Garmin Nuvi 660
Garmin has announced a new Nuvi, the Garmin Nuvi 660. The Garmin Nuvi 660 will come with Bluetooth capabilities just like its siblings, but also will come with an FM transmitter. The FM transmitter will push out voice prompts and via FM to your car stereo. Similar features can be found in other Garmin models. Hands free calling when paired with Bluetooth phones is also supported.
The Nuvi 660 will be compatible with the Garmin GTM-20 and GTM-21 traffic receivers, have connections for an external antenna, headphones/speakers, as well as an internal microphone for hands free phone operation. Traffic information will be provided by the GTM-20 traffic receiver which is included with the Garmin Nuvi 660 and integrated into the power adapter. A three month subscription to Total Traffic Network is included, after the trial period the subscription costs $60 for 15 months of service.
The other major enhancement over the current Nuvi lineup is the wider screen. The Nuvi 660 will feature a 4.3 inch screen running at 480×272. The FM transmitter will be able to send voice directions, MP3 music, audio books, as well as phone calls to your vehicle’s existing sound system. Other sounds are muted when voice directions are spoken. Dialing POIs is also supported.
The retail price is $1076.91 and many retailers will likely offer it initially at $999. The Garmin Nuvi 660 is now shipping.
| Store | Rating | Best Prices |
|---|---|---|
Compare all prices on the Garmin Nuvi 660 Auto GPS ranging from $249.99 to $541.83. | ||
 |  In Stock at circuitcity.com | $249.99 |
 | In Stock at pcRUSH.com | $276.65 |
 | In Stock at OfficeMax | $349.99 |
 | In Stock at AVALON TRONIX | $264.57 |
 |  In Stock at PCNation | $279.99 |
 |  In Stock at North Adams Outdoors | $279.49 |
 | In Stock at hightechelectronics.com | $282.99 |
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Interested in follow up info when available.
Notify would not work without comments.
Looks like Garmin has officially let the Nuvi 660 out of the bag. I’ve updated the post slightly with some of the audio capabilities, but other than that I didn’t need to change any of our predictions of specifications.
Does the 660 have a multi via capability? Route optimization? Thanks!
Gabrielle, I haven’t seen one yet to be 100% sure, but all indications are that the 660 will not have multi via capabilities.
I have been looking at a 360 to purchase by Christmas but am now waiting to see the 660. I wonder if the speakerphone will output to the car speakers via the FM transmitter or will it only output MP3’s, voice directions, etc? Also, anxious to see if the larger screen makes a big or small difference…
Time will tell!
Thanks and keep up the great work on this site.
Hi Ed - Yes, the FM transmitter is supposed to output phone calls as well. Direct from Garmin: “FM transmitter that broadcasts voice guidance, MP3, audio books and phone calls over the vehicle’s existing speakers”
When will Best Buy start selling this model in the US?
If you believe one of their biggest distributors, shipment of the 660 has been delayed until November — I know Garmin’s website still says September.
Is the 660 going to be taller as well as wider?
Does the Nuvi 660 have the ability to read altitude and does it have a problem with glare from sunlight? Thanks!
Todd, the 660 is the same height as the 360.
Thanks GPS Review, the feature that is attracting me to the 660 the most is the built in Traffic Receiver and the FM Transmitter.
FYI - This is an answer from Garmin Tech Support to the following question:
“When will the nuvi 660 actually be available for purchase? And when will the promised Max OS X support take place? As stated in your press release of Jan., “By the end of 2006, Garmin intends to have made all its popular hardware and software applications Mac OS X compatible. This includes the ability to load MapSource map data to Garmin units via a Mac, as well as waypoint and trip planning applications. Additionally, the Garmin nRoute application will allow Powerbook and iBook users to turn their laptop into a powerful street navigation tool with Garmin’s GPS 10 or GPS 18 sensors.”
Their answer:
“We expect to start shipping the Nuvi 660 to retailers by the first of Oct. Garmin has not announced any delay to the original forecast of Mac compatibility by the end of this year, so as far as Tech Support knows this is still on schedule.”
The 660 has the integrated FM traffic receiver. Anyone know the exact date they will be available in the UK?
How come Amazon is selling the product already and it said that it’s not out until OCT?
