Garmin 660LM finally died

[jfheilman]

Say,,, that looks a lot like my discontinued Zumo 550 mounted on a special mount in my discontinued 1996 Ford Explorer.

 

[RaYzerman]

Have you tried to make routes on the screen? If so, try to convert via points (orange dots on the left of address) to Shaping points (orange dots becomes blue dots) and check the map again if the shaping points moved from their original locations (where the via points were) to a different spots on the route.

I create all my routes on my computer.

 

[jfheath]

Sometimes if you contact Garmin they may offer a discount on an old model to get a new one. It is worth asking a) if they can still repair them b) if they will provide a discount on a new one.
There's nothing that I use on the 595 that the XT doesn't do better - except for the live track and spotify - but there are other solutions for that.
Everything is connected by Bluetooth though. Except the power cable.

But the BT on the XT has been pretty reliable - except in my case using the phone to play spotify and relaying it to the Zumo and then back to the headset. It sometimes gets confused if you have been paiting your phone to other devices and it recognises those just before you set off. Starts to connect and then goes out of range !

 

[paulcb]

I seem to be in the minority here, but I never use my GPS for music or connect my Sena to it, which seems to eliminate (for me) many of the phone/GPS/headset connection problems I read about on several forums. I do connect my phone to my 396 GPS for traffic and weather, but I don't connect my Sena headset to it. Phone to GPS for traffic/weather and Phone to Sena for music/calls works really well for me. Seems adding the GPS in between for music just makes it more complicated? Am I missing something? FYI, I don't need or want to hear my GPS directions in my Sena.

 

[Sadlsor]

I'm much the same, @paulcb
The phone works fine for Amazon music or my own downloaded tunes, or FM talk radio, although I normally use an older phone with headphone jack, mainly because the stupid BT earbuds don't stay in place like my Etymotic wired earbuds. The Ety's also block the wind noise, a HUGE plus. Technology is trying to leave me behind.
I can look at the Zumo when I need to, it's in my line of sight, but I don't have traffic / weather on the Garmin -- is yours subscription based? I'm too cheap for that.
The phone can tell me about the weather and traffic before I set out on my destination.
Thus far, I haven't been riding with groups or anyone to use bike-to-bike comms, although I'll eventually add a Sena for that. No hurry, at this time.

 

[paulcb]

I can look at the Zumo when I need to, it's in my line of sight, but I don't have traffic / weather on the Garmin -- is yours subscription based? I'm too cheap for that.

Traffic is included at no cost on the 396 LMT-S and the weather was a one-time payment of $5 I think, but I would pay that (or more) annually for both if I had to... weather and traffic can change quickly on long trips. Of course neither is perfect, so a phone check at fuel stops is helpful verification.

 

[paulcb]

I do too. But looking for ways to save time of creating, download, load to nav... Also sometimes you're in the "field" and need a quick route.

FWIW, I create routes on my computer (Basecamp) for rallies and directly on my 396 for basic trips. It's not too bad doing it directly on the 396, as long as you zoom in enough. It may be even easier on the XT.

 

[paulcb]

Is weather and traffic are being sent from the phone to Garmin?

Yes, real time. Weather along a route shows pretty quick when accessed, but the radar takes 30 seconds or so to update. A couple relevant images from Google...

 

[paulcb]

Yes, it's easy enough on the 396 too. However the software is not intelligent enough to leave the last point so you could continue from there and not guessing where you put it last on the map. Garmin is not perfect

Agreed, Garmin is far from perfect, but there's an option to skip the next waypoint, or you can edit the route and delete waypoints.

 

[ST Gui]

You can't rotate the XT without rotating the cradle with it..... 'spose one could rig up a pivoting mount, but that would take some thinkin'.

So to use the vertical mode do you have to mount the cradle accordingly? No way to put the cradle on a RAM ball?

 

[RaYzerman]

If on a RAM ball, of course you can rotate it........ mine is dash shelf mounted, so I'd need to engineer some kind of pivoting mechanism....

