Customer Ratings & Reviews

I think this nuvi 255WT is aswsome. Its easy to use, I got a really good deal, and its the perfect size. the only thing I don't like is that I live in OK. where there are lots of turnpikes and it always wants to take me the turnpike way instead of the free road. Besides that its great!!

This is my first GPS and I love this one the traffic update are great it has been right on 99.9% of the time. The only problem was when I up dated the maps free it showed my home location on the wrong side of the street. This was the same problem I saw on an other brand it must be something in the maps. I would tell anyone to buy. Got it for a Christmas gift for myself in store for only 129.99.

I’ve used the nüvi 255WT for two months and have found it to be a great GPS. I frequently travel for both business and pleasure and wanted a slim design with a wide screen that would be easy to carry and read while traveling. I’ve used the 255WT in a number of cities (Chicago, Detroit, Nashville, Miami, St. Louis, Toronto, and locally in Dallas), and the unit has worked flawlessly. The traffic feature worked perfect in multiple cities warning me of traffic delays and provided me assurance that I could make my flights on time. The 255WT comes with lifetime traffic updates at no additional cost! The wide 4.3” screen is large and easy to read even in the sunniest conditions. The unit finds and connects to the satellites very quickly and gives accurate directions 95% of the time (anyone who has owned an in-car or portable GPS know they do occasionally make mistakes, but will ultimately get you where you are going). The speaker is loud and clear and the turn by turn directions which speak the street names is a feature you don’t want to be without. I paid $179.00 on sale and have absolutely no buyer’s remorse. I did not need a Bluetooth interface for hands free calling and saved quite a few dollars (265WT has Bluetooth which is the only difference from 255WT). Remember, no GPS is perfect…I have two factory installed GPS units in my cars at home, and this unit works equally as well for one tenth the cost. I highly recommend it!

I don't know what problems others have but this unit has worked fine for me. It aquires in a few seconds and is loud enough at 80 % volume. The avert delays will give you a route that you should check ito be shure you want to take the recommended route. THAT is to do with the mapping not the function of the unit. It also recalculates fine for my use when i don't follow the recommended route.

This product was very easy to learn how to use which was an important factor to me, a senior adult. So far, I have not had any problems with the product. Of course, it would be nice if it had more features but for the amount of money spent for this GPS it does everything it should.

Product is very easy to understand, program and follow. Like most GPS it doesn't always take the best route in my opinion, but I think that's more the map system than the GPS. Our daughter had 1 and we bought 2 more for the others because of the features that one had for the value.

Love the product. Can't beat the $129 price I paid during Black Friday online. I use it everyday to see where traffic will be slow to work or if there are accidents to avoid. Works great! It is also super easy to find restaurants, gas stations or type in an address and away we go!

Overall, this is a great GPS system. I don't know why others have said Garmins are more confusing to use...I had no problem out of box, without reading directions. Only downside is that the one time used so far, it seemed to "cry wolf" for the traffic updates. It said there were 3 different delays that didn't exist. We'll see if that's consistent in the future, but overall a great product!

any one looking for a reliable unit that hits all the main requirements for a home run should seriously consider this unit. Even in brooklyn it had me finding faster ways to friends places (because brooklyn streets are a jigsaw!) but loved it the first day, even though i was a litle concerned it didnt have WAAS or Bluetooth, it really doesnt need either, its that good. Solid good news.

I had done days of web research. First comparing Garmin to Tom Tom to Magellan (picked the leader, Garmin). Then on products & features (w/ Bluetooth or without? Screen size? Best graphics? etc.). I bought this at Best Buy as my first GPS system ever and it is working entirely as advertised. Advantages: Garmin is best for map accuracy; 4.3 inch screen perfect for family trips; SD card slot [Tom Tom does not have in comparable model]. Disadvantages: still looking for some. Really any disadvantages are more about weaknesses in GPS systems overall, not the Garmin 255WT. A final suggestion, forget the BlueTooth model of the 255. Many user reviews say that model freezes up (when BlueTooth is active) and people on your line will complain they can't hear you.

