them. I’m not sure if they did something wrong, or if something makes it difficult to reinstall but there have been a couple reports of that happening.
Does anyone know if the Garmin Nuvi 260w is waqas enabled? Thanks, Frank…
the 260w is not WAAS enabled. (And that is a good thing for most users.)
Tim, why do you say that not having a waas enabled receiver may be good for some people? I thought waas made the unit more accurate. Thanks, Frank…
WAAS makes the calculated position a little bit more accurate when a satellite orbit is a bit out of whack. It might improve the accuracy by 10 feet or so.
In a car, you won’t notice any difference with or without WAAS. 10 (or even 30) feet won’t put you on a different road, and while driving at even 25mph you would never know the difference.
The margin of error of the underlying mapping database is greater than the margin of error of the calculated GPS position, so statistically it becomes irrelevant in terms of the overall accuracy of the system.
WAAS does however, drain battery life faster. Those reasons are why WAAS doesn’t come with most auto GPS devices, and why most auto GPS devices that do have WAAS ship with it disabled by default, or provide a way for the user to disable it.
i am interested in a nuvi 260w. consumer reports recommends it (on the cheaper side). but a friend that has a garmin told me that the 200 series has trouble with the antenna, and recommended the 350 or 760. is there any truth to his thoughts / recommentations.
Gene, I haven’t had any significant reception problems with the 200 series devices.
Tim,
I really suggest buying the bean bag mount. In my area gps units invite theft even if the unit has been removed but the “window circle” remains. It also shifts easily to a passenger navigator even in the rear seat.
The instruction access for the 260W was a blessing. Thanks
I have come down to the Garmin 650 and the 260W. I can’t find a 650 in stores but they are all over the internet. Is the 650 no longer any good??
Jamie – The 600 series, like the 300 series is a generation old and will soon be discontinued. That is why they are more difficult to find. I’d personally go for the 260w over the 650 due to the slimmer size and integrated (not-flip-up) antenna.
Tim,
You are full of great info! We just bought a 260W last night. How do I find out what version of the map is on our devise? If it is 2008, how do we get it updated to 2009? Is there a certain place to look on line or do we have to call someone? If so, do you know who we should contact? Thanks again! I am also glad to see we don’t need to buy a SD card. We also bought a usb cord with it. I don’t know if we really needed it. Do you know what good this will do us? Thanks!
If you go to Tools -> Settings -> Map -> Map Info it will show you your current map version. You can register your device at my.garmin.com (which you should do anyway) and download a map update from there if one is available to you. The USB cord would transfer the map update (and any firmware updates) to your computer, so you will use it.
Dear Tim,
Do you have a comment about my suggestion concerning the wisdom of the bean bag mount?
Also, I once found Garmin’s site for downloading different voices but I cannot locate it again. Please help and inform me how to determine if these voices provide TTS.
Great site.
Thanks
Dear Tim,
I am being told I already said the following but I have not. Please advise
Do you have a comment about my suggestion concerning the wisdom of the bean bag mount?
Also, I once found Garmin’s site for downloading different voices but I cannot locate it again. Please help and inform me how to determine if these voices provide TTS.
Great site.
Thanks
Scott – I’m not sure what the question is about the bean bag mount. I saw your comment but don’t see any question unless I’m missing it somewhere.
Garmin doesn’t have voices for download from their website, but there are a few additional voices under WebUpdater. The TTS voices are labeled with “(TTS)” at the end of their names.
Hi Tim, As others have said, this is a great site! just reading all the Q & A have helped me already. What I’d like to check on before I make a purchase is whether the Garmin 260W mounts easily on a car. I was thinking of the Tom Tom till I read commnets about the difficulty w/mounting…thanks,
Yes, the 260w mounts easily. But I think it mounts pretty easy on the TomTom XL 330s as well. You can read about that mount in our TomTom ONE 130s review.
Hi Tim,
I bought the 260w for my husband and we used it to go from Houston Tx to Tennessee this last weekend. It got us totally off the map near the town we went to in Tennessee, coming and going. The second time was in Lufkin Tx. Told us to go N on 59 to Tyler. We live south to Houston. I jerked it out of the mount and almost broke it and came close to killing my husband. We had been driving about 15 hours, it was 12 midnight and we were beat. If his window would have been open, it would be somewhere on 59 in Lufkin Texas. It’s ok at helping you find gas and places to eat. However, the directions don’t work well. The little car was even driving where there was NO road. It is kind of a joke. I am not too happy about it and for the price the directions it gives s/b accurate. Just my opinion. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Tim,
Thanks so much for your knowledgeable help. I can’t imagine when you sleep! Two questions from a newbie, please:
1) A number of users have complained about encountering five-fifteen minute acquisition times when turning on the 260W in a new location. You mentioned that you have not had such problems. Would it be safe to assume that these folks may have had defective units? Is the 260 signal acquisition actually worse than that of any other GPS?
2) There has been so much discussion on these lists and others about Garmin’s bad support for the Mac that at this point I don’t know whether I can dependably update maps on the 260W using a non-Intel Mac and what version of OS X is required. Can you help?
Glenda – Without seeing how you were operating the device I’m not sure I can offer any suggestions. What you describe isn’t common for that device.
Tom – (1) It is possible, but probably not likely. I haven’t found the signal acquisition time of the 200 series to be noticeably worse than the average GPS. (2) Map updates for OS X shouldn’t be a problem. The map updater/installer for Mac is a Universal application.
Tim,
Would a refurbished Garmin 260W be just as reliable as new?
Susan – See this: Refurbished GPS Devices
Tim,
Thank you for your prompt response. The article was very useful.
I am debating between Nuvi 350 and 260W. I’ve read that 350 is fast in getting settelite signal, while 260W is slow or slower. Is it correct? Do you know what chipset 260W is using? The chipset is the key determinant of reception speed, right?
David – I haven’t noticed a significant difference. All things point to the 260w having the same chipset (SiRFstarIII) as the 350. You can read those discussions here:
260W
250W Very Slow to Lock On Satellites
Garmin nuvi 260W at …
The 260W doesn’t have the option to use ABC or QWERTY keyboard. Which type of keyboard does it come loaded with?
I’m not certain what you mean by it not having an ABC keyboard.
Tim – this has been a very helpful forum. My question is with the nuvi 260w. It will be replacing a Garmin iQue M3. With the M3 I was able to download all of my 1200 business contacts with addresses and type in the contact and be able to call up directions without entering the address manually. Is it possible to do this with the nuvi 260W?
Cliff – the Nuvi doesn’t have a function for that… but depending on how they are stored on your M3 there is a chance you might be able to copy them over.
I live in the desert and love to off-road. Do maps for 260w cover non-paved boonies?
Is there a better GPS for my needs?
Curtis, you can preview their maps here to see their auto road coverage.
Hoping to purchase a GPS tomorrow. I have narrowed my search down to either the Garmin 260W or the Tom Tom 330S. After reading all the comments above I have noticed that no one has said anything about the voice prompts from the 260W. Can you comment on the loudness of the audio on the 260 verses the Tom Tom 330S. It looks like the Tom Tom 330S has a very large speaker on the rear. I am leaning towards the 260W but am curious about the audio? Thank you.
I am thinking of purchasing my first GPS unit for my car and have been having a hard time deciding between the Nuvi 260W and the Nuvi 350. I was hoping a few of you could give me a little advice. I know that the 260W is a newer model of the two and I like the widescreen. The only problem with the 260W is there is no external antenna jack. I have a Mazda6 and there is a compartment on the top of the dashboard and that is where I was going to install my unit. The lid to the compartment would be above the unit and block the antenna. The 350 has the external antenna jack so I could install it in the compartment where I wanted and just run the antenna to the top of the dash where I have an unobstructed view. Any comments would be greatly appreciated!!!
The XL 330s has a louder speaker, but the speaker on the 260w is certainly acceptable for most people.
Mike, I don’t think that setup would impact your GPS signal much.
Tim,
I noticed that Garmin just released the 255W, would I be better getting that then the 260W?
It you think you might want to add traffic services– you may want to consider it. Otherwise the 260w will be a better “value”.
If I load my Garmin 260W with one of the Topo maps, can I use it to keep a “track log” of the route I walk through wilderness areas? Garmin’s website indicates that “some features will be lost” when the Topo maps are used on the 260W, but never say which features wont work, and which ones will.
No, you will really just be able to view your current position on the map.
hows the 260w to the 255w?
The 255w is a little lighter, has a somewhat shorter battery life, can store more favorites, is compatible with traffic systems, has the Where am I? function, and has the option to use a QWERTY keyboard layout. It also has a next turn icon on the top, “shaded terrain” at further out zoom levels, and a few other software tweaks.
I’d look here.
I’m confused, Tim. I thought important new features of the 255w were a new user interface with faster redraw, the rapid acquisition of satellites and inferior voices. Am I wrong, or is it too early to tell about all this? It is the rapid acquisition of satellites that interests me the most.
The interface has changed slightly, but not very much. One of the bigger changes is the next turn icon I mentioned. It does redraw faster, however I wouldn’t consider the redraw speed an issue on the 260w so I wouldn’t consider that an important new feature. Satellite acquisition is difficult to analyze– I haven’t heard significant issues with either model. There are reports the voices are not as good, I agree they don’t sound quite as good but I can understand them fine.
im trying to decide between the two but the 255w doesnt seem that much of a difference then the 260w.
Garmin has over 50 models of auto GPS devices, over 30 Nuvi models– so there isn’t very much difference from one model to another.
My thought is that if you don’t need, and don’t think you will need the traffic service– the 260w is probably the better pick for the price versus performance ratio.
thanks how much does the traffic service cost? what are some benefits?
Derek, you can likely find the answers to those questions on our traffic page.
260W include only with an car charger, which charge in about 4 hours.
I drive about twenty minutes to one hour per day.
Should I buy the AC charger for my 260W?
If not, should I plug the 260W to the car charger using the battery to charge it?
I don’t think you will have much trouble just charging it through the car.
What is the pros and cons of using Google Maps or MapQuest with my GPS?
I am still confused between the 260w and the 255w. I have had one vendor tell me that the 260w comes with 2005 maps but the 255w comes with current maps. I have also had a vendor tell me I have to buy a 1G memory card or the device will not work. Can anyone help?
what are the differences between Garmin 350, 260W, and 750? Need a GPS for my college age children to drive back and forth to school and home. Is one easier to use than the other? What would you recommend?
There is a comparison link on the top left corner of our homepage. The 260w doesn’t come with 2005 maps, there never was a map named 2005. See our article Do I Need an SD Card for my GPS? The 255w is compatible with traffic services while the 260w is not… that is perhaps the biggest difference.
