Review on 📍 Garmin nuvi 265W/265WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Traffic (Discontinued by Manufacturer) by Matt Larsen

This is my fourth Garmin Nuvi, I have used several over the past few years. This device offers you a good balance between features and price. Some of the great features are: - 4.3 inch screen size required to see your route clearly - Device size, slim, easy to install and carry. Your pocket routing with Magellan and Tom Tom in addition to Garmin. I prefer Garmin routing, followed by Magellan and Tom Tom. However, each has its own characteristics. Garmin says it "recalculates" if you take a wrong turn, while Magellan simply reroutes without even letting you know you've missed the original route. In some cases, Magellan also tends to warn you to move out earlier than Garmin, which can be nice. In general, with every map update, I found that Garmin gave me some fun routes, like it was telling you to get off the freeway and then get you back on the same freeway. Common sense always helps when moving. In urban areas, where many streets are often one-way, it can also get confusing at times, so it's good to keep your eyes and ears open. However, it is no worse than any other GPS system out there. The turn-by-turn voice prompts with street names are nice as you never have to look at the screen if you don't want to. - Bluetooth - very user friendly, downloads your complete phone book and shows you all missed calls etc just like your phone screen. Answering a call is easy and the sound quality is acceptable. You can load custom POIs/waypoints using the POI Loader software. Many POIs are also available free of charge on the Internet at various locations. I am constantly updating the addresses of Starbucks, Walmart, traffic cam intersections, etc. via these free databases. - Use an SD card to expand storage. - More user-friendly interface than the previous Garmin Nuvi. FINALLY Garmin QWERTY Keyboard (Hooray!) - Where's My Feature? which tells you the nearest gas station, nearest hospital etc, I use this a lot when traveling - Speed Limit Indicator - Shows you the speed limit for major roads and warns you if you're speeding, although sometimes it can be weird. and tell you to drive slower than the posted speed limit - Eco route - gives you a more economical route - to be honest I haven't used it much, I prefer the shortest route, fastest time options - Garmin anti-theft device - allows you to set a password to prevent your GPS from being unlocked if it is stolen or if your car is stolen, a person cannot use the GPS to get all your information like home address etc. but some might appreciate it to know. - Garmin Customer Service - I have used them several times over the last 5 years, although you have to call during the day you get a real person from their US office and they are always polite and helpful. They often went above and beyond what I expected - like replacing an old mount when it was out of warranty, replacing my charger when I misplaced it, etc., even sending me an international charger (free) when I travel what she won my loyalty. Frustrating: - The traffic feature helps avoid major traffic jams from time to time, but usually it seems to be 1 hour behind on its updates and may prompt you to watch traffic where there is none. Best use your knowledge for local city routes and commuting and mainly use this feature in unfamiliar cities. Also, the "free" lifetime traffic feature comes with ads, so every once in a while you'll see ads or a coupon that can be annoying. Other features not available in this Nuvi found in other models: directs you to the right lane to dodge, etc. useful feature in other Nuvis due to static electricity I've experienced - MP3 and audio book players - I don't miss it because I don't miss it Never used, my phone is enough! - Traffic Trends - gives you a route based on the most common traffic patterns - My Trends - shows you new routes based on past behavior Why buy a GPS? Although I have GPS on my phone I like having a dedicated system as the route is often better and more intuitive. Also, if you travel frequently, there may not be 3G coverage, but the satellite navigation system will still work. Once, when I had a problem with a car in a remote location where I didn't have WiFi, my Nuvi was able to use its database to direct me to the nearest garage. Rescuer! All in all it's a good system, there are others that are fully featured, but this one gives you the best at the best price. Excellent purchase.