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Garmin Nuvi 200 Series Beginners Guide Video Got A new Nuvi or thinking about buying one? Have a look at our instruction video to get a hang of the basics when using a Nuvi 200, 250, 260, 270 and W version.

Garmin Nuvi 200 Series Video FAQ Netcast of the most Frequently Asked Question from this site, about the Nuvi 200, 250, 260, 270 and W versions.

Check out this video for Solutions to Common Problems!

Hi, after installing the new software version 5.0 on my Nuvi 250 it appears that I cannot search with it anymore. Meaning when I attempt to search for a state such as "New Jersey" I get a "No Matches Found" message. We have tried resetting it and reinstalling the current software with WebUpdater.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

Make sure you've got the right country selected., settings, map, map info.

I purchased the map update DVD for my Garmin 200 and when I went to use it, it told me that I needed 36MB more memory to complete the update.  How can I free up that space?  I do not want to purchase a memory card and I have never added anything to the device.

Just buy an SD card and put it on that, or double check you're only trying to install the UK.

Hi
i have sat  nav Garmin nuvi 310,but the map is old.
how can i get free update new map
 please can you help me. thank you.

Map updates are never free!

HI, HAD A NUVI 300 WHICH WAS FAULTY.  SENT IT BACK TO GARMIN VIA COMET WHO WROTE IT OFF.  COMET NO LONGER SELL 300 AND TOLD HUBBY 200 IS NEWER VERSION - SO HE TOOK IT.
1) IS THAT TRUE?
2) CAN YOU USE A BLANK SD TO STORE MORE OF YOUR OWN FAVOURITE LOCATIONS? AND (3) IF YES, HOW?
CHEERS
FAB SITE BTW!!! Karen.

The 300 includes an mp3 / audio book players and a head-phone jack - however the 200 probably has newer maps, so it's up to you.

No, you can't store your favourites on an SD card.

Just bought Garmin Nuvi 250. Connected to laptop with Nokia USB cable to register it and get the updates, but the download starts then stops almost immediately: The most it has achieved is 14%. Could it be the lead, the Garmin website, or a defectrive unit? Thanks.

Try it on a different pc - could be your internet connection.

I have a nuvi 200 and it is having a problem updating gps firmware- It does it about every30 to 60 seconds- It shows no bars for a signal- the battery is full I have reset it- also it will not connect to my computer- it shows the nuvi hooked to the computer but won't do anything else- I can't open anything to try and run a download from the internet.  Is it damaged or can I help it. Thak you. Janet.

Ok, try it on a different USB port, and if that fails on a different computer. (Make sure you try different leads too!)

Hi there i have the Garmin nuvi 250 when it is on navigation it seems slow what i mean is , i am past a street when it says i have still to come to it , is there a way to correct this , before i sell this sat nav on , it would be a shame as i love this sat nav . James.

Reset it. See below.

My Garmin Nuvi 250 is missing several letters when the keyboard comes up. I got around it for awhile by switching the language to British English, but now those letters are disappearing as well. What's going on and how to i fix it? Fred.

Try a reset first - turn it off, hold finger in bottom right of screen, turn it on. If that doesn't work, go to Garmin Web Updater to see if there's a firmware update. If that doesn't work, take it back to where you bought it.

Hopefully this is the right place. I've been searching high and low for answers to some pretty difficult questions.

About a year ago b4 I moved from Florida a friend brought me a Nuvi 200. My son was playing with it and put a lock code on it. I didnt bother with it because I barely used it. About three months ago I moved to Philadelphia and I need the Nuvi now more than ever. I called Garmin and they told me that theres no way that I can resolve my problem because I don't have the original reciept nor do I know where my son was at the time he set the code. Can any one give me an answer to my problem?

I can't find anything on the internet that says how to get past the Garmin Lock without the PIN or going to secure location.

What I would do is try some real common codes - 1234, draw diagonals across the screen, etc, grab a beer and just play for a bit. You've got nothing to lose as the unit is useless as it is, and fingers crossed you may get lucky!

You could give it to your son and say "I'll give you $20 if you can break the code" - kids often are more determined than us when it comes to these things.

Final resort? Buy a new one on Amazon.

Hello there. I have the Nuvi 200 (Bought Halfords in January 2008) As most will know it only has UK & Ireland on there by default. I am travelling to Spain next week and thought I'd look into extra mapping. After hunting on the Garmin site I did an update on my system and then checked my Manage Maps area on the site. The site suggested I was elegible for a free maps updat which appears to be for the whole of Europe and so I thought I'll install this. After following the download manager (it put a 3.1 GB installation package on my MAC desktop) I launched the Install maps Icon, put in the code Garmin had sent me and I was presented by a page of options on which maps to install. I wanted Central/Western Europe but I was informed that my unit did not have enough space to install this mapping. So I bought an 8GB SD card and popped that in the unit (surely enough space for nearly all the world mapping) But I'm faced with the same issue, not enough space. It's as if the installation is not seeing the SD card and is still trying to install to the Nuvis internal memory. I'm not finding any clear answers on the Garmin site. I'm sure I'm missing a simple trick. So the bottom line is, how do I get these free map updates onto my new SD card. Any advice appreciated. Keith.

My Dad had just the same problem a couple of weeks ago when he was loading French maps into his Nuvi 200 after downloading them from Garmin.

It may be worth re-starting the program and trying again, he did say that there was an option to load to the SD card - but it'll probably be called "local drive x" or "removable drive x" where x is the SD card.

If the sd card still doesn't show up, try a different USB port, and to be honest it could be that 8gg is too big and the Nuvi can't regognise cards of that size - just put in any old smaller one to see if that appears, then get a 1gb one if necessary.

Hi there!
for some strange reason the system is only in spanish.  I only speak english...how the hell do i change it to english?
thanks...
Sandra D.

Press the reset button on the bottom and set it up again.

What a nice forum! I do need a Thailand map or Bangkok map on my Garmin Nuvi 200.  Any idea where to find on the net? Some cheap download pages?  Which files are the map files - names?? Thanks! Per.

Garmin make official ones, or you could try Rotweiller maps - watch out for the limitations though.

Hi, I've got a Nuvi 310 Deluxe and have bought a 2gb sd card so that i can download a trip to Switzerland and other countries en route, how do I erase some of the info i have put on the card, and start again.  Is this 2gb card enough for several countries, if not can I put bigger card in.  Thanks. Steve.

Stick the SD card into a card reader and format it from your pc. 2gb will fit on quite a few countries.

I also have the car charger problem. In that, when I plug it in, it thinks it is attached to a computer.

I am using the Garmin charger that came with my Garmin 250w! It did this a couple of time before, but for the past while it was working fine. Now it is thinking it is plugged into the computer again!
Anyone have any ideas? Also this only seemed to begin after the first time I connected my 250 to a PC to update it. Since then, this has been a re-occurring problem.
Maybe the cable is damaged (can't see how though!)
Thanks
David

Try it in a different car to make sure it isn't the cigar socket, then contact Garmin and ask for a new lead.

I have Garmin Nuvi 200 which is working perfectly . Can I update the maps after new roads are constructed ? If so , how? Andy.

When new maps come out, buy a City Navigator NT DVD from Amazon. If you go to Garmin and register, it can tell you if your maps are up to date.

Have got Garmin 200 and it has City Navigator Europe NT [1 uk & ireland] installed on it.  Checked on map info and box is checked.  Purchased Map update 2008 city nav Europe cos going to Spain but am getting message "This Garmin GPS is not eligible for this update because a previous map version is not installed".  Please can anyone help? Sharon.

Unfortunately you've bought the wrong maps - the upgrade will only work for people who already have Spain, etc (eg have a 250 / 270). If you want Europe you'll need the City Navigator NT FULL version. Sorry,

just loaded north america on to sd card for my 200w how do i get it onto the screen instead of uk maps. Derek.

It's probably already there - use the map browser to skim over the pond. If not, its in the settings menu.

I use Linux as my operating system. Will the nuvi 200/250 be able to access the update facilities/speed camera info etc? Roger.

Garmins software only supports mac and pc.Google your problem though, someone may have come up with a fix.

Hi i have a nuvi 250 and have just bought a Micro SD card with adapter so that i can add photos and the optional vehicles juts for fun.

Will the unit automatically detect the vehicles and photos or do i have to do something special.  Also my unti froze the other day and i had to resest it before it would do anything.  Is this common? Gary.

It will detect the photo's, but vehicles have to be installed - see my guide. They all freeze once in a while.

Some time ago I was exploring ".. the question of other power for the 250W" and found some answers. Since then an even better solution has been brought to my attention. See http://www.gomadic.com/garmin-nuvi-250-emergency-aa-battery-extender.html. Their battery back appears to be regulated and the No73 tip provides only charge connection. Only slight drawback is that the tip end is not a 90degree end like the Garmin original - not a really big problem. Michael.

Great Info!

I have a GARMIN nuvi200,can I charge my satnav from my computer with my usb lead. Raysa.

Yes, but you won't be able to use it at the same time.

I have a similar to this one that appears above:
I bought the nuvi 250 and followed your guide to activate the free one month speed camera trial.  I now want to purchase a one year subscription but when I click connect it cannot find my Garmin. I am using a garmin USB cable purchased along with my nuvi and I can see the Garmin as a drive in "My Computer". How can I make it find my Garmin? - and if it can't, does that mean I can't use the speed camera info from Garmin?

I have checked all the connections, used a different port and restarted the computer.  I didn't have this problem when I activated the free trial. Paul.

Ok, it could be your firewall getting in the way, so disable that while you're trying to connect. If you're on Internet Explorer, download Firefox and use that instead, and vice versa. Also try resetting the Nuvi.

Of course it could all be down to Garmins site not working properly, so give it a week or so and try again.

hi all i have the nuvi 200 ...last night i re-installed the map source onto my pc , ran the webupdater and updated the poi's ... now evey time i switch my nuvi on it boots and then says "cant unlock maps" .. i click ok and all my maps are on ... how can i fix this? Julian.

Contact Garmin.

Recently bought a Nuvi 250 as my first sat nav. Getting along fine with it apart from one thing - I don't particularly like motorways so I enabled the avoidances for Major roads. However, I have discovered that this doesn't just mean motorways, but also includes major A roads. Is there any way of just avoiding motorways? I believe you can on a TomTom. Finding if really frustrating - please help! Kirsty.

Nope! Its avoid M-Ways and A-Roads or nothing!

