GPS

Comment:

These products look nice and seem to have a lot of features and they make you all kinds of promises about how accurate they are and how the maps are updated every two years. Don't believe a word of it. These things are junk and Magellan will leave you high and dry. The routing is a joke. I've wasted so much time following these directions only to find out there was a much easier, quicker way. It's taken me in a complete circle for no apparent reason. That, of course, is when the machine actually functions. I've been in the middle of a route and the thing just freezes up and, after you finally notice it's frozen and you're probably way off route, you have to completely reset/reboot the machine. <br /><br />I had the traffic service for a while too. Again, what a joke. We had a major freeway completely shut down and under construction for over two years and this thing tried to route me to that expressway every time I went somewhere. I called Magellan who told me to call Navteq who finally updated their software AFTER the freeway was reopened. What a waste of money. <br /><br />Oh, and if you expect any kind of customer service, forget it. Magellan will very politely tell you you're screwed. Map updates every two years? Sure, if you buy a new machine because the one you own has been discontinued, along with whatever mapping software contract that supported it. That's happened to me twice so far. Oh, but if you trade your $300.00+ machine in, they'll give you $50.00 towards a new $300.00 machine and then try to sell your traded-in machine for $150.00 to some other sap. <br /><br />Don't waste your money or time on any magellan product. Magellan isn't even in the top 35 in the latest Consumer Reports ratings. Garmin dominates followed by Tom Tom. There's a reason they're slightly more expensive than magellan. You may save a few dollars on a magellan GPS but what good is a GPS that can't navigate and has outdated maps and freezes up all the time? I have to think a lot of these positive reviews are from people who have never owned a GPS before and are too distracted by all the flashy superfluous features to realize how bad the core functions are. Have you seen that Allstate Insurance commercial in which Dean Winters pretends to be a GPS and causes the driver to make a wrong turn and crash? That's most likely a Magellan GPS he's pretending to be. <br /><br />Bottom line: Listen to the bad reviews. Listen to the warnings. Listen to Consumer Reports. DON'T BUY MAGELLAN!!!

Comment:

I've owned a TomTom and disliked the small screen and occasional issues with changing a planned route. It was stolen, so I purchased a Magellan Maestro 4700. This GPS offers no ability to change a route's destination with an alternative, easily nor can you view the planned route. The map orients around you (meaning you face one direction no matter where you are...which is disorienting) instead of a stationary map showing a compass so you know which direction you are actually facing! The voice directions are very slow and I have had to make several U-turns and backtrack because of this! It has also given me wrong directions and distances to my destination(s). It has made me burn more gas than I care for and intend on getting a refund. I am truly disappointed in this GPS.

(1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

Comment:

I use the GPS for work travel. Reliability is essential. This unit has exceeded my expectations - for the price.