Thanks Tim! I really appreciate your help. This site rocks!
i just bought the 260w how can i see if i have the latests maps or not?
Tools -> Settings -> Map -> Map Info. The latest version is called “2009″.
Thanks what is gps simulator? should i have it on or off?
You should leave the simulator off. Turning it on will allow you do “demo” a route.
Thanks!
Should I discharge my Garmin 260W battery completely once in a while?
My laptop computer manual recommend discharging the battery completely once in a while.
My short Garmin manual do not mention this.
If not, then I should always plug the GPS to my car to charge it continuously,
I want to use my 260W for walking and navigating around a city, how will the “hold” switch help?
The hold switch prevents accidental touch screen input if you leave the GPS running and put it in your pocket.
is there a way to save address in the 260w?
Yes, after finding an address instead of clicking ‘Go!’ click on ‘Save’.
Hi Tim,
Love this site. I am a 350 owner (over a year now) and love it (hate Garmin for charging so much for European maps though, it’s cheaper to buy a whole new GPS than it is to get maps from Garmin). Recently a friend wanted to get a GPS and I offered to get him one when I was down in the US, I picked up a nuvi 250. Some things about it were nice (slimmer, no antenna), but other things I didn’t like (no ability to get at “real” coordinates, see satelite maps, altitude). I especially was un-impressed with the car mount. The 350 has a great mount, built in jack in the back that gives power when the unit is mounted (and an easy disconnect button). The 200 was powered via the USB connector, which I consider pretty delicate for in-car use.
Now my Dad wants me to pick him up a GPS. The 350 has come down a lot in price, but it is an older unit, the 260(W) looks fairly even in terms of features. But my question is about the in-car charging on the 260? Does it use the USB connector or does it have the 350’s mount (or what?).
BTW, I picked up a tomtom one for another friend on another trip and that was a nice unit too, but I know my dad and I’ll be trying to talk him through using this device over the phone so I want a unit I’m familar with.
TIA
The 260w uses the same style mount as the 200 series you saw, with the power cord connecting via min-USB to the back to the device, separate from the mount.
TIM,
I am a newbe. Just got the 250W, I was not offered to purchase a USB cable (to go from PC to GPS), for updates.
1) Can updates be downloaded on memory card then to GPS? or do I need to go buy a cable? The manual is really skimpy. I guess the cable hooks in that mini USB where the charger cable goes.
2) Does battery build memory, does it have to be discharged completly once in a while. Thanks
1) You need the cable. If you have a digital camera there is a good chance it is the same cable. It is a standard USB to mini USB cable.
2) It probably won’t hurt, but these batteries are tougher than they were a couple of years ago and don’t require a ton of maintenance.
Thank you Tim,
I already had tried the cables from our 3 Kodak digital cameras (all different mdl), None fit the GPS.
I’ll just get the right cable tomorrow.
I live in Ottawa, On., Canada.
I set the timezone to “US Eastern”.
AFter turning on the 260W, why finding satellite sometimes take more than 5 minutes?
Is there a way to speed it up?
PW – Your geographic location won’t impact acquisition times. You can read our Acquiring Satellites Tips.
I am trying to decide between buying the Garmin nuvi 260W and the 255W. Both are the same price. Which is newer and which is best for traveling?
Tim,
Does the 260w give you your elevation? If not, are there simular models that do?
Dr. Terry L. Fry – The 255w is newer, a little bit lighter, a little shorter on battery life, can store more favorites, can be connected to an optional traffic receiver, has the Where am I? feature, and can use a QWERTY keyboard.
Thomas – I don’t have one with me right now to test. I know the 700 series will.
Hello, I have a question about mounting. In my Honda Accord there is a center storage area with a door that closes. I would like to mount the gps there and (if necessary) have an antenna wire mounted inside of the glass on the dash. Do most of the models have an output for an exernal antenna?
There is no external antenna option for the 260w.
can you please tell me how to find a unit that has an output for an external antenna?
Based on what you described, I don’t think you will need an external antenna. The 300, 600, and 700 series Nuvi devices do offer that option.
I want to make sure that the maps include Hawaii.Does North America maps include Hawaii? Also, How do compare Magellen 1400 to Garmin 260W? It doesn’t matter about the price, just the all around performance.
Yes, the NA maps include Hawaii.
I am considering the 260W. If you are entering locations on a trip route, can that be done in the house? This will be my first GPS, so your site has helped greatly.
Yes, you can save locations ahead of time in “favorites” directly on the device. You can also use Google Maps and MapQuest to find locations and then download those locations to the device to prevent needing to use the touch screen to enter the addresses.
Is there a way to find out which processor is in the 260w and its speed (and the other Garmins as well)? I’m wondering if the 260w recalculates faster than the 650 or 780.
Also, if the USB cable is standard, does this mean you can charge the unit via your computer’s USB port?
Do you know if usage of the FM transmitter on the 600/700 series will significantly decrease battery life? Thanks in advance for your expert advice!
No way to determine the processor other than to crack open the device itself. Yes, you can charge via USB but it will charge very slow. Yes, the FM transmitter will reduce battery life, probably by 20% if I had to guess.
can you switch from “text-to-speech” to normal ‘turn in 100 meters’?
Yes.
I am a 1st time buyer debating between the Nuvi 260 and 255. If I want to calculate a route between 2 points other than where I currently am (for example, airport to hotel prior to arriving at airport), can these models accommodate that? (I know I saw this question somewhere else, but can’t find the answer to it now – sorry) – thanks!
Alan, see our article on Offset Starting Locations.
Thank you.
Can a GPS using an SD card be loaded with a topo or marine map and be used as such? I’m new at this stuff.
It can, but only to display the maps– you don’t get the typical off-road style navigation options. And if you’re going to spend the money for the maps you might as well just spend a few more bucks and get a waterproof handheld device to put them on. The auto GPS devices could easily get ruined with a few drops of water or dust inside.
I recently purchased the nuvi 260w and love it. For anybody who cares to see the satellite screen, press the signal strength bars icon in the upper left corner for 3 or 4 seconds and it will appear.
Tom,
How long does it take to fully charge the 260w using the car charger?
What is “Vias” per route option?
What is POI count?
Are there any Garmin GPS’s with trip tracking capability? ( I need to keep track of how many miles I have traveled for any given week).
Thanks
Multi Destination Routing – Muliple Vias
POI – Points of Interest
It will show trip summaries if you remember to reset it after each trip.
Are the Caribbean Islands included in the North American Maps? I have a 260W on order that will arrive tomorrow and I was just wondering.
Thanks,
You can browse the maps here to see what is included.
I have ordered the 260W. I figured it was a good idea to order the a/c cable. What else would you suggest I order for this unit? Also is the beanbag mount much better than the windshield cup?? I would like to order one if it is going to make a big difference. A little worried about the description of the stick em on the dash for damage. Thank you
I did a little more research and ordered the bag with mount. Makes alot of sense going from car to car. No need to reply to other msg.
I would like to program my 260W with the route that my husband uses from Morgantown, WV to Ocean City, Md. Is it possible to program this route and how can I see which way the 260W will route me. I tried simulator but when it showed 104 miles it took a long time just to get to 90 miles.
Thank you. I love this GPS so far. Just arrived ttoday.
You can try to add a Via Point to see if you can force the route you want– but you only get one via point with that model. You can see the route it takes by tapping on the green ‘next turn’ button at the top of the map view.
Tim,
I borrowed a Garmin 260W and it worked great getting to my destination. I turned it off once I arrived and I tried multiple times on multiple occasions to turn it back on in the new location and it searched for a satelite signal for several minutes with no avail. I would be reluctant to buy this unit because fo this. Are there better units than others when it comes to acquiring satelite signals?
Joe, you might want to check out our Acquiring Satellites tips. Any GPS might do that from time to time. Was it stationary with an unobstructed sky view? How recently was it purchased?
I printed “Where can I se Avoidance and types of Preferred routes” from the Garmin knowledge base. It mentions the nRoute program. Is this somewhere on my Nuvi 260w?
Thank you
nRoute is unrelated to the 260w.
Tim — I am trying to decide between an LG LN 740 and the Garmin 260W. The LG is $17 more expensive, but has traffic. But they are a new entrant in the GPS field although Goldstar has a long history in computers. What would you advise?
Your site is really informative and makes it a lot easier for a newbie in buying a unit. Thanks for a wonderful job.
Rod, I’ve reviewed the LG LN735 which should give you some idea. You can also review the user comments on our pages for the LG LN730, LG LN740, and the LG LN790.
Tim,
I was going to buy a 260w when theBB salesman tried to scare me into buying one of his 4-year warranty policies, indicating that the touch-screen is subject to early failure and not covered by the Garmin warranty. Is there any basis for this concern?
I’ve never heard of that issue and Garmin will certainly stand behind their warranty.
Hello Tim
I am trying to decide between Garmin 255W and 260W. When I tried to compare the two. I found that 255W is cheaper but there is no downloadable option for MAP. But in Garmin website they have shown that Maps can be upgraded. I am not able to understand this. Could you thow some light into this.
Thank you
Neethi – Wherever you saw that information, it is incorrect. If it was on this site, please let me know. Both allow additional maps and map updates.
Hello Tim
Thank you for your prompt response. I saw that info in store website. The salesman said that its their website error.I have bought a 255W. It seems to be good.
Thank you Once Again for your response.
Hi Tim,
I let the battery run down on my 260W and used the a/c cord I bought to charge it. I don’t see where I can tell if the battery is all the way up unless I am actually using it. How long should it charge this way turned off?? I left it plugged in overnight.
Thank you for all of your knowledge.
If you left it plugged in overnight then you are good. Probably 5-6 hours for a full charge.
I just replaced a StreetPilot c340 with a Nuvi 260W and have noticed a couple of the features I really seem to be missing or not activated. The 340 always displayed the upcoming cross street in the top bar on the display and the 260 only shows the street you are driving on but on a highway displays the upcoming exits like the 340 did for the streets. I have been through all the menus but see no settings for what I described. Any ideas?
Mark, you can’t change that behavior.
Re:Mark I haven’t recently tried this, but I think that if you touch the top bar or the bottom rt corner of the 260 it will show you the next turn ahead of time.
I recently purchased a Garmin “Friction Mount” (aka bean bag mount) for my Garmin nuvi 260W. It did not include a cradle to hold my 260. I cannibalized the cradle from my suction mount but would like an extra cradle for my new mount. I called Garmin and had a 35 minute customer service wait. How could I get an extra cradle without paying $39.99 for a complete suction mount from the Garmin store??????????????
