Customer Reviews

Garmin nuvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Pink)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have purchased dozens of GPS units, some for myself (Garmin nuvi 350 and 750, Street Pilot 2720 and 2820, Colorado 400T, 60 CSx, Rino 130, the Dash Express, etc.) and many for others, mostly as gifts. This unit was a gift for a someone who gets lost often and needed something basic in order to get around. I purchased the Garmin nuvi 250 in pink at a very good price from Amazon and I am very happy with that decision.

The Garmin nuvi 250 is a basic GPS, still it has some features that make it a great travel GPS. One thing that I like is that it is smaller than my 750 (and all of the other 4.3" nuvi models) and it does not need the built-in flip up antenna that some models have (such as the 300 and the 600 series) so it fits neatly into a pocket.

The main thing that I find missing is the TTS (Text-to-Speech) feature which pronounces the names of the streets. Instead of saying "Turn right on Broadway Street" like units with TTS, the 250 will say "Turn right at the next intersection". TTS is a good feature to have, yet if you look at the written commands on the top of the display they list the street by name even though it will not announce it.

Still, one of the biggest and seldom mentioned benefits of a small, compact GPS receiver is the ability to take it out of the car and navigate as a pedestrian while walking in unfamiliar areas. I have used mine to find restaurants, stores, museums and other places of interest in cities like San Francisco, San Diego, Manhattan, Chicago, etc. If you have even gotten lost on a self-directed walking tour then you can appreciate the freedom that this little guy will give you, knowing that no matter how far you roam you will always be able to find the most direct route back to your car or hotel.

No GPS is perfect. Maps go out of date fairly quickly and updates from Garmin are few and far between (and cost quite a bit). Restaurants go out of business often and I have been standing in front of empty buildings that my GPS directed me to more than once. Still, having a device like this is way better than not having one. If you are looking for a basic GPS receiver then look no further. Garmin is a great brand and I highly recommend this one.

Just tried my Nuvi250 to Texas State Fair in Dallas. This device did what it meant to be. Bring us to Dallas sound and safe.
There is only one concern about it: do the turning when it ask you to do so. There is several times we make our turn earlier just after we heard "in 0.2mile, turn left". But in fact, you will make the correct turn when it really tell you turn left.
Besides that, it also did warn us for which side of lane we had to keep when comes to separate lane. POI are great, we can search all the thing we need all the way.
This unit come with a 2008 map, but you can update your map to 2009 map free online by the time you register it with Garmin.
If I need to complain, it is when it almost reach the destination, I had to shut it down or else it will always try to reroute and reconstruct us to go to the exact point. Although the map is the latest, but due to the reconstruction of I-10 in Houston, this machine mistakenly thought we are off the highway. This is not exactly a con, just that the road changes too fast.
By the end, I never regret to buy this thing. Only thing I dislike is, Garmin never include a wall plug adaptor and a USB connector in the package. It took more more money to buy those utilities. One approach I am doing is to buy a Ac wall plug to car 12V DC cigar socket adaptor. That device cost me 4USD while the AC wall plug adaptor will cost 14USD. So choose the cheaper way.

I use GPS oftenly, mostly from rental car - from the early phone type with operator assist, the Megellan unit comes with most Hertz, and Garmin GPS from Alamo/National. I find Garmin GPS is the most user friendly GPS. I brought the unit I purchase to Vegas, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon. And now I am back in Malaysia and I travel to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. I also got a Australia map for my 2009/5 trip to Melbourne -> Gold Coast.

What I like:
1. Touch Screen
2. Abundance of Maps
3. Easy to use - I never read the manual

What I don't like:
1. No qwerty keyboard like input
2. Locating the satellite can take up to 5-10 minutes half of the time.

This is a great little GPS unit for $129, however I'm extremely frustrated with Amazon and how it communicates the latest mapping software on each device. How many sites do I have a research to figure out that in 2008, this NUVI 250 has 2006 mapping software? I checked around, and the upgrade is $54 right now, so still cheaper than buying the newest version which is over $200.

My first GPS was a Garmin I5, also for people on a budget The NUVI 250 (200 series) is a great improvement....larger screen and touch screen capabilities is a bonus over the old scroll wheel!

I purchased the GPS as a last minute birthday gift for my daughter who was leaving for college for the first time....500 miles away. Not being familiar with the area, I thought a GPS would be a perfect gift as well as giving me peace of mind knowing she will never get lost. The over night shipping was essential as we were leaving the next day. I was able to track the package and was relieved when it arrived in time. She was so excited when she opened it and we were able to take it straight from the box to mounted in her car. Thanks Amazon.com!

First of all, I can't begin to explain on how amazing this little GPS is. I am not afraid to admit that I'm HORRIBLE with any sort of directions, but this Nuvi helps me out so much. Its so simple, easy to see, and the color pink adds some girlyness to it.

Cons: It takes a little while to acquire the satelites, especially when you first turn it on, and sometimes you need to switch between the Fastest Route and Shortest Distance because the directions are kinda weird.
But other than that, anyone who isn't looking to spend a fortune on a GPS, this is definetely the one for you.

I thought for the price of this item, that it was a good deal. Very happy with how it works.

I have a new gadget that has turned into a tool. I was running late because of traffic. I called the friends I was to meet and met them at the church. I had never been to the place before, punched in the name of the church, and was there with out a hitch. At that point the money I spent on the gadget was well worth it. I have purchased a second for my daughter. I think this is a great product.

The Good: Well It's small, cute, and gets you where your going. The brand name means quality and you need it with all these off-brand deals.

The Bad: It doesn't list all the side streets by name and takes a while to find satellites. If you start the car and plug in an address without it completing the "search for satellites", you will lose all you typed in and will end up pulling over to re-input.

Summary: For $100 bucks, you cant beat it!

I purchased this for my mother. Easy to use right out of the box! Takes you home from anywhere! You can even take it on a trip, use it when you get there to keep from getting lost. And save $20.00 a day off the car rental. I think everyone should have one. Never get lost again!