Garmin nüvi 350 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Reviews

1. Tom-Tom better for travel – and both are bad if you need a specific store

   by Formerly Fatlady

   We travel a lot – often with multiple interim destinations. The Garmin does not allow you to set up a trip with interim destinations – the Tom-Tom does. For that reason, I recommend the Tom-Tom over the Garmin for travel.

   We often need to find specialty stores (Toys R Us, Hobby Lobby, etc.)in unfamiliar cities. I recently needed to find a Toys R us in Knoxville TN. I had to use Google Map on my phone and then enter the address into the Garmin to get it to direct me. Same thing happened a few days later when I needed a Hobby Lobby in Chattanooga, TN. Both stores had been at the same location for 5 of more years.

   Both Garmin & Tom-Tom seem to have omitted these stores from their databases – not sure why, but I suspect these companies are trying to make the stores pay to be found by their databases. If so, they are making a huge marketing mistake – should a service like Bing or Google decide to add a subscription talking directional application, both firms would find their product obsolete in short order

2. ok but has 2 problems

   by Geek goddess

   We have used this GPS in various US states over the last 2 years. While it has been ok overall (we only use it for directions, not for music and all the other stuff it can do) We have always had the following issues:

   1. The suction cup suddenly falls off the windshield at times. This can be dangerous for the driver. So now the passenger just holds it in his/her hand and it is not safe if the driver is alone.

   2. Sometimes the satellites just don’t load. This seems to have nothing to do with area (cos it has happened in areas where it has previously worked) or weather.

   You would be better off trying the dashboard mounted models, at least they wont fall off and hit the driver’s face! While this has taken us to many places .. I don’t think its worth the money given that these are getting so much cheaper these days.

3. My Trusty Travel Companion

   by Avid Reviewer

   I used iGuidance 1.0 for the Pocket PC for over 4 years before I got the Garmin nüvi. I loved the iGuidance but the Garmin nüvi blew me away!

   Accuracy
   
   ——–
   
   The nüvi is very accurate; it has yet to fail to bring me to my destination. However, I’ve encountered a few instances where an address or road wasn’t in the nüvi database (I have the 2009 maps). In such cases, your best bet would be to simply enter an adjacent or nearby location into the nüvi.

   Directions
   
   ———-
   
   The software lets you know how far ahead your next turn is when you’re within between about .1 to .5 miles. It says something like “In .1 miles, turn left onto Broadway” and a few hundred feet before your turn, it omits the information on the distance before your turn and simply says “Turn left onto Broadway.” I wish it used feet instead of miles when specifying distances .2 mile (1056 ft) or less but it’s a minor complaint.

   The software gives you the directions for two successive turns that are very close together (say, 300 feet apart) all at once to make sure you have ample time to respond to the second turn that immediately follows the first. For example, “Take exit 70, then keep left”, or “Turn right, then immediately turn left.”

   However, it may occasionally notify you of a turn a little late, which results in you missing the turn. Thankfully, this doesn’t happen very often. If you do miss a turn, however, the software recalculates a new route very quickly (within a couple of seconds)!

   Auto-Off/Resume Function
   
   ————————
   
   My Garmin is a permanent fixture in my car. I leave the car adapter permanently hooked up to the unit. What I really love about it is it automatically turns off when the external power supply is lost. What this translates to is whenever I turn off my car engine, the unit automatically shuts itself off. When I start my car, the unit automatically fires back up. It gets better – it remembers your set destination when it turns back on and resumes giving you directions to your destination. This feature is handy for when I need to fill up on gas midway to a destination. After I’m done filling up my tank, I start my car, at which point the GPS unit fires back up and immediately resumes giving me directions to my destination. Very cool! This makes the Garmin nüvi the perfect In-Car GPS solution!

   Data Entry
   
   ———-
   
   The keys for entering addresses into the nüvi are arranged alphabetically from A-Z, not in a QWERTY format. Personally, I find the tedium of having to hunt for letters in the A-Z format a real inconvenience and annoyance!

   Lock It
   
   ——-
   
   You can lock your nüvi with a 4-digit PIN. The package comes with 2 decals that state that your GPS unit is secured with a security code to deter would-be thieves from stealing the unit.

   Text-To-Speech
   
   ————–
   
   The text to speech still sounds like it comes from a synthesized voice but it’s perfectly intelligible.

   Nice Extras
   
   ———–
   
   - SD card Slot
   
   Since the unit can serve as an MP3 Player and a photo viewer, it has an SD card slot allows you to load mp3 and photos (JPEG) onto the unit.

   - MP3 Player
   
   The MP3 Player is very basic. It has shuffle and repeat track/playlist. The unit will only read mp3 files in the root directory of the SD card; it will not read mp3 files that are in a folder. It will, however, read playlist (pls) files, which can have their source from one or more folders / sub folders. There are other limitations to the mp3 player:
   
   (i) you cannot delete tracks
   
   (ii) you cannot arrange/edit your playlists

   To edit/delete your tracks or playlists, you will need to do so in your computer, mobile device, or music device.