Thanks!!!
Ed - That is odd since Garmin has officially announced a delay in Mac support.
Yvonne - Amazon is currently offering it for “pre order” meaning you can order it now and they will ship it once it becomes available.
Great info! Thanks.
Just checked Garmin.com and the nuvi660 is now shipping…..
Great! Just ordered one from TigerGPS. Will advise when it ships… I once was lost, but now I’m found…almost!
I pre ordered Garmin Nuvi 660 through a website and today they called me to notify that they will recieve shipment from Garmin on this coming monday sep, 25 and I will be shipped to customers by following friday.
I am thinking of buying one of those tapedrive-to-FM adapters with a nuvi 360 instead of getting the nuvi 660 with the FM wireless. (Screen width and traffic are not that important to me.)
Any thoughts? Thanks.
Johnlacy, I don’t see any reason why that wouldn’t work. I know others who have done something similar using a wireless FM transmitter connected to the 350.
johndlacy, I would say go with 660 (just a suggestion). The price difference between 360 and 660 is within $100 and you get amount of new features with it as well.
I am not one to dive so deep into research, (just end up returning things alot), until sites like these allowed me to make informed decisions and share opinions with actual users. Thanks.
I had a Street Pilot 330, I bought it at Circuit city and thye have an extended warrantee that gives you the ability to upgrade (or crossgrade) as much as you want for 2 years. I went from the 330, to the 550 and have settled with the Nuvi360. Each step being far greater than the last. So far, my only gripe is that the speakers (overall) and voice prompts on the 550 were louder. I dont know when my retailer will get the 660, but it seems to tie together all the things I liked about the 550 and love about the 360 (and then some…)
Do you know if there will be any OS/UI changes?
[...] Several retailers are now reporting they have started to receive shipments of the Garmin Nuvi 660 and a couple of customers have reported receiving shipping notifications from some retailers. This is good news as it looked for a little while like it might be delayed when Garmin changed their website to say delivery was expected during October. [...]
I could not be happier with this unit. I had the nuvi 350 and always thought the screen was alittle too small for me and once i heard this item was coming out i knew i had to get it as i loved my nuvi 350, now my son gets my old one and dad gets the newest and best. I ordered my unit from a garmin dealer i found on garmins site called autonavdirect. Great price and had it shipped next day and got it today.
JG- are there any Software differences? Does the bluetooth allow headset use? or is it basically the same OS as the 360? Also how long is the traffic subscription active before it has to be renewed?
Thanks.
I have been begging to buy a GPS for a year now. I learned of the NUVI 360 and that it was exactly what I need. I am horrible at remembering directions and have to occasionally travel for work. I am leaving to go on a week long driving trip with my inlaws (I know, I know it sounds like a trip to the dentist would be better, but nonetheless, I am leave for New York, Smokies, etc. next week. I almost got the 360 till I heard about the new 660. I just purchased it today and should have it by Monday. (Anyone looking for someone that has them, autonavdirect has about 5.)
My concern is that after reading more on the 360, I realized that the 360 does not remember routes. So, if I find a great way to get to a location (for traffic or if I find a newer road that is not on the NUVIs map), I don’t see how it can help me find that way again in the future. Does anyone know if this is correct and if the 660 has the same shortcomming? If so, is there a unit that would be better suited for my needs. I do not travel too often for work, but when I do I would like to use the GPS to get me there rather than having to write out the way.
Thanks for the input!
Mr. Brian,
You will be fine with nuvi 660. I’ve used nuvi 350 and I liked it a lot. Than I used Mio c710 the top model from Mio. Even though Mio C710 has a lot more features than Nuvi 360 but I’m sorry to say Mio C710 didn’t impress me much as Nuvi 350 did. Than I saw Nuvi 660, I ordered it right there online for $736 from this website and I was told I’ll be recieving it by friday or saturday.
As long as your concern about remembering route and as long as I understand your question than Yes Nuvi 660 does remember routes in it’s history. If you like to go somewhere, just type it in and there you go. If you like to go that destination again again from any other place or from the initial point all you have to do is click on recent, select your distination and bingo there you go again.
I just went to Chicago, 14 hrs drive and went to so many different places but never got lost. All I like to say is Nuvi 660 is great! Gotta have it.