Hi there.  Just getting used to my new Garmin Nuvi 250.  Generally it has been OK - but sometimes (usually when weather is very overcast) it keeps losing contact with the satellite (message showed "acquiring satellites".  Might the unit be faulty?  Would it perform better if I mount it in a higher position inside the car? Or is it just a limitation of the technology? (should I have bought a Tom Tom??!!).  Any advice?  Thanks, Nick.

The unit will work best when mounted on the windscreen, anywhere else and it may have trouble. Its also worth giving it a reset (button on bottom, or turn off, hold thumb in bottom right, turn on, "yes"). If all this fails, take it back.

I am from Malaysia, Asia.  I am interested for Garmin GPS.  If I buy from e-bay (US market) and mail to me.  Can still use that unit in Malaysia. If yes , is it possible to download at Malaysia ? Looking forward for your pro advise. Thanks in advance. Mimi.

You'd have to buy the Garmin Malaysia Maps.

I am looking to buy a GPS device with a picture viewer that you can plug your flash drive into  and view your pictures. Is there such a thing? Terry.

Almost all new Garmins and TomTom's have picture viewers, but they only accept SD cards. Maybe one option is to swap to a USB Flash Stick card reader instead, and copy your images to a SD card.

Hi I bought a Nuvi 250W to use enroute by car to Poland and on our barge on Polish waterways - it works brilliant at both and the Polish street detail is excellent - just put it in "pedestrian" mode and it happily tracks as you move about on the wide rivers we have here.  Major river detail is not high but good enough.
BUT I also intended to link it with the USB to automatically update position into Google Earth Plus - two problems a) when USB plugged in it stops showing map b) Google does not find it - (I have loaded Communicator and drivers from Garmin site)  Any help how to solve this ? Geoff.

I don't think you can use the Nuvi like this, but if you can, try disabling firewalls / anti-virus, etc. It could be that you've got to have a hand-held hiking GPS type unit.

Three questions if I may?

1. I bought a Nuvi 200 from Wal-Mart whilst in the states recently (comes preloaded with US maps). The intention is to use it now in the UK by putting in my SD card with the UK maps on. This works but everytime I switch the thing on it asks 'New extras data found on card. Would you like to install this data so that it will be available if the card is removed?' I answer yes but it always comes back with Installation failed. After answering the OK prompt it takes me to the maps successfully. Is this a problem and how it it resolved.

2. Are uk maps on an microSD card (originally from my i3 pilot upgradable?

3. After removing my uk card from my US version Nuvi 200 it doesn't appear to load the US maps anymore. How do I get to the US maps now?

Kind regards
Steve

1. There won't be enough internal memory on the Nuvi to install the UK maps, that's why it fails.

2. Upgrade map dvd's are available from amazon and other online retailers.

3. In the settings, check that the US map is ticked. If it is, it could be that the maps has been corrupted because of (1.). If you contact Garmin they might send you a dvd with the maps on - you have afterall paid for them already.

Hi, I have just purchased a Garmin nuvi 200w from Amazon, (Excellent service). On the spec it said in car charger was 12/24volt. On recieving the box and contents, and examining the Garmin in car charger, it only states 12volt. which do i believe, as i drive a small lorry that does not have a 12volt socket. Do i risk plugging it in on the merits of the spec in the add.
many thanks Graeme.

The lead that comes with your Garmin is 12v only.

I have just noticed that the ball ended suction cup holder as supplied with my "new" Garmin 250W has a hairline crack running through it, this starting from the elongated slot where the release lever pivot runs through.

On checking another holder of the same type from my C510, I find that it also has a similar hairline crack in exactly the same place, this makes me wonder if this is a manufacturing problem as the holders have not been rough treated in any way, and likewise wondered if there has been any instances of the arm having sheered off, or is it one of these things that doesnt get any worse? John.

Give Garmin a ring and explain the situation, I'm sure if you're polite they'll help you out. I haven't heard of problems, but you never know.

My dad is thinking of buying a Nuvi 200 but wants a particular feature:

If he is exceeding the speed limit on any road he wants the sat nav to notify him audibly (e.g. beep).  I know the speed camera alerts indicate when you are near a speed camera but he wants this feature on all the time (regardless of how annoying it may be).  Is the Nuvi 200 capable of this feature?  If not can you point me n the direction of a sat nav that is?

Thanks
Neil

PS he has a friend with a Nuvi 300 who tells him that his has this feature but I'm not sure how true this is?

I don't know of any Sat Nav that knows the speed-limits of the roads you're on, only the speed limits where the Speed Camera is, so if the road changes from a 60 to a 30, the unit will only warn you if there is a speed camera there. I don't think the Nuvi 300 has that feature, but I could be wrong. Ask to borrow it.

Hi - great website.  My question - on the nuvi 200 is there a way of turning off the audible speed camera warnings without turning off the audible direction instructions?  It is constantly beeping to warn of "speed camera zones" in which there currently are no speed cameras - it is a bit irritating!  Thanks, Nick

Sure, just go to the spanner, settings, look for the proximity warnings option, then untick the speed cameras.

hi,i have a garmin 250,i do alot of walking, is there a way of getting walking maps to?
also when i have down loaded the speed camera data from garmin,,,it does not pict up the jump cameras were i live at the light???were my tomtom does....any ideas?
regards mark.

Ok, you can get the Garmin Topographic Maps, people have various levels of success with them, I've never used them myself.
Report missing cameras at the Garmin Reporting Page.

Still having a few problems with down loading topo map into nuvi 250w.
tried reducing number of files from map source from 1.6Gb to about 0.5Gb it managed to load into garmin but its now saying unable to unlock map
the mapsource / topo map is unlocked from what i can see and can back up the unlock file etc within mapsource
have even tried just a single map / area within mapsource and same happens - exports ok but nuvi states cannot unlock any ideas Kevin.

I've never tried to do what you're doing, so it might be an idea to post a question in the
Groundspeak Forum
Tell me how you get on.

Hi...When I use Web Updater & opt for the Windows choice, it always downloads the For Legacy Operating Systems one....Is this correct for my Garmin Nuvi 250W, please?
Also it tells me there is a new download called GPS Chipset Type G. Should I download this?
I find the download stuff on Garmin's website very confusing...and I am not bad with IT & PC matters. All help most appreciated...I am always happy to make a donation to your chosen charity for assistance.
Thanks a lot,
Geordie Paul in Leeds

Ok, make sure you're downloading Ver. 2.4.1, its the bottom choice at the
Garmin Webupdate Page
Plug your device in and let webupdater download all the automatic updates (not the languages!), check out
this forum
for a brief explanation of the Chipset update.

Hi, My Garmin 200 seems to want to take me off an "A" road and route me down narrow country lanes when returning to my little Kent village,   ( which I know sat nav's have a reputation for ! ) However on the journey OUT it sticks to the A road ? I have tried fastest/shortest settings makes no difference! Major roads are enabled,any other settings I can try ? P.s If I ignore it it recalculates and sticks with the "A" road.  Many Thanks Ken.

Computers, eh? We do occasionally come across these glitches, you should report it to Garmin, and ignore your GPS when you get close to home, when hopefully you know where you are...

A friend just bought a Garmin250w but the car charger is too long for his truck connection so even though it goes partially in and lights up it won't stay there as the holding brackets don't go all the way in (hope that all makes sense). AC adaptor not a good option as he will be on the road for more than the 5hr battery life. Has he any other options i.e an adaptor to put over the top to make it fit or a different size car charger?? please help as it's sooooo frustrating......

All you need to do is buy a cigar socket extension lead, that'll have a slightly different size, and the plug should fit ok.

I have a question regarding my nuvi 300, bought in the uk.
when i go to type in a location on the 'where to' option it goes to the map screen as it should but there is a message at the top in green saying 'gps is off' and then says on the main screen area 'do you want to simulate driving this route?'.
also, when i go to type in an address in the 'where to' option it is only coming up with 'spell state/province' and not the usual 'spell city/postcode' option. it seems that it has reset itself to american settings?
i have tried to reset the unit from advice given on this forum, but nothing is happening. (the small screw area under the sticker on the back).
hoping you can help,
a confused englishman! Drew.

You have to flip out the antennae to get rid of the "simulate this route" message. The reset button looks like a button, not a screw. Do a system reset:

1. Need to open Maintenance Mode by pressing the lower left-hand corner of the touch screen while unit is being turned on.

2. When the "Do you really want to start up in maintenance mode?" prompts, press the "Yes" button. (It is now okay to release the lower left-hand screen).

3. Log on password if necessary.

4. Press the "Clear user data".

5. When the "Do you really want to erase all user data?" prompts, press the "Yes" button.

6. Nuvi restarts.

Give that a go.

In Alpine areas the mapping software on the Street Pilot 111 interprets mountain passes which are closed during the winter months as being permanently closed resulting in a summer route being up to 100km longer than necessary. Is this still the same on the 250W or does the unit now react to the actual date? (French maps will say "pass closed November to April" in high mountain areas). Thanks. Happydog.

Can't answer that one I'm afraid, but I'll put the post on my site to see if anyone else can answer - why not
contact Garmin
in the mean-time?

Just read saturdays Guardian newpaper (may 3rd page 3) which talks about using a sat nav as a 'satcom' -uses PPI to trigger conversations as you pass points on the M6 motorway. Free download at www.230milesoflove.com and that site says it works with garmin's and tomtom's -will it work with the Garmin 200W ?

I doubt it, as the files are mp3's, and the Nuvi doesn't have an mp3 player capability. Searched the site but couldn't find a list of compatible units - pretty dumb if you ask me. I guess if your GPS can accept travel guides, like the more expensive Garmins and TomToms, then this might work, but the site's owners really need to be more specific about which units their product will work on.

how do you change from spanish language to english on the nuvi 200. It is already in the spanish lannguage now. I've tried everything... Buddy.

Press the spanner, settings, down arrow, language. Change to British. Or if you can't read the menus, do a system reset, see below a couple of posts..

I have had my Garmin Nuvi 250 for a year now and used it very successfully in both U.K and France travelling thousands of miles with pinpoint accuracy and total confidence.In the next few weeks I shall be flying to Spain and picking up hire car before heading on to final destination at holiday villa.Have never been to this villa and only have address etc.Could someone please explain to me the set out of Spanish addresses  ie whatis the post code, street, district etc. Also what level of coverage is provided for Alicante / Benidorm / Valencia Costa Blanca area. Would really appreciate help with this one. Grant.

Out of my league I'm afraid - does anyone else know?

