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Seadog
Springdale NL
February 17, 2010
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GREAT GPS
I purchased the 550 for a recent trip to Italy along with the Garmin City Nav card for Italy and Greece. The unit performed very well, with the exception that it does not show one-way streets. This was a bit bothersome, but the unit compensated quickly and rerouted me to the correct destination as I continued to drive. We spent 2 weeks driving around Italy and the unit never let us down once (except for the lack of one-way streets). I have also used it on motorcycle and snowmobile. Battery life is ok (4 hours from full charge) but an adapter is necessary for longer trips. This is a very rugged unit and tested waterproof! It was knocked off its mounting and lost for about 15 minutes. When I did find it, it was buried in 6 inces of slush and was (and is still) working fine
Pros: rugged, waterproof, easy to use
Cons: does not show one-way streets
Recommend: YES
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Rob V.
Sudbury, ON
February 16, 2010
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COLD WEATHER TESTED
Purchased because it is rated as waterproof but was not sure if it would work in the cold. I am happy to say that after snowmobiling 240km in -15C weather yesterday it worked perfectly. I have it mounted in a Ram suction cup mount to my sled tach guage and it holds well. In the cold the Nuvi 550 will operate for about 5-7 hours on a full charge. Satelite reception is great and the accessory topo map keeps you updated nicely as your moving along the snowmachine trails. I also purchased the optional 12v plug in charger and use it with both my snowmachine, quad and car. If your looking for a good all around automotive GPS that you can use with your off road toys, consider the Nuvi 550.
Pros: water proof, cold weather tested well. portable.
Cons: on screen menu can be confusing to navigate
Recommend: YES
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Chuck
Pelham Al.
January 21, 2010
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GARMIN NUVI 550
It works good I would like a louder volume on it
Recommend: YES
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Robert
Edmonton AB
January 6, 2010
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M/C GPS
I have had it for a while and have found the features to be more than I expected.It works well in the see thru area of the tank bag of my Motorcycle and battery life is OK. I bought the 550 for its waterproof feature and its small size, it more than meets my needs for M/C, truck and auto.
Pros: waterproof,size
Cons: price
Recommend: YES
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Rob
Sudbury, ON
January 5, 2010
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NUVI 550
Nice all around unit. Waterproof (bonus) for use in boat, ATV and snowmachine...etc. Have loaded inland lakes and topo maps in it too. Easy to use. Not perfect for directoins however. Sometimes leads you off a highway and on to side roads for some unknown reason?? Garmin does not provide instruction sheets (just a quick start flyer). Left to guess and "play with it" to learn now to use it. Can lead you off a highway onto side roads for no apparent reason and back onto the highway again?? Overall 4/5 stars however.
Pros: waterproof and can add other maps.
Cons: small screen. no instructions.
Recommend: YES
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Big B
Qyesnel BC Canada
January 5, 2010
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GRAET NEW TOY
Best thing I have ever bought for my new 2010 Ford.
Recommend: YES
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Malibu205
Kelowna BC Canada
December 21, 2009
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NICE LITTLE UNIT
So I mounted the 550 on a 1 inch Ram ball mount to the left and behind the windshield of my BMW K75RT motorcycle. My 58 year old eyes can't read fine print real well, but the 550 is very bright and easy to see. The mount means you can extend the unit towards you or either side depending whats best. It's also fairly light so I'm very happy with the 550. Long battery life is cool if I am running all the other accessories (heated clothes etc) at once. Easy to snap in and out of the Ram clip when you stop for coffee. Nice little unit! .
Pros: great for outdoors, motorcycles, atv etc.
Cons: none. extra doo dads would only drive the price.
Recommend: YES
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Pacang
Port Alberni
December 10, 2009
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MULTI PURPOSE!!
Good allround GPS, I have used it in my car and on my Quad just waiting for the weather to get better and us it on my motorcycle! Just need to get the TOPO map chip.
Recommend: YES
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BMW Glen
Ladysmith, BC.
December 4, 2009
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NUVI 550 MOTORCYCLE
Mounted to a R1200R with a Ram motorcycle mount that came with my first GPS by Lawrence (not good) I use the suction windshield device to attach to the Ram mount and have never experienced it coming loose. This is a highway bike though and possible would get a cradle type mount if I was running a GS or other off-road bike. Also have a Nuvi 255W I use for the car, and have used on the bike, but stopped using on the bike after hitting a rainstorm and had to take it off the bars and put in pocket on the move. (unable to stop safely)
Cons: bluetooth capable to scala-rider would be nice.