Brian, Ali’s thoughts and recommendations are good. I would also add that if you find a new, interesting route you can always add a “bookmark” or favorite marking the location, intersection, etc. Then you can use that as either the “via” or as a destination to get you back to that area.
Does best buy have the Garmin NUVI 660 in stock(09/22/06). Can i order one over the bestbuy.com site. If not, when will they have them?
JmilM - BestBuy hasn’t reported to us that they have stock.
As far as Best Buy goes..I go on their website and do a search, yet nothing comes up for the 360 or the 660. Are we sure it’s getting released on Sept. 22nd?
Todd, I don’t know when/if Best Buy will be getting the Nuvi 660. I see that they have the 350, but not 360 and haven’t listed the 660. (Although they have announced other Garmin products that are not yet shipping so it looks like they might not carry the 360 or 660.
More and more retailers are getting shipments of the Nuvi 66 though and stores/stock/prices will appear just above the top of the comments as the information is provided to us.
Ali, thanks for the input. I feel better about getting it. GPS Review, thanks to you too and for this awesome site! I should recieve my 660 on Monday and will report my review of it before & after my trip. In the meantime, I tried to get a copy of the manual from the Garmin website, but no luck. I would like to load some songs from my CD collection and maybe purchase an audio book before I leave. But, I don’t want to wait till last minute, so does anyone have any hints on the best settings to burn the CDs using Windows Media Player with the NUVI in mind? I suppose I will need to get a memory card. I believe it is a SD, but there are many options I have found including SD, miniSD, etc. It seems like Sandisk is pretty popular, but has various sizes. Will they all work in the 660 (i.e. 2GB, 4GB, there is even a 2GB Ultra that is suppose to be faster or better or something?)? How about the audio books. Anyone know how & where to get these and how to get them on the 660? Thanks!
Brian - You don’t necessarily need an SD card. There is about 700 MB of free space remaining on the internal hard drive in the Nuvi 660 you can use to store MP3 files. If you need more space than that or are using that space for additional maps you can use an SD card. Garmin has previously recommended not using SD cards larger than 2 GB due to performance issues.
Brian, you welcome!
About burning songs, Windows Media Player (wmp) burn songs in .wma format (that’s a default settings) but Nuvi 660 plays mp3 songs so therefore you need to change settings in your WMP. Its easy to change settings: All you have to do is,
1. in WMP go to tools
2. options
3. Rip music and there you can change it from .wma to .mp3. Volla!!
Than just copy your files from your hardrive to Sdcard folder.
Yes, you do need a sd card (regular size), not mini sd neither micro sd. Well, you can use mini and micro as long as they come with an adapter. Like, I use Mini in phone and mini with an adapter in Camera. 1G, 2G they all should work as I don’t see any limitations.
According to Bestbuy, they will be getting Nuvi 660 soon in a week or so.
I hope your right Ali! Thanks for the info
Hey,
newbie…hopefully gonna buy a GPS unit soon….was gonna go with the nuvi 350….then i liked the 360….now i like the 660…haha i love how the price tag always seem to get bigger….anyway…. my main question is….when it comes time to update the map…the guy at best buy told me the nuvi 350 needs to have another map put on a SD card as you cannot simply download the new map on ur cpu, and USB it to the 350 and simply overwrite the old map…is this true? and is it the same for the 660 you think? i think its silly that u would need to utilize the SD slot for a new map in a couple years rather, when u should be able to have 500 mp3s and some books…ya know …..any advice appreciated…
-Jim
James, you can update the maps, delete the old ones, etc. You don’t need to keep the original set on the device.
I recently ordered a Nuvi 660 and, although I haven’t received my unit yet, I’m looking at accessories. I noticed that there was a Garmin Mapsource Metroguide for Canada that is supposed to be compatible with the 660 and I’m wondering whether that would provide me with greater information than the City Navigator NT (North America) when using it in Canada. Can anyone comment on whether the map coverage and POI are better for Canada with the Metroguide Canada software compared to NT?
Still no video playback support ey?? It would be nice to be able to play video on my current Nuvi 350, but I thought they would include this on future models.
