I drive 60K miles a year for work and this is my 2nd GPS. I love that it tells you the speed limit of the road you're on. Great database and easy menus. Very intuitive and easy to use. I have the FM traffic option but I'm not sure how accurate it is, but... neither is any traffic reporting service I have ever seen. It nicely detours you around traffic congestion. I have no complaints whatsoever. Mine came with a free map update, which was a 9G download. You will like this unit... no disappointments.

I have just moved to a new city and this unit has been invaluable. Having it speak the names of the streets is a very worthwhile plus. The maps seem to be up to date in urban areas although there are some gaps in eastern Canada. Even in these cases it "does its best" which is pretty good. I found the "find lodging" function useful while travelling but using the unit to play music through the car stereo can present a problem since it is often difficult to find sustained "blank space" on the FM dial especially while travelling any distance as the nuvi is "stepped on" by local stations.

My wife and I have been using Garmin C320 GPS in each of our cars since 2005. It was time for an upgrade. I purchased the Garmin Nuvi 760 and we love it. Here is a little overview about how I decided what to get and some of the key features we had to have.

My "must haves" in the new GPS were "Text To Speech", Traffic, Bluetooth, no flip out antenna, and a 4.3" screen.

I did a lot of research on Magellan, TomTom and Garmin models meeting my "must haves". My conclusions were as follows: The Magellan incorporates AAA and that I feel is a really nice touch. The TomTom's come pretty loaded but seem a bit more complex. The Garmin's interface hasn't changed form the C320 but Garmin has added a slew of additional features in comparison to my C320.

Since the new GPS wasn't only for me but for my wife, I decided to keep the learning curve to a minimum and decided I would choose another Garmin model since we are both experienced with them. Now, which one? I looked at all Nuvi units. I narrowed my choices down to the 255W, 760, and 780. Each of these include 4.3" screens, "Text To Speech", Bluetooth, no flip out antenna, and are Traffic ready. The 255W does not include either the FM TMC Traffic or the MSN Direct power adapter. The 760 includes the FM TMC Traffic power adapter while the 780 includes the MSN Direct power adapter.

When I started to check pricing I was noticing that the 255W is the same price as the 760 but did not include any Traffic power adapter. I also noticed the 255W power is connected directly to the unit. More on this in a moment. I decided it was off my short list and my choice was now between the 760 and the 780. I decided on the 760 since the price was more that 100 dollars cheaper then the 780. I can always ad the MSN Direct power adapter later and I will have the FM TMC Traffic power adapter as well.

Another reason I decided against the 255W is that the power is connected directly into the unit and not the mount. It is so much easier to remove the unit from the mount and not have to worry about disconnecting the power cord as well. Convenience is another key factor I should have mentioned.

The first thing I did once I got the 760 was register it at the Garmin web site. Once I did I was able to update the unit's software and Maps. Garmin has a "Web Updater" software download on their web site. Connect the 760 via the supplied USB cable and run the Web Updater Software. The software will check for the latest version of system firmware/software and update the 760. That worked very well I might add.

The 760 came with 2008 Maps but the 2009 Map update is available via Garmin's web site. If you buy the 760 now you can call to get the 2009 Maps free if it does not come with them. Garmin uses NAVTEQ Maps and from what I have read, are more accurate for the USA. The web site was telling me to buy them but I made a quick phone call to Garmin and verified my purchase via email with one of their support staff. A few minutes later I was able to either download or get a DVD with the 2009 Maps. The DVD is $10 and that is for shipping. I opted for the download. The 2009 Map file is large, around 2 Gigabytes so it took about 20 minutes to download via my cable modem. Once downloaded I ran the setup and it updated my 760 to the 2009 Maps. It was pretty easy but including the download it took about an hour. I also created a DVD with the 2009 Map file for safe keeping. The map is the Complete North America Maps. On the C320 the maps had to be uploaded and not all of the USA would fit. The 760 is fully loaded with the USA and Canada. Very nice!

While I was online I looked at the Garmin "Extras" available for download and decided to add a few new Vehicles. Pretty cool.

