I will not go into the device specs, etc. since I am short on time; and that information can be acquired elsewhere.

I bought this thing a few weeks ago in preparation for a trip to NY. I chose it over a TomTom and a Magellan, that had similar features and were within the same price range.

The nuvi200 is not bad (though not spectacular either) considering the $150+ price tag (less $25 combined w/ Amazon rewards I recently received).

The device is small, compact, light and does not look like it came from a Mattel factory in China. The battery life of the nuvi200 is average and in my experience, somewhere between 4-4.5 hrs if you keep it on constantly running solely on battery. It also comes with the handy car kit which does what it's supposed to do.

As for functionality, I was not completely satisfied for the following reasons:

1. POIs are lacking and outdated (even after update).

2. It takes a significant amount of time for the device to perform a manually entered search for a POI.

3. Some of the route calculations are impractical. A number of times, the nuvi200 has taken me through the longest routes possible instead of plotting a simple, more efficient course to get to a destination.

4. I also discovered that there is a difference with the nuvi200's satellite reception if the device is plugged in or you are running on battery power.

As I mentioned earlier, I bought the nuvi200 for a trip to NY. The nuvi200 got me to my destination without any complications, however, it did not use the most practical route and took me the longer way than the one I would have taken. Once I arrived in NY, I intended to use the nuvi200 to navigate me on foot (there is a pedestrian and bicycle mode), so I could find different restaurants and subway stations. Unfortunately, the device did not work at all in the city. It seems that when the nuvi200 runs on battery power, the satellite reception is weaker or almost non-existent if you are in an area surrounded by large buildings. I tried using the device in pedestrian mode for 3 days and was not able to pick-up a signal even once. What really bothers me is that the nuvi200 could not even pick-up satellite reception while I was at the Seaport Pier. That made no sense to me at all considering that the area is relatively open and unobstructed. I discovered that the only way to get it to work in NY city on foot would be a) go home to my sister's apartment and go up to the 6th floor and b) plug the nuvi200 in the car lighter socket.

Luckily, I do not live in NY and the nuvi200 seems to work most of the time in my area.

With regard to the SD card slot, I have no use for it since I do not believe in using my GPS as a convergence device. It does what it's supposed to do without the need for an SD card.

A neat function that the nuvi200 has, is the capability to add additional POIs from external sources for free. All you need is an Internet connection, a USB cable and a computer. By searching the Internet for nuvi200 POIs, you will be able to find some neat stuff like free POIs for restaurants, state parks, red light camera locations, etc. You will also find that Garmin and other companies out there offer additional POIs that you may purchase and load into your device. I was able to acquire (for free) a POI for red light cameras for the entire US. This feature comes in pretty handy, especially since I live around the DC area where there are cameras almost literally at every corner. Once you load the red light camera POIs into your nuvi200, the system will give you a warning beep and display a message which informs the driver that there is red light camera up ahead.

If you decide to purchase this device, I would recommend going to the Garmin website to acquire the free map updates (one-time only) and other cool free stuff such as a huge selection of vehicle icons that you may use for your GPS.

Overall, I think that the nuvi200 is a good buy and would recommend it for people who are on a slim budget. However, if you have the money to splurge anyway and are looking for more features in a GPS (s/a text-to-speech, longer battery life, or bluetooth), then I would go for a higher-end model nuvi.

For more information on the different models and features of the different kinds of nuvis, you may refer to the chart in the Amazon description of the product. It will more or less give you a breakdown of what you need to know.

I shall not bore you with more statements of how great this unit is...I agree with the other writers.

I have one additional comment to add: Order the case for the Tom Tom One.(available at Amazon.com)It fits the 200 perfectly and is MUCH better than the Garmin "sleeve". This case has a zipper closure and acts as if it were custom made for the Garmin Nuvi 200 series.

Dan

Danbury, CT

When I saw that GPA systems were dropping below I started to look (again) at the possiblity of buying one. I am a real estate appraiser and literally have a map atlas in my hands or lap as I drive (not too safe). I bought a Delorme GPS for my laptop once, but I couldn't get it to work and also found the Delorme mapping to be too dated as I often appraise homes in new subdivisions.

