Still looking for that GPS Deal after you woke up and didn't find that Father's Day magic GPS on the kitchen table? The prices have drifted down about $5 - $10 in general over the last few weeks making for a good bargain now at the beginning of the summer.
As your budget allows, I recommend features that make a GPS much easier to use: Text to Speech, and a widescreen in that order. Other additions such as Traffic, Bluetooth Handsfree, etc. are definitely nice to have.
Standard Screen Units
Garmin Nuvi 270 - $144 (Up a few bucks in recent weeks actually) - Has US and Western Euro Maps pre-loaded. No Text to Speech, but if you are heading to Europe and need a unit, this is a great deal.
Garmin Nuvi 250 - $99 - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. No Text to Speech, but is great deal for Garmin quality.
Garmin Nuvi 260 - $129 (Down $5 in recent weeks) - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. Adds Text to Speech.
Garmin Nuvi 255 - $159 - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. Has Text to Speech. Adds new interface that updates the look and feel; significant usability upgrade in my mind. Supports ecoRoute gas saving driving routes.
TomTom ONE 130 - $99 this week, North American Maps, and a high quality TomTom Interface. Very easy to use at a low price. Does not have Text to Speech. Upgrade to the TomTom ONE 130-S for Text to speech at $119 - very cheap upgrade for text to speech. Possibly the best value out there for cheap Text to Speech.
Widescreen Units - 4.3-inch or larger
Garmin Nuvi 255W - $174 - Text to speech, improved interface, maps of North America. Supports ecoRoute gas saving driving routes. More Info - See my Full Review on the Nuvi 255W. I also saw this at BJ's club this week for about the same price after a $30 Mail In Rebate - your choice.
TomTom ONE XL-S - $129 - a "HOT DEAL" at Amazon, this widescreen has Text to Speech, and maps of North America. This older chassis has the latest maps from TomTom, and offers solid navigation for a relatively low price point.
Garmin Nuvi 265WT - $212 - Text to speech, improved interface, maps of North America. Supports ecoRoute gas saving driving routes. Adds free lifetime TMC traffic to the base 255W model features. Very good buy here.
Garmin Nuvi 760 - $199 - Thin design with Text to Speech and Maps of North America. Route Optimization - plug in multiple stops and let the unit optimize the route for fastest planning, adds Bluetooth handsfree and built-in TMC traffic. Slightly older interface (still has updated maps though). See My Full Review of the Nuvi 760.
TomTom ONE XL 330S - $160 - the new Basic Widescreen for the TomTom line, Maps of North America, new Easy Port fold flat mount, and text to speech. See my Full Review for more information.
Garmin Nuvi 855 - $249 at Costco. This is a widescreen unit with Text to speech but also utilizes Voice Command capabilities that allow you to enter commands without having to tap the screen. Very good price for this highly capable unit.
TomTom GO 740 LIVE - an amazing $299 - an internet connected GPS that has robust traffic reporting and is Google connected for interest search. Has Gas prices updates and comes with 3 months free connected service; about $10/ mo after that.
Rebate ALERT
The Garmin Forerunner 405 - $296 after $50 Mail in Rebate - And as I mentioned the other day - Buy the Garmin Forerunner 405, get the $50 rebate AND a Free Garmin Forerunner 50 Sports Watch too.
The Garmin Forerunner 405CX that adds a calorie burning calculation. It will ship June 8th, and has the same $50 rebate deal and same Free Forerunner 50 deal. $319 after Mail in Rebate.
A refurbished TomTom ONE 130 is available for $49 after a $20 Mail in Rebate over at Amazon. The unit comes ready to roll out of the box, with a standard 3.5-inch screen, maps of US and Canada, and the easy to use TomTom interface. The $20 rebate is good for purchases now through 6/15, and must be postmarked by 7/15. See the webpage and rebate form for more details.
The Spring starts up the driving season, and it's also Dads and Grads time too. Here are a few of the hotter GPS units on the market that offer a lot of value.
