Garmin nuvi 1450

• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 3 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars

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• 9 stars

  Routes, waypoints and MapSource Oh-My

  by mmeskill on December 6, 2010

  Pros: Price was good for a mid-range unit with some high-end features (namely routes), Screen size of 5"

  Cons: Crazy number of units by Garmin makes it hard to work out the best to buy. Features seem the same but process vary a lot.

  Summary: Let me start by saying that I'm a gadget guy and work as a service manager. I tell you this because I have found that buying my first GPS ...

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  Summary: Let me start by saying that I'm a gadget guy and work as a service manager. I tell you this because I have found that buying my first GPS was very confusing but I want to clear up some points that I learned in the process.
  I also read something during my research that I will echo here: There tend to be more people that will post negative tilting reviews then people who got a unit, turned it on, and were using it in less than 5 min.
  The 1450LMT (LM is lifetime map upgrades and T is traffic) is great, big 5" screen with the same interface that other Nuvi models have. Very easy to use. It is crazy how many models are out there with only small difference in features.
  The registration process was easy and the Map update took about 1.75 hours via my ATT U-verse (mid speed plan).
  I wanted a model that could store "Routes" but I did not want to shell out more than ~$230 (got the 1450LMT on sale at Best But for ~ $180). This unit can only store 10 routes but once I understood the difference between Route and Waypoint and navigation I realized that 10 would be enough for me. {A Route is a series of point-to-point flags that forces the system to drive a pre-determined route and not just whatever way the unit decides to take you.} I wanted routes from planning drives with my local MINI owners club. This is where I ran into my first roadblock.
  In order to use a PC to manage waypoints and routes you need the MapSource software and several research reviews on MapSource said that it is just the program and you need to buy the maps for it separately. So I ordered the US map set Saturday on DVD (as the DVD version comes with MapSource). I bought my 1450LMT on Sunday. Everything worked great and I found that MapSource installs during the registration and map update process. Called Garmin right at 8am Monday morning to cancel the map I ordered. 5min wait to speak to very helpful women who said my order had not made it off the web system into the order fulfillment system but "She will check every 5min and cancels it when it comes over. 1 hour later I got an email that the order was canceled. Great!
  The 2nd thing I ran into was that MapSource installed onto my desktop PC during registration and map updates but I needed it on my lap top. Email to tech support was answering in less than ½ hour with info on how to get the program onto my laptop using the MyGarmin page that I setup during the registration process. Hope someone finds this helpful.
  Mike

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  2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 10 stars

  Excellent surpassed my expectations, but my wife also

  by browndog_27 on May 2, 2011

  Pros: Ease of use was amazing, graphical display of upcoming exit and which lane to be in - excellent. We used this for a trip to Orlando from Nebraska and the mapping to and in Disney World floored by wife. Screen display easy to see, setting intermediate way

  Cons: Poor documentation on operation - Unless you a techno savvy, or retetive like myself, the first order of business is pop this puppy in the car and go. Please read whatever instructions are available, everyone elses horror stories made me read everything a

  Summary: From our experience we would recommend this device to anyone, we have friends who are going to Florida asked if they could use the GPS. I wouldn't let them ...

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  Summary: From our experience we would recommend this device to anyone, we have friends who are going to Florida asked if they could use the GPS. I wouldn't let them go without it.

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 3 stars

  It may get you to your destination.

  by Ricksky400 on May 7, 2012

  Pros: Physically robust. I threw it out the car window while driving, went and picked it up , and it works fine. (Well, it works as poorly as it did before.) It beats a TomTom with a stick, but that's not saying much.

  Cons: Many, read below. It will get you to your destination. Only God knows how long it will take or which way you're going to get there.

  Summary: The suction cup does not hold up the GPS, I have to remember to lick the thing every time I want to go somewhere, or it will fall off the ...

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  Summary: The suction cup does not hold up the GPS, I have to remember to lick the thing every time I want to go somewhere, or it will fall off the windshield - that happened when I drove around a turn, and it hit me, I was so surprised I threw it out the window (see above).
  
  It never takes you anywhere the same way twice, and it definitley will not take you home the same way, so you have no hope of learning your way there without the GPS.
  
  The Touch Sensitive screen is like a concrete block, I bought a bunch of Stylus's for the Nintendo DS, they work well, but now I have to keep a stylus with the GPS. If you're using your finger, it responds very slowly, and usually in the wrong way. Also, stylus or not, when you type in the name of the road, the GPS has to search its memory for the road name, it narrows the search as you type in each letter, and as you type each letter there is a delay of 2 to 4 seconds. I understand why there is a delay, but how LITTLE computing power did Garmin give this machine? There shouldn't be a delay when typing in a road name.
  
  Here is a BIG Disappointment! The Waypoints you create/save in memory DO NOT show up on the screen! only HOME and the one your going to will show up. So you can't see any of the other ones, which can help you learn your way around. (These did show up on the old 255W I had, it had other major problems, though)
  
  Overall a HUGE dissapointment. I use Garmin GNS 430/530 everyday in aircraft, These are $10,000 to $15,000 Aircraft GPS units, they work perfectly. Now no one is going to spend that kind of money on a GPS for their car, but that doesn't mean that Garmin can't make a good one! Or does it?
  
  Overall, probably one of the better GPS units on the market, TomTom is awful, and Magellan is supposed to be worse. But Seriously, Garmin has put the smallest amount of effort possible into a cheap unit. If it cost $400 but actually worked properly, I would buy it. This cost $130, and I want my money back.
  
  A Note to Garmin: 1) FIRE THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE YOUR MAPS!
  
  2) TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE QUALITY OF YOUR PRODUCTS. When I called Garmin and asked some questions, my problems were glazed over, and I was asked if they could help me with anything else. Garmin has gone downhill in the last several years.
  The lifetime map updates is nice, but Garmin gets their maps from a 3rd party, and they don't require the 3rd party to have maps younger than 10 years. So even with the updated map, GOOD LUCK! You're gonna need it! The traffic function is worthless, it works only where there is traffic service (Big cities) and the power cable - which includes the long wire antenna for the traffic service looks like a pair of jumper cables hanging from your rear view mirror (This is the only area where Tom Tom beats the Garmin). The GPS constantly has you making U turns to get to your destination, after you drive past it, and could have turned right or left right into the place where you were going. Instead you drive 1/2 a mile to a major intersection, make a left hand U turn, and then go back 1/2 mile and turn LEFT into your destination!
  
  Updated on May 7, 2012

  Sorry the paragraphs are out of order, typical CNET.
  
  Updated on May 7, 2012

  NOTE: I said the Waypoints you create do not show up on the screen, that is true, and I have the map detail set to maximum! Garmin said the map detail must be set to max so that I can see the waypoints, even ones I'm not driving to. No change.

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