I read a lot of reviews and the Garmin Nuvi sounded like it was worth a try. I had read that some of the models were coming with dated mapping. I prayed that mine would come with new software and it did!

The instructions that come with the unit are almost useless, but thankfully the unit is so easy to use that I easily figured it out and have found some uses that I didn't know it had at first.

The mapping is surprisingly up to date. Interestingly enough, I just appraised a new home in an upscale subdivision that used to be a mobile home park with different streets. The mapping actually had both sets of streets (old and new!). They were overlapped in different shades.

Though I've been tech savy since the late '80s, I'm still amazed at home much info is in this little unit. With very few discrepencies, it even knows when you should be in a certain lane for awhile before you need to turn. I have found the mapping to be about 98 to 99% accurate.

The unit has a clear, easy to see screen. You can adjust brightness. It doesn't speak the streets, but it does speak turns and other advice (in a pleasant non-computerized voice that I've heard at our local airports tram system).

This is a basic unit without the bells and whistles, but I find it meets my needs. You can input two address at one time. It usually picks the best routes. If you deviate, it takes seconds to recalculate a new route for you on the fly. I find that my job is much safer now. I don't have to look at a map nearly as much and much of the time, I barely need to look at the Nuvi. It talks me to where I need to go.

You can also use it in a realtime mode without having a specific route in mind. It shows you where you are, what roads are coming up, your speed and your direction. I've always wanted a compass in my car as on an overcast day, sometimes I don't know which direction I'm heading.

Very rarely do I buy a product that meets, much less exceeds, my expectations, but this is one that has done both. I hope it lasts a good while, but when I need a new one, I'll buy another or a comparable Garmin. Would recommend to anyone who drives!

I wanted to wait a little while before I wrote my review for this product. It is now about 2 months after I bought the Garmin and I wanted to share my experiences with it.

The Positives:

-Very Simple

-Easy to Use

-Long Battery Life

-Clear and Loud Directions stated (the british voice is sexier than american)

-Great display (easy to view on Sunny Days)

-Phone Numbers to the Location

-Touch and Save Location for Easy Backtracking/relocation. (ie: if you're driving by an outlook in the mountains that you really like simply touch the vehicle icon on the screen and press "YES" to save coordinates. Name the Location and that location will be saved in your Favorites)

The Downsides:

-Not for Truckers/RVs..etc. !!! This Unit only has three options: Automobile, Bicycle or Pedestrian. I was guided off a main highway onto a backroad because it was quicker. However, I soon found myself going underneath of a small country tunnel that was no more than 12 feet high (if that). A Semi or RV would NOT have fit through there, and no warning was giving about the upcoming low clearance on the Garmin.

(*There are other devices that allow the person to select "Truck/Trailor/RV..etc" so that they do not guide you under small tunnels. This model however is not one of them)

-Random Errors: While in Kansas City MO, I ran a search for Pottery and found a local business by the Name "Personalized Pottery" on Flint Street. I pressed Go, and off we went. However when we "Arrived at our destination" we were on 27th street in a Residential Neighborhood. We later found the pottery place out of luck by driving by a shopping Center over 2 miles away.

Another Error I found was when I typed in my friend's address in Waynesboro Va. Her address was not on the Garmin. We were giving the option of House Number 726 and 782. Her's was 734. Very odd....they had lived there for nearly 20 years.

A third Error I had was in the same town when I searched a Dominos. It stated it was 0.5mi from my location, but when I Arrived, there was no Domino's in Sight. The good thing was though, Garmin had the Number to the Dominos so we called and got directions. Once again, the place was far away. This time closer to 5 miles.

-Non-specific Commands: If you come to an intersection that has a sharp turn to the right and a slight veer to the right, the Garmin will Simple say "Turn Right". However, you do not know which Right to take, and often times it is the slight Veer to the Right. I wish it said "Veer Right" instead of "Turn Right", but the Garmin always was able to get me back to where I needed to be.

I know I've said alot of negatives about My New Garmin, but don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE IT!! Just keep in mind that it is a Navigational Tool, but not necessarily a guide. You're still the one with the Brain, so use it! The Garmin will spout off several commands very quickly and at first you may 'freak out' a bit and rush into something. Listen to the commands. If she says turn in 0.3 miles.... Take a quick second to look at what road, and then look for that ahead. Try not to get "robotic" and do what she says whenever she says it. Also, if you're going too fast and she commands you to Turn right- Don't slam on your Breaks to make the turn.....keep going, search for a place to turn around or wait for the Garmin to Recalculate.