I am currently living in Thailand and purchased Nuvi 200 with the Thai operating system. It has English US, Thai, Indonesian and sevaral Chinese dialects. I wish to change to English British and have downloaded the 2 relevant files. It now speaks British English but rubbish. Eg on a short road 1 km long it says turn left in metres 100 kilometres and other nonsense. Any ideas, I have seen others have identified this problem but cannot find any answers. Many thanks in anticipation. (The o/s is up to date)

Try a system reset. Turn the unit off. Put your thumb on the bottom right of the screen, keep it there, then turn it on. Say "yes". See if that works.

I have a nuvi 200W. Been sent Europe NT on DVD as an update. The nuvi will only hold UK and Ireland on hard drive and as I want Spain for the holidays, i have to delete UK and Ireland and swap over on the computer, but can i load maps on to a SD card and swap from map to map when required. Please help anyone!!! Robert.

Yes, buy a large SD card (1gb) and you'll be able to load most of the maps onto that - don't use the internal memory!

Excellent site far better than the limited manual information given with the garmin units.
I have been trying to find if any ordance survey maps are compatible with the garmin nuvi 250w but no luck. i do the occassional fell walk in the uk lake district and thought it would be usefull to have. any ideas were i can buy 1. noticed from this site that anquet maps are not compatible. Kevin.

You Nuvi isn't compatible with OS maps, you could buy and install the
Garmin Topo Maps UK
or perhaps look at some of the free options available at this site:
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/OSM_Map_On_Garmin
or this one:
http://mapcenter2.cgpsmapper.com/
remember that lots of the "home brew" maps are aimed at Hiking GPS units - so always have a back-up of your Nuvi before you try anything, and be aware that if anything goes wrong your warranty will be voided.

Can i download on to the nuvi 200 series off the internet if i buy the download cable?

You can download POI files, speed camera updates, new maps, etc, to your desktop PC, and then transfer them to the Nuvi via the cable. Remember that the cable is a nomal mini-usb cable, so you may have one already.

Hi there, I used a friend's Gamin nuvi 200 the other day to get to an unfamiliar address. I had used sat nav before, and tried to persuade her to lend me an A-Z instead! However, it was totally brilliant - and I am hooked. I did an internet search, but now am somewhat confused.

What is the difference between the 200 and the 250 for someone who would probably only ever use it in the UK. It seems that the 250 is obviously useful for overseas driving, but the fact that it is cheaper than the 200 on some websites has confused me further. Are the UK maps and features the same for both? Also, if I buy one now, how long will the maps remain up to date? Please advise. Thanks, Michelle.

The UK maps are the same on the 200 and 250. The 250 is cheaper in some places, there's simply more of them in the market (and obviously you'd buy the 250 over the 200 if it was cheaper!) The maps should be the latest ones, but if they aren't, when you register at Garmin they'll send you a DVD with the latest maps on. Garmin update their maps every few years - I guess you could say the maps are out of date as soon as they're made, because our roads are changing so much, but that's true of any map. Glad you found the site usefeul.

I have a Garmin 250. I live in Hove, but the police stations listed only begin with Horley which is 22.3 miles away. Any ideas why local stations aren't shown? Steve.

TomToms and Most Sat Nav have the same problem, check out my POI install guide

I'm not sure if more Police stations are included, but its worth a look.

My Nuvi 200 tells me to turn where there is no road and has me turn left when it's a no brainer that I should turn right. Help.... Thanks. Matt.

Maybe there's a map error or the unit could need resetting. Check out my update guide to see its got the latest maps:

http://www.sciuridae.co.uk/garmin_update_guide.htm

, and have a look at

 http://www.sciuridae.co.uk/garmin_nuvi_faq_video.htm

to see how to reset it.

Why does my garmin 250 gps not alert me to forward facing cameras?

Maybe you need to update the Speed Camera Database, check out my guide.

Sorry I dont speek very well English. I have one GPS Garmin nuvi 200, I forgot PIN code, wat can I do for to clear PIN code. can you send site with software for to download.
thks regards.

You'll have to remember the PIN, the Secure Location, or send it back to Garmin.

Just wonderng can you update a Garmin Nuvi 200 (GB, Regional)with European maps ?
As i have just bought a 200 regional and would like to take it on holidays.
hope to hear from you soon, thanks, Christine.

Sure, all you need to do is buy the Garmin City Navigator NT Europe maps on DVD or SD card from Amazon, etc.

I am a truck driver and would like to know if the Garmin nuvi 200 comes with truck routes. Or does one need to down load a special map. Cesar.

Great question, now I just checked my Nuvi and there is no truck option - you do get it on some other Sat Nav's, but they don't take into account weight restrictions or bridge heights. However, there is a new GPS coming out that promises to deliver these features, the WorldNav.
You enter the height, width and weight of your vehicle and they say that it'll work out a suitable route. It may be worth going on some of the trucker forums to ask for some better advice though.

I have got a garmin 250 but dont have code for it as i have been given it from a mate that cant remember and cant be arsed to fix this how do i go about this without a receipt. Steve.

Sorry, your mate will have to remember the code, or the secure location. Otherwise its got to go back to garmin.

Looks like i've made a huge mistake!! I used WebUpdater to update my Garmin nuvi 200 last night and now it won't switch on!! When I try and switch it on it brings up the Garmin screen and loading maps then switches itself off. Is there anything I can do without resetting the unit? Sarah.

Try a reset. Turn the unit off, hold your thumb on the bottom right of the screen, turn it on (keeping your thumb in place) then turn it back on again. See if that helps.

Thought this had worked put it hasn't. it gets to the deleted data screen (something like that!) but it switches off before i can press yes. Is there anything else I can try?

Try leaving it plugged into the pc for half an hour or so to see if the battery needs charging, then try again

Hi - silly question but is the Garmin 250W the same as the 250 widescreen. Does the W just stand for widescreen?
Novice to sat.navs as you can tell.
Also best way to get a map for the USA
Cheers, David.

Yes, the W stands for widescreen. For maps of the USA, grab one of these.

Hi I am considering purchasing the Nuvi250W but I am concerned whether it will work in Citroen Picasso due to the windscreen coating. The halfords website recommends an external ariel but I am unable to find one to attach to the Nuvi250W. Is one available or will I need a different model.
Thanks for your help. Regards Graham.

You can't fix an external aerial to a Nuvi, but it shouldn't need one, it was only older Sat Navs, that weren't sensitive enough, that needed them. If in doubt, nip into your local Halfords, get them to test a demo one in your car for free.

My son gave me a Garmin nuvi 200 for Chrismas and I love it. This summer I'm going to europe and would like to know if I can use it over there? Can I download maps and how?. Thank you. Miette.

You'll be needing one of these.

Hi Rob, thanks for all your help. I have my Garmin 200w with the Rotweiler Thailand map and it is working absolutely brilliantly. I do have two question for you. Should it tell me the name of the streets that I am turning onto? Also the "Where To" function "Address" just asks me for a state or province and then does not accept anything typed in. am i missinf something? Thanks again, Kevin

The Nuvi will not speak the names of the streets you turn into, it will just say "turn left in 200 feet".
The Rotweiler maps do not support entering addresses at this time, but you can browse the map and point to a destination.
"Where to" "Browse Map" drag your finger around the screen to move it, use the + and - signs to zoom in and out, the tap where you want to go, then press "go" (or save if you want to put it in favourites).
You could also navigate to lat / long if that’s easier.

Halfords. Garmin Nuvi 250W? Price asked £139.99?Price offered against the internet price £119 A BARGAIN PURCHASE!Have now bought TWO AT that price!!!
As a pentioner(71 has gone)I would like to know full instructions for downloading our own pics onto our unit please? Why is these details not in there Personal Travel Assistant brochure?
Ray R

Just put your .jpg's onto an SD card and slide it into the slot, then use the picture viewer to look at them.

Hi, My Nuvi 250w beeps at me whenever I exceed the 30pmh speed limit, even if only slightly. It's driving me mad. Can I switch this feature off? John.

It should only beep when you're approaching speed cameras. To turn this feature off, press the spanner, settings, proximity points, change, then untick the box by pressing it.

That worked! Thank you very much. Its very simplicity was counter intuitive for me. John.

Could you please tell me how to backup my software of my Garmin 250w onto my computer?
Thanx. Ricko.

Plug into into your PC with a mini usb lead. On your PC, press "Start" "My Computer" and you should see your Nuvi listed. Double click on it to look inside. Then "Edit" "Select All" "Copy". Now create a new Folder in your documents, then right-click "paste". Its a good idea to burn it to cd or copy it to a usb flash drive too.

Hi, appreciate if you can help me on the following problems,
1. how do i get back the Help Files in my Nuvi 200?. They are no more available when i press wrench/help. I have checked and the files are still in the folder Garmin/Help
2.after trying out uploading various maps using Mapsource to Nuvi 200, i found out in Map Info, that the nuvi had registered many version of the same map. How do i deregister or delete duplicate version? Jay.

Ok, first try reseeting the unit - hold your thumb in the bottom right corner of the screen, turn it on, the say "yes".
Not sure about the maps - maybe you do it through Mapsource?

Hi, Do you know if the tom tom home charger will work on the nuvi 200, don't really want to buy a new one if I don't need to. Many thanks Andy

It will probably charge it - but I'd just use a mini-usb and charge it from your PC. You can't use it while it's charging though.

I'm taking my family to Florida this summer and would like to be able to use my Garmin Streetpilot I3 over there. Likely to use it just the once for this holiday so if I eg buy a mini-SD (?) card I would then look to sell it on e-bay.
Any advice appreciated as to what to get, where to get it etc Glyn.

If you could get the mini sd card with the USA maps already on it, great, otherwise you'll have to buy the Garmin Maps they're not cheap, but again you could sell them once you've used them. Second hand GPS on ebay normally goes for good prices, more expensive than new ones sometimes!

Right now the ubiquitous Wal Mart stores are selling the Nuvi 200 for $181 USD. Converting to BP should make this price pretty attractive to Glyn even just for the one trip. I'm sure someone would buy it when they leave if the price was low enough. Florida is extremely well marked but I think the GPS would enhance the visit anyway, especially the POIs. - Don.

Cheers Don, Great Advice!

How efficient is the nuvi200 in pedestrian mode for instance will it get me to a designated destination while walking from one place to the other in downtown Portland ? Mazen.

