Magellan 800 vs 760 and Dash Mounting for 800.
340138
One of my friends visited my house from Las Vegas and told me that he had Magellan 300 and it was very useful in getting him to the destination. I found a sale price for Magellan 800 and bought it. So far I am very pleased with the purchase.

I was comparing 800 and 760. I was thinking the Text feature and louder voice of 760 would be very nice. But the features like 'Rechargable Battery' and 'MP3 player' functionality are very tempting in 800. I loaded most of my mp3 collection in the unit. It is very handy when you are going through familiar roads or in a long freeway.

When you enter the street number, be sure that it has taken the exact number you have given. Sometimes it will assume a number if it could not find a match. You can verify this by looking at the 'View' button.

It is said that Windscreen mounting is illegal in California and some other states. I still see many drivers using Windscreen mount, but I was a bit reluctant to use it. I ordered the Magellan Roadmate Dash Mount through Amazon. Though the dashboard was not given as compatible with Magellan 800, I could easily use the two upper screws to Mount the 800 and it was very sturdy.

As long as it does not break, I think it is a very good Buy for the money spent.
2921909
This is my second Maestro!!  I bought a 3.5" a couple years ago and its performed super!!  The only reason I bought this new one was because of the bigger 5" screen!  I passed my first one down to my daughter (Lord knows she needs guidence!! LOL).  The Magellan are very easy to use and very intutive.  My first GPS was a Garmin and its a bit more complicated.

The one option that I purchased with this new one was the weighted dash mounting pad.  In MN its against the law to mount it to the windshield so it mounts to the pad and sits firmly on the dash.  The bonus is that you can remove it from the dash and hide it out of sight and there is no tell-tale suctioncup mark telling everyone that theres a GPS inside.  Thats a real security plus in my book.

I called tech support once for help and they were very friendly and helpful.

The only negative is that it comes with a CD as an instruction manual. To obtain a print version you have to print it out on your home printer.  I would like a print instruction manual to refer to instead of putting the CD in my computer.  I would even be willing to purchase it as an option.

BOTTOM LINE:  Get the Magellan for ease of navagation!  Very quick to learn and use.  Enjoy the journey. Enjoy EVERY journey!
4392090
I took a chance with this model after reading various negative reviews.  I won't speak to all of the features as some of the other reviews are way more detailed than what I would like to say.  I read that a lot of reviewers had problems with updating maps and thought the mount was too flimsy.  I previously had Windows XP and I didn't have any problems loading the software, updating maps and customizing my TomTom right out of the box.  In regards to the mount issue, I knew I'd probably have a problem with the mount, and so I bought the Akron dash mount, which I love.  So, no problems so far.  It never locks up, the traffic works great in Chicago (I travel North out of Chicago and it always catches traffic for me), and I'm really enjoying the screen size and features.  I did a lot of research between this model vs Garmins (I've had a Garmin the past) and I decided on TomTom, mostly for the free, lifetime traffic and maps.  Glad I took a chance on this model.
2511298
The tech support people know their stuff, but the hold times are impossible---often almost an hour.  This may be the industry standard, though---I had a Garmin and had the same trouble reaching someone.

The size of the screen is great but be sure to get a heavy duty mount with the wider suction cup, as the unit is so heavy that it falls over when used with the mount that comes with the unit.  Check on the Magellan website.  And check the curvature of your windshield.  Mine was too curved to allow for a windshield mount.
2882059
I had a navigation system in my 1998 Lexus, and now in my 2005 Lexus.  This Magellan is far better than all of the others.  I became proficient in its use with about an hour of study.  I have already spent 8 or 10 hours with the new Lexus and still find it confusing, even after all the experience with the previous Lexus.  There are lots of addresses the Lexus can't find, but the Magellan goes right to them.

  When we travel, we like to explore the countryside, usually avoiding interstates, so a navigation system is a rreal asset.  This portable has two distinct advantages over a fixed unit.  1) While one person is driving, the passenger can hold it by hand and navigate, or input destinations.  With the fixed unit, Big Brother won't let the passenger do anything while the car is moving.  2) You can take it into the motel room, and plan the next day's route without having to sit out in the car.

  It sometimes gets confused in cities.  In a few instances, the voice said to turn one way, where the screen showed the opposite way.  Turns out the screen was right.