Since I travel a lot, and this is my travel mate, audio books aren’t the only thing that I would engage in. I paid 800 dollars for this thing. Playing video should have been either included, or apart of an OS upgrade at some point.
Too bad I can’t hack it yet to play video. That’s the one (and only) bad thing of not using Windows CE or another Windows based OS.
Just got my 660 yesterday. Its my first GPS. So far, so good - Booted up in about 20 seconds and off we went. Will play more extensively today - but so far, I can say - big bright screen, plenty of volume from internal speakers (haven’t tried the FM transmitter yet), easy pairing with my Motorola Razor, even got decent signal in my house here in Florida.
So far, love it. Will love it more the first time it keeps me from getting lost!
FOUND THIS SURFING TODAY 09/26
Update 09/25/06: Garmin shows they started shipping these units. They shipped us 8 units of the 750 we have on order with them. They have now delayed the next shipment of units until the first week of October. This applies to everyone, not just J & H, meaning no one will receive units until the week of the 9th or so. We will be shipping as soon as garmin makes them available
hey,
another question….confused on one feature on the 660….as far as making a route with say…15 stops….for making deliveries….is that possible on the 660…it says its capable of 500 waypoints…but 1 route with only one additional stop per route…..i d/l’d the manual at garmin.com and am still confused….
would i simply have to go to point A…then put in point Bs address…then go there, and input point C’s….etc…etc…etc…any help is appreciated…
-Jim
I received my Nuvi 660 and it is outstanding. I have been using a Nuvi 350 for about 1 year. The 660 is truly an outstanding gps. The screen is clearer, brighter, and of course bigger than that of the 350. The built in traffic receiver will make traveling with the unit easier. I am amazed how well it pairs with my blackberry 8700g. Once it is paired (and you check “don’t ask againâ€) the Nuvi and phone pair with each other automatically. Touch phone book on the Nuvi and up comes your phones list of contacts. It truly would be hard to get any better. The sound from the built-in speaker and mic is quite adequate.
Jimmy, the number of waypoints basically refers to the number of “favorites” you can store on the device. You are correct in that the 600 will only allow one stop per route so you couldn’t make one route with 15 stops.
You could add all of the addresses ahead of time as favorites and then navigate between each of them… after each destination routing to the next destination.
Got mine a couple of days ago. Everything is fine except I can’t connect my Motorola Q. Other phones such as Razrs etc works fine but with Motorola Q it connects and than disconnects… Beside that it’s all good.
Ali, I am interested in buying a Garmin Nuvi 660. Where did you say you got yours?
If you prefer you can contact me through my email address which is Lowsix@aol.com.
Thanks, Mark
To all the friends who ordered and received the Nuvi660, could you please advise from where didi you get it. I am in hurry to have one before my trip to USA next week. Thanks
(ed: snipped pricing)
I just ordered my Nuvi 660 today and it shipped today.
Note that the traffic receiver on the 660 is built into the car power adapter - not built into the main 660 case - personally that’s fine by me but I just wanted to clarify that. If I take it out of the car to walk around the city, I don’t really care about the traffic.
The traffic subscription is free for the first 3 months, then $60 for 15 months
Bryan, Can you email me directly with the name of the dealer and the price you paid for your Nuvi 660? I know that GPS Review doesn’t want that sort of thing published on the website. I need to purchase something today, and will need to use it tomorrow. I’ll be happy to post a review of my experience with it when I return from my trip.
My email address is Lowsix@aol.com.
Thanks, Mark
Hi everyone,
Thanks for the great conversations that are happening here! Since this page is getting long with comments (and some of the other pages have over 200 comments on them) I’ve decided to try something new.
Starting today we are offering GPS Forums where you can start your own threads, reply to others, and have a slightly more unmoderated, free flowing discussion than these comments allow. (yes, that does allow for posting pricing information so long as they are not obvious advertising. Letting people know where you purchased your device from and at what price is okay.)
You will need to register for the forums to participate although hopefully it will be painless.
Here is a link where you can find the Garmin Nuvi forum where you can continue to discuss the Nuvi 660.
The only people who will know about the forums (for now) are people that read this comment. Therefore the amount of posts will be very small at first. It is a test, and if things go well I’ll make a full announcement and encourage more participation in the forums. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.