Recommend: YES
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Jose
Guadalajara, Mexico
November 11, 2009
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FALTA BLUETHOOT EN MOTO
En la motocicleeta no se escuchan las indicaciones por lo que es necesario que lo ofrezcan con la facilidad de comunicar el sonido con Bluethoot.
Pros: facil para buscar rutas de punto a punto
Cons: falta bluethoot en moto
Recommend: YES
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Skeet
Lindsay, Ontario
October 29, 2009
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GREAT ALL AROUND DEVICE
I use this GPS every day, for driving, with the added topo chip, I use it for hunting, and with the added marine chip, I use it for fishing. Great all round unit.
Pros: flexability and ease of use.
Cons: could use a little larger screen.
Recommend: YES
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Dagnel
Rivière-du-Loup, QC, CANADA
October 13, 2009
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MULTI USAGE
Very good item, waterproof, can be used in car, boat, snowmobile, motorcycle. Very easy of use. Clear indications when driving. Very complete unit !
Pros: waterproof, ease of use, compact
Cons: display not wide
Recommend: YES
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dougsC90T
Toronto, ON
October 1, 2009
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GARMIN NUVI550
Having upgraded from the SP2720 unit I have found that there are many similarities, as well many differences. Overall I am very happy with the unit however it does have its differences. The differences are mostly in locating all the features however in comparison each unit carries all the features including being environmentally sealed.
Pros: waterproof, full featured
Cons: small icons on screen
Recommend: YES
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Wee Biker
Vancouver Island
September 29, 2009
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GOOD MOTORCYCLE GPS
I mounted the 550 with a 550 cradle / bare wire kit to my Vstrom and it funtions very nicely. Visibility is very good even in bright sunlight. When I registered the Nuvi, Garmin provided a free download upgrade of City Navigator 2010 which has complete North America, Hawaii, Bahamas, Alaska and PR. The unit easily transfers to the car cradle. I mute the sound on the bike as it's barely audible with the wind noise. I would have liked a connection for a safety line to the bike but it does seem secure in the m/c cradle. I would not suggest using the car suction cradle on a motorcycle, as I have had it fall off the dash in the car on a good bump. The ability to detect the vehicles power is nice so it turns on/off automatically with a switched power source. I don't miss the turn by turn sound on the bike as the screen directions are very easy to see and read with the unit mounted on top of the guages up under the windshield. All in all, it meets my expectations. I had considered a Zumo but for the price difference I can live without sound.
Pros: waterproof, easy of use, good screen
Cons: lack of bluetooth or earphone connection
Recommend: YES
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scotthaz1
Cape Cod, MA
September 24, 2009
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GARMIN NUVI 550
As of now I have only had this GPS for about a month, for a GPS it is excellent, espically if it is used in a car, I bought it mainly for my Harley though, as it is for a motorcycle and is waterproof, don't get me wrong it is excellent on the bike also, I just wish it had more choices on the type of roads like it used to on the older Garmin GPS models, I do like the size of the unit which makes it very portable. Another thing that is great about the unit is that I did not have to buy the CD/DVD for the map program it comes as a download with the purchase of the unit so I can design my own routes and send them directly to my unit, I can also go to Google maps and do the same thing, so if I am at a friends house and they came up with a route and used Google I could just send it directly to my NUVI 550, a couple of my friends have told me that this is the next GPS unit they are going to get for themselves after seeing mine
Pros: portability, ease of use
Cons: more choices for road types
Recommend: YES
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Allan
Wetaskiwin AB
September 22, 2009
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VERY GOOD AUTOMOTIVE GPS + EXCELLENT FOR OFF ROAD
Happy with performance on road , works good off road out of box but should be a lot better once specific maps are installed. Found a booklet manual would be handy to have when using off road. The one printed from internet bulky and hard to carry.
Pros: over all very happy with unit.
Cons: needs a booklet manual to be included with unit .
Recommend: YES
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garmin fan
vancouver, bc
September 9, 2009
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GARMIN 550
Overall good gps. All in one.