I’m going to go back and delete your triplicate comment.
You can find it here cheaper.
I have a nuvi 260w and I downloaded some vehicles from the Garmin Garage, but when I go to select another vehicle, they are not there. Not sure if I downloaded them incorrectly. They are listed under the Garmin folder on my computer. Is there something that I missed?
They need to be inside the ‘vehicle’ folder, inside the Garmin folder, inside the Nuvi’s drive.
That is where it is located. When I extracted the files I created the “vehicle” folder and placed them in there. They have a .srf extension. This is on my work computer where I did not register my Nuvi. I have downloaded the webupdater and poi loader, but I think I am missing the main program?
Is the vehicle folder inside a Garmin folder inside the Garmin drive? (Rather than just inside the Garmin drive.) If so then you might want to ask in our Garmin Nuvi Forums if anyone has any other ideas.
It is under C:Garmin\Vehicles
Just figured it out. Had it in the wrong folder. Thanks.
Just got a 260W and am a lot disappointed. When driving, it doesn’t show the street you are driving on (Highway sign, etc…). The Magellans do. It also doesn change screens as you get close to a turn to show you the turn (the Magellans do). The display is also very basic. Really nothing to it. Just a white screen with streets. Anyone have any different experiences?
Am looking at the 260W vs. 255w, and have just read all the posts to date – very informative.
I followed a link you provided to Garmin’s maps, and found that it doesn’t show any of the state routes in the Arizona strip. I want to use these gravel roads to go to Toroweap Overlook and other out-of-the-way places. How can I get this level of detail into these devices?
Scott – “Anyone have any different experiences” – Those features are not on the Garmin so I don’t think anyone would have a different experience. Personally, I don’t find those features very useful. It doesn’t do me any good to know what street I’m on… the GPS can figure that out and I don’t need to know. What I do need to know is the name of the next street, so Garmin highlights that.
Bruce, what Garmin offers is all that is really available.
Scott, I used the Garmin 260W this weekend and it did display on the highway that I was driving on with the highway sign. It would show my car driving over it.
Great information, your comments have helped me finalize my decision to get the 260w.
Two questions:
Do many people get extended warranties on gps units? Is the general experience that they last or is there a significant incident of failure in 1 1/2 to 2+ years? The reviews on warranties from several of the large Internet retailers aren’t very positive and I wonder if it’s worth investing in.
I’ve read on several forums of people using stong velcro (or similar) on the unit bottom and dash to fasten the devices for easy removal and I wondered what your opinion was.
I think most people probably skip the extended warranty. When you look at how fast the industry is moving right now, you would likely be better off putting that money towards a new device in 1+ – 2 years rather than an extended warranty should the device fail outside of the warranty period.
I have two cars , a hatchback and an SUV that are probably a bit louder inside when driving at higher speeds than a sedan might be. Does anyone have a problem with the 260w volume level or is it loud enough for any car?
I really don’t need blue tooth, mp3 , etc. so have not really looked at anything with an FM transmitter. I’ve also heard they are not as good in crowded areas with many FM stations as they might be in more remote areas.
I have a convertible and don’t have any problem hearing the 260W with the windows up (top down).
I have an ‘08 VW Jetta. I took my 260W on a trip to the shore today. I thought I would be able to charge it in my car using the cigarette lighter. The outlet I have in my car is a 12V outlet. However, when I plugged the 260W into the lighter, it did not charge. Does the device require a minimum voltage to charge in the car? Is there any way I can buy a different charger?
Laura, that setup should work fine. There is either something not working right in your car, or with the GPS/power cord if it isn’t charging. (The car also has to be running.)
Hey Tim,
I’m deciding between the Garmin Nuvi 260W and the Garmin Nuvi 255W. Both device would do for me but i was wondering which device would you personally choose?
The 255w is more “upgradeable” as it can be connected to optional traffic services. It also has a QWERTY keyboard option I like. The 260w has a slightly longer battery life.
Is a memory card for the 260W really needed??
Roy, see: Do I Need an SD Card for my GPS?
Roy, the 260w isn’t more expensive, see street prices here. Avg price for the 260w is $283, average price for the 255w is $314.
Tim,
Help…I finally got my Garmin 260w yesterday but it has features like the 255w such as the QWERTY keyboard and it has the “where am i” function, also shows the speed limit, the right arrow on the top left, and the +/_ sign on right. What should i do? Keep it or get the right 260w? Is this a better deal for me, Tim?
I’d keep it.
Hi Tim,
My experience with routes is with an older garmin gps map 276. When navigating a route, the unit displayed a “directional arrow” that pointed directly at the destination. This was a bit confusing as to the path to take as during driving the turns made it appear that you were driving off course. Question – Does the nuvi 750 with 10 route capability, display accurately the direction to drive, road by road, or does it point you to your destination like my gps map 276?? If the 750 acts the same i’ll forgo the route capability of the 750 and get the 260w.
Thanks for all you great help..
All of the Nuvi models operate similar to each other, and none of the point an arrow to the destination. They tell you the direction of the next turn.
Tim,
Didn’t even have time to get another beer and your reply “jumped” into my e-mail !! Looks like the 750 will fill the bill. For only about 65 bucks extra for the 750, it is a no-brainer. Thanks again for your exceptional help….
Hi Tim,
I’m trying to decide which unit to purchase and am torn between a Nuvi 260W or a Streetpilot C580. This will be our first GPS and I’d appreciate any advice.
Thanks!!
That is somewhat difficult Theresa because those models are more different and I don’t know what you are looking for. For example if you need traffic services, you can’t get it on the 260w but it comes standard on the c580. Without anything to go on, I’d say go with the 260w due to the widescreen, slimmer size, and the fact that the c580 is now discontinued.
Tim,
Not sure how to explain this but for my 260w, i have downloaded the POI loader and added POI and i also added the redlight cameras and the speed safety and i can find it on my device when i go to “where to>extras” and it is under the file “custom POIs” and i was wondering if you know how or can find somewhere that has a step to step instructions on how to have the “redlight cameras” and the “speed safety” under it’s own files instead of it all under just 1 files.
sorry if it seems confusing, what im trying to do is when i go to “where to>extras” i see “Custom POI’s” and i want to add “Speed safety” and “redlight camera” there also as it’s own file instead of in custom POIs
Hi love all the help you have posted here. I just got a 260w as a gift my first gps
Can the 260w be set to QWERTY keyboard? I don’t see it listed in the settings page.
From your other answers it seems like this is on other units like the 255 but not the 260w
If not, is there any hope Garmin would add QWERTY for the 260w in future updates?
Kraig, there is no QEWRTY option for the 260w, the 2×5w series devices do have that option though– I doubt it will be added to the 260w.
My 260w also has QWERTY keyboard and it has the “where am i” Was there a update??
I was about to ask the same question as Chris…My 260w also has the QWERTY keyboard and the “where am i” function
There are a lot of choices out there and I’m hoping you can slim it down for me. I will be a first time GPS buyer and want a basic unit with text to speech, pedestrian use, long battery life and simple to use. The Nuvi 260w looks like the one but is there anything with Magellan that is comparable both in price and features? If so,do you have a recommendation one over the other?
John, the 260w is likely the best match for that use.
I just ordered 260W and I am planning to hard-wire the unit in the flip-down sun glasses box on the roof of my 05 Subaru Forester. Anybody out there who has any experience with hard wiring the Garmins? I don’t see any hard wire cables available on any websites. I may have to cut the cigarette plug off, fuse the positive lead and hard wire it to the dome/rear view mirror to get the juice. Any suggestions Tim?
I recall there are a few threads about hard-wiring Nuvis in our forums.
Just found the right cable – Gillsson GIL-GUSB-5V-B direct wire 12-30V hardwire cable – right angle connector.
Thanks Tim.
I just bought a Nuvi 260w, and I can’t get it to say actual street names. All it says is, “turn left in 300 feet.” Stuff like that. Anyone know what I (or the unit) am doing wrong?
See our article Enable Text-to-Speech.
I am looking at the Nuvi 260W. HOw can I find out how much it costs to update it and other brands for streets, point of interest etc.
Please use only first name
Question – Re: Nuvi 260w Garmin GPS
I have tried 2 new Nuvi 260w’s from Garmin and the voice directions says “Norbury Saint” for Norbury Street and “Smith Doctor” for “Smith Drive”, etc. I have done all the product updates and tried selecting other language options, they are all the same. Any help? Brian
Karen, I don’t think there is anything you can really change about that. Sometimes they just guess the wrong word for the abbreviation.
Is anyone else having this problem. If so, what did you do about it, return it? This is the 2nd Nuvi 260w I have tried and both had the same problem. Thanks, Tim
Tim,
I don’t get along too well with things electronic and my 260w is no exception. How can I reach a location (a town) if the street name is not in the unit or if the town name is not either? If I can’t enter both the unit won’t take me anywhere.
Is there anyway I can make it take me to a town if I don’t have an address?
Joe
Karen – The issue will be in every 260w, yours isn’t broken per se.
Bill – Where to -> Cities.
I just got the nuvi 260w yesterday. My wife recently got the nuvi 200. I’ve noticed her audio is sounds clearer than mine. Is there something wrong with the speaker on the 260w? Has anyone else noticed this? It’s almost like the recording is too “hot”, it clips or there is a slight rattle in the unit. My parents got the same model at the same time and theirs has the exact same problem. Will Garmin ever offer celebrity type voices?
I bought a 260W last Saturday and it has the “where am I” function (click on tools) and your choice of “abc” or “qwetry” (tools, system, keyboard layout). Garmin needs to update it’s model info.
I suspect there are 260w’s in the inventory channel that still have the old configuration which is likely why they (and me too) haven’t updated the spec info.
I just bought a 260W last month and it has the “old” configuration. What are the manufacture dates for those who have the “where am I” and “qwerty” keyboard. Is there a way for Garmin to update the 260’s with these options or is it a cost factor? Where have these units been purchased- could that be a factor?
Thanks Tim. I didn’t go far enough into the menu. After I got the street/address screens, I just didn’t press ‘done’ each time. I see now what to do.
Tim,
I am considering either the Garmin Nuvi 260W or the Magellan Maestro 4250. Which one do you prefer? The 4250 has more features but I’ve read that it takes longer to get a satellite signal and longer to recognize address input touches. Also,how many addresses can be preset in each? Thank you.
