Early in 2010 I purchased the Garmin nuvi 255WT. I had used two other GPS’s in the past and seen others in use, so I had a pretty decent idea what to expect. This model has been out for a while now, but new ones are still available online from a wide selection of retailers (According to Google Product Search).
HARDWARE
The 255WT comes with a wider screen than some other Garmin models (found on Garmin.com) I immediately found this to be an advantage to the driver and passenger as it offered a large, clear view of the map and lots of space to detail instructions for upcoming turns. The unit has a clear, crisp screen and slim design. Mine came out of the box with the standard car charger, mounting disc, and suction cup mounting bracket, which I found worked excellently, almost too good sometimes (I could just about hang from it). It is only available in black. Optional accessories available include a handlebar mount, carrying cases, and USB and AC adapter cables. All are available from the company’s website. (Garmin.com)
SOFTWARE
The nuvi 255WT comes loaded with the standard maps of North America (U.S. and Canada) and gives you a product key to download updated maps for free when you register it. (Garmin.com) Among the features are listings for points of interest including ATM’s, airports, restaurants, hotels, local attractions, shopping, ect.. There is a fuel-efficiency monitoring program that challenges you to save fuel and a “dashboard” that shows and records you mileage and speed. The 255WT offers several voice choices, all of them bearable. The GPS receives up-to-date traffic information and gives approximate delay times and offers detour routes if you are interested. Also, the box boasts that all street names are spoken, though this seems to be a pretty standard feature on GPS’s to me.
PERFORMANCE
I have used the unit for a little over a year, traveling to, from, and around several cities such as Dallas, Atlanta, Charleston, Nashville, Mobile, New Orleans, and Miami. I also used it on a couple of vacations, which for me is driving from attraction to attraction in rural areas far from home.
Overall, I feel that the 255WT is an excellent device. Through all of the countless hours of city blocks, merging, intersections, turns and lane changes, along with the little roads in the middle of nowhere, it only misdirected me one time. I was travelling along a country road in the Appalachians with a creek below me to my right and the nuvi directed me to “turn right in 200 feet”. I didn’t, as there was no where to turn, and when I got there the unit corrected itself. Turns out the road changed numbers at that point. That may seem bad, but this thing got me through several overwhelming traffic nightmares without a hitch, and that was the ONLY time it ever made a mistake. It is by far the best GPS I have ever owned.
The only complaints I have is that it takes a long time to connect when you turn it on, up to a minute, and putting in addresses can be problematic, especially it the address is in a different state than the one you are in when you enter the address. This is the unit’s biggest weakness, and though it is minor, it seems that Garmin could have ironed this issue out pretty easily it they tried. All in all the strengths of the Garmin 255WT far outweigh the weaknesses.
PROS
Big screen
Excellent directions, especially in traffic
Lots of features
CONS
Long initial load time
Sometimes hard to input addresses
Sources:
Google product search
Garmin
Garmin 255WT page
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