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| Garmin StreetPilot c340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator | 
 enlarge | Brand: Garmin
Category: CE
List Price: $365.00
Buy New: $124.99
You Save: $240.01 (66%)
New (13) Used (4) Refurbished (9)
Avg. Customer Rating:  1175 reviews
Sales Rank: 656
Color: Dark Gray
Media: Electronics
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: Yes
Native Resolution: 320x240
Free Memory Slots: 1
Display Size: 3.5
Includes MP3 Player: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3.3
Dimensions (in): 4.4 x 2.8 x 3.2
Array:
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
Warranty: One Year Garmin Factory Warranty
MPN: 010-00401-20
Model: 010-00401-20
UPC: 753759050658
EAN: 0753759050658
ASIN: B000A5TAT2
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 The Garmin C340 is Super !!! March 13, 2006
106 out of 114 found this review helpful
I recently bought a little sports car for jaunts through the countryside with my wife. The one thing it doesn't have is a compass. Knowing that we would be going to unknown places and areas, and having had compasses built in to our other vehicles, I was aware of the help the compass could give on back roads when you are trying to find a road or a place. The aftermarket compasses all seem to be quirky at best and completely wrong at worst (digital or otherwise). Initially I bought a (...)bubble Bell compass (suction mount). It worked (or didn't work) as mentioned. So I started doing research on the Internet. I ran across the Garmin StreetPilot C330 during my search. (...). After reading the first 10 reviews, without totally knowing what I would be getting, I decided to order the C330 ((...)) from Amazon. Still researching since I had picked the SuperSaver freight and had a few days before shipment, I found the Garmin website which explained both the C330 and the C340. I found that the C340 had many of the features the $1000.00 units had. It has a better map data base, it tells users the name of the street and it is also capable (although I won't be using the feature) of receiving traffic data signals (with a plug-in adapter and a yearly subscription). (...). I figured that I would try it out and if it didn't at least solve the compass problem, I would return the unit to Amazon. So I cancelled the order for the C330 and ordered the C340, this time paying the $6.00 shipping to get it sooner. In the meantime, I downloaded the C340 Owners Manual (http://www.garmin.com/products/manual.jsp?product=010-00401-20) and quick reference guides to study before it arrived. It looked a little too simple to believe it would actually work. (P.S. Download the manual, because the C340 ONLY comes with a Quick Reference Guide; no Manual).
Well, yesterday the C340 showed up. It cam in a large enough box to concern me, but that was only to protect it during shipping. Once I opened the box, I found a sealed package (envelope) that said OPEN ME FIRST), the windshield mounting bracket and the power cord (12v). I noticed right away the on the back of the OPEN ME FIRST envelope it stated IF THIS PACKAGE IS OPENED, THE ITME IS NOT RETURNABLE OTHER THAN FOR DEFECT. Being an old and irritated software buyer, this didn't impress me very much. I figured I would return it somehow if it didn't stack up. I opened the envelope and took out the CD and the USB cable. The directions say to install the CD and have your C340 with the USBN cable ready to plug into your computer. I put the CD in and after a couple of menu screens, the program instructed me to plug in the unit to the computer. Then it went through the registration process. It said "congratulations" and the program ended, having installed the USB Drivers for the C340 on my computer. Garmin has what they call a "POI Loader" program (Points of Interest), which you have to download from the Garmin website. I haven't found any of these on their website. Evidently the USB Drivers are there for future map updates, etc.
IN ANY CASE, I finished with the computer and began to play with the C340. I found that I only needed to refer to the Owners Manual once or twice. The C340 is incredibly user friendly and allows you to play with it in the house (it came with charged batteries; which by the way recharge in the car). The touch screen is super, clear and quick. I was able to go through a lot of the procedures listed in the reference guide with the satellite hookup (the C340 does that once you get outside).
