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| Garmin nüvi 660 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator | 
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| Brand: Garmin
Category: CE
List Price: $699.99
Buy New: $244.82
You Save: $455.17 (65%)
New (50) Used (3) Refurbished (7)
Avg. Customer Rating:  1431 reviews
Sales Rank: 34
Format: Cd
Platforms: Windows Xp Professional, Windows Xp Home Edition, Windows 2000
Media: Electronics
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Native Resolution: 480 x 272
Display Size: 4.3
Includes MP3 Player: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 2.6 x 2.6 x 2.6
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
MPN: 010-00540-00
Model: 010-00540-00
UPC: 053759065110
EAN: 0076565001226
ASIN: B000H49LXQ
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Garmin 660 GPS January 3, 2008
F/M transmission could be better, especially in larger cities. In one part of the city a band (say 88.1) may not be used, but then 10 miles down the road it is.
A cable to the radio (If your car is equipped) would be better.
Seems accurate.
Wish it would take me the "fastest" way instead if always going due North, South, etc from where I'm at. For instance in my area it's much quicker to go North for 800 yards then West to a freeway and then South instead of due South through several traffic lights and more congestion.
The traffic reciever is usefull especially in Los Angeles, however, a alert of "slower traffic ahead" doesn't always mean "bumper to bumper"
Add on's from Garmin seem pricey
Good deal January 2, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is the first time I have ever bought a GPS. I bought it on amazon at around $450, which is the lowest price I have observed for this device in recent months (barring $398 sell by Walmart on 11/21/2007).
This GPS comes with:
1. A car charger.
2. A mound for the windshield.
3. A USB cable.
4. AC charger for home use.
5. 3 month trial for live traffic updates.
In my estimation, this set is sufficient for all practical purposes. Highly recommend not to buy any other added accessories.
Since I have no experience with prior GPS devices, take this review at your own discretion.
1. This GPS should be used with a car charger. For long trips, it is essential. Without the car charger, this GPS will stay on for approximately 4 to 5 hours.
2. Some nice features: MP3 player, bluetooth connection which works seamlessly with my Motorola Pebl.
3. The clarity of the image is astounding. Flat screen panel makes it pleasant to look at.
4. Hint: You can find practically anything using this GPS. For example, if you want to find the nearest Target or Walmart, go to Food/Lodging and select "spell name". This was an extremely useful feature in my recent roadtrip, where I located the nearby bestbuy, my favorite restaurants and cheap motels.
5. In my long road trip that encompassed many states (Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida), the GPS made only 1 blunder - it did not find the famous Biltmore estate in Asheville, NC for some reason. However upon further investigation, I discovered that the ticket window location had changed recently. Even Frommers had the incorrect entry. I believe the current maps on this GPS are from 2004.
6. When asking you to make a turn, the GPS names the road. I was told that this feature was absent from previous Garmin devices. Hint: If the cross roads are close to each other and if you are unsure of where to turn, simply look at the GPS image. Sometimes the GPS makes ambiguous instructions but looking at the image clarifies everything. The image is high resolution, and shows the names of nearby cross roads removing all ambiguity as to where you should turn. Especially in Washington DC, where the roads are extremely confusing, this feature is of great use.
Some annoying qualities of this GPS:
1. I wish it had a google map like control. If I want to avoid a particular road, GPS would not do it easily. In "recalculating", it tries to force you to original road until a sufficient distance is traversed on the new route. Perhaps this GPS is low-priced for that feature.
2. This GPS gives absolutely no consideration to city traffic. It will ask you to take a busy city route even if freeway alternatives are available. Its estimated arrival time in busy city streets are rarely true.
3. On cloudy or rainy days, I had to wait 3 or 4 minutes until it acquired satellite.
4. Sometimes I have to touch a tab 2 times for it to activate on the touchscreen.
5. The GPS asks you to make a turn on highways in 0.2 miles, and on freeways starting from 1 mile. Sometimes you may need an indication earlier/later than those limits, and the GPS does not let you customize your own limit.
All in all, it is a good GPS.
Who should/should not buy a GPS:
I had no need of a GPS in all my years of driving. I bought this GPS for my wife, and gradually came to liking it. Since you will spend your hard earned dollars in a GPS, you should really evaluate if you need a GPS.
1. If you are street smart and have an excellent sense of direction and a good orientation, you are better off without a GPS. I had always printed my directions from google maps the old fashioned way and checked my odometer to estimate the distance to the next turn. It has worked very well so far. If you deem yourself to be a good driver and can recover easily from missed turns etc., don't bother to buy a GPS.
However if your reflexes are not sharp (be honest to yourself) and if you think that missed turns are very annoying and present a great challenge, GPS is for you. GPS has a high accuracy in locating your car within a few feet and it will definitely ask you to make a turn at a precise instance making it hard to miss. GPS can truly make your drive pleasant by navigating you accurately from end to end.