As your budget allows, I recommend features that make a GPS much easier to use: Text to Speech, and a widescreen in that order. Other additions such as Traffic, Bluetooth Handsfree, etc. are definitely nice to have.
Standard Screen Units
Garmin Nuvi 270 - $139 - Has US and Western Euro Maps pre-loaded. No Text to Speech, but if you are heading to Europe and need a unit, this is a great deal.
Garmin Nuvi 250 - $104 - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. No Text to Speech, but is great deal for Garmin quality.
Garmin Nuvi 260 - $134 - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. Adds Text to Speech.
Garmin Nuvi 255 - $149 - Down a bit in the last few weeks - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. Has Text to Speech. Adds new interface that updates the look and feel; significant usability upgrade in my mind. Supports ecoRoute gas saving driving routes.
TomTom ONE 130 - $112 this week, North American Maps, and a high quality TomTom Interface. Very easy to use at a low price. Does not have Text to Speech. Upgrade to the TomTom ONE 130-S for Text to speech at $119 - very cheap upgrade for text to speech. Possibly the best value out there for cheap Text to Speech.
Garmin Nuvi 265WT - $222 - Text to speech, improved interface, maps of North America. Supports ecoRoute gas saving driving routes. Adds free lifetime TMC traffic to the base 255W model features. Very good buy here.
Garmin Nuvi 760 - $199 - Down $10 in the last week or so - Thin design with Text to Speech and Maps of North America. Route Optimization - plug in multiple stops and let the unit optimize the route for fastest planning, adds Bluetooth handsfree and built-in TMC traffic. Slightly older interface (still has updated maps though). See My Full Review of the Nuvi 760.
TomTom ONE XL 330S - $160 - the new Basic Widescreen for the TomTom line, Maps of North America, new Easy Port fold flat mount, and text to speech. See my Full Review for more information.
Garmin Nuvi 855 - $299 after $200 off at Costco. This is a widescreen unit with Text to speech but also utilizes Voice Command capabilities that allow you to enter commands without having to tap the screen. Very good price for this highly capable unit.
TomTom GO 740 LIVE - $317 - an internet connected GPS that has robust traffic reporting and is Google connected for interest search. Has Gas prices updates and comes with 3 months free connected service; about $10/ mo after that.
Rebate ALERT
The Garmin Forerunner 405 - $296 after $50 Mail in Rebate - And as I mentioned the other day - Buy the Garmin Forerunner 405, get the $50 rebate AND a Free Garmin Forerunner 50 Sports Watch too.
The Garmin Forerunner 405CX that adds a calorie burning calculation. It will ship June 8th, and has the same $50 rebate deal and same Free Forerunner 50 deal. $319 after Mail in Rebate.
Buy a Garmin Forerunner 405/405CX get $50 Rebate + a Free Forerunner 50
Pretty amazing deal going on over at Amazon that I stumbled across - thought I would pass it along.
Garmin is running a $50 Mail in Rebate on the Forerunner 405 and the new blue Forerunner 405 CX - that has yet to ship from Amazon - your can pre-order for shipping June 10. Buy before the end of June and you qualify - see the rebate form (PDF Link) for details.
On top of that, if you buy the Forerunner 405 or Forerunner 405CX, and add the Forerunner 50 sports watch to the cart, you will get the Forerunner 50 for free - the price gets adjusted at checkout. Buy them and give one away as a present!
The Spring starts up the driving season, and it's also Dads and Grads time too. Here are a few of the hotter GPS units on the market that offer a lot of value.
I recommend some upgrades as your budget allows, Text to Speech, and a widescreen in that order. Other additions such as Traffic, Bluetooth Handsfree, etc. are definitely nice to have.
Standard Screen Units
Garmin Nuvi 270 - $139 - Has US and Western Euro Maps pre-loaded. No Text to Speech, but if you are heading to Europe and need a unit, this is a great deal.