So, today was the big day for testing the unit. I just had my truck worked on and wanted to test the cruise control. I decided to go to a known location first. When I searched for stores, the C340 came up with the exact Outlet mall I was going to. Once on the screen you just press "GO". The unit shows you the 2 or 3 dimensional map (I prefer the 2D map) and starts talking to you. I selected English-Jill for the voice since it supposedly speaks the names best. I had chosen "shortest route" instead of "fastest route" (the 2 options the C340 gives you). Without doing anything else I intentionally followed "her" directions to see how accurate the C340 would be. Frankly, I was impressed and amazed. The unit was flawless in getting me there (@50 miles), even telling me the correct names for roads I've been on hundreds of times and didn't know. Once we got to the Outlet Mall in good shape, I decided to go to an Amish restaurant WAY OUT in the country (50 miles of small backroads). The Garmin C340 didn't have the exact place in storage, but it allows you to type in a city and I found a place that was nearby. I figured that if I made it to the actual restaurant, I would use the "Save Favorites" button to put it in the C340 memory. Then in the future I would be able to get there from anywhere. This is a super feature of at least the C340 and probably the C330. When you are at a place that you will want to go to later it is a simple task to save the location, and then the C340 will take you there from anywhere. In any case, I followed the directions the C340 gave me and soon we were traveling on little country roads I had never been on. It shows your compass heading as you drive, and we were heading in approximately the right direction and had all day, so I let the C340 run the show. It shows your speed and the estimated time of arrival. It told me from the beginning that we had about 1 1/2 hours to drive to get to the restaurant. Needless to say, we arrived at the location I had picked (which was about 1/2 mile from the restaurant) in just about that much time. The 2 times I got off track because the roads weren't marked very well, the C340 recalculated the trips and gave me directions to get back on track with a new estimated time of arrival. The unit has a "Detour" function on it, but I haven't found it necessary yet. If you just go another way, the C340 initially tries to get you back on track, and then gives up and recalculates a new set of directions from your current location to the destination. Once at the restaurant, I saved the location for future use. Now I was ready to go home. Before I left the house, I had programmed (not really "programmed"; its about a 2 step button push) my HOME. Now I just pushed "Where To"; "Home" and we were on our way. Since I have traveled this route many times, I decided to go my regular way (I was getting tired), and make the C340 correct any differences. On the way back, there were two instances of "differences". Both involved small jogs that probably were "shorter" by a few feet. I ignored the instructions and within seconds the C340 had made the adjustment to get us back on track. The C340 used almost the EXACT route we always use to get us home. It was flawless. After getting home, I decided to go to the store. Rather than programming something in, which I (A) didn't need directions to; and (B) wouldn't save anyway, I just decided to push "Browse Map". This brought up a map show my exact location, compass heading and speed. I did lose the satellites for about 30 seconds during this ride (it shows on the screen which stops moving also). I turned the C340 off and then on, and it found the satellites. I continued on. Once done at the store, I pushed "Home" and it gave me directions right to my house again.
I think enough of this C340, that I bought another windshield mount and an AC adapter for it (I found them on eBay). I have seen complaints for the Garmin case that Amazon sells that it isn't big enough. I feel it's too big. I just wanted a case to contain the main head of theunit, since you don't want to leave it in the windshield when you are out of the car and I wanted it protected. I found a Sony LCS-CSD Soft Carry Cas for a Cybershot Camera that fits the head perfectly ((...)) at Staples. So far in the 2 days that I have owned this unit, I feel that it works great, is simple to operate and I think it was money well spent. It should really be useful this summer for our country road trips. My wife was impressed with this GPS also. I may get her one for Mother's Day. I have listed below information from the Garmin website. You should visit their website and download the manual if you are interested in this GPS. One world for the C340: SUPER
Information from the Garmin website (http://www.garmin.com/mobile/products.html#automotive) AS OF 3/10/2006
The StreetPilot "c-series" GPS navigators feature a simple touchscreen interface, with automatic route calculation to any destination and turn-by-turn voice-prompted directions along the way. Selecting a destination is straightforward and requires only a limited amount of input from the user. Plus, the StreetPilot c320 and StreetPilot c330 allow you to choose between a three-dimensional navigation view or the more traditional "bird's eye" overhead view.
For the ultimate out-of-the-box convenience, the StreetPilot c330 comes preprogrammed with highly detailed MapSource City Select street data. The database features nearly six million points of interest-including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions. (The c320 comes with a 128 MB SD card and a MapSource City Select CD-ROM for data transfer from a PC via a USB connection.)