I have owned a TomTom for a few years now and was frustrated by its limited points of interest. It was great for restaurants, lodging, gas, but terrible as far as places of worship (few to no Christian churches, only temples or mosques), and a strange lack of shops (the only grocery store listed was Food Lion). I tried out a Garmin in the store and was pleased with its POIs - great variety, easy to find and very accurate, complete with phone numbers. Then this model came up for sale at the holidays and had so many good features for the price. There are many advantages over my old GPS - spoken street names really help, as well as the little icon showing the speed limit on many roads. It tells you the side of the street your destination is on, which so far has been accurate. I love the fact that it shuts on and off automatically when you turn your car on or off. The map graphic is very easy to read and follow - I like how it shows your upcoming turn in a clear arrow path. I have yet to see the free traffic icon appear - haven't used it in a large enough metro area yet, I guess, so can't comment on that feature. I wish it had a clock showing the current time on the main screen (it only shows your arrival time), as well as a more easily accessible mute button -- you have to go through a couple steps to mute, which is hard when driving. But all in all I am very pleased with this unit.

As a new GPS owner, I went through all the consumer report guides and checked out everything I could on-line before I made the purchase. I had my eye on this model for several months, but kept putting off the purchase. I am very pleased with this model. Easy to operate, clear instructions. I set it up for my wife to use in only 10 minutes (most of that time was opening the package).

I have been researching Portable GPS systems for quite a few months and finally decided on a Garmin. I had the opportunity to borrow a friend's TomTom 330S (relatively comparable) and it was anything but pleasant. I finally pulled the trigger on the 255wt over the weekend on sale for $199. I was initially very pleased after demo-ing it in the store, and when I hooked it up to my vehicle it was a dream to use. Came with a great "suction cup" style mount and is nice and sleek. The street names worked way better than the 330S and seemed to give more notice before turns. Can't wait to try it on a long drive. I even got a pat on the back from my wife for doing the research and buying a GPS that even SHE thought was worth the money! I don't think anyone could be disappointed in this product. You can choose from dozens of downloadable vehicles and voices from mygarmin website. Easy to register and I can't wait to download my FREE 2010 map update. This GPS even has the real-time traffic for life included. You can't go wrong. Don't be afraid to buy it!

I purchased this product after getting lost in an unfamiliar area of town and spending more time trying to get out of it than it would have taken me just to deal with traffic. It is simple, compact, and easy to use. I am a big fan of Garmin and have a few Garmin products. I just wish they were more interchangeable and Mac friendly. Overall, this is a great little GPS for a car.

After comparing some others, we bought 3 Garmin 255s because they quite simply do the job their were designed to do: plan your trip. Satellite acquisition is very fast and consistent. Trip calculation is fast and reliable. Directions are clear and understandable. Personally, I'm not in love with the way they've arranged their menus, but a lot of people would disagree with me.

I received this garmin for christmas and thought is was good from the get go. Until i put it in my truck. once engine was on, it killed the satellite reception. i kept trying and trying for days, returned it for a new one...same problem. my truck has xm radio too. thought that maybe the issue. Nope. nuvi works in wifes car with xm and on-star. 2 co-workers brought their garmins to work to see if thiers worked in my truck...Nope, 4 garmins now. we also established no reception with in 25 foot radius of my truck engine running. chevrolet says its not my truck after numerous visits to chevy dealers and everthing is fine. In Short, Garmin or its distributers should have some sort of "compatibility" charts or knowledge of these issues. i did update the software / firmware and maps...so this was not the issue Tom Tom had too many bad reviews I just brought my nuvi back, and ordered a Magellin. i have my fingers crossed.

Tom Tom is more pessimistic on your time to travel and I can usually improve on the projected time. Can rarely meet or improve on Garmin's projections. I miss Tom Tom displaying the distance remaining and projected time to cover. Prefer wider screen on Garmin. Tom tom one is a real performer at current prices. I am however using my newer Garmin more often. Was a good buy..

The Garmin 255WT with a large display and free traffic for life was a great buy. The basics are easy to use with the quick start manual but you have to log on to the internet to down load a (one time free) map update from Garmin however a USB cable is not included.

I purchased this GPS system after I rode with my friend who had purchased one. It was incredible. I no longer have to rely on google maps to go to places that I am unfamilar with. I coach a grade school baskerball team and to find the places we play is now a breeze. I recommend this to anyone who has not committed every road map that was ever printed to memory.

I'm very satisfied. It was super easy to set up and start to use. It seems to take us on roads other than the highways which make it seem like the longer way to go. I wish there was a soft bag to put it in when not in use so the occurrence of scratching the screen or chipping the frame is less likely. Great value for the functions and it looks great.