Garmin Drive - First impressions

BAVC10 · Lifetime Member Joined: Dec 20, 2005 Posts: 757

Just picked up the top end DriveLuxe (not sure about the name versus nuvi) 50 LMT-D.

Unit is very similar to the 3598 and 3590 models of 2 - 3 years' ago in the overall look and feel. It's quicker than those models but apart from an overhaul of the menus and icons to be more "Windows 10 like" there isn't a whole lot of difference that I can see from first usage.

The price point of £299.99 firmly places it at the top end of the market where the nuviCam was last year - but this was a 6'' screen and had a built-in dashcam so I struggle to see how they justify that price for all but early adopters.

Once I've done some longer drives in it I'll post back further thoughts.
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DriveLuxe 51 LMT D - Firmware 6.80
Previously owned: DriveLuxe 50 LMT-D, NuviCam LMT-D, Nuvi 3598 LMT-D, Nuvi 3490LMT, 3790T, 1690, 765, 760, 660, 610, 360, 310, 300 and Streetpilot i3

Chigman · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 14, 2005 Posts: 48

Look forward to hearing your thoughts on it. Thumbs Up

xtraseller · Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2016 9:41 am Post subject:

Also have the latest DriveLuxe - and the DriveSmart 70, which is an upgrade to my NuviCam (cannot live with the (impossible to) mount)

Initial reactions are faster, (slightly) different routing, improved road warnings (like Navigon) and cleared map display (route rendering) also like the route overview and route shaping

Ideal product would have been a 6" in the DriveLuxe format, but I guess that would be too expensive to sell (???)

My DriveSmart seems to have issues with SmartLink (not clearing traffic incidents all of the time so I would have hours of delays on a route with maybe 5-10 minutes of delays, even though these would not show on another Nuvi - 2798 - connected the same SmartLink) - funnily (or luckily) the DriveLuxe does not seem to have the same issue

So far so good
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TomTom Go Live 6100, 600
Garmin DriveLux 50, D-Smart 70, NuviCam, 3598, 2699, 2798
Mio Navman 695
Nexus 6p, Apple iPhone 6sPlus and Microsoft Lumia 950xl running TomTom, Garmin, CoPilot, Navigon, Sygic, Here Drive, Google, Waze, MS Maps

xtraseller · Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2016 2:35 pm Post subject:

Nice to see it come with 16gb internal memory too - should give plenty of scope for map size increases!
_________________
TomTom Go Live 6100, 600
Garmin DriveLux 50, D-Smart 70, NuviCam, 3598, 2699, 2798
Mio Navman 695
Nexus 6p, Apple iPhone 6sPlus and Microsoft Lumia 950xl running TomTom, Garmin, CoPilot, Navigon, Sygic, Here Drive, Google, Waze, MS Maps

BAVC10 · Lifetime Member Joined: Dec 20, 2005 Posts: 757

Liking the new unit.

Very solid build - even moreso than the nuvi 3598. This unit has more of a gunmetal grey than the silver of the 3598 and is heavier to hold too.

The best feature by far is the BUILT IN traffic receiver - no more silly wire hanging, just the single cable to the powerered magnetic mount. Traffic reception does seem to have been improved as a result. The mount is much slimmer than the nuviCam and similar to that used by the 3598 but with the speaker onboard the unit itself.

Routes preview is touted as a new feature but it is just a rehashed version of the 'Routes' features available on most recent nuvis but with its own icon.

The menu has had a complete makeover in look and feel but the same functions are there (some new ones for backup camera and babyCam) and the unit is everso slightly more responsive in speed.

The Map & Vehicle setting now has audible driver alerts for speed exceeded and speed reduction as well as various crossing types (Garmin please don't use Railroad crossing in the UK) as well as bends and for slow traffic ahead.

There's also a fatigue warning but I don't know if this can be user defined.

Unit comes with 16GB as mentioned above and mine came with software 2.80

Routing performance seems to be identical as far as I can tell.
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DriveLuxe 51 LMT D - Firmware 6.80
Previously owned: DriveLuxe 50 LMT-D, NuviCam LMT-D, Nuvi 3598 LMT-D, Nuvi 3490LMT, 3790T, 1690, 765, 760, 660, 610, 360, 310, 300 and Streetpilot i3

Kremmen · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2016 4:58 am Post subject:

I think the DriveAssist is being released in abiut a week. That's the one I want to see in the flesh.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

xtraseller · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2016 8:04 am Post subject:

Routes are different a bit different to my 2798 - even with latest update and maps 2017.10 installed on both (may be due to MyTrends, TrafficTrends or similar?)