Tim
I believe you can only do so much research and then you have to buy. Well I’m on my last leg before I buy and I just wanted to verify with you that the Garmin 260w also has speed calculation and elevation built into it. If it does not what do I move up to next beyond the 260w and am I still staying with a Garmin or is something out there comparable and better all prices considered within a price range of $250 to $350. What a great service you provide and thank you.
The 260w does have speed and elevation, but not on the main map view, you need to go to other screens to access that info.
My 260W shows the speed on the lower left part of the map. If you press it, it opens a trip calculations screen which shows “overall avg; moving avg; max speed; total time; moving time and stopped time. it also shows the direction of travel, current mph and trip odometer.
Karen, Here’s the soultion to the problem…when it says “turn left on Smith Doctor” rather than Smith Street..chuckle and turn left…life’s too short to sweat the little things.
Finally bought 260W and here are my comments.
As a pilot, the Gramin brand is well known and used in the aviation navigation. That is what prompted me to get a “street” model as well.
260W does, what is designed to do – gets you from point A to pint B without any additional fuzz and buzz that you could get on more expensive Nuvis. It’s user-friendly, gets GPS signal within seconds or minutes, depending on your location. Strongly recommend hard-wire the unit, if portability is not an issue.
There is a small utility that I found in which you can supposedly edit the phonetic pronunciation of words in Garmin units. For example, when it pronounces “Dr.” as “doctor” you can change it to “drive” instead. I wish Garmin would supply utilities like this to end users. Imagine changing “Recalculating” to say “Wrong turn again!” – now that would force a chuckle or two eh Carl.
I was told tonight at a store that the 255W replaces the 260W. But, from what I’ve read, this is not so. I’m trying to figure the difference between the 255W and 260W
The 260w and the 255w are indeed very similar, and the 255w is new, but if the 255w was a replacement, then logic would say that the 260w is discontinued and no longer in production– which isn’t the case.
But with that said, I’d go for the 255w because it is so similar, but offers a few more goodies over teh 260w.
I just downloaded mapquest directions to my 260W. Where do I find it?
If you downloaded a “route”– you won’t find it as the 260w doesn’t support routes. If you downloaded a single address it will be in your favorites.
I returned my 260W yesterday and purchased a 750 for $50 more…I just can’t see a GPS with out the ability to pre-plan and save routes for both in-town and out of state travel. Routes allows you to force the GPS to go the way YOU want to go rather than the way the GPS chooses
I am thinking of buying the Garmin Zumo 450 Motorcycle GPS Navigator for use on my Harley. Is this a wise choice?
I just received my Garmin 260w and also requests to buy the extended warranty from a warranty company. Do you have an opinion on the reliablity of the Garmin 260w and would you recommend the 3 year extended warranty for about $34.? Also this is such a great site that I expect I will be using the previous questions and answers just like an owners manual. Thanks
Extended warranties can be a difficult decision. Often it comes down to knowing if you would feel bad if you spent the cash and never needed the warranty as that is the most likely scenario.
Tim,
As I noted above I returned a 260W and purchased a 750 only to find the screen nowhere near as bright even when set at 100% (hard to see in sunlight) and the audio volume is lower than the 260W. Is this normal or could there be something with the unit I received?
Thanks
That is difficult to say as Garmin has changed screens mid-production before. When I look at the 200w series device I have and compare it with the 700 series device I have they are pretty much identical. My 700 series was one of the first to hit store shelves about a year ago. So it is possible they have switched screens since that time.
Hi Tim,
I just read all or most all coments on this page. I am on my way to buy a 260W. Thanks for allthe info.
first time buyer. 260w unit was returned, took 15 minutes to find satelites. reset it, many times, downloaded updates didn’t work, put it in my driveway unobstructed after reset it still took 15 min. now i get a second unit it won’t turn on w/o being plugged in and it takes 10 min to find satelites. this unit is a piece of crap. any suggestions on another company?
I have noticed that the Garmin 260W is priced higher than the 255W. Do you know why that is? It seems it should be the other way around, shouldn’t it?
The average price today of a 260w is $275 while the average price today for the 255w is $288.
Ownership report – Nuvi 260W.
After 3 weeks of Nuvi 260W usage I have to say it works fine. One has to follow exact instructions for the first time, when unit arrives to obtain the first GPS location (they call it: first time GPS lock-in). Screen is bright enough although I recommend to put a plastic screen protector on it right away. Downloading addresses from Google Map is a nice feature; it goes straight into your favorite places on your Nuvi. Modifying TTS Voice is also a nice thing to do as long as it is done on one computer operating platform (either Mac or Microsoft Windows) – as elsewhere blogged here.
I recommend semi-hard wiring; i.e. you get a cable that plugs into your Nuvi and the other end hard wires to your 12V car power. That still alows you portability, if and when you want to remove your unit from a car. Garmin support is excellent, after you register your unit with Garmin (recommended). This assessment is based on one issue that I had. I could not get the SD card with PIX working, when plugged into Nuvi – turns out that not all SD cards work with Nuvis – you have to use non-hi speed class II card, as per Garmin advisement. If you allow them, they log into your own computer and do the work for you, while you watch them moving your mouse cursor. I highly recommend 260W as a basic starter unit for anyone still undecided.
I bought this unit back in July 08 and returned it within the month. There are many good features to it, once you get a satellite signal! Getting a signal was very slow, sometimes it wouldn’t get a signal at all. There were times when I got to my destination (15 minutes away) before the unit was able to locate the satellite. I would not recommend it unless you have lots of time to wait for the satellite signal prior to leaving for your destination!
My experience is, when unit is hard-wired as described earlier (unit is connected to car’s 12V all the time), the satellite signal is always “locked-in” even when unit’s power is off.
When you power it on the satellite is locked in instantaneously. Again, that is my experinece here in Pensacola, FL.
Driving away before the GPS has acquired a signal will significantly impact acquisition time for any GPS.
If the device is turned off (even if connected to power) it will not be listening into the satellites, so any fast acquisition times under that scenario wouldn’t be attributed to power availability. Although the GPS will sometimes take longer to get a signal if the battery is weak.
Hi Tim,
I would argue with your comment though. If the unit is turned off and the power is coming into Nuvi, as such, at this “idle” mode it is “recharging” and the satelitte signal is locked-in, while unit is re-charging – at least that what I have experienced and that was also confirmed by Garmin tech-rep, while I was talking to them not long ago. Oh well ….
By the way, give it a try and you will see for yourself….
Testing that theory doesn’t work out that way though. I have a device that is turned on, in an area that only has a weak GPS signal, and it is plugged into power. I turn the device off, leaving it connected to power. When I turn it back on it takes a minute or two to get a signal. (Again, this is in an area with weak reception.) If it was still powering the GPS chipset while turned off, the device should still have a signal when I turn it on, but it doesn’t.
Likewise, I have a GPS that is turned off, without power, so it has no signal. If I plug it into power, wait 30 minutes, and then turn it on, the GPS should have a signal as soon as it is turned on if power is being fed to the GPS chipset. But it doesn’t. It will connect after a couple of minutes, however.
But we might not be debating the same thing here either. You were saying that the device is “turned off”. What you are describing is the behavior when the device is effectively in a “sleep” mode. In which case yes, the device is powering the chipset.
You can tell if you are in “sleep” versus “turned off” by what happens when you hit the power button. If you see the Garmin logo, copyright notices, and tap the warning message to get to the main menu then it was “turned off” and the chipset was not getting power. If on the other hand when you tap the power button it instantly goes to the menu without any delay– then you were not “turned off” but rather in a standby mode when the chipset is getting power.
YEP – it is indeed in a “stand by mode” because when I turn the power on Nuvi on, it immediately goes to a map.
Could also be that due to heavy presence of Navy and Air Force many satellites are beamed at Pensacola (they are sharing, I guess)…no wonder I feel like I glow in the dark at night here…LOL
I might add for those, who have their Nuvis plugged into a cigarette lighter (which normally isn’t powered unless you turn the ignition key on) you can either plug it into a cigarette plug that is always powered (many car have that feauture) or you can make your cigarette plug always “hot” by switching wires at the fuse box to something that is always powered, like a dome light. You have to increase the value of the fuse though. That way you have the Nuvi always in a “stand-by-mode” and you eliminate the wait for it to lock into signal. The draw on battery current is so low that there is no concern that the car battery would be drained.
Perhaps in a warm climate…. but I’d never try that where I live when you need every single drop of battery you can get to start your car when it is 20° below zero.
Hmmm… cold climate would not be an issue here. 260W Nuvi draws appx 5 W in it’s operating mode while in stand-by it draws <1 W . Typical car alarm system or car clock draws more than Nuvi at stand-by mode.
I was considering a Garmin nuvi 255W GPS, until I saw a review of a magazine article where the nuvi 755T was named the “Editors’ Choice” GPS.
I really liked the “lane assist” feature that was described on the 755T. I get confused and almost panic at the overhead signs and lane changes on major interstates, and I need all the help I can get. I have never used a GPS, so I know nothing about them, but I have tried to research them…..only getting more confused than ever.
I would not use the MP3 player, nor the audio book player on the 755T, so I don’t want to pay for extra features if the “lane assist” won’t give me much more assistance than the directions on the 255W.
Please help—-the 255W unit I ordered will arrive soon, and I must decide if I want to keep it or opt for the more expensive 755T.
I am also not clear on the 10 “Routes” feature on the 755T.
A typical GPS like the 260w will tell you (and show you) an exit in 1/2 mile on the left. The lane assist feature will additionally tell you that the left three lanes continue straight while the right two lanes will take you to the exit that is 1/2 mile ahead.
“Routes” are a way of planning certain trips ahead of time, with multiple stops, and saving them for later recall.
Thanks, Tim, for the speedy reply to my listing # 270. Guess I’ll keep the 255W when it is delivered sometime next week. Just hope it helps me drive in a larger city, even without the “lane assist”. Your effort in providing this informative site is appreciated.
Tim:
On the 260W “recently found” menu, is it possible to delete a single entry rather than the whole list?
No.
Tim,
When will you be doing a review of the Garmin 755T?
I don’t typically announce dates of future reviews.
I am a first time GPS user. I am looking for a reliable unit, with convenient functions, . I can do with or without Bluetooth. In one of your previous comments you mentioned the Garmin 260w and the Tom Tom 720 as comparible units. You have not mentioned anything since. The store I was at recommended these two units as well. Can you give me an idea of which you like and would recommend?