Just a note to any 660 owners out there that Garmin just released software update version 2.40 for the Nuvi 660. Here is what is new:
- Select Language Page string corruption
- FM Frequency page not in sync with Quick settings page
- GPS starting location not being saved properly
- Memory leak in bluetooth setup page
- Changed saftey camera tone rate
- Traffic receiver missing message error
- Increased Backlight at power on
- Increased touch size for Traffic icon on map page
- Improved large phonebook sync
- MP3 playlist support (m3u)
- Added Estinonian and Romanian text languages
- Added Greek, Croation, and Slovenian voices
[...] (Firoze and I exchanged emails a couple months ago as he was figuring out which GPS would best meet his needs. He ended up purchasing a Nuvi 660 and here are his comments after using it for a couple of weeks. In some places I’ve added my own comments in block/quote form. Thanks for the comments, Firoze!) [...]
Garmin has made a new update available for the 660, 3.50 with the following fixes:
Updated Daylight Saving Time dates.
Able to read a new SMS before sync is complete.
Changed subcategories in find menu.
Removed severe weather alert.
Added Brazil Portuguese voice.
Added Bulgarian voice.
Added Lithuanian voice.
Added Romanian voice.
Added Serbian voice.
I purchased a Nuvi 660 back in August because the bluetooth integration was the only non-motorola that actually worked with the speaker independant voice dial in my Motorola E815 cell phone. My last Garmin ever - why?
1) free map update I should have received shortly after purchase is STILL backordered according to Garmin - how inept can a company be - that a DVD is on backorder for almost 1/2 year?? just make more copies!
2) supposed to work with Canadian traffic when I bought it - took 4 firmware updates each claiming they would fix the problem - until it was resolved
3) traffic info when it did start working was so useless here in Toronto, Canada, I am still better off listening to radio traffic reports, and the service not only lacks information - it is not being run 24×7 as promised - Toronto has regular late evening and weekend traffic issues - so pretty useless if heading out for an evening event and wanting to navigate around traffic - not that it’s very useful when actually being broadcast anyways….
4) the lack of basic features and dumbing down becomes more obvious everyday - so limiting it is very frustrating - the most basic Tom Tom One has far more configurability
5) features that were deleted from the top-of-the-line 660 will now magically appear in the new 760, but despite being little more than a software upgrade, Garmin expects me to purchase a new unit to get that deleted functionality? yeah, right
Ironic that a navigation company seems to have so very badly lost their way…..
Finally broke down and made a decision and went for a Nuvi 660. I was looking at a newer Nuvi 750 but with some of the comments in the forums (SIRF chip or not, potential visibility issues), I decided to go with the 660 (which was same price as a bare bones 750
I drove from Ontario to Alaska and back several years back when we were stationed there, too bad GPS were too pricey back then - I could have used one.
Tim great site by the way - this was a great source of info. Kuddos!
Hi Marc, Why did you choose the 660 over say the new TT950T? or even the TT720T?
I was looking at Garmin and TomTom for the longest time, I did like the features of the 720 and its price. However, after cruising the forums, and IMHO - the number of forum reports of customers dissatisfied w outdated maps and the number of map updates were not in favour of TomTom and its map provider (Tele Atlas).
I figured its nice to have the hardware, but even nicer to have accurate maps quicker and more often - thus Garmin. Also Garmin gave customers ability to surf their maps (Garmin website) - that option was not provided by TomTom - had they - may have been a different call on my part.
I may be wrong - time will tell
Hi Marc, I am in the same dilemma. I am about to buy and i keep looking at the TT and at the forums and I agree with you, there are lots of complaints. I think that TT did have a bad initial batch (that is no excuse) but are we seeing more TT complaints because A:- They just came out with a well priced, fully featured product which people have bought and B:- Because of A:, they have a bigger share of the market and hence more complaints? I just don’t know BUT if you look back at TT’s earlier models did you see as many problems? Have they simply promised more than they can deliver with the new product and can they work out the shortcomings with s/w upgrades? I wish I knew. Specifically on the map point - it could be that map Share will improve things - if people bother with it.