   - Picture Viewer
   
   You can load your photos via the SD card slot and view it on the screen.

   nüvi 350 vs. nüvi 360
   
   ———————
   
   The only difference between the nüvi 350 and the nüvi 360 is the nüvi 360 has Bluetooth for connecting your cell phone whereas the nüvi 350 doesn’t.

   Alternatives
   
   ————
   
   I would really recommend the Garmin nüvi 765/765T 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic instead. The nüvi 765/765T has *live* traffic (it comes with a traffic receiver and a *free* lifetime traffic subscription) – it factors in current traffic conditions and routes you accordingly. It has a built-in FM transmitter so you’ll be able to listen to the voice directions (and music, if you choose to use the included MP3 player) through the stereo/surround-sound speakers in your car. It also has bluetooth and a host of other features. Here’s the clincher – it costs half as much as the nüvi 350 sold here!

   Conclusion
   
   ———-
   
   The Garmin nüvi is a very affordable In-Car GPS Solution. Apart from the cumbersome interface (A-Z keys) for entering your destination, I really don’t have very much else to complain about it. As good as the nüvi 350 is, I would strongly recommend the nüvi 765/765T instead. It has many, many more features than the nüvi 350 and costs half as much!

4. Doesn’t take the most direct routes

   by Melissa Shriver

   Turning it on and off is a problem. Spent 80 minutes on the phone when ours lost maps, only to have more problems. Would not buy another Garmin product. This GPS is like dealing with a stubborn child!

5. Love it!

   by Diana Cuellar

   My GPS has been the best money I’ve ever spent. When you print out an online map, you’re distracted by reading it and when you miss your turn, you’re stuck like Chuck to find your way back. This talks to you as well as giving you the option to glance down and read the instruction. If you’re like me, then you’ve rushed out of your office to a meeting and realized once you’re on the road that you left your online map directions on your desk. With a GPS, you don’t have to worry about it.
   
   It takes a couple of minutes to find a signal sometimes. This model also gives you other options like avoiding tollroads, traffic, highways, etc. (I hate toll roads!) You can also save locations you go to often. So once you’re ready to leave your current location, you can just hit, “home” or “work” without putting the address every time.
   

6. We love our Garmin

   by Mandy E. Riddle

   I purchased this almost 2 years ago and still love it! I went with this model because it was on sale at the time and I’m so glad I did.

   I like that when she tells you where to turn she gives you the name of the road. I guess some GPS units don’t name the road. We’ve enjoyed the MP3 player also. On long drives to my mom’s or to my mother-in-laws house, we play the kids music and Garmin will stop the music to tell us where to turn.

   I have found that when we are in that horrible city Chicago, Garmin has a hard time connecting. I’m guessing it would be that way anywhere there are large buildings everywhere. Ewe… I so dislike Chicago. Yuck.

   We haven’t yet uploaded more current maps, but it is getting to the point where we really need to. I’m not looking forward to paying the money for it, but hey- with as much as we’ve used this in the last year and a half, it’s worth it.

7. Takes Forever to Connect to Satellites

   by David

   I have one of the old odd shaped Garmins and that thing still works great. I tried to upgrade to a Nuve 350, and although the nunit is compact, it takes FOREVER to connect to satallites, sometimes 15- 20 minutes. If your in a hurry to get somewhere, this unit totally sucks. Also, found problems with the speech matching the map directions. Will tell you to go 3.4 miles and then turn, when the graphical shows you turning in 500 feet. I sent mine back to Garmin and they sent me a replacement. Did the same thing. Problem with the model, not the unit. I would say to avoid this unit. Overall, I love Garmin. Their units are miles ahead of the competitors. Very easy to use. However, this model has some big flaws. I would recommend to stay away from this model.

8. Map updates not available

   by Oleg A. Lomakin

   Garmin’s support is horrible. I purchased Nuvi 350 NA a year ago and was not able to update my maps (I’m leaving for vacation) because I don’t remember a username that I used for unit registration. While other sites usually have many automated ways to overcome this issue, Garmin’s web site does not make it easy and sends you to customer center phone number.
   
   I called it in the morning after they start their working hours (8:00am Central) and hanged down after waiting an hour on the phone. An attempt to email or post a message via web site initiates a quiz with mandatory questions that seem irrelevant and hard to answer. I gave up and rating I’m giving to product is a small tribute to my frustration
   

9. Great gadget

   by Ginny B

   We love our Nuvi. We’ve had it for 2.5 years and use it constantly. We have purchased the map updates which helps with accuracy. She (yes, ours is a girl. We joke that she’s another person in our car) doesn’t love the city though, I guess the tall buildings or close streets confuse her but she always figures it out. Also, I wish she had a feature where you could avoid a certain road. You can hit “detour” but that’s only to get you off the road you’re already on and it always ends up putting you back on that road. Of course, if you just ignore her and avoid a road she’ll recalculate but that requires you to know a little bit about where you’re going. I also wish that if there are several routes which are about the same time that it would give you a list of options. You have to play with the “fastest time” and “shortest distance” settings because sometimes they’re the same time or close and one is a much better route. Perhaps these features are on newer models though. Overall, she’s very sturdy and well worth the price paid. We’ll stick with her for a while I’m sure!