Once I finished updating the 760 I took it to my car and mounted it. The mount is just a couple of pieces and the 760 mounts securely in seconds. The power cable connects to the mount and not the unit so that the unit can be removed from the mount easily with no wires to disconnect. The mounting is excellent. I also purchased the optional "Portable Friction Mount" which sits on the dash. I highly recommend this so that you can easily hide the 760, mount and all, on the cars floor. Very easy as compared to the supplied suction cup mount and doesn't leave that suction cup ring on the windshield. Seems thieves love to smash and grab navigation units so the Friction Mount is great as it leaves no evidence visible you have a 760 in the car.

I am amazed at how quickly the 760 acquires Satellites. When I did the software/firmware update it installed SiRF Star III Quick Fix. This allows the 760 to acquire satellites very quickly. So far every time the unit has been off to powered on it has acquired satellites as soon as it is booted up. Total time from off to "Ready to Navigate" is about 30 seconds.

The Nuvi 760 has a beautiful, bright, and crisp looking 4.3" display. The fonts have been updated and the graphics are much better than my C320. I really like the new Automatic Zoom in and out based on distance to the next turn and destination. You can see the destination Checkered Flag and Via Point Flags are Orange. A nice touch is that your Personal Addresses display on the Map.

The 760 speaks street names "Text To Speech". Nice feature instead of turn right in 200 feet. There is no maneuver Ding like on the C320 but I'm not sure it is needed with the additional spoken information.

The 760 includes Bluetooth so I was able to pair the wife's phone in about a minute. Really simple. The Phone Book from the Phone transfers to the 760 along with Recently Dialed, Recently Received, and Recent Missed calls. Very cool. Once you start populating the 760 with your "Favorite" destination addresses you can manually add Phone Numbers to your Favorite addresses if needed. This is very nice since you can touch the Favorite you want and touch the little phone icon and dial that number. You can talk "Hands Free" via your 760 and I was pretty happy with the voice quality. I read a few instances where people say it doesn't work well or sound good. This isn't the case for us as I find it to work very well and sound really good. A valuable and convenient feature. On our first trip together we needed a certain item and we were able to pull up stores we thought would have it and simply touched the phone icon and called them to see if they carried what we needed. Once we found the store that had what we needed we were able to easily navigate to it. Very convenient and easy to use. I recommend the 760 with Bluetooth. Very nice.

Searching for any of the included 6 million Points of Interests is easy and the POI Search displays Names and Addresses in the results. The additional address is a nice touch to see just how far away a result is if you know the town and how far away it is from you. The keyboard can be set to QWERTY and that makes typing so much easier if you are familiar with a PC keyboard. And who isn't now a days. Another nice feature is there is a drop down that will allow you to access and insert recent Searches without having to retype them since they are remembered by the 760. Another nice feature.

Another very nice feature is you can create multiple destinations and have them automatically sorted for the optimal route. You can keep adding stops or via points and you can even remove them. You can manually reorder them to your liking or let the 760 automatically reorder the best route for you. Great if you need to run some errands at two or three different stores. The 760 will get you to each in the most efficient way.

The 760 has a "Where Am I" feature that is very nice. It will show you Hospitals, Fuel, and Police stations that are near to where you are at. It will also indicate the nearest Address and nearest Intersection. This is great to see just where you are and can be provided to law enforcement in an emergency or to tell someone exactly where you are in an unknown area. Your Elevation is also indicated.

As you drive there is an icon that will display the Speed Limit for the road you are on. A little reminder to check your speed and keep it safe.

Maybe one of the best features are the Real Time Traffic updates. The 760 comes with the FM Traffic power adapter. The Traffic adapter is in place of a regular power adapter so the only thing different is it is it has some LED's and it is a little larger where it gets plugged into the car's power. Of course you need to be in an area that is covered by FM Traffic. If you are in a covered area than it can take about 10 minutes to get traffic data. Once data is in the 760 it will display on the map and on a separate Traffic screen. One bad thing is once power is lost so is the traffic data. It may take another 10 minutes or so the acquire traffic data again. Traffic issues are displayed on the main map screen with different colors and an appropriate traffic icon on your route as you approach them. An icon in the lower right will also show you how much time traffic is causing your delay. This time is automatically added to your current route. If the traffic is deemed too much then the 760 will recalculate a new route almost seamlessly to divert you around the traffic. There is plenty of traffic related detail on a separate screen if you want to access it. You can also touch the "Avoid" or "Detour" to force the 760 to reroute around traffic. The included FM Traffic comes with a 3 Months free Trial then it is $60.00 per year. Worth it if you are on the road a lot and your travels are within the covered areas.

