[msdivy]

Originally Posted by RGK

How is the Garmin holder and was it shaky on the roads?

I have Garmin friction mount. While I haven't faced any issue in my car (City) on any road, while on my friend's WagonR, the mount was moving around the dashboard.

[Bazinga]

I bought the Garmin LM50 last week. Have used it for a week and it works like a dream. the initial satellite fix lakes about a min or so but once connected the navigation is perfect. I was able to search hadapsar / baner / sawargate (places in pune) house addresses perfectly and was able to navigate to them effortlessly.

The dashboard mount also doubles up as a windscreen mount. Am satisfied with the product. got it for about 9.5K and is VFM for facilities it offers.

Pros:
1. Multiple languages (inc Hindi / English with multiple accents)
2. Take me Home / Office features where you can save your home and office addresses.
3. House search works well.
4. Saving to favorites is a pretty smooth function.

Cons:
1. Battery life is pretty low. 1.5 hours to be max.
2. The USB cable for connectivity is not provided in box. The same device sells with the cable in US.
3. Inability to save routes.

[Ironhide]

Originally Posted by Bazinga

I bought the Garmin LM50 last week. Have used it for a week and it works like a dream. the initial satellite fix lakes about a min or so but once connected the navigation is perfect. I was able to search hadapsar / baner / sawargate (places in pune) house addresses perfectly and was able to navigate to them effortlessly.

The dashboard mount also doubles up as a windscreen mount. Am satisfied with the product. got it for about 9.5K and is VFM for facilities it offers.

Pros:
1. Multiple languages (inc Hindi / English with multiple accents)
2. Take me Home / Office features where you can save your home and office addresses.
3. House search works well.
4. Saving to favorites is a pretty smooth function.

Cons:
1. Battery life is pretty low. 1.5 hours to be max.
2. The USB cable for connectivity is not provided in box. The same device sells with the cable in US.
3. Inability to save routes.

Congrats on your latest acquisition! A few questions though :-
1. Did it ever lose GPS lock?
2. How easy was the navigation in the city? Is the display large enough to understand at a glance while negotiating unruly traffic in the city? What about sound assist - loud enough to be heard above the din of a regular Indian marketplace?
3. Have you tried it on highway runs? Map accuracy? Are recent additions/alterations on the highway updated regularly?
4. Have you updated the map from lifetime updates? How easy/difficult is it?
5. Ease of use compared to MMI?

[Bazinga]

Originally Posted by Ironhide

Congrats on your latest acquisition! A few questions though :-
1. Did it ever lose GPS lock?
2. How easy was the navigation in the city? Is the display large enough to understand at a glance while negotiating unruly traffic in the city? What about sound assist - loud enough to be heard above the din of a regular Indian marketplace?
3. Have you tried it on highway runs? Map accuracy? Are recent additions/alterations on the highway updated regularly?
4. Have you updated the map from lifetime updates? How easy/difficult is it?
5. Ease of use compared to MMI?

1. Never. It was consistently connected.
2. Navigation in city was smooth. It has a lane view where it tells you properly with a split screen image on what particular exit to take. the sound is pretty good. the max volume is good enuff to be heard in the din.
3. Have tried it only once on highways. accuracy is pretty good. The recent additions were updated on the map.
4. I have not yet updated it but the process is pretty easy. you need to connect it to the PC and then download the updates. the website is prety friendly once you create a profile.
5. Havent used MMI so cant comment on that. I chose this for free map upgrades and this unit came without the bluetooth / mp3 player mumbo jumbo...

[Arunshek]

Originally Posted by Bazinga

1. Never. It was consistently connected.
2. Navigation in city was smooth. It has a lane view where it tells you properly with a split screen image on what particular exit to take. the sound is pretty good. the max volume is good enuff to be heard in the din.
3. Have tried it only once on highways. accuracy is pretty good. The recent additions were updated on the map.
4. I have not yet updated it but the process is pretty easy. you need to connect it to the PC and then download the updates. the website is prety friendly once you create a profile.
5. Havent used MMI so cant comment on that. I chose this for free map upgrades and this unit came without the bluetooth / mp3 player mumbo jumbo...

Hi Bazinga, I'm also looking for a GPS sans the MP3 player, bluetooth. 50LM fits my bill, but then inability to save routes is a minus for me. Have you come across a Nuvi which does the same?