  There is one limitation that the Lexus unit doesn't have.  You can input only one destination, and can't put in waypoints to define the route.  This is not a major problem, because you can program all the waypoints individually in advance and save them as destinations.  Then set the active destination as the first waypoint, then when you arrive there, change to the second waypoint, etc.

  Bottom line: The next trip with the new Lexus, we're going to take along the Magellan and ignore the expensive unit in the car.
4268377
I bought this SanDisk Secure Data card to use with my Magellan Meridian GPS.  SD cards from Magellan are outrageously over priced and they don't tell you, you can use one of these. But it works perfectly and saved me about 70% on the cost. It was a fantastic value.
-P-
1348115
Nice unit but I could not get the mapping to download. In all fairness, I don't know if it was my inexperience or a problem with my computer or the GPS unit. I sent it back. Amazon refunded my money with no fuss. I wound up buying a Magellan Explorist 300. I really like it. This was a better choice for my use hunting and hiking. No worry about downloads or expensive maps.
1263140
I currently have several different GPS Units. I seem to buy a few new ones each year. Some for work, others for play.

This Unit is not my Favorite. I prefer the Garmin 60CSX over this unit.
And my second favorite is my location sending radios - Garmin 530 HCx's. I have not been a fan of Garmin for quite some time, But, now that they have the fastest start up and can use the H-SD Cards. I have modified my thoughts towards Garmin lately. The Garmin 60 just locks up so fast. And Garmin menus are now too EZ to ad what you want or need.

The PN-30 unit is not that bad though. Id say it's much better than my Magellan Triton. TRITON=HATE IT, I think that is the last Magellan I will ever own. It will be auctioned off soon.

All units mentioned take H-SD cards, and the extra maps are about the same in price. (Delorme might be the highest priced tho)

The graphics are Slighly better on the PN-30. If Slightly better graphics is what your looking for, and you can handle the slow start times and tedious menus. This is the unit for you!
2754154
Having owned both Garmin and Magellan, I rank Garmin higher because of its ease of use and programing.  I purchased the Magellan for 2 reasons: CNET review and it offers AAA info about hotels, etc.  However, its very awkward to go "forward" in your trip and search an exit for example.  In the address book, I can't remember exactly where) if you want to delete an entry, you're only allowed to delete every entry. Huh??

The on/off button is on top which is in the way when you remove the unit from the window mount. Many times the button was pressed inadvertently.  As for the window mount, its adjustment left/right is limited-on the Garmin it has a much broader range.

There is more to complain about (don't engineers try their products/designs before its released?) but you get the idea...

I wish I would have purchased the Magellan from Costco so I could return it. Costco doesn't sell them any longer.  But I'm stuck with it.

Buyer Beware!

PS why don't they have a web site that lets you "use" the item's software so you can pre-test the item to see if it suits your needs.
4595661
Magellan Maestro 3100 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator is the best GPSsystem for the cost. It is very easy to use....and pound for pound when it comes to cost and usability  it is on top!
812239
The price was excellent, only a little more for the 8GB vs the 4GB card.  I put one in an older Garmin GPS to allow me to update my maps and the other two will be placed in ViewSonic 8in Digital Photo Frames.  I think their capacity is overkill for both uses, but for the price it was hard to pass them up.
4122050
I purchased this Arkon Vent Mount some months ago to mount my Droid car mount in my car.

Wife recently got a Droid, so I moved the Arkon mount into her car and went to order another Arkon for my car...luckily when I searched on Vent Mount I ran into the IG-A03 i. Trek Vent Mount&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/IG-A03-i-Trek-Vent-Mount-for-Garmin-Nuvi-200-200W-250-250W-260-260W-270-205-205W-255-255W-265T-265WT-275T-500-550-680-750-760/dp/B001CZCYBU/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">IG-A03: i. Trek Vent Mount for Garmin Nuvi 200, 200W, 250, 250W, 260, 260W, 270, 205, 205W, 255, 255W, 265T, 265WT, 275T, 500, 550, 680, 750, 760</a>

The iTrek mount arms are spring-loaded which make it much more secure than the Arkon.  The i. Trek installs easier than the Arkon, and holds with better stability than the Arkon. The Arkon, while nice, suffers from slipping and movement that the i. Trek mount does not exhibit.