Still have a major issue with the SmartLink though

Using SmartLink and iOS (9.31) - drops off after a while of connection (10-15 mins) and won't reconnect unless you switch unit off and on, or discount and reconnect bluetooth

Using SmartLink and Android (6.11) - stays connected no problem

Using SmartLink with either iOS or Android - initially okay then seems to transfer lots of data that is not displayed in the SmartLink reports on phone - and which don't show on the 2798 via the same application either so something very funny going on. Same propblem on the DriveSmart 70

Have reported to Garmin but they decided only solution to send unit back - but this is the same to a software problem

Otherwise really like the new units
_________________
TomTom Go Live 6100, 600
Garmin DriveLux 50, D-Smart 70, NuviCam, 3598, 2699, 2798
Mio Navman 695
Nexus 6p, Apple iPhone 6sPlus and Microsoft Lumia 950xl running TomTom, Garmin, CoPilot, Navigon, Sygic, Here Drive, Google, Waze, MS Maps

Kremmen · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2016 8:44 am Post subject:

When I first reported the Smartlink issue back in May/June 2013 they said the same, send the unit back.

I knew it was nothing to do with the unit but the Garmin reps are either gagged or not very good. They are almost like the India helplines who have a set of cue cards and aren't allowed to deviate.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

BAVC10 · Lifetime Member Joined: Dec 20, 2005 Posts: 757

The driver alerts are a nice feature - orange bar at the top telling you of impending bend, school, speed limit reduction etc....

The disappointment with them is that you only get an audible alert in the sound on a standard Garmin "Ding". Not sure why Garmin could have created files for "bend ahead" speed limit reduction to xxmph ahead.

The other noticeable feature (by its absence) is that the map detail shows even fewer names than the nuviCam I am replacing (currently have both units running together to compare / test them). nuviCam definitely shows more detail in towns or rural areas and also seems to have the building outlines which I've yet to see on the DriveLuxe.
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DriveLuxe 51 LMT D - Firmware 6.80
Previously owned: DriveLuxe 50 LMT-D, NuviCam LMT-D, Nuvi 3598 LMT-D, Nuvi 3490LMT, 3790T, 1690, 765, 760, 660, 610, 360, 310, 300 and Streetpilot i3

sussamb · Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 12:40 pm Post subject:

Have you set Map Detail to most?
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Where there's a will ... there's a way.

xtraseller · Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 1:03 pm Post subject:

Both are exactly my issues with the unit

Why on earn Garmin didn't include a voice option for these warnings (they are now only any use if you constantly look at the screen and I have always wondered why this was the case with the speed cams too)

Maps definitely show less detail (in terms of road names) - when you select on traffic for example, to see an incident then often it is impossible to know where the problem is (a bit like TomTom that respect) unless you recognse the area - on my 2798 its very clear
_________________
TomTom Go Live 6100, 600
Garmin DriveLux 50, D-Smart 70, NuviCam, 3598, 2699, 2798
Mio Navman 695
Nexus 6p, Apple iPhone 6sPlus and Microsoft Lumia 950xl running TomTom, Garmin, CoPilot, Navigon, Sygic, Here Drive, Google, Waze, MS Maps

BAVC10 · Lifetime Member Joined: Dec 20, 2005 Posts: 757

The route preview is a neat feature as it highlights the top 3 or 4 main roads / motorways you'll be taking.

Xtraseller - When you first got your unit were the labels on the top banner a UK "A" road green? Just that when I did all the updates required by GE, the top banner has changed to a weird grey/blue colour - do you see this too?
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DriveLuxe 51 LMT D - Firmware 6.80
Previously owned: DriveLuxe 50 LMT-D, NuviCam LMT-D, Nuvi 3598 LMT-D, Nuvi 3490LMT, 3790T, 1690, 765, 760, 660, 610, 360, 310, 300 and Streetpilot i3

M8TJT · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 9:02 am Post subject:

xtraseller · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 9:38 am Post subject:

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