New Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT-S Not what I'm use to!

[spacecadet50]

Been using various GPS s for years and seems like times and things change so thought I might find some help from someone use to this Model. Took it out today for a test drive and set the avoidance's Toll roads, Highways ( Thinking that was Interstates ) and Unpaved roads. Then set my destination and proceed to my usual secondary highway that I use and after it accepted my route I drove on it for a ways and it took me off that route ( which I played it's game ) and it ended up turning into a couple Unpaved roads which I didn't want. Got to my destination and on the return trip it tried putting me on Unpaved roads again. Does this GPS have to learn my driving habits or is it going to assume ( Highways ) is all paved roads. I only like to avoid Interstates and toll roads which are high speed rat races. I never had that happen with my previous Magellan's,Tom Tom's, or my other Garmin. i have heard a GPS has to learn your driving habit but I want to plan a 3.5 hr trip and I don't trust this new unit so far. Good thing for me my other Garmin & Tom-Tom still work but they don't have all the features of the new one. Any advise would be appreciated because When I talked to a Garmin Rep. on the phone today he left me with the feeling he really had No answers. Thanks !

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

I am from the UK and am not familiar with Highways and Interstate Highways, in the UK the this Avoidance option is called Motorways, and they are named M6, M42, M25 etc. so it's more straight forward to define

When a satnav decides on a Route it takes into account not only Avoidancies but also the Quickest, shortest etc. options so maybe you can get the Route you want by changing these options, eg. you may be directed off a main road onto a minor track if you have selected the 'Shortest' option

It is usually easier to see your route (and change it if you don't like it) using the free to download Garmin Basecamp on a computer and then download it to the Drivesmart

I have never seen anything in print that says Garmins learn your driving style apart from estimating your Time of arrival based on how fast you drive

 

[spacecadet50]

Thanks for the comeback and yes our countries are set up a little different in how things are worded. I've been playing with new Garmin a couple of days and as always I am not impressed with what they have done and feel like the product has been down-graded. Businesses aren't where they say they are so I am loosing faith in trusting it. Seems like as you get a new batch of young Techs they mess things up. My old Garmin nuvi 2797LM was right on the money and I trusted it but I will have to start trying that again since it has had map updates. I had the old Garmin in my van and a TomTom in my car but I didn't really like the TomTom because when you typed in a address it wouldn't take you to the exact spot. Seems as if it would tell you you arrived before you actually did and in a strange place that is not good. That's why the new Garmin but I'll try it for a week and hope I don't have to send it back. Have a great day ! I will start playing and learning Base Camp

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

Businesses aren't where they say they are so I am loosing faith in trusting it.

The exact position of a business / house etc. is usually down to the map rather than the unit running it, so an older unit running a new map may show the same problems

 

[spacecadet50]

Thanks for confirming what I was thinking. I was going to run my old nuvi 2797LMT today to see if it displayed the same errors since it's map was updated. Have to have all the Ammo. in place before I confront Garmin about returning the new refurbished GPS.

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

I have found some info. from Garmin :-
https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?faq=V0nq65BExD80AUDcoPGWm8

It suggests it avoids ALL Highways e.g.

• Highways or Motorways – The Highways or Motorways avoidance will avoid highways, interstates, freeways, motorways, and other major routes

 

[spacecadet50]

Thanks looks like it does avoid all highways but my computer is next to a window so maybe I'll have to experiment by coupling the GPS to the window and plugging it into my computer to plan my 3.5 hr trip and see what options it gives me to choose from. I already planed the trip using Yahoo but don't want to print it out or sent it to my smart phone. I like the luxury of the GPS larger screen. Of coarse I need to explore the base camp program also' it's been on my computer for years and never investigated it. Thanks I'll keep you posted. Mike

 

[spacecadet50]

I have found some info. from Garmin :-
https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?faq=V0nq65BExD80AUDcoPGWm8

It suggests it avoids ALL Highways e.g.

Well figured I should give a report on what I found. I stuck my GPS in the window and powered it from my computer. I then typed in my 3.5 hour trip and let it search, it came up with 2 options but I couldn't break them down with detail like my TomTom Go 620 does, that part I like the TomTom better than the Garmin because TomTom lets you break the Route down and make custom avoidances. I also typed in a physical address destination in the Garmin and it took me to the exact location like my Nuvi 2797 does, But when I let the Drivesmart 61 LMT-S search for it it twice came up with a wrong location. Decision being it's a keeper but Nothing is perfect and there is good & bad in both the Garmin & the TomTom !

 

[edagrade]

On my DriveSmart 65, specific roads can be set to be avoided. This is a feature additional to avoiding Toll roads or motorways, unsealed road etc. Setting up to avoid specific roads is a little fiddly to do but it works !

 

[spacecadet50]

On my DriveSmart 65, specific roads can be set to be avoided. This is a feature additional to avoiding Toll roads or motorways, unsealed road etc. Setting up to avoid specific roads is a little fiddly to do but it works !

Thanks for the Information I'm sure your country offers different features and maybe even better features than the USA. Also Cultures and different models are a progression from customer feedback and complaints. I bought mine as a reconditioned unit because I already had a Older&Bigger Garmin and a TomTom so i didn't want to invest a lot of money as I don't travel in my retirement as much as I use to. With the help I've got so far from this forum I think I will find this one satisfactory as I use it enough and learn it's patterns. Next week I'm planning a 3.5 hour trip with it so that will tell the tale. But for sure my TomTom GPS will be my travel partner also as a back-up. Thanks again for taking the time to help. Happy Motoring !