As an added benefit, you can now import customized points of interest with the help of Garmin's free POI Loader software. The possibilities are endless - upload safety cameras or school zones, and you will receive a warning if you are traveling too fast. In addition, an optional proximity-alert feature notifies you of upcoming custom POIs.
The centerpiece of both units is a bright, 3.5-inch diagonal, 16-bit color display that makes navigation a snap. The StreetPilot c330 features dual integrated speakers for high-quality voice prompts, and an internal lithium-ion battery for out-of-car route planning.
The new StreetPilot c-series boasts distinctive and sleek styling-the only buttons are a rotary volume knob and an on/off switch. The device is secured by a suction-mount cradle that fastens to the windshield for easy portability between vehicles. Users can customize their unit's appearance with an array of colored faceplates (sold separately).
Garmin part number: 010-00401-10 (...)(for domestic US market only)
The StreetPilot c340 provides in-car navigation that is simple for anyone to use directly out of the box. After selecting a destination from the user-friendly touch screen interface, Garmin's text-to-speech feature tells users the name of the street, when to turn, and in what direction. If you miss your turn, the c340 automatically calculates a new route to the destination.
Notification of traffic delays is a c340 option that lets drivers see congested areas via a color-coded map. This feature lets users avoid traffic by simply pushing a button that will calculate a new route. This traffic awareness is made possible via the new Garmin GTM 10 FM TMC receiver that connects to selected Garmin street navigation products. The GTM 10 receives digital data from specific FM broadcast stations in select major metro areas throughout the United States and Europe.
The StreetPilot c340 comes preprogrammed with highly detailed City Navigator NT street data of the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The database features nearly six million points of interest-including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions.
As an added benefit, you can now import customized points of interest with the help of Garmin's free POI Loader software. The possibilities are endless - upload safety cameras or school zones, and you will receive a warning if you are traveling too fast. In addition, an optional proximity-alert feature notifies you of upcoming custom POIs.
The StreetPilot c340 joins Garmin's growing line of automotive GPS navigators. It has a bright, 3.5-inch diagonal, TFT display with touchscreen; dual integrated speakers for high-quality voice prompts; and an internal lithium-ion battery for out-of-car route planning.
The StreetPilot c-series boasts distinctive and sleek styling-the units' only buttons are a rotary volume knob and an on/off switch. The device is secured by a suction-mount cradle that fastens to the windshield, for easy portability between vehicles. Users can customize their unit's appearance with an array of colored faceplates (sold separately).
Garmin part number: 010-00401-20 (...)
 Garmin Streetpilot C340 March 10, 2006
17 out of 17 found this review helpful
This unit is easy to use and requires virtually no set-up. It is very responsive with positional updates every few seconds. The level of available map detail is impressive and reasonably accurate. I did note that several road and street names were incorrect and roads commonly referred to by name were often designated SR or CR. SR and CR numbers are not easily readable on road signs at intersections. Given those relatively minor issues, I found the unit useful and user friendly on a recent 3000 mile road trip. Garmin needs to provide map updates, since roads modified within the last year (e.g. sections of US 15 in PA)are not in the unit's map database. That is also true of most newer motels (e.g. Holiday Inn Express motels are largely absent). In summary, I am pleased with the C340 and would recommend it.
Best priced GPS system in the market! March 10, 2006
13 out of 15 found this review helpful
For the price concious consumer who doesn't want to skimp on features, this delivers quality at a good price! I absolutely rate this 5 stars....although we have yet to upload maps and use the USB driver provided. We went to NYC and NJ just to test-drive our new purchase and we were able to navigate our way thru the craziness.Great product!!!
Great Item March 8, 2006
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
I had a tomtom go 700 and I sold it. This Item is great. Better maps than the tomtom and better satellite accuracy. The option that it has where it actually tells you the name of the street you have to turn on. The tomtom has a smoother operation. But overall the Garmin is a better product in my mind. It doesnt have all the options as the tomtom, but if your looking for a great Navigation system for an affordable price, i would suggest to stick with Garmin.
very good March 3, 2006
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
This gps system works quite well. It made a few mistakes and did not give the correct exit on one highway. It sometimes does not warn you of an upcoming turn until the last minute. Even with these minor mistakes I would not go anywhere without it.
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