Garmin Nuvi 250 - $109 - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. No Text to Speech, but is great deal for Garmin quality.
Garmin Nuvi 260 - $126 - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. Adds Text to Speech.
Garmin Nuvi 255 - $156 - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. Has Text to Speech. Adds new interface that updates the look and feel; significant usability upgrade in my mind. Supports ecoRoute gas saving driving routes.
TomTom ONE 130 - $115 this week, North American Maps, and a high quality TomTom Interface. Very easy to use at a low price. Does not have Text to Speech. Upgrade to the TomTom ONE 130-S for Text to speech at $120 - very cheap upgrade for text to speech.
Garmin Nuvi 265WT - $215 - Text to speech, improved interface, maps of North America. Supports ecoRoute gas saving driving routes. Adds free lifetime TMC traffic to the base 255W model features. Very good buy here.
Nuvi 760 - $209 - Thin design with Text to Speech and Maps of North America. Route Optimization - plug in multiple stops and let the unit optimize the route for fastest planning, adds Bluetooth handsfree and built-in TMC traffic. Slightly older interface (still has updated maps though). See My Full Review of the Nuvi 760.
TomTom ONE XL 330S - $160 - the new Basic Widescreen for the TomTom line, Maps of North America, new Easy Port fold flat mount, and text to speech. See my Full Review for more information.
Garmin Nuvi 855 - $299 after $200 off at Costco. This is a widescreen unit with Text to speech but also utilizes Voice Command capabilities that allow you to enter commands without having to tap the screen. Very good price for this highly capable unit.
Don't know if you saw it, but Garmin has been running a $50 Mail in Rebate on the new Forerunner 405 Black and Green models. Track your workouts via GPS enabled fitness watch, offering you a lot of performance feedback in a little package. The unit has a heart rate monitor, and wireless capabilities to not only log the heart rate performance but also sync with your PC or Mac computer.
Springtime usually brings out the GPS buying public as they prepare for the summer driving season. This year though there's a bigger need for bargains and as the models evolve, a lot more capability at a lower price point. I saw a few bargains this week, and several folks sent some in this week specifically on Costco and REI that you'll see below. With Mother's Day coming up, you might just want to get one for dear old Mom from the list below.
I recommend some upgrades as your budget allows, Text to Speech, and a widescreen in that order. Other additions such as Traffic, Bluetooth Handsfree, etc. are definitely nice to have.
Standard Screen Units
Garmin Nuvi 270 - $139 - Has US and Western Euro Maps pre-loaded. No Text to Speech, but if you are heading to Europe and need a unit, this is a great deal.
Garmin Nuvi 250 - $109 - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. No Text to Speech, but is great deal for Garmin quality.
Garmin Nuvi 260 - $137 - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. Adds Text to Speech.
Garmin Nuvi 255 - $156 - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. Has Text to Speech. Adds new interface that updates the look and feel; significant usability upgrade in my mind. Supports ecoRoute gas saving driving routes.
TomTom ONE 130 - $108 this week, North American Maps, and a high quality TomTom Interface. Very easy to use at a low price. Does not have Text to Speech. Upgrade to the TomTom ONE 130-S for Text to speech at $128.
TomTom 140 - $146 only at Target as a burgundy colored - no text to speech, with Maps of US/Canada and Mexico.
Garmin Nuvi 265WT - $219 - Text to speech, improved interface, maps of North America. Supports ecoRoute gas saving driving routes. Adds free lifetime TMC traffic to the base 255W model features. Very good buy here.
Nuvi 760 - $199 - Thin design with Text to Speech and Maps of North America. Route Optimization - plug in multiple stops and let the unit optimize the route for fastest planning, adds Bluetooth handsfree and built-in TMC traffic. Slightly older interface (still has updated maps though). See My Full Review of the Nuvi 760.
TomTom ONE XL 330S - $169- the new Basic Widescreen for the TomTom line, Maps of North America, new Easy Port fold flat mount, and text to speech. See my Full Review for more information.