[dharmeshmahajan]

Thanks to you all BHPians, based on your precious inputs, I purchased a Garmin Nuvi 50LM from BestBuy at a bargain price of ~ 140 US$ including taxes. Currently using it in Chicago and I love the experience so far.

Cheers,
Dharmesh

[tj123]

Last week was about to go for a 600 mile road trip to Florida, and when I switched on my 5 months Garmin Nuvi 50LM it just switched on with the GARMIN welcome page but would not further load the maps, thankfully my neighbor had a spare GPS which I borrowed for the trip.

Today went to Best Buy and showed the faulty GPS ,they simple replaced the unit with a new one ,no questions asked, that called customer service.

I hope this one will last and will not turn out to be a lemon.

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by jalsa777

...
One can change the destination or add a 'via point' by clicking on the back button and following the procedure to search for a new destination.
...

Jalsa, wanted to check with you if we can add multiple via points while planning a route in nuvi 50/40LM? I found some online references that said we can only add one via point, which if true is quite limiting. Also were you able to take a look at the trip logs stored on this device? Can we save each trip log with customized names via the user interface itself?

[Ironhide]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Jalsa, wanted to check with you if we can add multiple via points while planning a route in nuvi 50/40LM? I found some online references that said we can only add one via point, which if true is quite limiting. Also were you able to take a look at the trip logs stored on this device? Can we save each trip log with customized names via the user interface itself?

I too have a similar query. Can we add a lot of via points and make our own route, rather than go by the one suggested by the GPS Navigation unit? Alternately, is it possible to mark out a route on, say, google maps ( or a similar interface provided by Garmin on the web/ a dedicated software on a CD etc.) and transfer the same to the GPS Navigation unit via a data cable? If it isn't possible to do so in Nuvi 40/50 LM units then which units support this feature (if at all)? Is it possible in MapmyIndia/Satguide/Tomtom units? Inputs from owners/those familiar with workings of GPS Personal Navigation Devices are welcome.

Cheers !

[Marcus Brutus]

I intend to purchase a sat. nav. (GPRS). I personally feel that Garmin is the way to go. Can anybody throw some light on the best machine available in the market, any suggestions are welcome. Can anybody who has used one, give me some feedback as to how reliable they are and also the information they give us in Indian conditions i.e. hotels to stay, restaurants to eat at and petrol pumps. I have used sat. navs in Europe extensively and know how very accurate they are, but have absolutely no experience of one in India and would be very grateful for some advice in the matter, as they are expensive machines and I would not like to waste my money.

[sgiitk]

Garmin are not called the Mercedes of GPS for nothing. You should get it in India and this way get lifetime map upgrades included. They are very reliable and the maps are also good. I suggest you look at the Garmin India website and decide. I am quite happy with my 4.3" unit.

[jalsa777]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Jalsa, wanted to check with you if we can add multiple via points while planning a route in nuvi 50/40LM? I found some online references that said we can only add one via point, which if true is quite limiting. Also were you able to take a look at the trip logs stored on this device? Can we save each trip log with customized names via the user interface itself?

Originally Posted by Ironhide

I too have a similar query.

Frankly, I do not remember these things exactly as it has been a long time since I had the device with me. But, I will check my pictures archive if I find something that will throw some light.

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by Bazinga

I bought the Garmin LM50 last week. Have used it for a week and it works like a dream.
...

Hi Bazinga, can you confirm if we can add multiple via points for a route in Nuvi 50LM (e.g., Pune to Bangalore via Ratnagiri, Panaji, Karwar)? I had asked this question a few posts back to Jalsa.

[Bazinga]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Hi Bazinga, can you confirm if we can add multiple via points for a route in Nuvi 50LM (e.g., Pune to Bangalore via Ratnagiri, Panaji, Karwar)? I had asked this question a few posts back to Jalsa.

Yes you can add multiple via points. its possible and works too

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Yes you can add multiple via points. its possible and works too

Thanks for confirming this Bazinga. So I can now pickup the 50LM/40LM since I am not so much interested in the other features offered by the higher end models except the ability to save routes. But I can live with that. Have you also tried to access the trip logs and import them to Google earth or other map applications?

Did you buy the device from a shop in Pune? If so, can you share the details of the retailer?