2. If you rarely travel outside of your city, do not buy a GPS. GPS rarely gives optimal directions (no consideration to city traffic, signals etc.) and you know your roads in your area better than the GPS. In those rare long road trips, if you have plenty of people in your party, using the atlas the old fashioned way and doing the road hunting is a much more pleasure activity than using the GPS.
However if you think you visit many unknown locations frequently (which could be a result of your recent shifting to a new apartment) and if you hate the idea of surfing google maps again and again to navigate yourself through a maze of untrodden paths, GPS is for you. If you are a road warrior and are always on the move, GPS saves a lot of trouble and overhead of "getting the directions". Simply punching the address in 4 easy steps sets you up for the trip, freeing your mind of one significant worry.
3. If you are of the type who prefers to wait for the technology to mature before making a buy, now is the best time to wait. GPS prices are falling drastically (nearly halved in 1 year), and there is so much more the technology could offer at a lower cost (easy update of maps, google-map like feature, internet access, more capacity for songs/video - perhaps an IPOD+GPS device etc.). If the GPS encompasses those dream features, it will become a truly useful device...so if you can, wait.
However for whatever reason if you "have to have" a GPS now, buy this piece from amazon. Amazon offers the best price for this device and from the people in my acquaintance who have seen this GPS, I have heard nothing but praise.
 Wrost Product from Amazon never buy from amazon January 2, 2008
3 out of 24 found this review helpful
I bought this product for thanks giving The garmin nuvi 660 is great,but I doubt amazon is selling cheap ones. The battery of garmin nuvi 660 lasts hardly two hours and the voice guiding is as If some one is crying.
I would recommend Not buy from amazon. I bought lot products from amazon this is the worst of all.
I would rate -5 out of 5.
Garmin Nuvi 660 January 2, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've had my Nuvi 660 for about 9 months. So far I couldn't be happier with it. It performs better than expected in most areas I been which is most of the New England States as well as the State of Washington. It was a pleasant surprise after being in the forest service back country roads of central Washington to hit the "GO HOME" and have it instantly give us voice guided directions back to my brothers house some 30 miles away. It even gave us the Forest Road #'s since they are not named. I have since upgraded the mapping to City Nav North America 2008. I think Garmin should offer the upgrade mapping to it's customers for free instead of bagging all of us for upgades on a 9 month old product. As far as negatives i have at this time only a few--- The mapping and P.O.I.'s for Nova Scotia is much less than adequite. Don't count on it performing very well up there other than the major routes. I plan to let Garmin and Navteq know that their "All North America Maps" claim obviously doesn't apply to N.S. I don't use the "Bluetooth" feature since I have "On-Star" in my truck.I may upgrade to the 760 when the prices come down to get the added multiple destinations feature. Also wish it had a "Tracks" feature so you could save the routes you've been like the Garmin 76CS handheld I
use for hunting.
On a humorous note-- My 75 old retired Dad delivers new vehicles for various car dealers who swap vehicles up and down the east coast. He is as Mom calls him a "Native Vermont Woodchuck". He is 100% computer illiterate and calls any thing electronic "FRED" devices(short for "Freakin Ridiculous Electronic Devices". I finally talked him into a trying a Garmin that I would purchase for him after listening to way too many of his travel horror stories.
Not only is he using it (Garmin Nuvi 360), this old "VERMONT WOODCHUCK" loves it and will not leave home without it.He's even named the unit"Henry". That's huge all by itself(Gotta know Dad) and says mountains for Garmin and it user friendliness.
I am someone who researches a product to death before I buy something.
Is there room for improvement? Sure, I like the realtime mapping look from the "Navicon 7100" and the free FM traffic for life but as far as quality,reliability,ease of use and excellent on-support--you can't beat Garmin in my book. Also I've been dealing with Amazon for 3 years and have nothing but great service.
Hope this helps,
 Garmin 660....A teriffic product January 2, 2008
I recently purchased the Garmin 660 GPS. After hours of research, reading articles and deciding on what GPS unit gives the most and best fearures for the dollar spent, I found the Garmin 660 to be the best. The 2 front runners were the Garmin and the Tom Tom. All others took a back seat. I am sure all GPS units probably perform OK, but the reviews, added functions and overall cost made Garmin number one. The pros, wide screen, text to voice, connectivity, ease of use, re-calculation when deviate from planned route, traffic alert, many "points of interests" sights.
The Cons and things to consider; The Garmin sound is sometimes difficult to understand. I do have hearing loss so that amplified the issue. Reviews I have read indicated the sound is so-so. You can change the voice settings to have a different sounding voice to fit your liking.
This unit comes with a 3 month trial for traffic alert. I found it to be helpful. When an alert comes on it gives you voice and a caution icon on the screen to press and see the traffic details. For me the added cost for the antenna and function capability plus the $60 per year cost for this service after the trial period is something to consider.
I also purchased the bean bag dash stand. A worthy investment if you want to totally remove all evidence if GPS equipment in your car when you leave.
This device is probably the best item I have purchased in many years that offers so many usable functions and so simple to use. I would recommend this GPS for anyone who travels. No need for maps anymore. Getting lost is almost impossible.
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