In the past week I’ve had two experiences in ordering GPS units online. Both had a low lead-in price then told me things about the unit that weren’t true such as the Garmin 255W having no internal memory so I needed to buy memory and an extra $90 to get the North American maps, etc. My point is to suggest you have a list of questions to ask of the sales people (and do it by telephone) so you know exactly what you’re getting. Also be sure it’s a new in the box factory sealed unit. Perhaps Tim could make a listing of questions to ask. As with everything on the Internet, be very, very careful. Some appear legit, some definitely are not.
Wayne (and others) – see the similar comment I just seconds ago wrote about this in comment #92 on this page. Unfortunately I hear about this thing almost every day which is why we list store ratings along with the store prices we list. Sometimes a deal that sounds a little too good isn’t such a good deal in the end.
Hi Tim,
Does 260w could help you work with you travel if you have 3 places need to go, and give you the short route?
Not really Jenny. For that you would want to consider a device that has Multi Destination Routing such as these models in the Nuvi 700 series.
I have been pretty lucky with ordering online. One has to spend some time and do a thorough research. Granted, not always the cheapest listing is the best. I’ve got my 260W – Garmin Factory refurbished [snip] with all the original accessories included. One phone call to Garmin confirmed (based on unit’s ID and Serial Number) they they did refurbish the unit and uploaded all map updates. If you can get unit’s ID and serial number prior purchase, you can verify with Garmin the history; it’s like Carfax for used cars. Lots of them are being stolen, sold to pawn shops who, in turn, get them refurbished and re-sell them further.It’s a jungle out there….
Jenny,
If I were you, I’d look at the new 755T…it beats what’s out there now in the 700 series by a country mile. It has a new interface and faster processor. I just returned a 750 and will be replacing it with the 755T. Happy hunting!
Carl,
Have you seen any reviews on the 755T? It looks interesting in the Garmin ads. I’m a first time GPS buyer and have almost bought a 750 with the great prices on line.
I’m thinking about buying the nuvi 260w, but was wondering if the software was compatible with mac computers, as that can sometimes be an issue. Is the software for the nuvi 260w compatible with PC’s and macs alike?
Yes, Nuvi devices are Mac compatible.
Matthew, I have a MacBook Pro with Leopard OS X version 10.5 and it works fine. Caution though, after you are done, with whatever you are doing and your Nuvi 260W is plugged in, make sure you “eject” the Garmin icon on your desktop, before you unplug the 260W to notebook connect cable. If you don’t you may damage the stored memory or loose some data.
Matthew, one more thing, if you have 2 operating systems on your MacBook (like I do, both Windows XP and Leopard) be careful where you store your data. Somehow there is a glitch between Parallels Windows application and Leopard OS X and they sometimes do not interact the way they should.
Tim, I want to buy a gps and several friends have recommended the nuvi 350. I know that there are newer models but this seems to have evrything I need. Does it still come with points of interests and restaurants or do you have to pay for that as an add on? What do you think of that model? If you don’t recommend the nuvi 350, what would be comparable? Lisa
Yes, the 350 comes with about 6mil POIs. I previously reviewed the Garmin Nuvi 350.
Steve,
I bought a 260W (was good, in some ways better than the 750 except it only works from point “a” to point “b”) returned it after a week, and purchased a 750 for $50 more. The 750 allows you to plan and optimize routes which is something I don’t think a GPS should be without.
The 750 is an excellent unit, but at this time it suffers from software glitches (Garmin is promising to correct them) which I didn’t care to live with.
The 755T has a much improved interface and the lane assist feature is super especially if you drive in/thru cities. I’ve had hands on experience with it. It was reviewed by PC Mag and they gave it their Editor’s Choice Award.
Google Map to GPS POI transfers. Garmin is advising (as of 10/8/08) some temporary program glitches with transfering POI from Google Maps to GPS units using both, Windows and Mac’s operating systems. They are working on to resolve these issues. Garmin customers are calling (I was one of them) that they are getting error messages when trying to execute the transfer attempts.
Tim: Two items. 1) Are there any large, simple black ‘arrow head’ icons available for downloading to the 260W?
2) The 260W’s TTS voice (both Brit or US) often warbles or stutters on guidance instructions. Is there anything that can be done to improve this? Does Garmin typically fix/tweak the voice files over time? Thank you.
1) I don’t know. 2) Sometimes they release updates, but I would have expected most issues they are fixing to have been addressed by now.
Thanks, Tim. Quick replies, as usual
Tim-
I have been trying to decide between the 250W, the 260W & the 750. What are the main differences between these 3? In what order were they released?(Which is the oldest & which is the newest?)I want a GPS that gets me to the place I want to go to. I don’t need bluetooth, I don’t want to watch movies with it, no need to view pictures …etc. I just want a navigation system with reliable map and great navigation, not a multimedia-mutlicra* device. Yet I do like to have the text to speech. Is it even possible to get one of the best navigation devices without all the “extra” features?
In addition to my last post do any of these have walking modes? Do they have a SIRF Star III chipset? Which has best routing engine? Best user interface? What about the availability to download maps/updates? Best for traffic rerouting? (Gives best options)
Thanks!
The 250w is the most basic of those three, the 260w adds Text To Speech. The 750 adds optional Traffic and includes Multi Destination Routing. They are all about the same vintage. They all can route on roads following pedestrian rules, and all have similar interfaces, upgradability of maps, etc. It is nearly impossible to evaluate a routing engine without any bias (and produce data that is actually relevant). But that doesn’t matter much anyway because they will all produce the same routes for the most part. Garmin does not confirm which chipset they use in each device, and it can change mid-production. I wouldn’t focus on the chipset– you won’t notice any difference. You can compare those three models including current street prices here.
Tim,
Thanks so much for your input. It was really helpful as is this entire site. I have been reviewing all comments, etc. I just had a couple of more questions. How do I know what maps are currently in the model I am purchasing? Are the traffic optional & the multi routing feature really worth the extra $$? I know the 750 has POI, but do the 250W or 260W have these features as well as the where am I? feature? In your opinion, is the traffic optional, multi routing & where am I good to have? Overall, since I am buying this for someone who doesn’t really want to take the time to work through alot of unnecessary features (& certainly would prefer any easy to use model) which would of the 3 that I’ve mentioned would you recommend? If possible, I would appreciate a quick response. Thanks so much!
Tim,
Just one more thing. What about throwing the 255W into the mix? How does it compare with the other 3? What about in regards to what I have already asked you about those? Is it better or worse?
Thanks!
Tim,
Been trying to locate this info, but can’t locate. Was trying to see where to purchase the 260w & on one site is was listed as being discontinued as of Sept 2008. Is this the case? If so which of the others that I mentioned would be a better equivalent? If it hasn’t been discontinued do you know of any store that has it in stock? I would prefer to buy it in-store rather than online. Please help!
Lauren, you won’t know which maps come on the device until you turn it on. You can read here about Traffic and Multi Destination Routing. All of the Nuvi models come with POIs. Some come with the Where am I? feature, but those that don’t still give you the opportunity to find the same info. You can see a list of stores that sell the 260w here.
Subject: siRF and other things.
Tim, A lot of posts here and elsewhere indicate that the 260W employs siRF. Others say no. The Garmin site is no help. Which is right? Also, WAAS satellites use is claimed for the 260W by some of the various Garmin Forums’ members. Others say no. Which is it?
Finally, this morning my 2 wk old 260W, on morning start-up showed a time that was 5 hrs-18 minutes ‘fast’ relative to actual time. Naturally it took 20 minutes to finally acquire the satellites and correct the time to the right one. Any ideas on what happened to get that random time reading? Thanks, Bill
Garmin uses a variety of sources for their chipsets, even within the same model (like the 260w) you can find some devices that have one chip, and another batch of devices that will use a different chip.
WAAS doesn’t really matter, and the 260w most likely doesn’t have it… Which in practical use is a good thing because it doesn’t provide any benefit in a car and will only drain the battery faster.
Sounds like your ephemeris data might have been corrupt this morning, not much you can do about that.
We received our 255W a couple of weeks ago and we immediately took it for a ride with me driving and my wife operating the unit. She kept complaining that it wasn’t showing the correct time, but we found out later she was seeing the ETA (estimated time of arrival) and thought it was the clock time. Could that be Bill’s problem?
So far we are very pleased with the 255W. It doesn’t “walk and talk and wiggle like a snake”, but it does exactly what we want….and does it well. I thought it would come with a huge book of instructions that would take a week to learn, but we took it out of the box and used it immediately. It is very user friendly. We got a good price, ordered the unit in early afternoon on a Friday, and got it about mid-day on Tuesday. Couldn’t be more pleased.
Our only complaint is the British woman. She seems to have an attitude the second time she has to re-calculate. Can we do anything about that? I keep expecting her to say “Mind the roundabout Richard?
Thanks for this forum. Great info.
Wayne, there is a thread in our forums called Jill’s speech impediment that includes a third party tool that allows you to customize some of the words spoken. You could change the phrase “Recalculating” to something like “That isn’t exactly what I had in mind”. Make some good backups first, but the program seems to work well for most people.
Actually, I was pulling your leg a bit. The voices seem just fine for us. And, not everyone has seen “Keeping Up Appearances” where Hyacinth, the inveterate backseat driver, is forever saying something like “Mind the lorry on the left Richard”. From now on I’ll just stick to the facts.
No worries. I do get frequent comments though complaining that the voice sounds rude when it says “Recalculating!” so it is a common request.
To Wayne, Tim Thanks for the quick replies.
Wayne offers: No it wasn’t that; no route was being calculated/displayed at the time, just an initial, normal start-up for the unit. It was the indicated local time that was messed up. When the satellites were eventually (20min) found, it snapped to the correct time. The ephemeris data Tim mentioned was prob at the root.
Tim, your comment on variable chipsets in the 260W was startling to me. My last GPS was/is a Garmin iQue3600. The reputed fantastic satellite-grabbing/holding reports of siRF chipsets was much admired in the 3600 community. The idea that Garmin would randomly substitute primary GPS engines during various production runs seems somewhat bizarre, unless the subs are identical in function/capability but different mfrs/brands.?
I asked the WAAS question because WAAS satellite 51 apparently was recently (9/08?) repositioned/tweaked such that it would now lock up the iQue 3600 units on initial satellite search. Turning off the ‘WAAS enable’ feature on the 3600 would fix that prob. The 260W doesn’t have that ‘disable’ option, re WAAS.
Yes, WAAS is a largely unusable refinement of little use to automobile GPSs. It’s put in service for airline use; slightly better precision (safety). Thanks, guys.
Bill, a couple of years ago SiRF was popular, and rightfully so. They had the best chipset going, and none of their competition was close. They were so popular that I had people asking me where to find ‘SiRF’ brand GPS devices and all they could find was Garmin or TomTom.
