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Garmin StreetPilot C550 Portable GPS
#2
based on 428 reviews
This popular GPS receives rave reviews for accuracy, ease of use, and clear turn-by-turn voice directions. Users also love the extras like Bluetooth compatibility, hands-free calling, and the integrated FM traffic receiver. One complaint: the initial free map update can take over two hours to download over a broadband connection. And, like other GPS units, it doesn't always recognize newer addresses. Some users say the POI database is also outdated and point out that the pronunciation of the voice directions could be better.
Where to Buy
Garmin StreetPilot C550 Portable GPS
from $859.63
Review Face-Off
Most helpful positive review
[23 of 37 customers found this review helpful]
Most helpful negative review
[4 of 4 customers found this review helpful]
Awesome multifunctional GPS
"There are lots of cool things about this GPS unit! A few of my favorites are that you can remove all of the languages and accents that you don't want, which will free up disk space for MP3s. I actually freed up about 300MB of space by removing (backed them up on my computer) all non-English languages and the male voices for American, Australian, and British English. (Karen from Australia is my favorite text t..." Read Full Review »
Aug 26, 2008 by Charles
See more positive Garmin StreetPilot C550 Portable GPS reviews
Almost perfect...
"The Garmin Streetpilot C550 is actually my second portable GPS. Pros: Text-to-speech capability, bluetooth connectivity and included FM traffic transmitter. These 3 features made me decide to buy the unit (even though I have a perfectly functioning TomTom One). It's neat to hear the streets spoken instead of it just saying "Turn Left in a quarter mile". The traffic service is free for 3 months. Regarding the blu..." Read Full Review »
Sep 09, 2007 by cobe
See more negative Garmin StreetPilot C550 Portable GPS reviews
Product Reviews
Garmin StreetPilot C550 Portable GPS Reviews
pros
cons
- Heavy / bulky (21)
- Acquires satellites slowly (11)
- Short battery life (9)
- Flimsy mounting (7)
- Inaccurate (4)
- Pricey / poor value (1)
- Sometimes inaccurate (1)
Best Uses
- Finding specific address (116)
- Urban navigation (89)
- Planning trips (84)
- Faster routes (83)
- Rural navigation (79)
- Geocaching (20)
- Highway driving (6)
- Travel (5)
Average Customer Rating:
Ratings Distribution
| 5 star |
|
302 |
| 4 star |
|
105 |
| 3 star |
|
12 |
| 2 star |
|
3 |
| 1 star |
|
6 |
Displaying 1 - 5 of 428 Reviews
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Garmin StreetPilot C550 Portable GPS Review
good products
- Compact
Pros
- Short battery life
Cons
- Faster routes
Best Uses
"it is also a good product, want to see more cheap GPS Navigation, [...]"
[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]
Garmin StreetPilot C550 Portable GPS Review
Works well- When it works.
- Compact
- Easy menus
- Easy to read
- Easy to set up
- Simple controls
Pros
- Acquires satellites slowly
Cons
- Faster routes
- Finding specific address
- Urban navigation
Best Uses
"I bought this for my wife. She hasn't used it much, and my unit (different brand) broke. So, I'm using it now. I use it to navigate to residential areas of town. It works well, when it works, but loses satellites often. Sometimes it takes many minutes to recapture. Frustrating. For this reason, my wife doesn't use it much. My other unit, a cheaper model of another brand, almost never lost satellites. I'm not sure what the problem with this unit is. I'll be looking for another unit to replace this one.
Other than the satellite problem, it works very well. Your mileage may vary..."
Garmin StreetPilot C550 Portable GPS Review
GPS Reviews & Ratings
- Easy menus
- Easy to set up
- Reliable performance
Pros
- Acquires satellites slowly
- Short battery life
Cons
- Planning trips
- Urban navigation
Best Uses
"Best place on the net for GPS navigator reviews that I've found so far. Feels like this site really found all the good reviews. I'll definitely use them for next product buy. i have also found another site having large database of GPS reviews & ratings which will definitely helps you to find more informations about various GPS. [@]"
[0 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Garmin StreetPilot C550 Portable GPS Review
Short Life
- Acquires satellites quickly
Pros
- Poor points of interest d
- Poor visibility
- Short equipment life
Cons
Best Uses
"Unit has been used only occassionally (1 or 2 days a month for 1.5 yrs). The unit has now suddenly and uneventfully failed and will cost 2/3 of its replacement cost to have the factory repair it."