Great question. The Nuvi works well as long as you're walking on the sidewalk along proper roads. It gets a bit more complicated if you're in a pedestrian area, then you put the Nuvi into "off-road" mode, and it will point the direction to your destination, like a compass, so you've got to decide which way to go. I've used it like this, and its worked for me.
Remember though that if you go inside you could lose satellite lock.

What wasn’t fine was the only way to clear the screen of the warning box now displayed was to hit an OK button displayed at the bottom of the screen, which might be OK if you are close to the device, but mine is mounted some distance from me as the vehicle screen is very steep and has a deep dashboard.

I like where the item is mounted in this vehicle, but now I can’t drive with just speed information displayed as this now presents me with a driving hazard as it requires me to lean forward to press the OK button, and with so many cameras, this is going to happen frequently. All the device needs is a warning box displayed, the bong and then it disappears again with out the need for the driver to clear the warning.

This is a safety issue so I will notify Garmin of my concern, along with the other minor issues mentioned in my last post, which are basically software related, so can be addressed with a download update. Owen.

You make some great points that I was not aware of, it will be interesting to see what Garmin do, thanks for pointing them out to me and visitors to the site.

The other problem I’ve found is the use of the SD card. I down loaded the extra vehicles and tried to install them all, but the unit soon ran out of memory. So I removed all the languages not needed in help and all the voice files, only leaving the ones I required. I tried to install the extra vehicles to the SD card, but cannot find any way to access the files through the unit. How do you access files on the SD card? I can see images through the picture viewer on the SD card, so why not the vehicles, I even named the file the same as the one on the device. Owen

I agree with you about the annoyance with not being able to see the current speed on the map screen when you're navigating, but you can access it through the trip meter. Speedo's by law must be accurate or read higher - your GPS is correct.
You don't have enough memory to have all of the custom vehicles inside the Nuvi, you've got to choose your favourites and just install them. Vehicles must be installed in the Nuvi, not on the memory card. Your Garmin automatically detects images and maps on the memory card, there is no "file viewer" built into the Sat Nav.

I was wondering if there was anyway of resetting the 'Go Home' setting in favourites as mine as seemed to reset itself to my parents address!! Sarah.

Just press "where to", "favourites", don't press the green "go home", instead use the arrows to scroll down, find the other "Home", press that, then "edit" then "delete", "yes", now press the Green "Home" button and you can put your new address in.

Hello there. I was wondering if a person should leave the 250w plugged into the cigarette lighter the whole time while using it, or should I unplug in and run it down each time before recharging it. Thanks for you time!

You can leave your Nuvi plugged in all the time if you want, or run it off the internal battery. Depends on the length of your journey, you'll get 3 or 4 hours out of a full charge.
There is a school of thought that its best to flatten and recharge batteries every now and then to keep their performance up, but I don't bother.

Hi Rob, sorry to bother you again. My Nuvi 200w is finally coming to Thailand with my son next week. I will be meeting him in Bangkok, I have downloaded the full Bangkok map from Rotweiler. It doesn't need unlocking. Thoroughly enjoyed your instructions on using third party maps.
My question is what type of sd card does the nuvi 200w use? Is it Micro, Mini or ordinary SD card? Kevin.

Your Nuvi will use ordinary SD cards.

Does Garmin 250 W displays information about altitude? It´s one of my conditions for buying a GPS, Thanks!

Tap the vehicle icon in the map screen and you get your lat / long and elevation.

RE the UK & Ireland map updates.
A couple of weeks ago I checked out 'My Garmin' on the Garmin website and checked to see the status of map updates for my Nuvi 200 which I bought from Halfords just after Christmas. There was an update to 'City navigator Europe NT 2008'
I filled in all the details and they emailed me saying it would take 4 - 6 weeks to deliver.
About 10 days later my DVD arrived, my Nuvi 200 now has the 2008 software installed and if you look carefully at the software on the DVD, you can also add lots of European cities etc. The idea seems to be, you have about 230 MB of space on the Nuvi 200, so if you wanted to navigate a certain part of Europe,you could add that from your DVD on to your Nuvi, then at a later date, add other destinations and delete as needed, I haven't checked this out 100% yet so no lawsuits please :).
I am very pleased with this and I am just letting people know, if they have bought a Nuvi and have signed up to the Garmin website with name, address etc. just check map updates to see if you can get the new software.
Just a note to say each DVD can only be used to one device.
Thanks Rob, excellent info website for us Garmin users. Andy.

Thats great news, you may find you need additional codes to access the other countries, but if you don't that's brilliant.

By the way, me and my son were laughing for ages listening to your tutorial on the Satnav, your wife was obviously making it hard for you to talk without laughing lol, well done though, good step by step guide. Regards, Andy.

hi, I have the Garmin nuvi 300 and have just returned from Ireland. I can't believe that Ireland has so many new roads. A lot of the time I was driving across fields, according to the Garmin, I thought I was on tarmac!! The maps say 2007 but I'm sure they haven't been updated..how do I get map updates apart from paying extortionate ammounts to an American seller? Any help gratefully received...thanks...Robert

The 2008 maps are now available from Garmin. Check out this link to see which one is for your unit. Then with the part number of your maps head on over to Amazon.co.uk to buy them, where they're normally cheapish.
However the maps of rural Eire are probably still a little sketchy - don't count on them as being as comprehensive as the UK maps.

Hallo, I wonder if I can put the Destinator 7 on my nuvi 250. (accourdind to friend of mine it's possible, I tryed but without any luck. Do you have solutions ?. Thank's in advance. Dimitrios.

Beyond my areas of expertise I'm afraid - but I guess it would involve installing a version of Pocket Windows first - not to be attempted unless you're willing to risk making the Nuvi unusable.

After reading your brilliant site (among others) I bought a Nuvi 250 in New Zealand (pre-loaded with NZ mapping) and I'm very happy with it. Now I want to use it for a summer tour of the UK and Europe, which means buying an SD card with Europe mapping. So far, so sensible. But the cost of buying the Europe mapping here in NZ is almost the same as buying a new 250, and substantially more than buying a new 250 with Europe mapping in Europe. It works out even more expensive buying Europe mapping from the USA - much more than I paid for the unit itself down under. I understand dealers make money from selling the mapping, but this is getting silly. Has anyone any bright ideas as to how to buy Europe mapping at a reasonable price - and certainly cheaper than a complete new unit? Wandering Kiwi.

You've hit the nail on the head. You can buy a Nuvi 250, with European mapping from Amazon.co.uk for £115 - yet the maps for that device on sd card are about £100 - how crazy is that? It's more to do with the GPS device being cheap though - so you may well find your best bet is to but a new Sat Nav when you come to Europe.
Other options could be ebay, or how about getting onto Sat Nav forums and posting if anyone has a GPS for sale? Maybe there's NZ forums / wanted ads where you could post - other people must have been in your situation.
Not much help I'm afraid, if you come up with a better solution email me and I'll post it on the site for others to share.

Hmm - no magic bullet then! Feared as much. If I find a way round it I'll let you know, but going second hand seems like the best bet.
I assume an SD card can be used with any compatible GPS unit. The DVD software seems to have fairly heavy protection on it, requiring complex unlocking procedures. I requested an update to my NZ mapping, which I received on DVD compatible only with PCs. As I run a Mac (without PC emulation software), I now have to convert it all on a PC to run on the Mac to load on to the Nuvi, which means bothering my neighbour. Sigh.
Anyway, many thanks for your quick response - and if I do end up buying a new unit in the UK, I guess I can hope that by the time I get there in the summer it will be cheaper and better than the one I bought here at Christmas! Wandering Kiwi.

Maps for NZ or Aust (or anyone) going to Europe. There are places like ebay to get maps for a little less than the listed recommended price - but these maps are in great demand on resale so before you go get the best deal and then on return sell on ebay - are you really ever going to use it again before you get a new GPS? You will probably make a small loss but it is probably easier than selling a GPS and map if you buy in Europe because getting a NZ (or other map at home) is probably just as expensive!!! OR a pain sending a GPS back to a buyer in Europe. Michael.

Yup, this certainly seems the way to go. A thorough web search has revealed a few discount online dealers in the UK, getting the cost of a Europe SD card down to about 80 pounds sterling, and maybe even as low as 60 pounds, which starts to make it worth considering. I might buy one of these and get it delivered to a UK address (shipping costs to New Zealand in some cases are as much as the SD card, although I don't know how anyone can justify that for an almost weightless SD card!) Thanks to all Nigel. (Wandering Kiwi)

THE RESET BUTTON IS BEHIND THE BLOODY STICKER???!!!
No wonder I couldn't find it.
Thank you so much to whoever pointed this out.
Cheers from downunder,
Sir Les Paterson.

No problem, you don't have to peel the sticker back, just press where the circle is and that should do the job. By the way, how's Dame Edna Doing?

I bought a charging set for my Garmin 250, including mains, usb and in car charger. It doesnt seem to charge my Sat Nav, rather it just brings up a computer sign. Will this product ever work or will need to buy another one? Thanks, Conor

Unless it's a Garmin branded in-car charger you're right, you will not be able to use the device while its plugged in. It will charge (or talk to your pc in the case of the usb lead), but you can't use it until it's un-plugged. This is a common problem with non-Garmin leads, sorry. Whoever sold it to you was wrong to say it was compatible.

I've just bought a garmin nuvi 250, it has pre-loaded safty camera alerts, do I still have to buy the years subscription or download the trial. thank you. Mary.

You don't have to, but if you think it might save you £60 and 3 points its well worth £30 a year.

I have been trying to find some addresses for people living out in the country and keep getting No Match even though I have put in a proper address. Is there a way to input their address? or do I have to wait for a map update and when will that be for Canada? I have a garmin 250 and like it except for this small problem. I know that some of these addresses have been changed to accomodate 911 and have changed names and numbers etc. Marg.

Have you tried their zip or postal codes? If the addresses are really isolated it could be that they simply are not on Garmins map, and might never be. Try variations, local towns, or use the map browser. With the browser you can hunt around, press the location of where they are, then save that as a favourite. Could they send you their lat / long position, and use that instead?

Does the garmin 250 have the vehicle-routing profile (change from car / motorcycle or truck)? Rob.

No, but you do have various options to make the routing more suitable for different vehicles. In the avoidances menu you can choose to avoid u-turns, major roads, unpaved roads, etc. - Not low bridges or narrow roads though!

Hello guys, i have a nuvi200 and i would like to know is there a possibility of downloading (and installing) new maps on it (without having to buy them). I am from Serbia and our distributor told us that the best solution is to change this one for a nuvi600 (and pay 250e more). thanx in advance! Nikola

Your distributor is right, there are no "free" maps for the Nuvi 200 - you either need to buy Garmins Maps of Europe or a GPS with them built in - but you'll only get major roads in Serbia. (I think).