Garmin Nuvi 855 - $299 after $200 off at Costco. This is a widescreen unit with Text to speech but also utilizes Voice Command capabilities that allow you to enter commands without having to tap the screen. Very good price for this highly capable unit.
Handhelds
There are some price drops on Garmin Handhelds out there that you should be checking out and looking into. REI; famous outfitters, and famous for maintaining a list price on GPS units, has dropped their price on Garmin Oregon 400t touchscreen units to $399; great deal if you can apply some of your member dividend against it. The list price on this is over $500. If you hurry, you can still get a $50 rebate too - see the current promotions page at Garmin - Rebate period ends 5/10!
Thanks for all the folks who sent this one in, the deal is a good one, for a solid Garmin Navigator with a few extras. The price at Costco is $249; $100 off. The Nuvi 780 was released in 2008 and offered a lot of capabilities back then, still a strong player now, especially considering the MSN Direct service which offers gas prices in your area, weather, and a long list of other features. The traffic capability can come in handy, and will allow you to see traffic for your area. The coverage for the service is pretty good and gets most major metro areas through an FM band feed. Check the MSN Direct website for more information. After the free trial period, the cost is $49 per year. The GPS will work fine without the services too if you don't want to continue.
The Nuvi 780 has text to speech, bluetooth handsfree, maps of North America, and is a widescreen (4.3-inches) unit. For more information see my Full Review of the Nuvi 780.
As we start cranking in the new year, the spring brings some deals out just like leaves on the trees. In most regular years, prices stay steady across the sumer driving months, but this isn't a regular year. According to the GPS makers, the inventories are shrinking in the retail channel, offering hope for them, and potentially fewer great deals for us. THe one thing I can say is that right now, there are a few great buys out there that offer solid navigation for a good price. All three have Text to Speech and all three are widescreen units. I happen to think that Text to Speech is a huge advantage for most people, as it makes using the GPS so much better, while allowing you to keep your eyes on the road. Widescreen GPS units offer easy entry of text (larger keyboards), and a much bigger view of the road.
TomTom ONE XL-S Refurbished - $99. You can't find a better deal out there for a top name on a GPS, as long as you can make the leap on the refurbished electronics idea. Not something I normally jump into quickly, but for a TomTom widescreen with text to speech, $99 is a steal.
Garmin Nuvi 760 - $227 - Once the a top of the line model, this slightly older version, and now discontinued model still offers a lot. Beyond the widescreen and text to speech, the unit also offers Bluetooth hands free capabilities when paired to a compatible Bluetooth phone. The Nuvi 760 also offers multipoint routing - dump a bunch of destinations in and let it tell you what the optimized route is. Finally, the unit comes with an integrated TMC traffic receiver which will help you navigate the major cities where TMC traffic coverage helps identify traffic issues on main roads. More in my Full Review of the Nuvi 760
Garmin Nuvi 255W - $203 - This is my pick of the three, as it offers the core functionality of text to speech and widescreen, while also offering an updated Garmin interface that is more intuitive and very easy to use. It more easily offers a view of when and which way to turn in a quick glance while also showing speed limits on most major roads (think state highways and bigger). It also includes the updated "HotFix" capability to get quicker satellite fixes when you turn it on, and a faster processor to draw the maps more quickly. With the recent release of ecoRoute, you will also be able to use your Nuvi 255W to enter in your car's profile, and get the most economical route, while getting feedback on your driving habits to help you save gas. See my Full Review of the Nuvi 255W for more information.
Garmin has a $50 rebate going for the Garmin Oregon handheld GPS unit purchased now through 5/10/2009. The rebate is a available on all Oregon models, including the 300, 400t, 400i, 400c.
The touchscreen GPS has a lot going for it at the top of Garmin's line and is well worth considering if you are in the market for a full featured, big screen GPS. Read my Full Review of the Oregon 400t for more information.