[23 of 37 customers found this review helpful]
Garmin StreetPilot C550 Portable GPS Review
Awesome multifunctional GPS
- Acquires satellites quickly
- Add stops to your route
- Compact
- Easy menus
- Easy to read
- Easy to set up
- Good controls
- Good microphone
- Good speakers
- Moving time stopped time
- Reliable performance
- Resettable max speed log
- Resettable trip data
- Simple controls
- Simulated route driving
- Solid mounting
- Total trip time
- Updateable splash screen
- Usb charger
Pros
Cons
- Bluetooth phone device
- Faster routes
- Finding specific address
- Geocaching
- Learning a new area
- Mp3 player
- Planning trips
- Rural navigation
- Urban navigation
Best Uses
"There are lots of cool things about this GPS unit! A few of my favorites are that you can remove all of the languages and accents that you don't want, which will free up disk space for MP3s. I actually freed up about 300MB of space by removing (backed them up on my computer) all non-English languages and the male voices for American, Australian, and British English. (Karen from Australia is my favorite text to speech (TTS) voice. Though I do switch between Karen and Jill(American English)) So, I play MP3 music files through my car stereo, via the 3.5mm (stereo headphone) audio out jack on the GPS unit. The built in speakers work well, but playing through the cars audio system is better. When it's time to turn or even when the road forks or if the exit is on the right or left, the music stops, the instructions are given, then the music resumes. The same is true when using the phone via Bluetooth. Note: phone calls take priority over navigation prompting. So, if you are talking, you will need to monitor the display for the directions. When the phone call ends then the music resumes (if you were playing music when the call started, either by you or the call was received) and navigation prompts pipe in when necessary.
The text to speech settings are great, as the GPS pronounces the street names and also the name of the destination, if it is stored as a favorite. The non text to speech (TTS) voices do not tell you the street names, however.
When you pass a turn it quickly recalculates the route and tells how to get back on track. If you set it to avoid U-Turns, it will not tell you to turn around, but will add the turns into the recalculated route to get you back on track.
The text to speech voice will speak text messages to you (or you can read/send them via the GPS).
I used this GPS as a make-shift speaker phone, which worked out very well. I also use it to access my cell phone when in my apartment, as there are dead spots. So, I can place the phone by the window and take the GPS with me to my desk. It works great!!!
When in hotels, I use the unit to play music. The speakers are plenty loud enough. Even when rental cars don't have an MP3/Auxiliary input, the built-in speakers are adequate, when mounted next to (on the right side of) the rearview mirror. It's out of the way, and highly functional. In my car, I put it under the stereo, in front of the gear shifter, mounted on a locker mirror.
This is the same unit used by a popular rental car company, though the retail software (StreetPilot) is better, in my opinion.
When used indoors, for entertainment purposes or trip planning, if the satellite signal is lost, it will ask you if you are indoors, if so it will turn the GPS signaling off. When this happens, the unit "forgets" the current time. When the satellite signal is restored, the current time it displayed accurately. I can say that time issue is the only thing that I have found that I don't like about this GPS.
I let my wife use it once and now I will have to get her one, as mine was a birthday gift.
Oh yeah, when using the phone via Bluetooth, if the GPS is connected to you car system, then the phone call plays through your car speakers. It's nice when you are alone in the car or want to share the call with all of the passengers in the car. If you want to make the call private, you can disconnect from the phone via the GPS or the phone. Cool!
When searching for a place you can enter just part of the name and it will return a list of all options with the search name as part of the name. The results are listed according to distance from your current location. It even displays an arrow showing the general direction of the place. (e.g. 3.6mi NW). Also you can search for a place that near you current location, a different city, your current route, or your destination."
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Garmin StreetPilot C550 Portable GPS
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"Maybe you could enlighten us with more details as to why you like it?"