Comments on: Send MapQuest, Google Maps Directions to Garmin

By: Marteen

Marteen — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:19:59 +0000

OK. Just picked up my first GPS, a Nuvi 265WT. Perhaps the technology just hasnt advanced as much as I want, or maybe Im not using it the way its intended, but I find that its missing some fundamental routing functions that I want. #1: for local routes where I know the best route from experience, the unit continues to force its best route. #2: it doesnt seem that I can specify an exact route by either specifying one or excluding parallel streets.

Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:30:37 +0000

You might not be doing anything wrong. When you create a route in MapQuest and send it to the GPS, what is sent over is the starting location, destination, and any additional waypoints you add between. The Nuvi then calculates its own route between those points– which may or may not be the same as the route MapQuest picks between those same points. The more waypoints you add to the route in MapQuest the less likely the Nuvi will calculate a different route.

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:25:39 +0000

I created a map in MapQuest and made some changes to the route. When I send it to my GPS it has the original route not the one with my changes. What am I doing wrong?

By: gatorguy

gatorguy — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:45:14 +0000

Don’t feel bad. Almost no one does. I just happened to notice it mentioned on T.Y.R.E’s website one day when browing thru it.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:26:08 +0000

Very cool. I didn’t realize T.Y.R.E. could be used with the Garmin…but I just got the Garmin so please pardon my ignorance.

By: gatorguy

gatorguy — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:20:10 +0000

T.Y.R.E. will work with Garmin too. Or use Mapquest. Or use Garmin Mapsource.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:02:53 +0000

There is a fantastic program that allows you to transfer a route created in Google Maps to TomTom called Tyre. You actually create the route within the program, but it uses Google Maps. Then you just save the file to the ITN folder in the TomTom. Is there something similar for Garmin? I have a Zumo 550 for my motorcycle.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:53:54 +0000

Steve that is somewhat by design. It is a bit of a misnomer to say that the “route” is transfered. Any “points” used for the route in MapQuest will be sent to the GPS, and then the Nuvi will calculate its own route between those points (aka waypoints). So if you build a route with just a starting address and ending address, the Nuvi could calculate a different route.

If you add a few via points (waypoints) to the route and then send the route, the Nuvi will get the starting address, ending address, and any waypoints you have specified. The more waypoints you build, the less likely the Nuvi will route a different way.

By: Steven

Steven — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:19:18 +0000

I’m having the same trouble. I create a drag-and-drop route in Mapquest, I transfer it to my Nuvi 760, I load it from “My Data”, but the route that appears on my Nuvi is a new route that the GPS has calculated between my start and end points, not the route I had originally plotted in Mapquest.

By: Tim

Tim — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 22:15:59 +0000

Well, that is the point. The Nuvi 200 series can’t import the route. So the fact that you can send it to the GPS is pointless because you can’t do anything with it.