Customer Reviews

Magellan 2009 One-Time U.S. Map Update for Magellan GPS Navigators (SD Card)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Although the upgrade was what was advertised it was very little for the amount paid. For what is being charged for upgrades you can buy a new GPS every couple of years and forego the upgrades. With that said, very easy installation and the instructions were spot on. Good job on the technical stuff and ease of installation. Just too damned expensive for what you got.

I purchased the so-called update from Magellan when they sent me an email that my Roadmate was in need of one, only to find that major road changes made three years ago in my state were not included. As I travel extensively, I also noticed major road changes in other states (i.e. The Big Dig in Boston) were not in the "update." I complained directly to Magellan that I felt duped, but despite the fact they said they would get back to me, they didn't. If you purchase this, go to an area where you know the traffic pattern changed over the past few years and see if Magellan's "update" reflects the change. If not, send it back for a refund. Also, in the update, they changed the interface screens, using smaller fonts and making the screen less user-friendly. The touch-screen buttons also function differently than the original software. Buyer beware.

My experience with the Magellan Maestro GPS was bad from the start....it's inability to find a satellite often kept it 'searching' for 10 minutes at a time (normally, long after I had missed the correct street or turn). Then the GPS wouldn't recognize when I was starting from a new location, and would map out from the last location I visited, no matter how many times I would turn the system on and off or reset. As a last resort, I purchased this map, thinking that the updates would help the GPS run smoother. WRONG!! Not only did it start auto-suggesting unrecognizable street names as I plugged in the information, but it wouldn't recognize places it had been before the GPS was updated with the map. And God forbid that a street had the initial 'N' for 'North' as part of the name. The system would start calling it something really weird, and if you are depending on the audio directions while you drive, it can be very confusing when you are expecting to here NORTH Main Street and the system calls it something else. The last thing, and probably worst of all, is that once you load this map on your system, you're done. Doesn't matter if you lose the GPS, if you return the GPS (as I did) or if the GPS crashes. This is a ONE USE ONLY map, and for this type of money, you should at least have some type of recourse if you have problems using it.

The new update comes on an SD card, rather than a download like the previous upgrade. Nowhere in the loading directions does it tell you that you have to leave the SD card in the unit. We only found this out by my husband writing to Magellan. We are finding the upgrade is not very user-friendly, full of erratic directions and has to be reset from the beginning if we stop at a rest area on the interstate, rather than being able to 'resume'. There are newly expanded POI's and POI categories, but directions on getting to them often requires 'making a legal u-turn'...which isn't necessary.

Update your software to v. 3.12 first from Magellan website. Remove old sd card,install new card,hit reset button.That's it.

Easy update by inserting SD card into Maestro 3250 SD slot and resetting unit. It now takes about 20 seconds longer to reboot the unit. Once the SD card is read, GPS asks to sleect your region (Lower 48 SD), etc. If you check your User Options/Map info, it will display Map version 7.0.

NOTE: you must backup using another SD card. I tried backing up the addresses and the Update SD will not let me. You cannot copy the update to a larger 4gb SD card from the original 2gb card.

Magellan map update.

I purchased this because my unit, although only one year old, came with a 2007 map which did not recognize some major construction projects in the area in which I live. While such is not a major problem close to home, it made me think that places not familar to me may also be incorrect. Thus, I decided to purchase the update. To my surprise the new map is also wrong. The map has provided incorrect and "odd" routes on several occasions since installed. I expected much more and do not think it was a good investment.

Frankly, I haven't been in a situation to need the new map upgrade as of yet, but I will say I am very disappointed in that since I downloaded it to my gps I have had to use the reset button a half dozen times. It seems the gps just freezes and the only thing that seems to get it to go is to use the reset button. Prior to the map upgrade I only had to use the reset button one time.... Not pleased about this. It was very easy to install just hope it will work properly and won't have to keep resetting it and then of course when I travel that the upgrades will be helpful.

I bought the map update for my Maestro 3250 directly from Magellan. Installation was easy, but after installation, I was unable to get enough satellite reception for a position fix. I spent a half hour on the phone with the Magellan technician but in the end, he couldn't help and offered a special price on a refurbished unit since my unit was out of warranty. The unit had worked fine the day before the map update.

Update: After a few hours, the satellite tracking improved to where it had been before the map update. I would now rate this four stars.

There wasn't much instruction to change the smart card, I'm not tech savy in the first place. Luckily my bro-in law helped. So, the gps, look at the bottom of the screen = Turn off the gps = {Under the MENU}, and you'll see a black tape. Carefully take the tape off, push the smart card that's inside to pop and replace with the new one, put the black tape back. That's how you do it.

Yes, you must upgrade to the latest version before you do this. It'll take less than 5 mins.

Honestly, I don't have the best experience with Magellan since my last trip to East Coast, Canada and surrounding Area. It kept giving me a wrong or making a huge loop direction. Seriously, I'm giving them a second chance. I'm going to Vegas with this update version. I will update this review when I come back. Until then...