Pros: excellent automotive
Cons: heavy in weight.
Recommend: YES
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dan
halifax nova scotia
August 27, 2009
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MOTORCYCLE GPS
overall good gps needs a place for ear plug for motorcycle use
Pros: good display in bright sunlight
Cons: could not hear voice commands
Recommend: YES
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Doum
Alma, Québec
August 26, 2009
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NUVI 550
Nuvi 550 is a fast prossessing GPS System. Could be use anyway with is multi-functional system. Screen is very clear and easy to use. The menu is friendly user. The only little negative thing is that the speaker is not to strong enough. Solid one in hand, the Nuvi 550 is a multi one recommended for any one who want to make ALL. Automotive, Boating, hicking, ATV, or Snowmobile ... Finally, very recommended !!!
Recommend: YES
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mcolinwatts
Montana
August 5, 2009
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GREAT LITTLE UNIT
Compared this to the earlier Streetpilot units offered by Budget for their rental fleet. The new interface is great, worked flawlessly in the car, and the speed and accuracy of the receiver was very good. Haven't tried it on the motorcycle, nor have I tried to upload topo maps to the unit. Documentation is clearly oriented for automotive use, so not sure how that will go, but we'll see.
Pros: long battery life, good ui, water-resistant
Cons: smaller screen, volume could be a tiny bit louder
Recommend: YES
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J. May
Kingston, ON
August 4, 2009
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CROSSOVER GPS
In principle the Nuvi 550 is a great GPS, but has a few problems. 1. The polarization of the screen is wrong and when used with polarized sunglasses, such as when on the water, the screen can not be read. 2. The built in speaker is too quiet and the navigation voice is difficult to hear when traveling with the windows open (or on a motorcycle I would imagine). 3. The screen is easily scratched, at least much more so than my 60CSx.
Pros: simple interface, vibrant easy to read screen.
Cons: wrong polarization, weak speaker, scratches easy.
Recommend: YES
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Rod
Penticton, B.C.
July 31, 2009
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INEXPENSIVE MOTORCYCLE GPS
This unit is motorcycle friendly and waterproof giving you most of what other motorcycle GPS units offer, but at a fraction of the cost.
Recommend: YES
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Bug Killa
Penticton, BC
July 24, 2009
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GARMIN 550 ON A MOTORCYCLE
Garmin Nuvi 550 GPS Install and Ride Report
I purchased my 550 at gpscity along with the parts I needed to install it on the bike
The Nuvi 550 does not come with a lot of bells and whistles accessory wise. You can download a full manual pdf here): https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/manual.jsp?product=010-00700-01&cID=134&pID=27442 ) If you are interested in mounting it on a motorcycle see my longer review (including photos) here: http://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php.
You’ll need to buy a data/power cable if you want to wire it to the bike. You will also need a cradle, a RAM ball and an arm. Here is a list of the accessories I bought from GPScity.ca http://www.gpscity.ca/garmin-power-and-data-cable.html http://www.gpscity.ca/ram-mount-garmin-nuvi-500-series-cradle.html http://www.gpscity.ca/ram-mount-diamond-plate-with-1-inch-ball-ram-b-238u.html http://www.gpscity.ca/ram-mount-short-1.0-inch-socket-arm-ram-b-201u-a.html
Installing on the V-strom:
After removing the windscreen I fed the power/data cable into lower throttle side hole located on the fehring of the bike. I attached the short 1” RAM ball arm and then the GPS cradle. The cradle I chose fit extremely well.
Using the GPS On the Bike:
You can enter addresses etc. directly onto the unit by hand but I found using a computer much easier. You will need to install Garmin’s Communicator software (a very small download from Garmin) to do this. For custom routes the only choice at the moment is mapquest. For me custom routes design is probably the most important feature on the unit. Putting them together should be simple and easy. Using mapquest it seems very straight forward.
Another nice feature is that you can get your true speed in the measurement of your choice. My speedo is in mph and I live in Canada so I like being able to see the speed in km/h. The gps also estimates your arrival time (nice feature on long trips) as well as keeping track of your total time of travel, moving time, stopped time, max speed, overall average speed, moving average speed and direction. There is a compass screen that also displays speed, elevation, time of day and GPS accuracy.
