Garmin Drive 51 GPS Navigator With Lifetime Maps

Ok the first one came in and was dead, hooked to USB and it just starts flashing Garmin and would never load, 2nd one the screen did boot up but then screen lightly flashes and would not map update. Don’t buy they a junk

the gps working good but when I update I can’t do it ,I don’t why , just try lots time then working ,shipping ok, but the box look like open before

The size is easy to see. There is a warning when curves in the road are up ahead. The sound is clear and easy to understand. It announces future turns much earlier than the Nuvi model I’ve used for years. The negatives are that saving locations is much more inconvenient, there are no categories for saving places. The battery life is almost nonexistent as it must be plugged into the car to work properly. I’m satisfied in using it when traveling in a rental car to new areas or as a backup to the Nuvi model.

Original Review 8/20/21 [5 stars]: Took a chance on this “renewed” item. So far, so good. Out of the box it looked brand new. Updated the maps, which only took about 35 mins, and then used it for a trial run in familiar territory around Lake Michigan: MI, IL, WI, out to MN, back through the UP, and then down to where we started — about 1800 miles. It preformed just fine, even while spending hours on the dash in the hot August sun. The only issue I had was an occasionally stubborn screen within the settings menu. Not sure if that’s an issue in general with this model or not. That said, the screen is FAR more responsive when manipulating the map than my previous Garmin (a nuvi 1450 which lasted probably 13 years, so no complaints). The included attachment fit the dash mount I already have. GPS boots up and finds satellite connection quickly. There seems to be more ways to customize this model, I set it to show gas stations, hotels and restaurants. This was really helpful while we traveled rural county highways. It gives a tone and visual warning when a reduced speed zone is ahead (including school zones), I appreciate those. The curved road warnings I can do without, they can be pesky but I suppose may be useful after dark on a rural road. My old unit gave a visual indication of how many lanes split off on the interstate, this one gives verbal instruction, like “be in any of the 3 right lanes”. I like that change. But if audible sounds become bothersome, there’s a shortcut tools icon on the map (which can be customized) where muting the narrative or other other adjustments can be done easily. Didn’t do anything to set up the traffic feature (thought I read that it needs to be enabled?), just worked automatically. It warned of construction, accidents, and other delays, including how much time to expect the delay to be. There were a few warnings of construction delays that didn’t exist so I’m glad we didn’t reroute on those. Overall, we found the maps to be accurate and the unit to be helpful while traveling. That’s the goal. I considered other, less-expensive models, but am very glad I stuck with Garmin. It’s a quality, reputable product. Amazon offers a 90 day return policy on this renewed item, that makes it worth trying IMO.
Review Update 3/12/22: Months later, and beyond the return window, my GPS is starting to have some issues. Others have complained about the short battery life, true. But worse, mine goes dead within a week of not being used. Previous model could sit for months on a shelf between uses and still have some charge left. This is very annoying when needed for a spontaneous jaunt -or- when I want to program it at home before a trip. Need to charge it first, which takes HOURS. Also, the screen has become considerably more temperamental. No longer responsive to light touches, now I have to basically smash it. Again, don’t know if these issues are typical for this model or because its a “renewed” unit. I’m bummed. Down to 3 stars as it does technically work as a GPS very well.

Tired of getting lost. This Gps is great for trips or finding your way around town. you can also update your software on computer at home. Once you learn how to use this Gps you won’t want to be without one

satisfait