Automotive GPS Systems

5 comments

1. 

   osufan says:

   November 29, 2009 at 12:55 am (UTC -5)

   My husband purchased the Mio c320 for Christmas. Since it has an MP3 player, I was doubly excited. When I opened the box, I noticed that there was no USB cable. I Googled Mio c320, and pulled up the first webpage. The info said that a USB cable was included (among other things) “in the box”. I called Radio Shack. They asked if the box had been tampered with. When I replied “no”, they told me to contact the company. I called customer service, and argued with them for an HOUR! They told me that I was looking at a Belgian website and that the USB cable was not provided for US customers. I told them that the site was in English, and that nowhere on the site did it say that the USB cable was for Belgians only. The supervisor told me that since it had a “be” in the URL that I was out of luck, it would cost me $17 + shipping and I would have to order it from a “trusted” eseller, since their site was not operational. I told them that it was poor customer service to discriminate against US citizens and that I would let people know about it. He told me to email Paul Sanchez. I asked to be connected to him. They said they couldn’t do that. I asked for the direct number, they couldn’t do that either. I emailed Mr. Sanchez 3 days ago, and I still haven’t received a response. So, I bought a better model GPS, a Garmin Nuvi 350. It cost $279 and it not only comes with the USB cable (which apparently EVERY other GPS company provides) it also comes with a case, and a home charger (which Mio charges extra for). Go with a company that not only gets the highest ratings for GPS devices, but also gives you more bang for your buck. And, if Mio is going to shortchange you with a USB cable, and provide such horrid customer service, how do you think they’ll act if something really goes wrong with your $300 unit?
   Rating: 1 / 5

2. 

   R. L. Hastey says:

   November 29, 2009 at 3:42 am (UTC -5)

   As many other reviewers I purchased this on Black Friday at a great cost and put it in my truck. I had no problems, I’m in the military and use GPS devices long before sold to the public. We are getting ready to go to Italy and I wanted to take it along to go in the rental car and cannot find maps. I called tech support and was informed that they were not available but I could purchase a euro device when I got there. What a load of crap. The device is top notch as long as you stay in the U.S.
   Rating: 2 / 5

3. 

   sweetartcat says:

   November 29, 2009 at 5:38 am (UTC -5)

   I bought this the day after Thanksgiving and was so excited to be purchasing a GPS unit — no more printing out paper maps from internet mapping companies. Woo Hoo — and one of the best units on the market I was told.

   My husband and I tried to use it intuitively several days after we purchased it. We could not figure out how to use it. We tried to read the paper instructions while we were using it in the car, but they were of no value. I almost wonder if we got a unit that wasn’t working correctly.

   Later, I decided to read the manual on the CD provided. It turns out to be 93 pages of disjointed bits of information, which didn’t lead up to a coherent understanding of how to use the instrument. This was 40 pages of pre-information, with another 50 pages of partial information. Also, information about one topic was scattered in different places. This is the worst product manual I’ve seen.

   In fact, the pdf was so impossible to maneuver in, that you would have had to print it out just to try to flip back and forth between the pages to… what?… it’d still be impossible to understand because there’s no sequential instructions or logic at all– only bits and pieces of information.

   When we were attempting to use it in the car the screens moved to different screens and we couldn’t get back to original screens to change location or modify directions.

   Many times we thought we had modified our target to a new address, but the machine did not register it. At the end of the evening, it locked on an address on another screen – one that we never intentionally entered, and we could not figure out how to override it with another address. Nor could we figure out how to get back to a helpful screen.

   When this happened, the screens became nonsensical and were useless because they were pointing us in the wrong directions. Also, it didn’t know what was happening when we were riding on freeways right next to each other, although I understood that the GPS accuracy should have been precise enough to distinguish.

   The instrument doesn’t come with powercords except the mobile charger. I used a Cannon camera powercord which fits and plugs into the computer. But when the machine is plugged into the computer, it doesn’t charge at the same time that you can use it, so trying to read the manual while learning how to operate the device is impossible, unless you’ve bought another powercord so you can plug it into the wall.

   I have written management plans and currently use several complicated “one-of-a-kind” software applications at work; I believe the only information really needed to successfully use this is: 1) one or two examples on finding a location, 2) step-by-steps on maneuvering between screens. Oh yes, and instructions which made general sense.

   I wonder how much money the company spent creating this product and why they don’t have a marketing department with people who can write understandable instructions for regular people.

   Rating: 1 / 5

4. 

   Donald M. Shepherd says:

   November 29, 2009 at 7:40 am (UTC -5)

   This GPS receiver does not include an AC adapter. So you must learn to use it in your car, with the unit attached via the accessory cable. That is the only way to charge the battery. Since you should have your car running so that you do not exhaust the battery, and with gas selling at $4.00 per gallon, this is a very expensive way to learn how to use this unit.

   Mio will sell you an AC adapter via their e-store for $20 + $12 shipping. It should have been in the box when you bought the product.
   Rating: 1 / 5

5. 

   Glenn Amsberry says:

   November 29, 2009 at 7:56 am (UTC -5)

   I bought the Mio C320 because it had most of the features and screen size of the others, but a much lower price. However in one day’s use it didn’t get one direction correct. It told me to turn right when the store I was going to was visible to my left. Another store was still 3 miles away when I was already in the store’s parking lot. I returned it the same day.
   Rating: 1 / 5