Peter - myself as a GPS Newbie - the forums were all I had. By the way, I did stop at our local electronic box store and played w the TT720 (they had demos out) and I did like its configurable capabilities and its significant bang for the buck. But it still came down to maps. I see TT experiencing growing problems while trying to garner a portion of US market beside its current European market. As an example their site’s map store has been closed 2 of 3 days I looked at it. Could not “surf” the maps as I did w Garmin site. Also, I’m on the East coast where we have been experiencing economic growth for the past 5 years (read construction boom) and having updated maps issued or available for purchase more regularly was a BIG factor in my decision. If you are in a more stable area, then that may not necessarily be a factor for you.
As a potential solution, you could buy the TT at a box store and if within 30 days you don’t like it, purchase the more expensive Garmin. I believe most box stores will give you between 15-30 days w return policy. They normally don’t mind if you turn something in only to purchase a more expensive item.
And you’re right, TT’s Mapshare is an outstanding feature just as long as you are aware of the little morons out there that may try and play havoc - use trusted list.
If TT can overcome some of the small issues I have read about and can issue map updates more regularly, then Garmin will be in for a fight and consumers will benefit. I would not be surprised if my next model was a TT
Had my Nuvi 660 for only one week now and it’s great. Comes with case, chargers and all goodies that are not provided with 700 series. Battery duration is somewhat shorter than I expected (2-3 hours). Have not used Bluetooth capability yet. Maps not as accurate as I expected for rural roads, road is there juat not named. Upon registration at the Garmin website, it stated I was eligible for 2008 map update, let’s hope it’s coming. Overall good purchase and price was right.
Is the Garmin 660 compatible with my bluetooth phone (Verizon LG VX9800)? I checked out the bluetooth compatible Magellan 4050 and it is not compatible with my phone. How can I find out over the web if it is compatible?
Orlando, did Magellan say your phone wasn’t compatible or was it just not listed as being compatible? If it wasn’t listed, that doesn’t mean it won’t work, only that it hasn’t been tested.
You can find links to the manufacturer’s compatibility charts here and if you are able to test it yourself you can share those results with other people on this page.
I have Bluetooth in the new car. Is there a reason to buy a GPS with Bluetooth capabilities or it is a waste
If you are satisfied with Bluetooth in your car I wouldn’t worry about it. The GPS speakers are typically not very good. The one advantage would be that you could dial POIs from the GPS.
Hello, been pricing both the garmin 660 and the garmin 260w. In alot of the cases the 660 is very close in price or cheaper. Is this because the 660 is older tech? Older Maps? Also the bluetooth interaction can you dial directly though the 660 or do you still have to do that from the phone. And just one more question, if you buy one with older maps do you get free upgrades? Thanks for your help.
Yes, the 260w is often priced higher because it is a new release. The 660 should come with the same map date (currently from the second half of 2006). With Bluetooth GPS devices you can dial from the GPS itself. Garmin doesn’t have a stated map update policy anymore, they handle it on a case by case basis it appears.
Tim thanks for the fast response. The maps are from 2006 doesn’t that seem a bit old? After all your sinking some funds to get the lastest and greatest tech. Just an observation. And sorry but what is a case by case basis? Thanks again.
Tim thanks for the response. I am concern that I am paying the price for the latest and greatest tech but getting almost 2 year old maps. Sorry but what did you mean by case by case basis. Again thanks.
Jim - Garmin typically offers map updates once per year, around the end of April. Those maps are typically based on maps they received from their supplier in the second half of the previous year.
So the map that is shipping now, called “2008″ by Garmin, is a map they started offering late April of 2007, and is based on a map they received from their mapping supplier in the second half of 2006.
In the next few weeks Garmin will likely release a new map, they will call it “2009″ and based on their past history it will likely be based on a map they got from their mapping supplier in the second half of last year.
Garmin does not have a stated map update policy anymore for devices that ship with older maps near or after a new update has been released. Thus your option is to call and ask, and take what they answer. That is what I mean by a case by case basis.
Is it still worth investing and buying the nuvi 660 for 2008 or should I go for something newer? What I’m looking for is a good gps with a very good reception and that can get from point A to B accurately.