Times have changed though, and now there are a number of other chipset manufacturers have caught up– and in some cases surpassed the quality that SiRF has been offering. The SiRF chipsets are still good, but they are no longer the only game in town. The other chips are now really good as well.
Wayne,
Tim is right and the Jill’s Speech Impediment is one of the best that I have seen. You can change that “recalculating” to just about anything, like if your wife sits next to you and constantly complains about your driving and you have kids screaming in the back seat. I changed mine to: “DAD – we are lost again. MOM told you so. Next time listen to your MOM but now take a short cut”.
I only wish that program could work also with other languages that Garmin has on the unit or that you can additionally download from their website. It only works with American-Jill.
have a garmin 250 got a weird question. lately it only tells you about a turn when you are top of it. it use to say turn right in 400 meters and then turn right when you got there. updated the software and maps from garmin already. maybe some setting in the unit i have changed? anyone have any ideas? thanx
Greg, I don’t know of anything that enables you to change those type of settings. Perhaps the newer application version just is built different.
Greg. That guidance style (ie, no turn warning) on your unit doesn’t sound like it’s right anymore. I’d call Garmin tech suppt. @ 888 442-7646,9-5 CST. They’re the best support of any tech company I’ve ever used. It sounds like something’s gotten corrupted, somehow. Bill
Tim, Just bought the Garmin 260W and the voice prompt in text to speech pronounces “turning right on Smith Doctor” instead of Smith Drive?? It did this on each named Dr that we turned on.
Greg, see these two threads in our forums.
Jill’s speech impediment
Customize your own TTS Voice – No more ‘recalculating
I don’t know for sure if it will work with the 260w but you can check in those threads.
Hello Tim-
After reading through a couple email strings on the 255w and 260w, I’ve seen different answers from you when asked which unit you’d recommend. I’m a newbie to GPS as are many others. Which unit would you recommend? I’m familiar with the differences between them, but still not sure which one is ‘best’ for me. Thanks!
Dori, as pricing and product availability changes, as well as the age of the device, the better deal can change with time. Right now, the 255w is probably the better deal, all other things being equal.
In your opinion, is the 265wt worth $100+ more than the 260w? I want TTS, don’t care that much about traffic or bluetooth, especially since my phone may not be compatible with Garmin’s.
I’d say probably not worth $100 more.
I’d say probably not worth $100 more.
How about $67?
To Dori, I’d add that the 255w is given Garmin’s hotfix, a free firmware mod/update that allows significantly faster satellite acquisition than ‘older’ models like my 260w. Garmin tech tells me that the 260w might get a version someday, but I’m not holding my breath…Bill
I’m a brand new gps not so sure which to purchase purchaser
I’ve been doing a little bit of reasearch (via consumer reports) and am debating on the nuvi 255 and 255 w…what is the BIG diff between the 2 and which would you suggest?
The 255w has a Widescreen. That is what the “w” denotes.
Hi Tim -
Thanks for being a great resource. I love my TomTom 720S and I’m now looking for a GPS for my Dad. Like many others on this website I am debating between the 260W and the TT XLS. A salesman at BestBuy said Garmin has 4 satellites while TomTom has only 2 so the 260W more accurately recognizes when you’ve reached your destination. Do you know if this is true?
Kathy, unfortunately there isn’t an ounce of truth to that. The GPS manufacturers don’t own the satellites, the US Government does and GPS devices just listen in to the signals. There are over 30 GPS satellites and each GPS can listen in to as many of them as they can. If you like your 720, I’d go for the XL-S since it will be familiar to you and you will be better able to help get your Dad started.
My wife’s Street Pilot c340 just quit the other day while putting in data? The unit seems to heat up considerably with plug in the car 12V socket but nothing happens. The sales guy (kid) its probably we left it in the trunk when not in use. The nights have NOT dropped below 38 degrees. Is this true. I quess I’m leaning towards a 255W? Thanks, your site has been very helpful
Garmin states their storage temperatures in the manual and I think you were well within the stated limits.
I have been looking at the 260W, but just found a good deal on a 660 for not a whole lot more money. What would be the advantages of the 660? Is it better or does it just have more gadgets? THANKS! This site has been very useful!
Sarah, the only real advantage of the 660 is a FM transmitter. Even at the same price I’d take the 260w over the 660.
I have a Garmin 260W and it has a quirky little glitch … for Dr. it says doctor instead of Drive. I know it’s not serious but kind of annoying as I always am corecting it in my head. Anybody else experiencing this? How do I really correct it. Thanks
Carolyn, see these three threads in our forums:
Jill’s speech impediment
Garmin 260W … Speech Problem
Tool to change pre-defined sounds: dong-dong, volume, etc…
Hello:
Great forum. Am a GPS-know-nothing primarily interested in finding a unit that will allow me to find rock-hound locations out in the southwest states desert areas. Most rock-hound guide books provide GPS coordinates for popular hounding locations, but I have seen no discussion regarding entering coordinate numbers into a GPS unit. Presumeably there are units that allow such. Can you advise/discuss this aspect.
Thanks.
Most auto devices will allow you to do that one way or another, although the steps are not often all that convenient. The difficulty is that coordinates don’t often set directly on a street, so the GPS will guess which is the closest point on the closest road. That isn’t always the correct access point. And some models will just refuse to route to an off-street address completely. But you could do that with this device.
Tim, I am ready to purchase either the Garmin nuvi 260w or the 350. Both are available and comparable in price. ( the 260w is a little more). Which would you recommend?
260w.
Tim and Charles; Fortunately,the 260W routes to coordinates nicely, even if no road is there. It even gives one the option to specify the format in which to input the coord. E.g., ddd.ddddd degrees or ddd mm ss.s, etc. In routing where no road is there, the 260W finds the (geometrically) nearest ‘road’ on its map, routes you to that road, then shows a straight line (”off-road” mode) and distance to that coordinate. Obvious too is the possibility that this nearest ‘road’ may not be the ‘best’ way to proceed, i.e., fences, private roads, etc. But, common sense should take it from there…one hopes.
I understand what you are saying, Bill. My point is that if you have never been to those coordinates before you might not know the limitations of fences or other obstructions.
As an extreme example I had a set of coordinates I was trying to drive to once. The Nuvi happily picked a spot on the nearest road to take me to, but unfortunately the nearest road to those coordinates was on the opposite side of a canyon from where I really needed to be to access the coordinates. It took a 70 minute drive to get back around the other side. Nothing on theNuvi map would have provided me with enough info to know I was going up the “wrong” side of the canyon.
Sure, more pre-planning ahead of time would have caused me to figure out (from more detailed maps than the Nuvi provides) that I was headed to the wrong place, but to correct the error I would end up using a non-coordinates based address to enter into the GPS anyway…
As a result, I’ll never use coordinates on the Nuvi as a destination. I’ll consult another map to figure out where those coordinates are, figure out where (on a road in the Nuvi’s database) I need to go, and then use that address as the destination on the Nuvi.
Tim & Bill
Hay, thanks for taking up your Sunday to help me out, here. Great info. I think this unit will work fine, based on your input, for my purposes. Rockhound guide books include cryptic directions (”turn left at the dirt road with the rock beside it with a lizard on it,”) along with coordinates information. I would use a combination of maps and the books, and a GPS to confirm my directions. Thanks again.
Hi, I purchased a Garmin 260W for my husband who does a lot of driving in unknown areas. It seems that the Garmin does not automatically calculate the ” easiest” route”. Many times we would prefer to do all highway driving, rather then back roads. Is there anyway to set the Garmin up to always use highways? IS anyone else experiencing the same sort of problems?
Joanne, no there are not any other preferences you can change other than “fastest” and “shortest”. I assume your route doesn’t start and end on a highway, therefore you couldn’t create a route that was “highway only” between most two points.
Some devices will allow you to “prefer” highways which means it could create a route that takes a longer amount of time to travel, going out of the way to access more highways.
Hi Tim,
I am happy with my 260w. I have read a few comments about problems getting satellites. This may be really off, but since it says clear area, does it matter if you just hold it out of the window for a min. or two? Also I have the beanbag, but I purchased the black leather holder that folds open. I have an area in my dash, like a small glove compartment and it fits right in there, in the case. The on off switch is open to you and of course the screen is protected around it with the firm leather. I love this. You can just take this whole case with the Garmin inside and set it anywhere in the car. Thanks for you info. Shari
Tim, Is there a difference between the 255 and the 255W or the 260 and the 260W other than screen size, Qwerty keyboard? And the screen size, are the graphics larger or does it show you more left and right of your route? The buttons on the keyboard don’t look that much bigger.
I am extremely happy with the 250W Nuvi that we ordered [snip, see comment policy].
If I buy a Garmin Nuvi 255w or 260w will I be able to add later the maps of Europe?
Franco, yes.
Tim,
I am looking at some fantastic sales and the 255W and the 750 are the same price. I’m looking to do some traveling to lots of ski resorts (lots of city driving and mountains and obstructions) and I was wondering which device you’d prefer if they were the same price? Thank you!
One more thing, I wanted to look into geocaching and I was wondering which would work better as a portable walking unit as well? Thank you very much!
Iris, if you need Multi Destination Routing go with the 750, otherwise go with the 255w. Neither are designed for outdoor use and wouldn’t be very useful for geocaching (as with most auto devices).
I am sitting here looking at the 260w…but also considering the 265tw. I can get the 265 for $70 more and I know the only thing that really matters to me is the memory card slot. I don’t need the Bluetooth and don’t need the traffic that much. Would you recommend just getting the 260w instead?
J.T. – What will you be using the memory card slot for?
After reading all of the comments regarding the Nuvi 260W I decided to purchase one. What is your experience with the Mobi universal GPS vent mount. I have a dash protector in my car and do not want to remove it. Also, in California you can’t mount the GPS on the windshield.
The California law was recently changed and you can now mount a GPS on the windshield. There are still restrictions though such as it has to be within so many inches of the bottom corner.
I am trying to decide between a Nuvi 260W and a Nuvi 760. Is it worth upgrading? Any downside to the 760 in terms of complexity?
Hello, I am newbie so bare with me…me and my brother purchased a Garmin 260w this past weekend.
My software has the “where am I” feature and his does not, my software looks different than his and the pictures in the manual…I updated my software and then did his unit, mine goes to 4.5 his will only go to 4.00, any ideas? He wanted to know why they are different when we purchased them at the same time, store and model number 260w?
Lon, I really don’t know why Garmin does that. The device is spec’ed not to come with that feature, but many are now shipping with it. They really make the job tough for me when they have close to 40 different versions of the Nuvi, and many of those will even vary depending on when/where it was purchased.