I think I am going to get the MSN Direct (separate power adapter) after the 3 month trial expires. The MSN Direct includes Traffic, Gasoline prices, and Weather alerts. There is more to MSN Direct but these features make it more worth it to me. Another nice thing about the MSN Direct is that you can opt for a one time lifetime payment and you're done.

These are all the features for us that make the 760 a really nice GPS unit. There are many pluses and only a few drawbacks. Two drawbacks are; no House AC Adapter and no Carry Case for storage. But, if you have a USB cell phone then you can probably use your AC charger for the phone as I do.

I recommend the Garmin Portable Friction mount for the dash. Easy to put in place and hide on the cars floor. I also recommend getting the Garmin Carry Case.

I was able to shop the web and find the 760 for about $350.00. The Portable Friction Mount and the Carry Case were another $50.00. So for about $400.00 I got a very nice Navigation unit. For us the 760 is a wonderful GPS. It is beautiful and sleek. The features it includes are a valuable addition and make traveling even short distances easier and more enjoyable. I highly recommend the 760 to anyone looking for a new personal GPS unit.

After reading the reviews on the GPS Magazine website (http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2007/10/garmin_nuvi_760_review.php) I decided I would definitely go with a Garmin. In my opinion, hands down, the routing capabilities of the Garmin units surpass anything else out there at present. Kudos to Garmin! The next choice was just finding one that would be portable enough so I wouldn't leave it in my car (any GPS left in a car is a theft magnet), and had sufficient options to make my car (1996 Camry) equal to the high-tech cars of today. I've used the bluetooth connection with my phone, the media player, the additional software for adding your personalized POI's, and in all aspects, I am very happy with the functionality of the unit. My only point of contention would be that the traffic avoidance is not included as part of the purchase, like it is with the Navigon units. I live a hour outside of NYC, and only frequently would be anywhere near the traffic coverage areas. So, for me, the three month trial period is a waste since I can't prevent its activation until such time as I might need it.

Although the Nuvi 660 served me well, I upgraded to the Nuvi 760. Overall, it's a better unit than the 660. If you're deciding whether to get the 660 or 760, opt for the 760 because it has a newer map version, faster boot-up (but still has difficulty picking up signals indoors like the 660), no flip-up antenna, slightly brighter screen, QWERTY keyboard, better suction cup mount, and a few other feature enhancements. On the downside, the traffic receiver marginally works and the FM transmitter is still staticky like the 660. But if you already have the 660, no need to upgrade because it's also a very capable unit.

6/23/08 - Garmin has a 2009 MAP that one can upgrade for FREE if request within the 30-day period of the unit's registration date. My unit came with 2008 preinstalled. Since I was unable to get the free upgrade via Garmin website, I had to call in and was put on hold for 25 minutes! Anyway, the tech support guy was very helpful in taking me through the steps to register for the free map update. I opted for the CD instead of download. It costs $10 for the shipping/handling via UPS Ground, but he waived the fee for me. Nice!

7/5/08 - Beware which Garmin case to get for the 760. Opt for the Garmin Nuvi 800 Series Carrying Case (also works for the 700 & 600 series) because it completely covers the unit. The Nuvi 660 comes with the other case you can buy, but unfortunately, my brother just had his Nuvi slipped right out of the case, causing the screen to crack. Apparently, the case had stretched over time and no longer holds a good grip. That sucks!!

This is a gps navigation unit with some extras like fm transmitter, fm traffic information, Bluetooth and mp3 player.

based on the $400 price range you can not find a better GPS out there that offers that much.

If you don't care about the extras look in to buying the nuvi 260w.

PROS.

* The nuvi 760 is very well build and very easy to use even for someone that never used a GPS before.

* The spoken street names is for me the best feature. It makes navigating so much easier.

* The mount works well, the voice options are all clear and very easy to understand.

* The screen is visible even in direct sunlight, probably the brightest GPS display I've ever seen.