Thanks
660 is still very much a worthwhile investment. Comes with all attachments/charger/case where most of this is extra on newer generation. I’ve had mine for over 6 months now and there are only two things I have a small gripe with. One - the battery does not last long - I believe this is true of newer Nuvi’s also. Second, The antenna has to be flipped up and thus it sticks out of unit by 1.5 to 2 inches - not a problem while driving but if you’re biking or walking using GPS, it’s a bit cumbersome. But, all in all, for the price, I doubt you’ll fing something else that will give you a bigger bang for your buck. Garmin also sent me a free update via mail (took alomst 4 months). Very satisfied.
Where is the plug power plug and the external microphone plug on this unit? I don’t see them in the pictures.
The Nuvi 660 comes with an AC adpater that plugs into the mini-usb port on the Nuvi itself. I have tried using aftermarket chargers/adapters/inverters with mini USB ports, but the ones I have tried, all result in the Garmin going into “PC connected” mode, which disables the user interface on the Garmin.
The Nuvi suction cup windshield mount also has a power connector - a flat wide proprietary connector which connects to the Garmin 12V car power adapter.
The plug for the internal microphone is also on the suction cup windshield mount. The microphone uses a very tiny round plug - same style as 1/8 inch jacks used by most earphones, but even smaller in diameter, and mono sound only.
Nice thing about this arrangement, is you can leave the 12V adapter, and external mic connected to the suction cup mount, and it acts like a docking stating for a laptop. Just insert the Nuvi and these ports are connected. If you run your Nuvi through your car stereo like I do, using the headphone jack - you still have to connect this every time.
I have had significant routing problem with my Nuvi 660 that consistently affects a couple of freeway ramps in the suburbs of Toronto, Canada.
The NT2007 maps work just fine, but when I put in my free upgrade to NT2008 maps, which I received with my purchase last year, the Nuvi failed to route me onto certain freeway ramps in the Toronto area - sent me past the ramp - made me turn around, and take the equivalent ramp from the opposite side of the road. To test if this was a map error - I set a point on the original map as a destination - and in that case the Nuvi reckognised the ramp, and sent me onto that ramp. This is NOT a case of settings being wrong - I opened a support ticket, and Garmin acknowledged it as a routing error bug. It happened regardless of Nuvi firmware version. As a result, Garmin gave me a free upgrade to NT2009 maps - since I was experiencing routing errors - however, having just installed NT2009, those routing errors persist. There has been no construction and/or changes to these ramps in the last decade. If I revert back to the old NT2007 maps - the routing works fine.
IS THE GARMIN 660 STILL A GOOD UNIT FOR JULY 2008 AND WHERE CAN YOU FIND THEM? [snip, see comment policy] CLEARED THEM OUT. WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND (GARMIN)NOW THAT IS IN THE $300 PRICE RANGE?
I’ve been using a Nuvi 660 for about 2 years. It works great. The newer models have things like vioce control and internet, but I haven’t found the need yet. I have some experience with the lower end 200 Series as well and I can tell you the 660 is well worth the extra cost. I think it’s still a good model for 2008.
Having major problems with the 660 in inital connection to satellites. It can take 30 minutes or more to make connection. I am starting out from the Bronx area in New York. Any idea why is that ?
You should check out our Tips Acquiring Satellites and if that doesn’t work, I’d contact Garmin support.
My Garmin 660 was stolen from my car recently. I had it password protected and am wondering if anyone knows if that will really stop the modern thief from using it.
It would probably stop them from using it– if that was their intention. But typically stolen devices are just resold to unsuspecting customers and the thief likely has no intention of using it for themselves.
I travel with a trailer and need to no commercial routes, is this possible with the 660?
I’m not sure I understand– you have a trailer but you don’t want it to use commercial routes? The 660 doesn’t know the type of vehicle you are driving.
Nuvi 660, Can someone tell me if its worth while to buy the 2008 model over the 2006 model, or is this just a scam that I heard. I was told that the mapping was better, but then again cant I go online and get the updates for free?
Thank you for the help
I am having a hard time choosing between the Nuvi 660 which I believe has been discontinued on Garmin website or the new Nuvi 255W. Any help deciding would be appreciated.
Gabe, Personally I’d look to one of the more recent devices. You can read about Garmin Discontinued Status to see what I and other people think about the determination.