Thanks Tim for the quick response. He won’t be happy – but I love the way mine looks!
Which one should I choose between Garmin nuvi 260W or Garmin nuvi 750? I need your recommendation.
Are they both easy to place or mount on dashboard?
I just bought a 260w. I put in a final destination and then put in three way-points. The way-points were all flagged and the total mileage was computed. What gives? Thanks.
I am looking at the Garmin 205W or260W. Whay are waypoints? The 205 has more, but the 260Wseems better overall. Any thoughts or advice to give? Thanks
Can you tell me how to load the GPX files that I sent to the 260w from mapquest.I sent the directions to the sd card,and also sent it straight to the unit.
Barry, the 200 series devices do not support importing routes. You can only do that on the 700 series and up.
I think I’ve narrowed my choices down to the 260W
and 750. Price difference is not significant. “Vias”
with 750 seem nice but not a real dealmaker for me. My question is, since the 260W is “newer”, is there any advantage to that? In other words, is the technology any different, does the 260W offer anything in performance that the 750 lacks? Thanks in advance for any comments… very informative site!
Tim,
Great information. I recently purchased a 260W and love it. I have seen that one of the features that continually comes up is lack of a QWERTY keyboard. The 260W has the option of ABC or QWERTY. Am I missing something?
I’m looking at purchasing a gps for my daughter. I have narrowed down between the 205w and 255w. What are the differences and which one is best? I like the 4.3″ screen which I believe both models have. Thanks
Tim,
If I want to go to a destination using a special route can 260W do that? I know that it only alows 1 viapoint that will not work for what I need but is there a route planning or some other option that allows you to choose the route in advance? I would really appreciate your advice.
I am looking into buying a GPS device and I am curious to know if there are any ancillary costs that I should be aware of. For example, is there a monthly fee for using the bluetooth capability, for updating maps, etc.? Also, is there one company that is better priced with respect to these services? Any advice would be much appreciated. I am writing from Canada. Thanks.
I live in a rural area and I am having a problem entering Farm to Market roads. I have am address that is in a certain city/zip code but not in the city limits. how do I get it to find the FM?
Dick, they are of a similar vintage so there is no other significant advantage over the 7×0 series.
Web – Yes, despite having over 40 models of Nuvi devices, Garmin is known to change the specs of a model mid-production. Some of the newer production runs ship with a QWERTY option, but most don’t. Makes my job tough.
The vast majority of those shipped don’t have that option.
Vicky, If you need more than one via, no, the 260w won’t allow that in the common configuration. Check out the 700 series instead.
Pris, no fee for Bluetooth, map updates are typically $75~ish. Other manufacturers are similar.
I have been looking for a GPS unit for my extremly directionally challenged wife. I need a simple, accurate and well built unit, no Blu Tooth, MP3, something hi-tec but not to complicated to use. I am leaning towards either the Garmin 255w or the Garmin 260w. Which would you recommend, or what other would you suggest. Thank you.
I work in real estate and often will have to travel to several diffrent houses during any given day. I need a GPS that I can program in itinerary in. Would I be able to do that with the 260w? Thanks.
Matthew, no, the Nuvi 260w doesn’t have Multi Destination Routing.
Vivian, I type in, as an example, FM-2004. If I don’t use the “dash” it does not find the address. Hopes this helps.
I’ve been searching between many of the garmin products and thought I was settled on the 265t but then the 260w was brought up. Is the only difference between the two the traffic and widescreen? And which would you suggest?
Hi Tim:
I received the Garmin 255W and 260W both as gifts and one I will return. I was thinking about keeping the 260W simply because the model number is later and usually a larger model number means newer or upgraded. Which has better, perhaps more features?
The 255w is the newer model and offers a few more small features than the 260w.
Great website…. I have my selection down to two units, the nuvi 260w and the 205w. I think I’ll spend the extra 20 for the test to speech. Any thoughts?
My specific question concerns the mounts. I don’t want to leave the unit or mount visible in the car when parked. Is it practical to take off the windshield or dash mounts each time, or should I spring for the friction mount?
I agree, go with the 260w. I like the friction mounts better anyway, so I wouldn’t hesitate to grab one.
what is a quick discription of the differance between the Nuvi 750 and the 260W
I can get them for the same price, the 750 has a bigger screen. What else is dif.?? why the same price??
thank you
Ron, they have the same screen size. The biggest difference is that the 750 has Multi Destination Routing.
[deleted] The screen is 3.5 smaller than the 4.3 screen on the 260W and the 255W, but is this better than those two?
This might be a stupid question, but I’ve been trying to find out how many POI’s are included in the 260w and have only found a description for waypoints. Are waypoints the same as POI’s? If so, the 260w only has 500.
I recently used Garmin Nuvi 260W to go to Mankato, MN and back to Fargo, ND. Earlier, I had used a friend’s Tomtom on my first visit to Mankato about 6 months ago. This time when I used my Nuvi 260W I discovered that it gave me different routes than what I see in google (Tomtom gave me same). I like to follow highways as much as possible, but nuvi tried to avoid I494 and instead offered several roads to route. When we are about to reach the university, it took us to steep hill where there was no road! The story was same when we returned to Fargo; it kept on giving less heard county roads and kept on asking to take u-turns. In the end, I stopped using its route. Is there a way to see its route beforehand? Can I force it to take certain highways? Thanks for your opinion.
Lisa, what Garmin calls ‘waypoints’ are really ‘favorites’. There are POIs (about six million). See the following articles for definitions:
What is a Waypoint?
POI – Points of Interest
Suman – You can preview the route ahead of time by tapping on the green bar at the top after creating the route. You can force a particular route by Adding a Via Point.
I got a Garmin 260w for Christmas. It doesn’t give the street names. I have the voice, text and keyboard in British English. It’s tell me the correct turns but not the street names I am turning onto. Please help Thanks
See the article I link to in comment #226.
We got the nuvi 760w for Christmas and went to plug it into the car today and it wouldn’t turn on. hints?
Did it turn on otherwise?
We ended up charging it through the usb on the computer for awhile and then plugged it into the car again and it was fine. Thanks for the response!
Fantastic site.
I am debating between nuvi 255 and nuvi 260. Of course it all comes down to preference. In my opinion, it seems 255 is slightly equipped better (more waypoints, picks up satellite quicker, lighter) but lesser quality on important features (like sound quality). Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe both tell you the names of the streets. Any other big difference in the 255 and 260 that I’m missing ? Does one maybe pick up more satellites than the other? Thanks in advance.
That is a pretty good summary. Both are capable of tracking more satellites than can be seen at one time.
Lost my voice
Since I connected my 260W to the computer, my text to voice no longer works. How do I get it back? Thanks
First, make sure the volume is up and not on mute. But otherwise check our Enable Text-to-Speech article (the Garmin second is in the second half) to make sure you have a voice selected and that it is a TTS voice.
Found Voice. Hey I got it back. In the car when I tried to reset the language it showed none found for voice. After I got home, I tried it again and was able to get it to work. Don’t know what happened.
Great site, thanks for all the super info…
I just started my research for my GPS purchase and saw on another site that the batteries on the Garmin units are not customer servicable. Is this true, and if so, is it an issue? If true, does the unit go back to Garmin for battery replacement when the time comes? Thanks!
It is true, and the vast majority of street GPS devices are like that, including those from other manufacturers. You can send it to Garmin for replacement– last time I checked it was about $150 so many people will just buy a new GPS with more updated features at that time.
I am considering purchasing either the Garmin 260W or the 255W. Which overall is the better unit? I have read the pros and cons of each unit. I have noticed quite a few complaints of the 260W taking awhile to establish a satellite link. Is this a problem with the 255W also? Are there any other GPS units on the market that are comparable to the Garmin Nuvi 255W & 260W as far as screen size and price goes?
How would you compare the Garmin 260W against the Navigon 2100 Max?
Tim: Do you think that there’s a REAL chance for a ‘hotfix’ (faster sat acquisition)and ’speech impediment’ fix for the US or Brit TTS for the 260W? Thanks for all your help/explanations. Bill H
Unfortunately, the answer is “it depends”. Only some GPS chipsets utilize hotfix type technologies, and different production runs of the 260w use different chipsets. So the chipset within your device may or may not be compatible with such a service.
I am considering buying a Garmin GPS. (The Nuvi 260W looks interesting to me.) I am currently living in the USA. However, I also spend a significant amount of time in Taiwan. Is it possible to get maps for both the USA and Taiwan? If so, how can that be done? Is that possible with some Garmin models, but not others? (If the Taiwam maps are in Chinese, that’s OK. I read and speak Mandarin Chinese.) Thanks for whatever help you can give.
I have a nivi 260W. But it’s not speaking the street names at all as advertised. Pls explain.
Do you have Text-to-Speech enabled?
Tim, or anyone,
Is there any way I can make my 260W leave those little breadcrumb tracks of where I’ve just been (like my Garmin iQue3600 would)? If not, do any of the Nuvis have this feature? It’s REALLY a good feature when driving around in non-digitally mapped areas like Costa Rica or such. Thank you, Bill H
I found a Garmin 750 which is priced about $30 less than the 260W I found. Should I stick with the 260W? Thanks
I am considering a 205 (Where am I?) vs. a 260 (street names) both at about same price.
Will be first GPS for me.
which would you recommend?
If you want both of those features, get the Garmin Nuvi 255.
Hi, looking at the 255w but read an earlier post that the voice was a problem. Has this been corrected? Thank you for reading, John
Is there a distiguishable difference between the Nuvi 260w the 265wt other than traffic update usage with the 265wt? It’s all very confusing for us old dudes.
The 265WT does have a few more goodies such as the ability to store a few more favorites, Bluetooth, the traffic feature you mentioned, speed limit information, and the ability to specify a QWERTY keyboard.
I’m looking at the Garmin 260/260W, can you tell me if the font can be adjust on the “W” model? (larger print for older eyes) Thank you
No, the font cannot be changed.
Thank you for your prompt reply.
I got my 260W and have been playing with it, so far i love it. However i haven’t been able to figure out how to the voice to give street names, so far it’s only been “turn right in 500 feet”.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Make sure you have a computer voice selected. See : Enable Text-to-Speech: TomTom or Garmin for instructions.
Found it, THANK YOU!
BTW, great site…
i have downloaded some P.O.I(point of interest) stuff for my nuvi 260w but i am failing to load into my device (even though i have download the POI loader already.the new P.O.Ii have are red light cameras and police traps…can anyone help me please.its saying that i need the gpx files but yet i only have the gpi files
You might want to seek help in our Garmin Nuvi Forums.