* Address system remembers recently used State, City, and Street names.

* Where am I feature and multiple routing option.

* Excellent Bluetooth compatibility, it works with my T- Mobile Samsung SGH-T739 Cell Phone Katalyst even though it was not part of the compatible phones list.

* Yes it works with SDHC cards, I have 4 gig SDHC transcendTranscend 4GB SDHC CARD (SD 2.0 SPD Class 6)

* Headphone/audio out jack is also a feature that saved me from the FM transmitter in combination with this product Sony CPA-9C MiniDisc and Discman Cassette Adapter

* Picture viewer, even though I will probably never use it myself.

* Webupdater software provides an easy way to keep the nuvi up-to-date with the latest firmware, I used it to get the latest 2009 map and firmware. After the firmware update the unit could get a satellite lock of about 3 bars even from inside the house.

* Like I said excellent satellite lock I was able to drive through Manhattan without any loss of signal, something I could never do with the TOM TOM One.

CONS and things that are missing.

* FM transmitter is underpowered, and for a city like new York with a congested fm dial even thought it works for me with a little static, it effects the clarity of the navigation voice, the mp3 quality, and unfortunately the Bluetooth, however there is a very easy fix like I mentioned above. A cassette adapter (for those vehicles older than 1-2 years without a auxiliary jack) to connect to the audio jack. I found out that the FM transmitter in U.S. version is lower powered compared to European version. This is mentioned in owners manual page 52. (which is missing from the box and can only be found online in the garmin webpage) So the problem is local laws, not Garmins ability to make sufficiently powered FM transmitter or a software problem. Actually all the reviews of the Euro product on the amazon.co.uk mention how great the FM transmitter is.

* A case is also missing and I ended up buying the Garmin Carrying Case for nüvi 660 Portable GPS Navigator (010-10823-01) and it fits like a glove..

With 80+ reviews and the Garmin nuvi video, there's not much left to say, except....

I'd never had a GPS before, and even having done my research, I still purchased and returned four other GPSes before I finally settled on the 760, which meets my needs very well.

The features of the 760 that I really love include the wide, anti-glare screen; text-to-speech; QWERTY keyboard, and multiple route points. I didn't think I'd use Bluetooth much if at all, but I couldn't find a 750 and thus purchased the 760. Bluetooth has turned out to be a very convenient feature, and the 760 paired easily with my Motorola Krzr1m phone.

I'm very disappointed in the FM transmitter, however. It has no noise reduction, so I get to listen to "fuzz" until the GPS speaks. The MP3 and Audible player is OK, but the sound isn't good enough to drown out the static. The 760 does have a 3.5mm audio out, so if your car stereo has an AUX in, I recommend buying a cable and using that. If not, pick up a noise-reducing FM transmitter like the Kensington Universal FM Transmitter for MP3 Players (Black). This transmitter provides a very clear sound and no static!

Bluetooth works great on my end, but callers have consistently complained they can't hear me. My solution was to get the Garmin External Microphone for StreetPilot C550 (010-10804-00). Since I've been using this microphone, I've had no more complaints from callers.

The 760's cradle is much sturdier and easier to insert and remove the nuvi than those of other GPSes I've used. Still, I prefer not to mount the GPS on the windshield. My solution was to get a beanbag mount, which lets me place the 760 to the left of the steering wheel. I picked up the Garmin Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for Nüvi Series and StreetPilot I Series, C530, C550 and C580 GPS Navigators, which works great. This mount allows me to use the 760's well-designed cradle without the need for suction cups or sticky foam pads. It stays put and yet is easy to move out of sight when leaving my car.

The nuvi 760 comes with no case, but as my first GPS purchase/return happened to be a Navigon 2100, I'd also purchased the matching Navigon 3.5" Protective Hard Shell Case. Fortunately this case happens to fit my nuvi 760 snugly and allows me to toss the GPS my purse without worries of scratching the screen.

Also note that this GPS comes with no AC charger. As I have a number of devices to charge and I don't always want to charge the GPS in the car, I chose to simplify by getting the Gomadic Universal Charging Station - tips included for Garmin Nuvi 200 many other popular gadgets. Standard miniUSB chargers put the Nuvi into "computer connect" mode. But Gomadic's nuvi tip (#73) has the correct pinout to allow the unit to function as a GPS while charging.