You can display the map in 2 or 3D and even download a nice bike icon. A TracBak feature allows you to save your recent travels quickly to your favorites. This way if you find a new route you can save it without trying to find it on a map and download it to the unit.
This unit is intended for bicycling, motorcycling, car and hiking applications. As such it’s a nice size to carry around and will easily fit in a jacket pocket. It’s waterproof for up to 30 minutes and there is also a full skin available for it (http://www.zagg.com/invisibleshield/garmin-nuvi-500-cases-screen-protectors-covers-skins-shields.php) if you happen to want full body coverage.
The unit works nicely in full sun and I found the size large enough to read at all times. I tested running the menu buttons with both warm weather (lightweight) and cold weather gloves and found they were easy to use.
The single feature I liked the most was “Where Am I”. You can quickly find hospitals, police, gas stations or the nearest addresses and intersection with a few clicks.
Here are the pros and cons for the Nuvi 550 based on my personal experience with it:
Pros: Smaller than the Zumo 550 but still has the same size display screen. User replaceable Lithium Ion battery with 8 hours of life Easily fits in a jacket pocket (good for hiking or when away from the bike) Has the “Where Am I” feature for finding gas, hospitals etc. fast. Waterproof (so I can ride my bike for at least 30 min in an aquarium ) Considerably cheaper than a Zumo (even with a few accessories thrown in) Topographic map compatible The colour matches my V-strom!
Cons: USB connection via wire, not built into cradle (but some Zumo owners complain of problems connected to the cradle) No external buttons as on the Zumo 550 No Bluetooth, MP3 player and XM Radio (if you want them)
Well that’s about it. Overall I’m pretty happy with this unit as my first gps and recommend it to anyone in the market for a reasonably priced unit. Cheers, Bug.
Pros: inexpensive, works very well, easy to install
Recommend: YES
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Peter
Nova Scotia
July 3, 2009
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GOOD ALL-AROUND GPS
I've used this unit now for off-road, motorcycling, and car and have found it quite useful. Not overly impressed with it's route calculation as it's taken be to a few dead ends and told me to get off at exits that don't exist. Otherwise, great rugged unit, I like to waterproof feature due to my line of work and the battery life is quite decent compared to other GPS units I've owned. Guarantee the best price from gpscity.ca
Recommend: YES
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Knouster
Texarkana, Tx
June 15, 2009
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NUVI 550
This Garmin meets all my expectations. I do wish it had an option to take scenic roads since I use it for motorcycle touring. But for the money it is a great deal.
Pros: very easy to use. easy to see
Cons: needs louder speaker
Recommend: YES
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Pin
Newmarket, Ontario
June 13, 2009
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NUVI 550
This is my third GPS, but first Nuvi GPS. I was mainly buying it for biking, snowmobile and a bit of boating. So waterproof is a must. It's kind of bulky for hiking. I wish there's a way you can wear this thing, instead of putting it in the pocket. The GPS software was updated so it would do street name voice navigation. I also got 2010 map for free from Garmin website. so Dont' forgot to upgrade your map.
One minor thing I don't like it - after changing a setting in the tool menu, you have to press several times to get back to map navigation. Street pilot GPS has physical map button (instead of touch screen) so one can jump to map page quickly.
Recommend: YES
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Cliff the Green Guy
Brookings, SD
June 12, 2009
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EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH MY NEW GPS
We just got back from our working vacation and our first time use of our NUVI 550. This GPS worked wonderful and saved a lot of frustration and tension that is normally incurred from my wife's navigating. We had a much happier trip. Our trip consisted of visiting four different locations from Brookings, SD to St. Joeseph, MO, to Chester, IL, Sparta, IL, Pella, IA and back to Brookings. The NUVI never failed us once and we even changed our course twice from what the NUVI had originally laid out and it adjusted itself to those courses on it's own.
Pros: saves frustration, is easy to see and talks.
Cons: data is not always up to date on new roads.
Recommend: YES
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R. Evans
Sask
June 7, 2009
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VERSATILE GPS
It was what we were looking for auto and motorcycle, the only downfall is you can't enter the name of the business you wnat, you have to input the address. If you don't know the address it won't come up!!
Pros: easy to use, precise
Cons: can't just enter business name without address
Recommend: YES
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Huy Le
Montreal, QC
June 3, 2009
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ALMOST PERFECT FOR A BIKE GPS.