Garmin Oregon 200
- Full touchscreen unit with great new interface. Has a basemap
Garmin Oregon 300 - Adds wireless sharing capability along with electronic compass and altimeter
TomTom ONE-S - Amazon Deal of the Day - $99 with Text to Speech
The TomTom ONE-S is a slightly older version in the TomTom ONE line-up, but comes with that ever popular Text to Speech capability (says street names) making this a true bargain for $99 from TomTom. The pre-loaded maps of the US and Canada make it a fairly full offering. It has a standard size screen of 3.5-inches.
As always it has the Help Me capability to give you access to important info if you are in an emergency, and access to MapShare, where you can send and receive map corrections from the community of TomTom users.
Garmin Colorado 300 - Deal of the Day at Amazon - $249
Two Garmin "Deals of the Day" in one week (Nuvi 760 the other day at $199)! The Garmin Colorado is a solid handheld with some advanced features and a nice big screen. This particular unit is the "Bilingual" version, and comes loaded with North American Topo base maps and can be supplemented with inland water way or coastal marine maps. The units comes with a barometric altimeter and an electronic compass. If you want detailed maps of streets, you can buy those and the Colorado 300 can route you to destinations like a normal car GPS; I will say that this should be considered as a back-up type system, because the interface is not a touchscreen which will make data entry harder, and the prompts will not be voice based; but a nice addition nonetheless.
Check out my Review of the Garmin Colorado 400t if you want to learn more about the line and its big brother the 400t.
The Nuvi 750 and 760 are great products that offer a very good navigation experience. I had seen what was a great price online for the Garmin Nuvi 750 - $199 at Costco, but one of our readers Frank also sent in word that his local Costco was selling their stock on hand of Garmin Nuvi 760's at that price; well off what I found it for recently online which was about $249. Might be worth a call to the local club to see if they are doing the same.
GPS Steals and Deals - 6/21
- $99 this week, North American Maps, and a high quality TomTom Interface. Very easy to use at a low price. Does not have Text to Speech. Upgrade to the 
for Text to speech at $119 - very cheap upgrade for text to speech. Possibly the best value out there for cheap Text to Speech. 
- an amazing $299 - an internet connected GPS that has robust traffic reporting and is Google connected for interest search. Has Gas prices updates and comes with 3 months free connected service; about $10/ mo after that.
- $296 after $50 Mail in Rebate - And as I mentioned the other day - Buy the Garmin Forerunner 405, get the $50 rebate AND a Free Garmin Forerunner 50 Sports Watch too. 
that adds a calorie burning calculation. It will ship June 8th, and has the same $50 rebate deal and same Free Forerunner 50 deal. $319 after Mail in Rebate.
- $99. You can't find a better deal out there for a top name on a GPS, as long as you can make the leap on the refurbished electronics idea. Not something I normally jump into quickly, but for a TomTom widescreen with text to speech, $99 is a steal.
- $227 - Once the a top of the line model, this slightly older version, and now discontinued model still offers a lot. Beyond the widescreen and text to speech, the unit also offers Bluetooth hands free capabilities when paired to a compatible Bluetooth phone. The Nuvi 760 also offers multipoint routing - dump a bunch of destinations in and let it tell you what the optimized route is. Finally, the unit comes with an integrated TMC traffic receiver which will help you navigate the major cities where TMC traffic coverage helps identify traffic issues on main roads. More in my 
- $203 - This is my pick of the three, as it offers the core functionality of text to speech and widescreen, while also offering an updated Garmin interface that is more intuitive and very easy to use. It more easily offers a view of when and which way to turn in a quick glance while also showing speed limits on most major roads (think state highways and bigger). It also includes the updated "HotFix" capability to get quicker satellite fixes when you turn it on, and a faster processor to draw the maps more quickly. With the recent release of 
- Adds wireless sharing capability along with electronic compass and altimeter
- Adds the Topo map to the 300 model features.
- Adds inland lakes maps to the 300 model features.
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