Can the nuvi 760 be improved? Certainly. (1) Dump the FM transmitter or add noise reduction. (2) Increase the volume range (and quality of) the nuvi's internal speaker. It's just not loud enough, and as I increase the volume, the speaker distorts. (3) Include some accessories with the unit. A GPS at this price point shouldn't require another ~$75-100 in accessories.

Although my nuvi 760 came with the 2008 map, I'd purchased it within Garmin's "free map upgrade" window. I've noticed that the 2009 map has updated/corrected POIs, a few addresses and roads have been added and others corrected. Also, speed limits have been updated, too. (We went from 55 to 70 here in Michigan.) Firmware, voice and other updates have been quickly released by Garmin and are easily installed.

I'm happy with the 760 and am eager to try it on a longer trip. Still, the 760 is very useful when just driving around town.

This is my first navigation device, as I have been using maps on long trips with acceptable results for over 50 years. I am well pleased with the overall performance of the Nuvi. I have little to compare it with, but on a recent 2200 mile trip I found it very helpful. I especially like it's ability to advise you on which side an upcoming entrance ramp is located. I travel some routes only occasionally (once or twice a year) and at times forget if the on ramp is on the left or right. This can be quite bothersome in heavy traffic or at night in the rain. My Nuvi eliminates that hassle altogether. I only ran into one major stretch of new highway (US 78) in AL that was not in the data base. Overall I am happy with the Nuvi 760.

Very user friendly, and very good display.

The update down load took forever, about 5 hours, I think it would be faster and easier to pay $10.00 for the cd, hopeing it would be faster and easier.

I am an experienced GPS user. I have also been a long time Garmin

user.

This product is clearly focused on people who are new to GPS use and ones

who have not experienced one of Garmins earlier superior products. It is

not powerful but very simple to use.

There are some good things. The larger screen is nice and my Nuvi gets a

satellite lock quickly. I also like the portability and small size which

makes it easy to carry on trips.

I have had very good experience with the Garmin map accuracy in

general. This device is no exception.

Unfortunately, for me the rest is downhill. All of the "bell and whistles"

that Garmin has added are close to worthless. If you will read the other

reviews closely you will find agreement that the FM function is poor.

As far as I am concerned it is DOA. I don't see why you would use such a

poor quality device to listen to anything. The bluetooth hands free idea

might have some merit if the speaker and microphone worked well

but they do not.

I can use the device in my Toyota Avalon but not in my Ford 150 truck or

in my RV because the background noise will drown out the speaker. The

speaker is so weak even at maximum volume I cannot hear it if I am

listening to the radio in these vehicles.

Other reviewers have also mentioned other features that Garmin had on

previous models that are now missing. For example, none of the Nuvi

models can block

a specific street or section of street as I could some of my previous

Garmin units (this is very useful in a city where street improvements

block streets regularly) and the detour function does not work as well

as the one on my old Garmin 2610. The 2610 is one of the first

"spoken directions" units Garmin made and is my oldest GPS. (I have

two Tom Tom Gps devices and three other Garmin devices.)

As an aside, I find the The Tom Tom maps inferior to the Garmin maps.

Overall I am disappointed in the device. It really feels like an attempt

to market poor content with lots of marketing fluff about bluetooth

and FM. The traffic function has also been of very limited use to me as

I am in usually in the traffic before the information about it becomes

available. As explained above I also mourn the loss of several of

Garmin's best navigation functions.

I solved the speaker problem by buying a portable battery powered

external speaker but I am not happy about having to do this or to

have to figure out how to do it. It is also cumbersome.

I expect better products from Garmin. I liked their earlier products

so much that I made assumptions about the quality of this product.

When I buy another GPS I will not again assume that Garmin is the best.

Garmin could greatly improve this device (and the Nuvi line) by

offering a windshield mount which included a better speaker or

speakers and a better microphone. Then their

vision of the Nuvi as an audio device as well as a GPS might work.

My advice would be try other devices to insure this one is right and if you

buy a Garmin skip the FM and bluetooth features. I really don't think

they work well.

If you have a vehicle with very much background noise you should

check to see if the speaker volume on these units will work for you.