I have used my Garmin in MT, SD,IA,IN,WV, VA,NC,MO,KS, Washington DC and CA including Los Angeles and San Francisco.

FOR ANYONE GOING TO A MAJOR CITY INVEST IN A GARMIN!! IT MAY JUST SAVE YOUR LIFE! For anyone who has driven in LA, you know Exits come Very quickly, one right after the other; trying to use a paper map could be lethal at speeds between 55-80mph. Bite the bullet and buy a Garmin, or if you're renting a car, Invest in renting one for the week. I promise you, it is one of the best investments I ever made.

I also bought one for my best friend who just moved to Florida and he's loving it.

One Last Tip. While I was in San Francisco, I left my car in one of many many parking garages. I knew I would lose track of where i left it, so I saved the coordinates to my Favorites. After finishing my business for the day I put my Garmin in Pedestrian Mode and it guided me back to my Car. The catch is that I forgot to take it out of Pedestrian Mode and when I entered an address back in LA it took FOREVER to calculate the trip. (this was because it was calculating the fastest route by foot). It finally told me to turn left, but it was a One way street. I would have caused an accident. I passed by the street and the Garmin recalculated, again and again. I thought it was broken because it was taking about 2-3 minutes to recalculate a route when usually it takes the Garmin about 4 seconds. Finally I remembered that I had it in Pedestrian, so I changed the option to Automobile, "STOPPED" the trip and then hit the address in LA again and off I went no problem. I say all that to say don't make the same mistake I made. If you're Garmin is running slow, check the settings. Also if there is no Arrival time, chances are you have it in Pedestrian Mode.

Well this Appraisal has been VERY long, but I wanted it to be thorough. I know $200-$300 is a lot to spend on a device, but just think about all the arguments you will avoid with your friend or significant other when you're tired and it's 2 in the morning, and think about the gas money you'll save on getting lost and turned around, and guys just think- you'll never have to ask for directions again...well unless you're looking for the Domino's Pizza in Waynesboro.

Good Luck- and Safe Traveling! 80)

-jP

the garmin nuvi works very well. sometimes it has the address on the wrong side of the street but that is a minor problem. it does not always know the best route but will get you to the address, very helpful if you are in a strange place.

my job requires me to make appox. 15 to 20 stops in a day and the nuvi has helped greatly. i do not see a need for it to announce the name of the street, announcing the turn is quite enough.

a zip code feature would be a nice addition.

i am very happy with it and have purchased an additional two for christmas presents.

This is excellent design at its best. The product is compact in size with a large easy-to-read bright screen and extremely intuitive technology to use. I didn't even need to read the "how to" literature in order to get the unit up and running. Just came back from a business trip to Miami that required driving to several unfamiliar locations and my NUVI 200 performed flawlessly. As far as I'm concerned that one trip alone made the purchase worthwhile. The NUVI 200 truly is a great value for the money.

This is a solid entry level GPS from Garmin. After a week of testing the Nuvi 200 with a similar entry level GPS from Magellan--the Maestro 3200, I had a hard time deciding which one to keep. In the end, I went with the Nuvi, not because one is superiorly better than the other, but down to more personal preferences. Here are some positive and negative factors for each device:

Startup and Satellites Acquisition:

In my car, the Maestro takes 40 seconds from startup to acquiring satellites, whereas the Nuvi takes 50 seconds. (Your results may vary depending on where you are.) Furthermore, the Maestro takes less than 5 seconds for the main menu to appear, whereas the Nuvi takes closer to 23 seconds from startup to main menu. So that on the Maestro, user is able to start inputing much sooner. Once satellites are acquired, both devices are able to hold on to the signal exceedingly well, even indoor.

