Garmin nüvi 1370/1370T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic
The Garmin 1370T GPS navigator with Bluetooth and included Traffic Receiver features a widescreen, ultra-slim design (approximately 25% thinner than previous models), enhanced user interface, ecoRoute, public transit mode, and text-to-speech on all models. The nüvi 1300 series are the first nüvi devices to offer pedestrian navigation capability enabled through optional CityXplorer maps, which are available for select tourist destinations in North America and Europe and can easily be downloaded directly to the nüvi. The nüvi’s enhanced user interface features improved graphics and a new slide control for menu operation, while ecoRoute suggests fuel-efficient routes to save drivers money and fuel. Also, Garmin’s new public transit mode allows you to navigate using buses, tramway, metro, and suburban rail systems. Pre-loaded with City Navigator North America and Europe NT. An ultra-thin GPS navigator with great Garmin features like CityXplorer and ecoRoute. Click … >>> Save Money at Amazon.com
First let me give the bad. Don’t ever try to contact Garmin via phone. I waited 45 minutes just to get a live body. Then once I talked to someone he wanted to transfer me to someone else where I would have to wait another 30 minutes. I finally just hung up and sent them an email. The other bad is that Garmin has too many models and too many differences. Some of the nice features on the $200 model are not available on the $450 model. A perfect example is that this 1370t doesn’t include route planning, which is ridiculous. Garmin also seems to change their mount every time they bring out a new line. How about just keeping the powered mounts that seem to work so well? I was limited to the 1370t because it was one of the few that had both U.S. and Europe maps.
Now for the good. I had previously been using a Garmin 330 but it had old maps and was huge by today’s standards. This 1370T is a nice size, clear screen, and fast calculations. It has some nice features like Ecoroute, Cityxplorer, pedestrian mode, bluetooth, etc. The reason I was calling Garmin was because one of their cityxplorer maps was only downloading to 50%. Hopefully they get that figured out before I have to travel. I’m happy with the UI and everything else worked out well.
Buyers should be aware that the “lifetime subscription to Navtraffic” is actually an FM (as in FM radio) ad based service that pops ads onto your screen based on your location. You have to touch the screen to get rid of the ad. To turn the ads off – get this – you have to turn traffic off (page 37 in the owners manual).
Another thing…This very webpage advertising the Nuvi 1370t shows the pretty picture of the arrow showing the lane change onto Exit 2V onto 14th St, is actually called “Junction Assist” and is not available on the 1370T. It’s only available on the 1390 and 1490 (see page 17 and pg IV in the owners manual).
Otherwise, this unit does what they all do. Get you from point A to point B.
I’m disappointed with my purchase.
I bought this model to replace my old one for the same reason as many others – it comes with European maps pre-loaded which I wanted for an upcoming trip. So far I have only used it once, and the experience was full of flaws.
First, it wouldn’t charge when I connected it to my computer through the USB cable. Then while driving, the volume would drop to nothing out of nowhere. Another time while following the road, the screen showed me veering off-road and into a field for a mile before re-joining the highway.
This is the first Garmin I’ve had that gives you the speed limit for whatever stretch of road you’re on, which would be really great if it were accurate. When it works, it changes the second you pass the speed limit sign, but this is rare. Often, the speed limit displayed is different than the actual speed limit and many times I found myself speeding because I was trusting what the Nuvi told me.
It didn’t help that some features shown on the Amazon page weren’t actually available on this model, (especially ones that really sold me on this model to start with) even though the product description says that they are.
I gave the 1370T two stars because it worked fine for half of my trip, but the return was a disaster. Until I use it more, I’ll hold off saying it’s a piece of junk, but I don’t really feel comfortable trusting it to get me around places I’m not familiar with, which is the whole point of these things.
Odds are, this will be my last Garmin.