10. Be forwarned… these units will die without warning

    by Ronald J. Legere

    My nuvi 350 lasted almost 3 years, and I guess I should count myself lucky. See these little units have a habit of suddenly deciding that they will not receive satellite signals anymore. They just stop working with “Lost signal”, and that’s it, you are out of luck. Most likely it is the RF oscillator. Or an antennae problem. Anyway, mine is now a paperweight.
    

11. Great Product

    by Paul Neuhaus

    It works, but like everything, updates are expensive. I am still using my 2007 maps, but if I traveled more, I would get the perpetual update available, as it is a better deal.

12. Consider Map Updates

    by Gary Bisogna

    Having owned the Garmin 350 for several years, here’s a few considerations: If you know your routes, follow what you know. Garmin (or any GPS) are most helpful when you’re in unfamiliar territory. No GPS is error-free. This 350 has nice voice/accent choices, and its feature of announcing turns by street names is helpful. No matter what brand you purchase, first look into map update costs. Some offer one or more free updates. Here, Garmin falls short. If you don’t follow their strict rules listed on [...] website, you forfeit your one potential update in 60 days. Then you have to pay $70 for a single update, or $120 for lifetime updates. This is disappointingly pricey. One is tempted to throw away their Garmin and just purchase a new GPS for about the same amount.

13. garmin nuvi 350

    by paul

    This garmin is easy to use, and has lots of handy features. It beats mapquest.

14. Takes too long to connect to satellites

    by S. Donofrio

    This would be a great gps if it didn’t take 5-10 minutes to connect to a satellite. Sometimes I get lucky and it connects within a minute or 2, but most of the time it takes at least 3-5 minutes. Sometimes rebooting it helps to connect, but not always.

    Aside from that it is a great device. Maybe it’s just mine and I bought a lemon, but I would not recommend this gps.

15. Garmin GPS

    by T. Perna

    This is a handy device to have if you don’t “pre-route” yourself through Google Maps or Mapquest. Over time I am using it less and less. The search feature is undesirable in that it takes so long to bring up a search sometimes. Even when the search destination is not that far away.

    A very annoying item tho is the fact that you have to pay for a “Map Upgrade” after a period of time. Computers and software are upgraded everyday without us having to pay for the same features already installed! A good thing to have in the beginning of a move or if you’re a traveling salesman, but for now, it’s just collecting dust.

16. A discontinued Classic

    by Kerry

    You can’t buy this (new) from Garmin anymore but if you happen to find one at a yard sale at a used price … Grab it!! It doesn’t have Blue tooth, lifetime traffic updates and a LOT of the features on Garmins web site aren’t compatible with it. But what it does do is get you from point “A” to point “B” JUST AS GOOD, if not BETTER than anything else on the market. It also has up to 8(eight) hours of battery life so if you want to use the “pedestrian” mode you van do so for up to 8(eight) hours. The battery is also pretty darn good too, since mine is going on 5 years old and still has at least 6 hours (the longest I’ve used it on battery power) of “juice to power it. I could go into a lot of technical reasons why this gps, if you can find one, would be worth SERIOUS consideration but most buyers are interested in “whistles and bells” like traffic updates and blue tooth and the fact that todays units only have a max battery life of 5 hours don’t concern them. But 8 hours if your into Geocaching might be worth looking into.

17. bob

    by Robert R. Fink

    Been having some time now and it still works great. No need to buy map up date. Cheaper to buy a new one in a few years. Fast shipping

18. Much better Garmin Nuvi values out there

    by Terence McArdle

    Having owned this unit for two years, I agree with every positive word. But the 350’s time has come and gone. It’s time to consider the newer, less-expensive Nuvis out there, unless you can get this for $100 or less.

19. Worst GPS I have used

    by Ling Wang

    I do not know why so many people say “excellent” to thus product, I list some bad features for you. If you do not agree, give your reason.

    1. Terrible satellite receiver. Usually it takes more than 15 minutes to find satellite signal in sunny days!
    
    2. It should show a small turn sign telling you what is the next turn (it only tell you 0.3 miles before turn, this is not enough in heavy traffics)
    
    3. Very slow map transition. It takes a long while to show your situation after you make a turn.
    
    4. Stupid road selection. It has two options for you: faster time or shorter distance. It is difficult for you to select every time. So usually you do not select. Thus, it always try to take you to freeway even if it has less than 1 mile on freeway, if the selection is faster time, and in many cases, this option make you to drive much long distance.
    
    5. Bad quality. I bought it in June, 2008, but in December 2009, the speakers mute. It will cost $87 to repair. This amount is enough to buy a new good Gps now.
    
    6. Very expensive. Equal GPS costs about$150.

    One thing is positive: the battery should be good although I aslways link to the car charger when in use.
    

20. We have so much fun with this new toy!!

    by Yorkxan

    Where do we want to go? Where do we want to eat? What new places are around here? Wow, we have had a blast with the Garmin GPS. The only problem is when we get near a location…say a local exhibit we follow the local signs because the GPS tends to send us the long way around. Other than that it has been great, goes on all our trips.