Get the i. Trek instead...better product, same price, eligible for free Prime shipping.
4538932
The Magellan doesn't work as easily as our Garmin did. And it actually had us turning into the r/w where there wasn't a road, before we actually intersected with the right road and had to do the turn. Also the update program checks in every day on my computer which is irritating. When I wanted to update, I'd like to have the choice of when. Sorry I didn't just buy another Garmin.
3967923
As of today (05 September 2009), this unit is "not ready for prime time."  When I brought mine home earlier this week, I immediately connected to [...] using the supplied TomTom HOME software program.  The program recommended that I upgrade to the latest North American map series (835), which I did.  The next day, I noticed that I was not getting any live traffic data, even in a traffic jam on an expressway.  When I called TomTom, I was told that the 835 map upgrade breaks the ability of the unit to provide live traffic data.  (Note:  Since their server "knows" that it is a GO 740 LIVE connected to it, you would think that it would at least issue a warning about potential loss of live traffic capability, before "upgrading" the map.  The server does no such thing.)  They tried to supply me with a downgrade to the former series (830), but were unable to do so.  Following their instructions (which involved purging all maps from the unit), I was consistently offered only the latest map series (835), even though the representative had issued instructions that I was to be offered the 830 series.  They told me that either the unit or the 835 map series, or both, would be fixed so that traffic would work in that combination, but they could not give me any idea when that might happen.  I am about to return the unit for a refund.

The IQ Routes feature was decent, but still not as good as local knowledge of frequently-traveled roads.  It failed to keep me away from an expressway exit that was severely backed up, perhaps because expressway traffic was flowing normally down the road by that exit (just a guess).

In passing, I would also note a couple of ways in which the unit is less functional than my old Magellan 3100.  One is that the power adapter for the TomTom connects to the mount, not to the unit, itself.  If you live in California (or any other place where it is legally forbidden to mount such devices to the windshield), this can be a real inconvenience, as the mount is annoyingly in the way when I try to place the unit somewhere else.  Or, for the few days I have owned this unit, I run it on battery, and recharge when I get back home.  This wouldn't work on a long trip.

The Points of Interest are also much less friendly than the Magellan (at least out of the box), because they aren't organized in enough of a hierarchy.  In the TomTom, all restaurants are grouped together, whereas the Magellan offers either an overall list, or a partial list, filtered by restaurant type, such as "coffee" or "Chinese" food, or any of dozens of other categories.  TomTom does allow you to set up your own classification scheme, but I was less than thrilled by the opportunity to parse a few million POI's and sort them into categories one at a time.

There is also a lot of information that is not available from any public source, not the manual and not [...] Support FAQ.

The GO 740 LIVE gives me the impression of a product that was rushed to market before adequate functional and usability testing had been performed.  The "out of box experience" is disappointing.  Customer support tried to be helpful, but didn't have the capability that they needed at their disposal.

When TomTom does eventually get the unit sorted out so that it works the way the brochure suggests, it may well be a serious contender.

Caveat emptor!
4555450
The rack mount version is pricier than similar capacity tower versions. This works as advertised but would probably buy the tower version if I had it to do over.
3999664
This is my second Magellan GPS, I had a Magellan Maestro 4000 that only contained maps of the 48 U.S. States.  Could not buy/update new maps on it...ie: Canada.  Bought the Magellan 5045 Roadmate....What a Difference! Fast Response time, Fast Satellite aquistion, slimmer and smaller windshield mounting footprint.  I had compared the 5045, 3065, and the 1700.  The 1700 had a massive screen 7", too big for ordinary dasboards, the 3065 had everything the 5045 had plus Bluetooth capability, which I didn't need, but the 5045 had the 5" screen...which as Goldilocks would say "It was just right!"  Have used it several times  and LOVE IT!
 That was when I first bought it....now...I decided to update the software and maps before my vacation.....followed all the instructions and......now it is a paper weight!!!!  The Magellan web site is a joke!!!  The GPS no longer turns on after an "easy update!"  Contacted Magellan...and...now a door stop.....stay away from Magellan products...had to go buy a new Garmin GPS on the eve of my trip...love the GARMIN!  What a difference...better product,support,and website!!
4829035
I purchased two of these GPS systems.  This was well worth the money.  None of these GPS's are 'perfect', but I recommend the Magellen 3050T.