Back to the question of other power for the 250W.
I want to carry an external battery pack for my NUVI 250W. I have the battery pack, I know that 4 x fully charged NiMH AA batteries are over-voltage so I need to regulate back to 5V and yes – it does power. BUT it goes to USB Mass Storage mode – not Navigate. Research tells me that the secret is the mini-usb. The X pin must be connected to the 4 pin (Ground) with a 17.3K ohm resistor to make the cable a power only cable. Where do you buy one of these? OR How do I make my own without cutting up a car charger? Michael.

Did GCSE electronics at school, but this is a bit beyond me. Found this wiring diagram that may be of help:
http://pinouts.ru/GPS/garmin_nuvi_power_pinout.shtml
How portable do you want the pack to be? One option would be to buy a 12v motorbike battery and a cigar accessory socket, then you could use your existing lead.
Tell us how you get on and send us some pics - sounds like a great idea.

More about a battery box. Size 4xAA with USB female output and an on/off switch (see here) (but it needs a 5V regulator). Has anyone tried cutting the car charger cable and putting in a female/male plug set. Perhaps we might then get hotswappable power so that I can have my battery box - to - 250W cable as the carcharger - to - 250W cable to swap in seconds (power off to unplug/replug naturally. Michael.

That little box looks interesting...
If you could get a 5v regulator maybe another option would be a 7.2v Radio Control Car rechargeable battery. Buy a female plug, chop it and attach a cigar socket. I suggest this because r/c batts come with ridiculous power capacities and would last for ages....
I'll put your comments on the site to see if anyone suggests anything.
I'm trying to put together a gallery of pics of sat navs all over the world, so if you could take some pictures of your Nuvi with a local landmark (or anything really) in the background, and get the lat long (tap the vehicle icon) and send it to me that would be great!

This problem originally come to you from my other email - and I will eventually get you a photo. Could even do one of this but would like it to look more professional!

Success!

I now have an external battery set (4 x NiMH AA) powering AND charging my NUVI 250W AND in Navigation mode so I am no longer totally dependant on the car charger.

The solution was as I thought. Cut in a Female/Male pair to the car charger cable. Female off the charger and male on the cable. Now I can plug the male end into my battery box OR the car charger AND I get NAVIGATION mode NOT Mass storage mode.

Turns out that the car charger cable is a single shielded wire - the shield is the ground (or negative) and the centre is positive. My only problem is that the standard usb cable I cut was very lightweight so using all thumbs to make the fine soldering job required to the heavier Garmin cable was a trial and it leaves a potential weak point.

This solution paves the way for other ideas including the problem people have with NON-Garmin chargers where they want navigate mode. A higher voltage battery with a 5VDC regulator would also be a reasonable solution.

I still have to figure exactly where the NUVI decides that my battery box voltage is too high and will not play. Have only found this problem with batteries fresh from the charger so perhaps it will not be an operational problem as NiMH batteries always loose a little in storage. I did look at a regulator solution but the battery voltage with AA is too close for anything simple to work (and that may apply to the 7.2V radio controlled car batteries as well). I can always feed it slightly discharged batteries from my camera... Michael.

Great!!!

Had my new nuvi 250w for about a month now,the first time I got it out of the box it took about 20 mins to find satellites with me walking around the roads. The next time was in the car going to Heathrow, it found sats almost instantly. Yesterday thought I would see how good it was when out walking through the park to town about 1/2 hour walk, it searched for sats almost the whole time, found sats after about 30 minutes, only to lose them again after about 5 minutes. Doesn't inspire confidence! However, when it is working it's great. Richard.

Ok, when you first use your GPS, or if you haven't used it for a while, or have reset it, the device needs to update it's almanac of where to listen to Satellites. In order to do this the Sat Nav needs to be stationary and have a good view of the sky (stuck to your car windscreen is good), it could take up to ten minutes. Don't move while it's doing this. If it doesn't get a lock, move somewhere else.
Why? to work efficiently the GPS Sat Nav doesn't want to be trying to listen to Satellites that are over the States, China or Australia, so it creates it's own internal record of which Satellites it needs - the Almanac. This needs updating regularly, but if it hasn't been used for a few days it can take a while to work.

I have stuck a square of Velcro on the back of my Nuvi 200 (son't block the speaker) and a matching square on the upper left of my windshield. Pop on and pop off. Real easy. I don't use the screen anyway while driving, just voice commands.
Also a square on the windshield of my motorcycle and second car. Other pieces on the "navigator's" side of the cars. A razor blade takes it off if you change your mind. Don.

That's a brilliant tip! Any chance of some photo's so we can show the other readers where you stuck the velcro and how it looks on your car and bike?
Also, would you mind taking some photo's of your Sat Nav around the landmarks where you live, I'm trying to build up a sort of library of images, see here

You asked for some pictures of the Velcro method of mounting. I had to buy a camera! This GPS thing is getting expensive...

Please click on images for a bigger version!

Velcro On Windscreen	Velcro On Nuvi	Nuvi On Windscreen!

Just bought an mini SD card with City Navigator South Africa v6 on it. I have both a Nuvi 300 and a Nuvi 250 (It was cheaper than getting Europe for the 300!)The card works perfectly in the Nuvi 300, but the 250 won't recognise it. It is supposed to be compatible with both. Both storage areas are reported using the USB, so it can read the card at that level. Any ideas?

On the Nuvi, have gone into settings, map, map info, and is the map visible there and ticked? You may have to untick the other map for it to appear.

Thanks for the reply,
No the map isn't visible on the map list in settings. I tried unticking the European map and then inserting the card, and switching off and on with the card in. The European map remains unticked and no other maps are shown.
On the 300 both maps are ticked and it even worked out a drive from London to Cape Town!
I'm glad I have the 300 otherwise I would have suspected the card.
Regards, Les.

The only things I can think of doing is resetting the device (turn off, keep thumb on bottom right of screen, turn on, - this will delete your personal data) and trying again, OR copying the data to a different SD card and trying again.
Finally just phone Garmin and ask the experts!
(There isn't anything in the paperwork that came with the card that says you have to unlock the map to particular devices? - you do have to do this with maps supplied on disc)

I've tried a reset, copying the data doesn't work because it is copy protected and there is no unlock code. I've now emailed Garmin. Let's see what their response is. If they fix it, I'll update you.
Best Regards, Les

Hi, I have bought a car charger which is obviously wrong. It just brings up the PC Icon. Reading your forum ths is because the voltage drop resistors are of the wrong value. Do you happen to know the correct value or the voltage required by the Nuvi 250W? Many thanks. Tony.

The official Garmin in-car chargers are rated at 4.9-5.25 V dc. Get one here.

Can you load ordnance maps from Anquet Maps onto the nuvi 200W. Thanks Eric.

Sorry, they're not compatible.

A common problem when non-Garmin in-car chargers are used, but at least the home charger will be of some use to charge the unit.
Glad you found the site useful. If a little late with the advice.
I'm trying to build a Gallery of Sat Navs from around the world, it would be great if you could find the time to contribute. Please visit our GPS Sat Nav World Gallery.

Hi, I've connected to site for free trial of safety camera updates. Device is definately recognised and charges through computer. However there is nothing to say it has been updated. How do I know? Lisa.

Follow this Guide To Free Garmin Speed Camera Trial.

I just bought a Garmin nuvi 250 and I was wondering if there is such a thing as a free download for maps.. I will be travelling to New Zealand in Feb and I really don't feel like spending $350. for a map.. I bought this in Canada so I don't already have a map of Euope. Mine came with US and Canada only.. How would I down load if it is possible..Thank you Bernie.

Sorry Bernie, additional maps are one of the main ways GPS Sat Nav companies make a profit now that the units themselves are so heavily discounted... Maybe a second hand unit? It might even be worth contacting Garmin on the phone and explaining your situation.

I have recently bought a Garmin 250. Is it possible to change the settings to get a more realistic arrival time. The current settings require driving at the speed limit. This is not always possible. Mick.

Not that I know of, and I agree that the eta's are too aggressive and need to be toned down. Perhaps an email to Garmin requesting that feature in the next update?

Is it possible to add download maps from my copy of Garmin Mapsource City Navigator NT europe v9 to a 2Gb SD card that will work on my new nuvi 200W ?
If its possible please outline the process. John.

Check out this page, then click on the Product Compatibility drop-down menu on the right. The Nuvi is listed. Don't you just install the disc onto your pc, enter the unlock codes and transfer the maps across with a mini usb lead? Mapsource manual here. Remember you can only install maps to a limited number (2?) of devices.

Hi i have just got a garmin nuvi 200. i have just update the speed camera, and was wondering when you come up to a speed camera does it speak warning speed camera or just show you on the screen. As my dad was in the car today with me and said that it had said it before and was wondering why it wasnt doing it today. Jan.

The Nuvi doesn't "speak" a warning - it will beep at you as you approach a camera, then keep beeping if you are over or near the speed limit. If your speed is ok, it will stay silent.

Anyone know why my garmin 250 thinks my car charger is a computer? Alan.

Have a look at the reply a few posts down, and remember to include your email address for a personal reply when you post, its quicker!

I ended up buying a 200 because, like one of your other contributors, I'm hopeless with technological things and got my knickers in a twist just trying to work out which would be the best satnav device for my needs, at a budget price, so I just plumped for the cheapest I could find at Halfords. I think they've got a load of 200s they're trying to shift because I got mine for £99 - bargain! And after reading your review, I'm pleased I took the plunge.
Just one thing - and you'll definitely get a beer if you can help me with this one - I have been trying to change the voice, with no success.
The one that comes pre-loaded really grates on my nerves, but on browsing the net it appears that the only alternative voices available are for TomToms only. Any advice/tips/suggestions?
Many thanks, Ava

No custom voices for Garmin yet I'm afraid - you could try the American voice, but that's not much better. Best bet is just to turn the volume down a bit. You get used to her, and I don't think it's that bad.

Thanks for your prompt response - beer's in transit...
Before I found your site I'd e-mailed Garmin about the alternative voice thing, but I didn't receive a particularly helpful reply, which surprised me considering you said the company's people were usually very keen...
Anyway, my correspondent just said: "Sorry, no you can't download an alternative voice."
I've replied to ask why not, and if the company has any future plans to allow customers to access alternative voices, but in the meantime, can you tell me how to access the American voice on the 200?
Many thanks for your time, Ava

To get the American voice on your Nuvi 200, press the Spanner button, then settings, then the down arrow, then language, then change Voice to American English (press the up arrow when you get to the different voices), then ok, then back.
It's always best to phone rather than email Garmin.
Cheers!