The NUVI 500 series is nice and with it's Scooter Mount is good, but it lack a 2.5mm headphone jack in order to be really usable and hear the voice prompts. It will be also be nice to add an MP3 players to it with automatic sound level based on the travel speed.
Pros: low price for a bike gps
Cons: lack a 2.5mm headphone jack
Recommend: YES
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Moosehunter 2
Vernon BC
May 29, 2009
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MAP QUESTIONABLE
I complained to Garmin that the unit would not show my home address. They suggested I update the mapping which I did. It still did not show my home address or the streets in my complex. I have an older Tom Tom and it shows all the streets and my home address. I have not tried the unit off road but I have little confidence that it will be satisfactory. I should have purchased a Colorado or Oregon unit instead. I purchased this for ATV use as it has a large screen. It may not be as good as my Garmin 76CSx which has too small a screen but shows my home address. Also no manual was provided, just a quick start guide.
Recommend: NO
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Zuben
GTA, Ontario
May 28, 2009
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MOSTLY AS EXPECTED
The unit was delivered promptly and without problems. It works great and is simple to use. However, there was no manual with it, and sometimes it does things I can't figure out. There's probably a manual online somewhere, but I really miss the days when an actual paper manual came with new products.
Pros: easy to use
Cons: no manual, difficult to get the most out of it
Recommend: YES
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pea
US
May 18, 2009
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MOTORCYCLE/SCOOTER
I am not overly thrilled with this product. It is quite a bit more expensive than other models, but I bought it b/c it was billed motorcycle friendly. I think any product indicating such should have audio out, b/c the noise of the cycle will drown out the prompts. I drive a scooter which is very quiet, and I could only kind of hear the voice through a full face helmet at under 35 miles per hour.
The other huge disappointment was I cannot download custom made maps from google/yahoo/mapquest. I just have to take the route they give me. Anyone who rides a scooter or MC likes to customize the route sometimes for the scenic route, or avoid certain roads for hazardous riding conditions . I contacted customer service and they tell me I can buy some program that will let me download 10 maps for $15- I could blow through 10 maps in a couple weeks. Not a real help. I could not even find a demo to see if it was user friendly. All and all I am pretty disappointed . This is my first GPS so maybe I am missing something. but who knows? it came w/o no user manual, and the online one it pretty worthless. Other than being water proof, I do not see why this unit is any better than $125 one.
[Ed. note: You can make your own routes to load onto the unit, you can only do up to 10 at a time on the unit but you can do as many as you would like. You just can only have up to 10 on the unit at a single time. The $15 program is a disc that you need to order from Garmin to be able to have the mapping that is on the unit installed on your computer, as the unit does not ship with the mapping DVD. Once you have the disc, you can simply load it onto your computer and start making routes. Garmin's number is 1-800-800-1020. Thank you, hope this helps!]
Pros: well it work as a basic gps
Cons: see review
Recommend: NO
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Mathew
Rimbey, Alberta
April 30, 2009
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FIRST GPS
This is the first GPS unit that I have used and owned. So far I am very pleased with the performance and ease of use. One of the reasons I selected this model was the user friendliness of it as my wife is a bit technologically challenged, and she can use this without to much coaching. I plan on using it with my ATV so will be looking to purchase a mount for tis.
Pros: ease of use and understand, clear large display.
Cons: none right now.
Recommend: YES
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Vfrog
Pakenham, ON
April 27, 2009
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VERSATILE NUVI 550 MULTI
I wanted a GPS that could be clearly seen on my motorcycle and be able to both take topo maps and do paperless geocaching. I was not disappointed. The NUVI 550 is truly a multi use unit. I can get turn by turn directions to a cache. Stop and switch to walk mode and topo maps then find the cache. Paperless is the way to go. Just download the GPX files with all the cache info.
Pros: nice size, good battery life (8hrs), easy to use.
Cons: weak compass like many gps when not moving.
Recommend: YES
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Bob
Calgary, AB
April 22, 2009
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GARMIN NUVI 550
I am extremely pleased with this unit. It provides clear map data and voice instructions and is very easy to carry with you in your pocket.