Screens, Menus and Interfaces:

Both devices have a gorgeous 3.5 screen that is very bright and can be viewed from extreme angles. I do find that the Nuvi screen is more pleasing to look at though. Menus and interfaces are very intuitive and user friendly. Most users would not have to read the manual to start using both devices. All the important categories are represented by large icons and easily accessed by touchscreen. In term of layouts, fonts, and color choices, I prefer the Nuvi as the overall design is more inviting. Also, as you navigate between menus and input text, the Maestro would announce your every input such as "Back," "Next," "Cancel," letters and numbers, which I find quite annoying. On the Nuvi, it just "beep" to confirm your entry.

Features:

Instead of comparing all the features for each device, I will just list those that I find important.

Both the Maestro 3200 and Nuvi 200 are preloaded with map of the lower 48 states, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. If you want map for Alaska and Canada, consider the Maestro 3210 and Nuvi 250. However, the Nuvi has the ability to add more maps such as Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia through SD card. As far as I know, the Maestro is not able to add more maps.

I love the usefulness and convenience of the "Points of Interest" database, and thus the more the better. The Nuvi has close to 6 millions compare to 1.3 millions on the Maestro. That means you would be able to find more businesses and attractions wherever you are on the Nuvi without looking up on a computer, phone, or Yellow Pages. For example, the Nuvi lists all the major retailers that do not appear on the Maestro. Both devices allow custom POIs from users to upload.

When searching by POI name, the Maestro is able to bring up the result(s) much faster though. I did a search for a restaurant that is 15 miles from my location and the Maestro took less than 2 seconds to display the result. Whereas, the Nuvi took an excruciatingly 48 seconds to find the result. However, finding businesses that are within a 5 miles radius to a user's location will show up only slightly slower than the Maestro.

The Maestro features a multi-point routing called "Trip Planner" that allows user to input multiple destinations and optimize for the best routes for the entire trip. So, if you do a lot of errands or plan a long trip with multiple destinations, the planner would come in very handy. On the Nuvi, you can only add one additional waypoint at a time while traveling to your final destination. To get around this, Nuvi user can first search all the destinations prior, as the addresses would automatically be put under the "Recently Found" folder or choose to save under "Favorites." Then as you reach each destination, recall the next address under each folder. It's not an elegant solution and your entire trip is not optimize like the Maestro.

The re-route and detour functions are available on both devices. So, if you miss a turn, both GPS will automatically re-calculate and get you back on track. I often find that the new route is generated before reaching the next block. As for detour, the Maestro has a much more robust feature. When using detour, user can specify 3, 5, 10 or custom miles from the main route. On the Nuvi, there is no user specification, just an option to detour.

Both have customizable route methods, such as "Fastest Time" and "Shortest Distance." The Maestro has additional methods of "Least" or "Most Use of Freeways." I find "Most Use of Freeways" to be a valuable option. During the time of day when there's little traffic, I can use this option even when Maestro recommends surface street under "Fastest Time." I prefer travelling on freeways rather than through all the stop lights and signs on surface streets. The Nuvi does not have this option. The Nuvi has an "Off Road" method that I doubt I will ever select. Under a sub-category, user can specify to avoid toll roads on both devices. On the Nuvi, user can further select to avoid u-turns, highways, carpool lanes, unpaved roads, etc.

As for the navigation, routing, and map display screen, this is where I ultimately prefer the Nuvi. The Nuvi renders the 3-D map beautifully with bold outlines, excellent color schemes, sharp fonts, smooth anti-aliasing and shading, and polish appearance. Street name for next turn is clearly displayed on a horizontal bar on top, for example, "Turn Left on Main Street." By clicking the top bar, another screen will appear that display a turn-by-turn preview to your destination. As you approach a turn, the map will slowly zoom in with an arrow prompting a more detailed section of the turn. After the turn, the map will zoom out to the normal display. The whole process is very fluid and instinctive. On the left and right hand corners show "time of arrival" and "distance to the next turn" respectively. There is no option to customize the display such as showing time or distance remain to your destination. There is another screen that you can access for those info. When clicking anywhere on the 3-D navigation map, a detailed 2-D map will appear to give you more information and layout of your current location. Your arrow vehicle can be customize to show a variety of vehicles, from race car to even a tank. More choices can be downloaded on Garmin website. This might seems superfluous to some, but it just adds another level of user experience. After viewing Nuvi's 3-D map, it's difficult to go back to another competitor.