Just thought I'd up-date you regarding my query about alternative voices for the Garmin 200 (or perhaps any Garmin).
I received this reply to my e-mail:

"We have not had many of our customers request for the voice to be changed so it is not something that Garmin will be looking in to doing."

Kind regards
Teresa B. Garmin (Europe) Ltd
Liberty House | Hounsdown Business Park | Southampton | SO40 9RB | UK
T: 08082380000 | F: +44 (0)23 8052 4004 |

Perhaps if there are other people out there who would like the choice of different voices, they might like to let Teresa know?
Best regards.

Great Idea. Everybody, if you want Custom Voices, email Garmin and tell them!

Hi I have been bought a Nuvi 200W for Christmass by my wife. Not used it much yet and had hoped to download extra POI's as I work for a communications company and they have a list of mobile masts that I could add in. There was no USB lead with my package and although it has a SD card slot that appears to be just for picture wiewing. I have tried the Garmin website but cannot find the link and have even had problems trying to register my Nuvi. AQll your advise looks very helpfull hopefully you can point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance & Happy new year. Ozzie.

Just finished a Garmin POI installation guide that might help you.
You will need a mini usb lead, most digital camera or phone ones work ok.
Your Nuvi will have plenty of internal memory for POI's, the SD card is for pics and more maps.
Yeah, I think the sheer volume of traffic slowed down (and crashed at times) the Garmin website over Xmas / New Year.

Thanks a bunch for prompt reply. I will scrounge around to find a camera lead that fits and give it a go. It looks like even a techno phobe like me might manage to do it with your brill' instructions.

I have a garmin 250. I bought another car adapter but when I plug it in the garmin thinks it's a computer? Any ideas? Alan.

Does the original car lead work ok? If you've replaced it, is the new lead a Garmin cigar lead that is compatible with the Nuvi 250? Although many Sat Navs / phones, etc use mini usb, the output from the leads can be slightly different voltages. If that's the case the Nuvi will think it is plugged into your home pc and go into that mode.
Get a genuine Garmin lead that says on the packet its compatible with the Nuvi 200 series GPS Sat Navs.

We have had our Nuvi 200 for quite a while and love it. But... every once in a while, it displays a picture of what looks like a cable and a computer. Need to shut the unit off then turn back on, enter security code, agree to warning, and then it will display route again. (Very frustrating while driving.) Seeing nothing in the manuals, or on the websites, I am unsure how to turn this messaging system off (I'm assuming it's to update the maps on the unit).

Right, you could have a faulty lead - the voltage could be changing so that the unit thinks its connected to a computer and not your car....
But first try the reset method in the message below to see if it's a Software problem. It might also be worth checking out our Garmin update guide.
If none of this works you probably need a new lead.
Tell us how you get on.

Hello I have bought myself a garmin 250W so as I can find my way round southern Spain. I live in Torremolinos virtually on the beach I cannot get any satelites unless I wait for about 45 minutes and even then it is hit and miss and when I get them I only have one bar lit........I am very dissapointed could this be a faulty unit I have re calibrated it but it makes no difference. I bought it In England from Halfords and it seems to me I have just bought an expensive calculater............dissapointed John

Right, let's see if we can get this sorted.
You could have a duff unit, but before you contact Garmin (who will be very helpful), lets do this:
We're going to do a reset that will erase all your data and should reset the GPS settings too.
Turn the unit off. Now, while holding you thumb on the bottom right corner of the screen, turn it back on, keeping your thumb on the screen. After a few seconds you'll be asked if its ok to erase data, say yes. You'll now have to put your language preferences back in.
Now go outside and keep the unit still and let it get a lock. Make sure you're away from buildings and trees for this initial set-up. It could take about 5 minutes. Once it knows where it is, give it a test in the car.
Tell me how you get on.

Thanks for your advice to cure my poor satellite reception on my garmin 250W (disapointed John Southern Spain) I did as you suggested and instead of using U.K as my locale I used Espana ..............It now works just fine but only in Spanish I even have almost all the bars lit green!! Now we have a working sat nav but we would like to change the language to English.........Any Ideas? Thanks for your help. John.

You'll have to learn Spanish I'm afraid....
No, seriously, turn your Nuvi on, press the Spanner button, press "settings", press the down arrow, press "language", then change voice, text and keyboard to "British English", then "back" and you'll be done. Salud!

Im still having problems Im sorry for my late reply and posting photos but this bloody thing still wont show me a sattellite till I have been driving up and down for over an hour!!.......then when  Iv lost intrest it will find sattelites.
I rang garmin today and they told me to update my information and settings by connecting to the internet and downloading the latest update. I did this and although only an hour ago still no finding...............................Theory? how about this thing was set and configured  to sell to the British market I bought this in England (after all default always leads me back to UK settings)  and I am a minority so who cares? I will send pictures when I can get over this goddam problem. P.S I have done the dot calibration thing and numerous resets (even after the downloads). John.

Sorry to hear about the problems with your GPS. The only thing I can add is whether it's worth just turning the unit on and leaving it in the garden for an hour, so that it has an updated GPS Almanac. This only needs to be done when the unit is new or hasn't been used for a while. The Almanac is the record of which Satellites the Sat Nav should be listening to in a given location. It could be that you're right, and everytime the device is reset it starts looking in the wrong place (hence your problems). Give it a go, then contact Garmin to get it changed.

I brought a nuvi 200w at christmas and am reasonably happy apart from this minor niggle. I tried to input an address in Leicestershire and started to enter the street name, it began with "TH". The unit predicted only one possibility, "The Green". This was incorrect. I then found no way to ignore this prediction and enter the rest of the street name manually. Now, I accept all sat navs have limits, but after I reached my destination I asked for the post code to input and guess what? The street was in it's map database after all! Is there a way to bypass the prediction when wrong? or is this a problem confined to my nuvi model? Thanks for any info. Andy.

I've come across this niggle in all makes of GPS Sat Nav, where you try to enter an address, and it isn't recognised, yet when you look at the map screen or enter a Post Code it's there. Sometimes you can get around this with variations on the name of the road (missing off 'The', 'North' etc) or the associated Town or area, but often its just not recognised. In the case of Garmins, report the error to Navteq.

I have just purchased a Garmin Nuvi 200, the package includes the speed camera's but how do i know how up-to-date they are,the links above take you in to a free trial or a 12 month chargeable subscription which I do not want to pay for as I have the camera's pre installed, does anyone have a link to download the latest file free of charge? Dave.

Just register at My Garmin, then visit their Speed Camera Page and opt for the free trial at the bottom of the page. That gives you a month of free downloads. After that I'm afraid you have to pay.

Hi mate, just bought the nuvi 200, bargain from halfords.
On the speed camera mobile areas, is there a place where you can send them updates for places where you know regular mobile detectors sit. Cheers, Gary,

Right here: Garmin Safety Camera Feedback Form.

Hi I have been given a nuvi 250 from work but the system is locked to a pin code! I've asked my boss but he carn't remember the pin? Can you help!
Regards Stu

There's three ways to unlock it: Get the PIN. Get your boss to remember where he might have activated the PIN - this is called the "Security Place". If you go to the security place the unit will unlock without the pin, and you can put a new PIN in if you want, The third option is to send it back to Garmin.

Bought my daughter a Nuvi 200W for Christmas (partly thanks to your favourable comments) and she's generally very happy with it.
However, we can't find how to get it to plot a route avoiding motorways (as mentioned in your review above). This isn't mentioned in any of the route option menus. Can you please help? Dave.

Switch your Nuvi on, press the spanner, then settings, then navigation, then the "enabled" button next to avoidances, then tick "major roads". The only thing it might still take you down are A(M) roads, but there's not that many.

Many thanks for the prompt reply.
I would never have guessed that the definition of "major" roads was "motorways". I assumed major roads included trunk and A-roads and was an option for people like me who occasionally like to ramble through the by-ways and B-roads.
Please accept my donation to your beer fund (provided it's real beer).
Anyone who uses a foaming tankard gets my vote. I'm visiting an exhibition of "Beer glasses through the ages" at our local glass museum tomorrow (although I favour a pewter tankard for mine)
Thanks again (and for your helpful and informative website)

Many thanks and cheers!

Sorry to be a pain but I think "main roads" means just that.
We have tried a couple of sample routes with and without main roads de-selected and the Garmin seems to avoid main A-roads as well as Motorways if Main Roads is de-selected.
I'll have a go at the retailer (who assured us that de-selection of motorways was an option).

Tested my Nuvi 200 going to the two nearest cities and if I ask it to, it does avoid motorways and uses the a-roads I would have used - but they are single carraigeway A roads, I can't get it to take A(M) roads - maybe it includes them in the avoidances?
Further investigation required, or an email to Garmin to clarify exactly what "Main Roads" mean, in fact, I'll do it now. I doubt the retailer will have a clue.

Just bought a Garmin nüvi 200W for the wife for Christmas. Excellent unit, really easy to use. The included self-adhesive disc allows us to mount it to the dash in such a position that it doesn't obscure the windscreen at all (Ford C-MAX). I'm shocked at the number of people who foolishly mount their sat-navs in the middle of the windscreen, blocking a huge portion of their view. Remember, that may be the bit of windscreen you need to see that child running into the road...

Great point!

Just purchased a Nuvi 250. In currency converter, how do you update the GBP to Euro rate of exchange (the current rate shown is £1= 1.46)? When pressing "update" it seems to default to US Dollars with other currencies. Many thanks

Ok, first visit the Garmin webupdater to make sure you've got the latest software on your unit, then have a look at this thread. All seems a little complicated to me.

Hi just bought a Garmin Nuvi. Do I need to purchase an SD card so I can upload POI & speed camera downloads etc? Or do I just link up with the USB lead and it will download to the internal memory? Thanks

Just use the internal memory.

Hey, I just got a garmin 250w for christmas. when i have it plugged in, it tells me that it is charging but is it supposed to tell me when the battery is fully charged? I have left it plugged in for 12 hours one day and it still says, "battery is charging!" When is it fully charged? John.

Your Nuvi will not come up with a message saying "fully charged" (but the battery indicator on the top right of the main menu should by green and full), it should take about 4 hours to fully charge, and that will give you up to 5 hours use.