 

[jodog]

I seem to be in the minority here, but I never use my GPS for music or connect my Sena to it, which seems to eliminate (for me) many of the phone/GPS/headset connection problems I read about on several forums. I do connect my phone to my 396 GPS for traffic and weather, but I don't connect my Sena headset to it. Phone to GPS for traffic/weather and Phone to Sena for music/calls works really well for me. Seems adding the GPS in between for music just makes it more complicated? Am I missing something? FYI, I don't need or want to hear my GPS directions in my Sena.

I don't know how you do it. When I'm riding along and don't have GPS directions in my headset I ALWAYS miss a turn. Most annoying. I get distracting thinkin' about things, you know?

B

 

[Daboo]

I don't know what's the point of mounting it vertically. Even if navigating on a phone I mount it horizontally.

I used to use my GPS horizontally too. I've since changed to where almost always now, I use my GPS vertically. In a horizontal mode, you see out to the sides a lot. It's interesting and pretty, but I'm going forward, not sideways. In vertical mode, I'm looking at where I'm going. On the Zumo XT, the difference if you have one of the info panels up, is not that much. But have just the map displayed, and the difference is huge. Both will cover about the same distance...but the vertical mode is not as compressed and you can get more detail at a glance.

Chris

 

[drrod]

I realize that this is opening a big can of worms, but.......
If you can't get your unit repaired economically, don't discount switching over to a smartphone of some sort. Lots of inexpensive options available. Along with that are several GPS programs that work just as good, or better than Garmin and the bonus is you are not married to Garmin.

Lots of info here

GPS 101 - Which GPS For Me

I am a GPS n00b - school me.

advrider.com

 

[CDNolddude]

I realize that this is opening a big can of worms, but.......
If you can't get your unit repaired economically, don't discount switching over to a smartphone of some sort. Lots of inexpensive options available. Along with that are several GPS programs that work just as good, or better than Garmin and the bonus is you are not married to Garmin.

Lots of info here

GPS 101 - Which GPS For Me

I am a GPS n00b - school me.

advrider.com

Tried again and screen came alive but said low battery. Charged it over night and still the same.
Called garmin and they found a battery in the US as none in Canada,so bought it and hope that fixes it. If not, I will still stick to a zumo.

 

[kerbside]

Had recently been looking for more mc mounts for my 660 to hard wire them in to more bikes but they are hard to find and cost is outrageous, so I tend to use a cell phone feeding my Cardo these days for most rides, but I've used Garmins since 1995 (the Garmin 100) and they have served me well. I like to see the maps and the gps is not affected by the elements and have been 100 % reliable.
But after reading this thread I'm thinking that the XT would suit me just fine - seems to have just what I need. I saw the XT mc mount and it was cheap and simple, so if that is the case maybe I'll consider it to be my next gps upgrade rather than keep my road rash 660. If only Garmin could use Google's mapping platform!

 

[drrod]

If only Garmin could use Google's mapping platform

Or even Osmand. Being tied to Garmin's maps, to me, is quite a drawback in this day and age but I imagine it is quite a revenue generator for them. Interesting that the "lifetime maps" thing is for the life of the unit, which Garmin can arbitrarily determine.

hope that fixes it

Good luck.

 

[ST Gui]

In vertical mode, I'm looking at where I'm going. On the Zumo XT, the difference if you have one of the info panels up, is not that much. But have just the map displayed, and the difference is huge. Both will cover about the same distance...but the vertical mode is not as compressed and you can get more detail at a glance.

ALL this.

 

[ReSTored]

The CDN sale price for the XT has been $560 (about $445 US). We've at the end of the season here, I'd just wait for it to go on sale

 

[tomtom]

After 6yrs my garmin 660LM died during my last ride. Not sure it can be fixed.
If not,
anyone having luck with 395 or 595.
I store music on it also. Don’t think car ones do that.
recommendations welcomed

I have a Zumo 600 still going strong from 2009, not looking forward to the day it dies