The Maestro's 3-D navigation map is not ugly by any standard, just not as refine comparing to the Nuvi. The Maestro's map display is more cluttered, but with more information available to the driver at a glance. For example, the horizontal bars on top and bottom will display the name of the street that the driver is on and the street for the next turn. There's also an icon to indicate the next turn and compass. User can also customize to display anything from "time of arrival" to "distance remain." On the Nuvi, driver would have to exit the navigation screen for additional info. I also really like that the Maestro will display selected POI icons, such as nearby gas and ATM, on the 3-D map. Furthermore, user can customize what POI categories will display on the map. However, the more categories are selected, the harder it will be to distinguish the icons on a busy street. Like the Nuvi, the Maestro also display a turn-by-turn preview to your destination. However, the Maestro goes a step further by allowing the user to exclude any of the street on the list. So, if you know a street is under maintenance or prefer not to travel on, just exclude that section and the Maestro will re-route when possible.

As for the 3-D rendering, the map outlines are a bit jagged but very detailed with sharp fonts. As you approach a turn, the Maestro will split the screen vertically and show a close-up of the section along with the normal view. Having tested the Maestro and Nuvi for a week, I find both GPS very capable in their routing algorithm. Both devices don't always give you the identical routes to your destination, but I can't really say one is better than the other. However, I observe that the Maestro tends to calculate routes with more turns. On the Nuvi, the voice guidance does indicate whether your arriving destination is on the right or left hand side of the road, which I find helpful. Both GPS have its quirks, such as sometimes calculating longer routes than necessary or the destination off by a block. However, for the most part, the routes on both are very accurate.

Another thing for me to consider when choosing a GPS is the battery life. Both the Maestro and Nuvi can be powered using the included vehicle cable. However, when driving around town, I prefer not to have the unsightly cable dangling from the windshield, especially if you have other devices that use the vehicle power, like an iPod. The Nuvi rechargeable battery is rated up to 5 hours comparing to 3 hours on the Maestro. Both do not come with an A/C charger, but can still be charged using USB to mini-USB on a computer or alternatively charging by car. The speakers on both are pretty loud, but I much prefer the voice on the Nuvi as it sounds more warm comparing to the very robotic pitch of the Maestro. I have yet required customer support, but from what I read from other users and reviewers is that Garmin gives better support to their products. For example, Garmin provides a free WebUpdater software that will automatically update the GPS with the latest software. When I purchased the Nuvi and ran the software, it automatically update my GPS system version from 3.4 to 3.5. That to me instill confidence that Garmin will continue to support their devices.

In summary, the Maestro 3200 and Nuvi 200 are excellent entry level GPS that I have no problem recommending. I decided on the Nuvi due to the excellent 3-D map, interface, large POIs, route calculation, overall design, and battery life. However, the Maestro has more features such as trip planner, a robust detour, faster search, and "Most Use of Freeways" option that some might consider more valuable. Prices are comparable and really come down to personal preferences. You can't go wrong with either one.

Bought this for some road trips. First trip to Monterey was flawless. Excellent interface, didn't have to open the user guide. Got to Hyatt w/o a hitch. During conference, it found some great Chinese and Deli's close...saved time since only had an hour for lunch - could pick options closest to location. Also gave me a more direct route to places I already knew about in San Jose. Also very happy that Garmin has the newest 2008 Navteq maps included.

Can't wait to use it for a road trip to San Diego using backroads. Default voice volume a little loud but easily changed. Start-up pretty fast and found satellites no problem. Wife feels safer knowing she won't get lost. Time saver to know what lane to be in to enter highway or go through interchange. Named GPS Gertrude...would buy again in a second.

I had been wanting a GPS for a while, but prices had been prohibitive. I picked up one of these on Black Friday for $170 at Best Buy, and I absolutely love it. It is easy to use and works very well, both in my pocket and in my car. I don't care about having MP3, Bluetooth, or any fancy stuff, so this basic model is fine. It gets the job done better than any other brand. Highly recommended.

Works like a charm. Extreemly simple to operate. I purchase it for my girlfriend who is a realtor. She never gets lost looking for address. I bought the 360 and the 200 does the exact same thing except for bluetooth capabilities. I highly recommend the any Garmin Nuvi. You really can't go wrong.