My new Nuvi 200 goes into "screensaver" charging mode when the car ignition is on.(Same problem as Danielle). I am using the same USB power lead as on my old Garmin I3, which was hardwired into the car's electrical system by Halfords at the time of purchase. Is the I3 lead unsuitable? The same problem exists when I use the I3/PC connector for charging. David.

USB car leads do have different voltages, so you need to try your Nuvi 200 with the lead it came with in a car cigar lighter socket. If it works ok then your old I3 lead isn't suitable. If the original lead doesn't work, take it back (with the unit) and get Halfords to check it. (Or just phone Garmin support.) My Nuvi does the same when I connect it to my PC via a mini usb cable - nothing to worry about.

Many thanks for the incredibly prompt reply! I've tried the Nuvi 200 lead in
the car, and it does work. I am a little bit apprehensive about cutting this
lead, because the resistors are probably contained in the plug rather than
the lead. I suppose the answer must be to install a complete cigar socket
behind the dash (it's a Rover 75) and wire it in that way, using lots of
insulating tape to protect the connectors. A bit of a bodge, really! How do
others cope with this seemingly very common problem?

Don't cut anything! The way to "hard-wire" any sat nav is via a mini-cigar socket wired to the cars fuse box, and hidden behind the dash. You're right, the voltage drop resistors will be in the plug, not the wire. Lose the plug and you'll have the wrong voltage!
If you're not sure take it to an auto-electrician or garage - electrical faults are the most common causes of car fires!

Don't worry, I've been working around cars for longer than I can remember (I'm 54), and I used to love fitting tachos, ammeters, oil pressure gauges, spotlamps + relays etc to my cars in my youth! In actual fact, three years ago, I upgraded the Harmony audio unit to Symphony spec on my Rover, and had to to quite a lot of loom juggling to get everything working properly, particularly the cd changer! (no cutting, though). There seem to be plenty of cheap inline mini sockets going for about L1.50 + an inline fuse, so I do not anticipate any problems.

Hi Rob, I bought the Nuvi 200 from Halfords a couple of days ago, obviously for £99 it aint going to be the top system around but I thought the maps would have been up to date. It seems the newer maps are avalable but not to download (as far as I can see) but to purchase on an SD card for around £50. Is there another way to get the update or is this just because the software was pre-loaded and to update myself will incur a cost?
This is an excellent forum Rob and its nice to see someone helping others out with problems, keep up the good work m8, Andy.

Check out this forum post, which I quote here:
"Theres a rumor ( only a rumor at the minute ) of Garmin issuing a map update for the 200 series in febuary / march 2008.
Depending on which version maps your unit has installed you may get an update if the rumor is true.
When they did the map update to version 9 on the old Garmin I3 in december 2006 owners found when the new V9 map dvd rom dropped through there door it included all of Europe to street level mapping as well as the U.K. "

Also, check whether there are any map updates for your Nuvi, check out this page.

Check out this page about the USA map update, with another quote:
" Anyone who purchased a Garmin GPS after May 1st is entitled to a free upgrade if your unit has the older maps installed
The updated maps are available via Garmin's website, or at various retail shops around the country and on the web
To get the free updated maps from Garmin, you must register your unit on Garmin's website, and then call customer support "

If you check which maps are on your Garmin, (Spanner, Settings, Map, Map Info) you should see it says "City Navigaror NT v9", which is the latest version available on the Garmin Website.

Phew! What I'm saying is that there isn't any newer maps available at the moment (xmas '07) for Europe and UK - and when they do issue one, as long as you've registered and bought the unit in the last year, you should get a free map update. We'll just have to wait and see, but make sure you've registered at Garmin.

Thanks for that Rob, I have registered with all the details I have. I bought a USB cable today to update the camera database, I assume you know the routine, when you register you receive an unlock code, but how do you use that code to unrestrict your mapping in the Nuvi?
I have the City Navigator Europe NT V9 installed but after the unlock it should be unrestricted to City Navigator Europe NT v9 UK & Ireland Limited, Deluxe All Regions, Sept 06.
I have also downloaded the program 'Mapsource' but it keeps saying it cannot find any mapsource products installed. All help is much appreciated. Andy.

Ok, the code you get when you register your Garmin is to enable you to reinstall the maps that came installed on your device originally in the case you accidently delete them. When you buy a Garmin GPS Sat Nav you're really purchasing two things: The hardware, and a license to use a map, whether it be preinstalled or on discs in the box. The Nuvi 200 comes with maps of UK & Ireland, and a basemap of Europe.
To add street level maps of Europe (or anywhere else) you buy the maps off Garmin or a reseller and they'll come with an additional unlock code, usually on a yellow bit of paper. When you unlock the maps (in My Garmin) it will also ask you for your device or hardware code. This lets Garmin lock your map purchase to your device, you can't lend it to other people or copy it. What you're seeing in your "My Garmin" page is simply what map you've got on your Garmin: "City Navigator Europe NT v9 UK & Ireland Limited- Deluxe".
The confusing bit is the Region: " City Navigator Europe NT v9 UK & Ireland Limited, Deluxe All Regions, Sept 06". This just means that you have UK maps from within the Europe Region, not that you're entitled to European maps. You'll have to buy a map DVD for that.

Hi again Rob, I received an email back from Garmin Europe yesterday and I quote "I am afraid the update is not available at this present moment but it is due out in the fierst quarter of 2008. We have no exact details at the moment but if you are registered on our website you will be informed via e-mail the details as soon as they are known. Then you will be able to update your maps to the City Navigator Europe NT 2008.
So I guess that it isn't just a rumour.

Great news!

I have just bought the nuvi 250 and was trying to activate the free trial for the safety cameras but when I click connect it cannot find my Garmin. I am using my camera USB cable - how can I make it find my Garmin?? JC.

I've just written a quick guide to the Garmin Speed Camera Trial - I didn't have any problems connecting - so -

Check your cable connections. When plugged in can you see the Garmin as a drive in "My Computer"?
Try a different USB cable and / or Port. If connecting through a USB hub, ignore that and go straight into the PC.
Download Garmin's auto updater and see if that works,
Restart your PC and try again.
Phone Garmin for more advice.

Just received your email regarding garmin 200 i could not get my pc to find device. You suggested using a different usb cable and this worked thank you for your quick response. I tried to reply to your email but had a message that said could not match email address so came back hear to contact you could you also tell me can you add different voices to the garmin 200 thanks again.

No celebrity / funny voices for Garmins yet I'm afraid.

I received the nuvi 250 as a Christmas gift along with an SD card (BlueChart MicroSD Data Card). When I put the card into the expansion slot nothing happens. How do I read the card or switch over to it? Thanks Kathryn.

Unfortunately the Nuvi 250 is not compatible with the Bluechart marine maps. Checkout this link to see some of the the GPS units that are.

Hi, Just got my requested christmas present, the Garmin 250, it suits my needs perfectly, The unit is slim so it pops into my pocket easily, unlike the tom tom. Two questions, 1. whats the SD card slot for? it makes no reference to it in the instuction book and 2. can I display the screen via my laptop to give me a bigger view.
Thanks Fred, and a great review site

Sounds like you had a good Christmas! The SD card slot is for extra maps (USA / Australia, etc) or pictures. If you stick a SD card in it from your Digital Camera the 250 has a rather nice Image Viewer option so you can look at your snaps on its great screen - press the spanner / wrench icon on the main menu screen, then picture viewer.
As far as I'm aware you can't display your Garmin screen on your laptop.

Can I charge my Garmin250 directly from a computer via USB - cable? Emmon.

Yes you can just plug in your Garmin 250 to your usb and it will charge. You won't be able to use it, and Windows will probably ask if you want to look at the folders inside (just cancel), but it works fine for me. The screen on your Garmin will probably display a little picture of a pc if I remember rightly.

I like the look of the Garmin and your review has been fantastic, but I had a couple of questions. On my old TomTom, I could customise the information that was displayed on the screen e.g. ETA, current time, current speed, travel time remaining, etc. I liked the ability to choose to add/remove data from the screen (I always liked the current speed for example).
Can you do that with the Garmin 250? Thanks - Matt.

With the 250 (or 200 / 270 and w versions) I think you're pretty much stuck with the defaults on the map screen - next turn and Estimated Time Of Arrival. If you press the bottom left corner of the screen you do get a comprehensive trip computer, with average, maximum speed, etc, but no where near the customability of the TomTom bottom of screen display.

I think that garmin are missing out in a great consumer area with not being able to change the voices on their sat nav as they are brillant little units, that are cheap and easy to use. This will make them more fun for the younger driver and more appealing than the tom tom units which seem to love to crash all the time!!!

I agree!

Just purchased my husband Garmin Nuvi 250 for Xmas. We are NOT computer savy. When we turned it on it is in some other language than english or french. Read the instructions, no where does it show how to change to English. Tried the few things I know on screen. Unable. Always returns to this foreign language. Step by step instructions would be great. Doris,

You need to do a factory reset. With the unit off, press lightly and hold your finger in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. Turn the unit on while keeping your finger in place. A dialogue box will appear after a few seconds. Press the right-hand selection. The unit should now boot-up and ask you for your locality.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH - IT WORKED HAPPY 2008

Have just bought a Garmin Nuvi 250W having previously borrowed a Garmin Street Pilot 2610.
That model had a beanie bag to hold the Sat Nav on the dashboard. Is there one available for the 250W or can the one from the Street Pilot be adapted. Thanks, Chris.

Check out this link, I think its what you've looking for:
Portable Friction Mount For Nuvi GPS

That is the very thing. I don't want to leave a mark on the windscreen and the friction holder works very well indeed, I don't know why more don't use them.
I have just ordered one.
Many thanks, Chris.

When you get your mount could you please take some pictures of it in the car, with and without the Nuvi on it, so I can show other visitors to the website, I get lots of questions about decent alternative mounts, plus your views after using the mount whether its any good or not, that would be great .

I don't expect delivery until the New Year but will certainly send some pictures when it arrives.
From my experience with the Street Pilot the mount is fantastic. It never moves, is convenient and doesn't leave a ring on the windscreen to attract thieves.
This one looks almost identical and I'm sure I will be able to recommend it.

I have a Nuvi 260 with US maps and I am currently in Spain. Can I download the Spain maps from the internet? Gabe.