What is the bluetooth feature on the 265WT and how does it work?
Bluetooth allows you to use the GPS as you would a Bluetooth headset. You can place and receive calls from the GPS when it is paired with a compatible phone.
Tim,
I’m debating between the Garmin 260 and the 265wt. There’s a $100 difference in price. I’m not sure I’ll use the bluetooth since I have a Palm Pilot, and I don’t think it’s compatible. I’ve compared them on the site, and it looks like the only difference is the bluetooth, case, and lifetime traffic reports. Do you have a recommendation? I am a first time GPS user. Thanks. -Robin
I’d go for the 265WT due to the widescreen. It makes text entry much easier.
Hello,
I won my choice of the Garmin Nuvi 260W or $175. With $ being an issue, I am really torn. That said, I doubt I would have the money to buy a GPS with the text to speech thing (street names instead of turn in 200 feet like my hubby’s Mio). Any thoughts on which is the better choice ($ or GPS).
Thanks!
Shell
Get the 265t if you live in a metro area.
The free traffic for life is a deal!
I have the Garmin nuvi 260w. However, during one of my trips I somehow lost my SD card. I then purchased the Garmin Map Update 2009 from a local store. Where do I go from here? What type of SD card is compatible with my garmin as I will have to repurchase one so that I may download the 2009 Map updates. Also once I download the 2009 updates will this include all maps that were on the prior SD card?
The 260w comes with an SD card slot, but it doesn’t come with any card– the slot is empty and the maps are stored in the internal memory.
Just purchased a 260W. It has a fault when announcing names. For “Street” it says “Saint” and for “Drive” it announces “Doctor”. I’ve contacted Garmin about it, they don’t seem to have a fix. Anybody else having this kind of fault. I even tried an exchange uint; same problem. Do all of the 260W’s have this? Wondering what to do.
All Nuvi devices will do that. If you want to force a change, see this thread in our forums:
Customize your own TTS Voice – No more ‘recalculating’
I just got a 260W and the pronunciation is sometimes off.
e.g. No 5 Road (number five road) is said “no five road”!!
The screen does display the correct name though.
There are other examples.
Would someone please tell me the difference between the Nuvi 255W and 260W? Thanks.
Frank, I’ve answered this several times in comments #41, 107, 141, 203, 246, and 376.
Not knowing much about electronics, is it possible to overcharge my Nuvi 260W? Thanks.
This may be a dumb question but I can’t seem to find the answer anywhere – is the difference between the Garmin Nuvi 260 and 260w strictly the screen? The 260w has a widescreen and the 260 doesn’t – is that the only difference? Thanks:)
Yes. The only difference is the widescreen.
I am having a problem with getting my 260W to find county roads. No matter how I type them in. Once I get on that county road it will show that I am on the correct road, but does not show house numbers. My friend has an older garmin and has no problems with hers. Any advice? Thanks.
I will be a first-time GPS buyer. I’m trying to decide between the 260W (which I hear has been discontinued) and the 255W. Any advice as to which is the best one to get? I don’t need any exaggerated features…
Do I need a special USB cable for my Garmin 260W or will a standard A-B cable work?
Does the battery charge through the USB cable or only during use in the car (I don’t have an AC charger)?
It is a USB to mini-USB cable. Most should work, although I have heard of cases (and experienced it myself) where a non-Garmin cable didn’t work on a particular computer, but the Garmin cable did. The battery will charge, but at twice as slow of a rate as through the car charger.
does the nuvi 260w indicate elevation or altitude?
Yes (but not well documented by Garmin). On the 260W go to the opening “where to?” screen. By holding your finger on the ‘antenna bars’ icon in the upper left for abt 5 secs, the satellite connection status screen will appear. This not only displays the current satellite lock-in status, but also the present altitude, your location coordinates and speed. Bill H
thanks fo much for your time
Has anyone used the Garmin Nuvi 260W on a bike (bicycle)? Any feedback on how it performs for this?
Also, is there any way to extend the battery life? I was looking for a way to get 9-18 hours on a charge due to an upcoming bike trip.
Scott, the Nuvi devices are not really designed to be used outside. A few specks of dirt inside the device or a short drop could ruin the device. Moisture can be an issue too, and the battery life you mentioned. Given the need to get a case to protect it, then some sort of mount– you might as well consider one of the GPS devices that are specifically designed for bicycles like the Garmin Edge series.
I am using my Garmin 260W in the car and on land hunting geocaches. Can I download the caches all at once (which I do )BUT, I would like the coordinates to show also. AND have the names show instead of manually putting them all in.
I’m about to purchase a Garmin 260W & this is my first GPS. Is the screen readable in bright sunlight? Will I be able to get to locations if I only input intersections? Will I have a choice of Route Set-Ups like fastest time or shortest distance?
Harry – Yes to all three of those questions.
A friend told me about an extra that can be downloaded onto a gps called ecoRoute. I have the Garmin 260w and was wondering if my gps is compatible with ecoRoute?
Jordan, no, the ecoRoute function is not compatible with your GPS.
Oh well. Thanks for the response, Tim.
Has the Garmin 260w been discontinued? From what I’ve read in this site, it seems to be quite the choice. I am about to buy my first and want to make a good, BASIC choice. Thanks so much!
Technically, the 260w has been discontinued, but that doesn’t really mean too much. See our discontinued status page for more info.
Does Garmin make a model that allows the entry of Lon/Lat instead of an address? Thanks!
I think every garmin model can do that.
I’ve found the Garmin nuvi 260W and the Garmin nuvi 265WT. These both appear to be discontinued (per this site) – that suprises me with a large warehouse retailer selling so many. Which one is a better deal?
Will, I’d go with the 265WT.
I have a 260W, I purchased in late Dec./08, the 3rd Garmin I have owned. Before purchasing, I was assured this unit came with the latest 2009 maps. I live in Canada, and just traveled from Alberta to Nova Scotia and back. The maps are worse than useless. Main highways do not exist on the maps, which are misleading and inaccurate, at best. According to the unit, I needed to travel east from Kenora, Ont. to reach Winnipeg, Man. Check your map, guys! Upon contacting Garmin, their solution was to spend $100.00 + for upgrading maps. When we began our trip, this unit was only 4 months old! I don’t feel I should have to pay to “upgrade” maps on a unit I have just purchased! The graphics are poor, maps are useless in many areas, and customer service sucks! Shame on you Garmin, I used to recommend you to anyone who would listen!
Sharon:
Too bad about your experience. I just received a 200W as a gift. Yesterday I registered the unit at Garmin’s website and was led through the process to update the maps. This took over an hour with an cable/internet connection, but my unit now has the latest maps. Admittedly I haven’t been able to test it other than just in our city, but so far I am pleased (the VOICE became an irritation to my wife…). Perhaps did you fail to update the maps after registration? Just a thought.
Don
At the time of purchase, Dec, the maps were the newest (2009 version). Garmin offers updates in April. The 2009 maps seem ok in the west, but the farther east of Winnipeg you go, the worse they are. For the benifit of your wife, you should be able to go in and change the voice, my unit offers several different options.
so correct me if i’m wrong, but what i’m getting is since my nuvi260 is disc (or just about to be), then even buying a new 2009 map update, i am NOT able to upgrade because i won’t have the latest “firmware”?– (what ever that is) i’m not as computer literate as i’d like to be but i’m getting this message: “THIS GARMIN IS NOT ELLIGIBLE FOR THIS UPDATE BECAUSE A PREVIOUS MAP VERSION IS NOT INSTALLED” what previous map version is it talking about?!!! i bought this nuvi a yr ago and it came with 2008 maps. now what? i live in yuma and go to phoenix and some places are not on my gps! it’s so FRUSTRATING! do it just need to shell out for a NEW gps? HEEEEEEEELP!!!!!
Suzanne, You can use the Garmin WebUpdater application to make sure you have the latest firmware… basically the latest version of the software your GPS uses to run. Then you can install the new map update if you have purchased it. Note that the newest map update is called “2010″.
i seem to have the latest version of firmware. i bought my gps a little over a yr ago. a wal-mart co-worker in the electronics dept told me if my gps said 2008, a 2009 map update would be more current. is this NOT right? i thought it was a good deal @ only $30. did i just buy a duplicate map?! i can’t afford or need a 2010 just yet. . .i was just looking for something more current than what i had. i’m still getting the same “THIS GARMIN IS NOT ELLIGIBLE FOR THIS UPDATE BECAUSE A PREVIOUS MAP VERSION IS NOT INSTALLED” message. did i just blow $30?!
I recently purchased a Garmin 760 and am having difficulties with the unit. The unit has made several errors regarding directions, example: while in Sacramento after leaving I-5 heading east for Hwy99 it said to turn right onto I-5, but the road was Hwy99. It has also told me to go 24 miles on a street when after a couple miles I turned onto I-5. The unit seems to get confused and doesn’t know where it is. I recently updated the maps in hope that it would help but it has not. Is this operator error, or does it appear that I have a defective unit. I have not used the thing but a few times, however I do not trust the directions it provides. Thanks for any assistance.
Ray
I am looking into buying my first GPS unit. I will be using it only in the car and I am looking at the Garmin 260W. But is there anything out now that betters it? I can get a regular (non-widescreen 260) [deleted] so ideally, I would like to spend no more than $200 for anything like the 260W. Garmin is the preferred brand. I am worried as I read this forum as it’s a hit-and-miss with this model. THX.
I have a Garmin 265T GPS and I’m trying to find out what the difference is between the Simulator being on or off. The only think I can find is that when the simulator is on it extends the battery usage.
The “simulator” is very poorly named. When the simulator is turned ON, GPS reception is turned OFF. This allows you to “simulate” a drive and view the car icon driving down the road, previewing what the GPS would show if you are actually driving. If you want to use the GPS for its designed purpose– to give you live directions based on your position, then you need to keep the simulator turned OFF which keeps GPS reception turned ON.
Hi:
I bought the Garmin 260 a few months ago and got the issue of spoken the street names. For some reason, if the street name is 200 something, then it spoken 100 something instead while the map is still shown the correct street name. For example: turn right on 215 street as shown correct on the map, then it spoken “turn right on 115 street” instead – basically, it is spoken wrong but it asks us to turn correctly when it is close to the street 215.
Does it anyone have the same issue as mine? How do you fix this problem? advice please.
Oh, I use this gps to drive around the cities in WA state and figure out this issue.
Thank you very much.
I haven’t heard of that problem before.