Garmin Nuvi 255W - 4.4 in. Car GPS Receiver

Before I begin writing this review, I'd like you to know that I'm not really tech savvy.  If you're looking for a detailed review of the specifications and special features that the Garmin Nuvi 255W has to offer, this is not the review for you.  If you just want to know what an average female with limited GPS experience thinks about the Garmin Nuvi 255W, keep reading. 

"Then turn left.  Then turn left.  Then turn left".

Sometimes, Nuvi (or NuMu, as my daughter and I have nicknamed her) talks too much.  Thanks Nuvi, but I'm already making a left turn.  No need to keep repeating your instructions.

Nuvi also occasionally fails to abide by traffic laws; the other day, she encouraged me to make an illegal u-turn after failing to "turn left.  Then turn left.  Then turn left".

All differences aside, I like Nuvi.  I'll tell you a bit more about the Garmin Nuvi 255W below.



Packaging

The Nuvi Garmin 255W comes packaged in a small black box.  A mounting stand is included, as well as one of those adapter things that you plug into your cigarette lighter.


Appearance

The unit is cute enough:  4.3 inches, black, with a clear, bright screen.  The screen is very easy to read (and I'm one of those people who has to have glasses on to drive without wrecking my car), and kind of reminds me of a touchscreen cell phone.  The unit is about half an inch or an inch thick, and can easily be held, rather than mounted, if needed.


Battery Life

Because I'm not always the brightest crayon in the box, I freaked out and thought my precious Nuvi was broken 5 minutes after my GPS arrived on my porch, courtesy of Amazon.com.  I didn't realize that my cigarette lighter didn't work (I'm not a smoker), so I plugged in the adapter and figured I was good to go.  My friend calmly explained that the Garmin Nuvi 255W has a battery as well as an adapter, and that the battery was not fully charged upon arrival.  I had to buy a battery charger for $30, by the way; it was not included with my purchase. 


Sound

Nuvi gets pretty loud (I can hear her just fine with the radio on), but the volume is adjustable.  You can change the language, but I haven't figured out if you can change Nuvi's voice.  She kind of reminds me of a stern soccer mom.


How Easy is it to Use?

Instructions?  What are those?!  If you can relate, you'll like the Garmin Nuvi 255W.  I completely ignored the instruction manual, opting instead to randomly hit buttons and hope for the best.  So far, so good.

Basically, all you do is type in the address where you want to go and then follow the prompts.  You can also search for specific places; for example, "Zoo" or "Art Museum".

If you have chubby fingers (like me), you might occasionally hit the wrong buttons.  That's okay though; there's a delete button (it looks like a pencil eraser).


How Long Does the Battery Last?

Amazon claimed that my Garmin Nuvi 255W will last for 4 hours (without being plugged into the adapter), and I have found this to be completely accurate.  I actually failed to read the "battery will last for 4 hours" thing until I had already driven about 2 hours from my house, so I'm giving you a heads up; bring a MapQuest printout or something if necessary.


Does the Mounting Stand Hold the GPS in Place Securely?

Yes and no.  The part you stick onto your windshield is insanely durable; when I bought a new car, it took me like 10 minutes (using a knife) to pry it off of my windshield.  The other part appears to be magnetic, and will occasionally fall (usually scaring the $%^& out of me) while I'm driving.  The nice thing about the Garmin Nuvi 255W is that it is portable; I like to bring it when other people are driving (not that I don't trust their sense of direction; it just feels good to be overly prepared).


Is it Worth the Price?

Well, how much are you thinking about spending on it?  I paid around $150, which I felt was reasonable.  It retails for $299.99, which I think is insane.  Had I spent $300 on this GPS, I would have expected a lot more.  However, $150 is an appropriate price for this model.


Does it Have Any Special Features?

The Nuvi Garmin 255W has a Picture Viewer, although I'm not quite sure where the pictures came from, or how to upload more.  Or why I would want to look at pictures while driving when Nuvi specifically warns me not to "enter route information or adjust this device while driving".  Whatever.

It also has "hands free dialing", but I think you need a BlueTooth for that.  I'm on my second Blackberry Pearl, so a BlueTooth isn't something I'll be purchasing anytime soon. 

You can also calculate an "EcoRoute", and I like how the Nuvi calculates your speed limit and arrival time.  I think it would be awesome if this device had some games to entertain me at red lights, but I guess that's asking a bit much from a GPS.


Is it Durable?

Definitely.  I shove it in my purse, drop it on the ground, and toss it in my front seat on a regular basis.  It would be nice if I would learn to take better care of my things, but I guess I'm just not that mature yet.  Maybe one day.


Should I buy a Garmin Nuvi 255W?

Sure, why not?  If you're a beginner who is new to the whole GPS scene, this is a great starter device.  I think you'll like it...and if not, you can upgrade when you have more money.  I bought mine on Amazon.com, and I've also seen them at Target.

Do you have questions about the Garmin Nuvi 255W not answered by this review?

Visit www.garmin.com, or view the product on Amazon.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!

Missy