As far as I'm aware you have to buy the maps on Disc and transfer them to your device via a desktop pc, or on SD card to plug straight into the Garmin, you can't download them.
For a list of Spanish Garmin Dealers that could help try this link

( ps The Nuvi 260 is a version of the 200 series that reads out road names "Turn left on High St." instead of just saying "Turn Left" - I think its only avalable in the USA at moment)

Hi just bought a garmin nuvi 200 series from halfords i know that it comes installed with uk locations and speed cameras but how do i go about updating the speed camera locations and streets. also do i need to buy a usb cable thanks austen.

Yes, you'll need a usb cable if you haven't got one from a digital camera, etc. Get one from your local pc store if necessary, take the Garmin along to show them the connection. (Mini USB).
If you want to keep your speed camera database up to date, visit this link.
To see if there's a map update visit this link:
Good choice of Sat Nav!

hi its austen again erm just wondering when i plug it in is it a simple drag and drop into the folder or will i need software etc ps this has to be some of the best and quickest help i have had on the net thankz!

Check the Garimin update page on this link.
For the speed cameras if you take out the free trial it'll tell you what to do.

I want to buy a unit for my son who works in Poland and Slovakia (also visits Hungary and Czech Republic). Does the Nuvi 250 cover these countries with street detail? Keith.

Poland: full coverage. Slovakia: Detailed coverage of Bratislava and Kosice. Hungary: Detailed coverage of the Greater Budapest area, the Balaton area, Debrecen, Miskolc, Eger and Tokaj. Czech Republic: Bradlec, Brno, Dalovice, Josefuv Dul, Karlovy Vary, Kosmonosy, Mlada Boleslav, Ostrava, Prague, Praha, Plzen and Repov.
I got the info from this link, it tells you exactly what countries the 250 covers, and in what detail.

HELP! My Garmin Nuvi 200 wide screen has been fantastic but at 7.44pm the screen has frozen. I am away from home so no manual. It's going to ruin my screen and I want to know how to reset it. Please help me!! Thank you.

Press the reset button on the bottom. (Behind the sticker). Tell me if that works.

I probably sound like such a girl but it's a screw under the sticker!

Are you sure you're looking in the right place?
Look on the bottom of the unit. There should be a long sticker. At one end is a picture of a circle with "reset" next to it. Peel the sticker back, then press the little plastic sqare-ish cut out.

D'oh! I am soooooooooo stupid!!!!! I was pressing the wrong thing!
You are a genius! Thank you very very much. You have no idea how relieved I am! It certainly is working now and will be fine for my work jaunts around Kent tomorrow! I am so glad that there are nice knowledgeable guys about who won't laugh at girls like me (well, not that I know anyway!).

Glad to be of help. (Chuckle)

I've got a NUVI 250W (sausage fingers, this is me) and I would be interested in changing de voices. I'd like CATALAN voices, being this one my own language. I've seen an Editor for VPM archives (the format in which the voices are compiled in Garmin) but after having decompiled the archives into separate wav archives, my wav editor doesn't recognize the format :( What do you know about this?
By the way... BIG SITE, Congratulations! Jordi.

Cheers Jordi, but I'm afraid I can't really help you with editing the voices, never having tried it myself, but the following links may well help. The first is to pocketgpsworld, and it looks like the application you could be after:
Click here for pgw forum link.
The next link is related to the first, but tells you what to do next. The Nuvi is non-tts.
Click here.
Beyond that I haven't got a clue! If you do come up with a solution, let me know and we'll put something on the site about it.

Is the garmin 250w more accurate in faster mode or shorter? Les.

Not quite sure what you mean. Neither modes effect the accuracy of the Sat Nav.
Faster or shorter distance refers to the type of route the Garmin will plan.
The easiest way to understand this, is that with the shorter option, the GPS will try to plan a route as close to "as the crow flies" from one point to another as it can. Imagine if you wanted to get from Basingstoke to Milton Keynes with that option on - you'd end up going through the centre of London!
Faster mode knows that motorways and a-roads are quicker than towns, urban areas and b-roads, so in the afore mentioned example the Sat Nav will take you around the M25, or up a related motorway.
ALWAYS use the faster mode, shorter can get you into all sorts of trouble!
Hope that answers your question.

Looking for a new sat nav. device. Have had TomTom One and not happy with the computer downloads (does not recognise device - unreliable) but am taken with the notes on the Garmin 250W. Having just changed from a PC to Mac OS 10.4 I need to be sure that the device can operate to download updates, cameras etc.
Are TomTom and Garmin Mac happy? Clive.

I'm no expert on mac compatibility - the last Apple PC I had was an Apple II+! So I'll have to direct you towards the following links I'm afraid:
http://www.tomtom.com/support/index.php?Language=1&query=macintosh&FID=6656
http://www.tomtom.com/support/index.php?Language=1&query=macintosh&FID=7959
http://www.gpsreview.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=16500
So I guess TomToms might ... Or might not be ... Compatible.
Now Garmins:
http://www.gpsreview.net/garmin-webupdater-for-macs/
http://www8.garmin.com/products/webupdater/
So it looks like Garmins are mac compatible, or at least their web-updater software is. Sorry I couldn't give a definitive answer!

I just bought a Garmin 250W. It worked great the first few days but then would search for a satellite for 45 minutes before I gave up and shut it off. One day it would find the satellite instantly and then a few hours later, from the same exact spot, it would fail to find a connection. When it does find one the signal is very strong, all five bars on the signal meter. So I reset the unit like the manual says by touching the screen in the lower left corner as I turned it on. After resetting to the out-of-box factory spec, it worked fine for one day then couldn't find a signal again for up to 30 minutes. Is this normal? Is this a known problem with Garmin or do I have a defective unit? I bought it at Costco and can return it for either another unit or a different brand altogether. What is your opinion? Any help would be appreciated.... Thanx, Mike

First phone Garmin support, for the UK phone 0808 0238 0000, for the USA phone 1-800-800-1020 for Canada phone 1-866-429-9296. It sounds to me like you've got a unit with an intermittent fault which could be hardware or software related. They'll probably tell you to take it back and exchange it. Stick with the Garmin, despite this experience I've found them to be much more reliable than other makes. (TomTom).

hi there, just purchased a 250 but cannot seem to use it whilst charging, is this the norm or have i picked up a faulty one? Besides that its great! Danielle.

What are you charging it with? Rob.

Its the car charger thats was provided, plus i used a lead to link it to my laptop and it did the same thing. Just goes into charging mode with a screensaver.

hmmm.. it should stay on when plugged into the Garmin cigar lighter socket lead in the car. Take it back to where you bought it and explain that you've got either a faulty car lead (most likely) or a faulty unit. When plugged into your laptop usb it normally will still charge but you won't be able to use it. The reason for this is that PC usb, Garmin leads, and other mini-usb car leads can have slightly different voltages, so the unit doesn't think its plugged into a car lead when it actually is. This sometimes happens when people try to use a Sat Nav with the wrong make of lead. Alternatively phone Garmin in the morning, on 0808 0238 0000. They will probably just send you a new lead FOC.

Many thanks Rob, I'll call them in the morning. Danielle

I have a garmin nuvi 250 and wish to change the voice. How do I do this please and can I download more voices? Also some of the street names are incorrect are these changeable?
Thanks sincerest best wishes. Jeff.

Apart from the different language voices, at the moment their are no other voice options to download, though I'd imagine this will be changing soon. Keep an eye on the Garmin website. To change street-names you'll have to wait for the next map release, but you can suggest alterations to maps via Navteq, using the Map Reporter option.

Your site has been brilliant helping me to decide which sat nav to get - now down to two! Can't decide whether to buy the Garmin 250 or 250W. The widescreen version is £35 more - is it worth it? As far as I can see there is no extra info only more road detail on the far left / right (but how useful is that?) and the display doesn't appear too crowded on the smaller model. Having seen them up close what would you say the difference is and which would you recommend, Amanda.

The best looking version is the widescreen 250w.... but lets look at the real practical differences. The 250's small size means that it is easier to carry around in your pocket / handbag, and is there is no other real difference apart from size, it all depends on if you'll benefit from the wider screen of the Nuvi 250w. The wider screen has the real advantage that the input buttons for addresses / Postcodes are bigger, meaning less wrong key presses. This is especially important if you're a man with sausage fingers, but ladies could benefit too. You could argue that the wider screen blocks more of your view out of your windscreen too, so the 250 is safer.
An essential accessory is a slip case to protect the screen, so if your budget is tight then the difference could be spent on a case and a home charger.
My advice? If you've got large fingers, or want the coolest Sat Nav, get the 250w.
If you want the most compact Sat Nav, get the 250.
Amazon have got some very good prices on both units at the moment, so check out these links for the latest prices (with free delivery). The 250 is unbelievably cheap - £115!!!!
Garmin Nuvi 250 Satellite Navigation System With European Mapping
Garmin Nuvi 250 Widescreen Satellite Navigation System with European Mapping

I have a Garmin Nuvi 250W and want to know best way to update road maps. Ian.

Hi Ian! Check out this link to see if there is an update for your device.
I understand that Garmin will be releasing their 2008 European maps soon. Rob.

I just bought a garmin 200 from halfords on your say so. I do not want to use sticker on windscreen. Can you recommend a suitable "cradle?" Roy.

Hi Roy!
Phone Garmin Support on 0808 238 0000 (FREE) OR 0870-8501242 (paid) and ask them nicely to send you one of their dash mount self adhesive discs. Alternatively you could try any of the mobile phone holders that mount on a cars air-vents, but I haven't tried any myself so I'm not sure which ones would fit, it would have to be pretty wide. If you do find one that fits, let me know so I can advise other visitors to the website. Thanks!
Regards, Rob.

I am looking for a sat nav which is reliable yet affordable. I have absolutely no idea what to look for or which brand to buy, could you possibly suggest any in particular? Thanks. Suzi

All the current Garmin and TomTom models are good buys, reliable, and have ranges to suit every pocket, but you'll be looking to spend at least £150. You need to know if you just want UK maps or UK and Europe, and whether you would benefit from having built in Bluetooth for mobile phone hands-free calling. Read our Xmas Sat Nav Buyers Guide for good advice about which to buy. It's a short article, but I would recommend all the Sat Navs listed.

Could you please tell me if the gamin nuvi 250's coverage of Spain is down to street level? Thank you. Beverly.

Hi Beverly! The Garmin 250 has street-level map coverage of Europe, including Spain. Hope this helps, Rob.

This is def the best review site I have ever visited. Very helpful - full marks! - Anon.

Thanks very much! Please send all donations to...... only joking!