Recommend: YES
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Theo
Northeast US
April 17, 2009
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GREAT CROSS-OVER GPS
This is being used in an auto and on a motorcycle. It is fast, the maps are accurate, and the screen is bright enough for use in indirect sunlight. You must make sure that you have the most recent software and map database (NAVTEQ) to get the most from this unit. Unfortunately, a USB cable for connecting it to a computer is not provided, but I used one that came with a digital camera. The cable has a standard USB connector on one end and a mini connector on the other.
The 550 is a brilliant performer in the auto, though some may prefer a wide-screen unit. My windshield has many compound curves and has resisted cooperating with any previous suction- cup mount. However, the 550's mount works marvelously! it has a slightly smaller diameter and a powerful vacuum. The screen is bright and instructions can be heard. I would like the volume to be a bit louder, however. When mounted in my sports car, the ambient noise *almost* drowns-out the volume when set to 100%.
When mounted on the motorcycle, it is equally brilliant. I have it mounted on a Nuvi 550 u-bolt mount setup by RAM and sold by gpscity. It is extremely sturdy and does not vibrate one bit (on a v-twin powered bike!). Of course, I cannot hear the voice instructions, but I have the unit positioned just above the triple- tree so it is easily in my field of view. The screen is fairly bright and easily viewable in all but direct sunlight fall on the screen. I believe a GPS hood of some kind would help the direct sunlight issue.
Interestingly, there is a driving mode for "Auto" and for "Scooter". I have yet to figure out what the difference is after traveling the same 1.5 hour route in both modes. Perhaps for urban environments "Scooter" routes you though public alleys?
For motorcycle use, I purchased a second battery. I recommend this because the screen brightness in the daytime with typically need to be set at 100% and this sucks-down the battery capacity. I have been able to run 4.5 to 5 hours on a freshly charged battery with volume set to 0% and brightness set to 100%.
In the auto, with volume at 80% and brightness at 40%, the new battery has lasted about 6 to 6.5 hours. Of course, you can also use the supplied auto power cable to charge the battery as you drive.
I also purchased the Garmin hard-shell case for storage and transport. It protects the unit extremely well and has a soft inner liner. Be aware, it *just* fits the 550 there is no room for cables, manuals, or anything else. Folks may want to opt for a larger case if they wish to store accessories, mounts, and the like.
FInally, you will want to download several free Garmin applications. Road Trip provides computer-based NAVTEQ mapping functions with the ability to create POIs and Routes that can be easily downloaded to an attached Garmin unit. Communicator is a browser plug-in that allows you to use a mapping site like MapQuest to identify POIs and Routes and then automatically download the to an attached Garmin unit.
This is a terrific unit for the money!
Pros: small, fast, bright, accurate, navteq, ipx7
Cons: small, no audio-out, no mp3
Recommend: YES
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Doug
Georgian Bay
March 31, 2009
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MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT
I received my 550 yesterday and installed a Garmin G2 Vision chip. The chart as displayed on the Nuvi lacks most of the detail that would make it useable. I boat in Georgian Bay. If I followed the 550- I'd be up on the rocks in no time. They shouldn't call this a marine GPS.
Pros: as an automotive gps- nice upgrade from 255w
Cons: boating mode falls far short of marine use.
Recommend: NO
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Fisherman
Sept-Iles, QC
March 4, 2009
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OUTDOOR/CAR GPS
At last a gps that you can use in your truck to drive into the wood and switch it on your atv to go to your hard to reach fishing spot.(you can drive with the road map then swicth the display to your topo map with a few touch on the screen) All of the other gps that are supposed to do car and outdoor leave you with a 2 inches screenthat you cannot you without a navigator by your side while you drive... The Nuvi will tell you when to turn if you don't want to look at the 3.5 inches screen. Download the free software update if you want to use it in french
Pros: high versatility, big screen
Recommend: YES
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jes2ejames
November 26, 2008
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GOOD ALL-PURPOSE NAVIGATOR
I have had the pleasure of testing the Nuvi 550. It's an excellent unit that can be used on your boat, in the car, or on a short walk through the bush. However it does not have all the common functions of a marine or hiking GPS so if you plan to use the unit often in these circumstances you may want to get a regular handheld (60csx) and a separate car navigator(nuvi). You should end up at the same price point. Don't get me wrong, having everything rolled into one is great for the casual outdoors man. Viva la GPS
Recommend: YES
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(4.3 based on 43 ratings).
