Garmin Nuvi 2460 LMT

I spent a lot of time shopping for a new GPS navigation device during November and December 2010. I read many reviews here and elsewhere, read downloaded user manuals, and bought and returned two other units before settling on the Garmin Nuvi 2460 LMT. However, I wish there was a cheaper 2460LM variant without the "T."

While shopping I compared various units to my TomTom GO 510 that I bought "refurb" here four years ago. Thus, the 510's most annoying features were to be avoided; mainly bulkiness and the despised "non-defeatable auto zoom." I travel a lot in rural areas where it's most important for me to have the map view cover 10-50 miles so I can see my progress and location among various towns and intersections. Even in the city where I know where I'm going, a wide area zoom view helps me to learn the city.

Tom Tom is the worst offender of the non-defeatable autozoom. On Tom Tom store demos, I zoomed them out, but after about a half minute they all zoom in automatically to a close factory set level, just like the 510 does. I bought a Megellan Roadmate 5045 that could be set to not autozoom, but the maps were very outdated and the calculated routes were (more often than not) poor choices. The Megellan also had a flimsy annoying way to attach the unit to the bracket and to DC power in one step, a simulated hot-mount. I returned it to the local store and got a Garmin Nuvi 1490LMT which I found to be nice except that it didn't have a hot mount. When I learned of the 2400 series' announcement in January, and that the 2460 would have a hot-mount, I returned the 1490 for that reason alone.

The 2460's hot-mount is nice as I was sold on this feature using the Tom Tom Go 510 for four years. The zoom lock feature is also nice, and it does automatically zoom in just before a programmed turn. However, the temporary auto zoom in has on few occassions been almost too slow or too late to be useful. But the voice announcements are very accurate and timely. Garmin says that the unit's map view updating is slower if a larger area map is loaded. Mine has the whole USA, Canada and Mexico map loaded. My understanding from Garmin is that voice commands are only supported when this hugh map is loaded. By the way, the maps that Garmin uses, Navteq (like TelAtlas maps used by TomTom and lately by Megellan) are also in need of updating for some unpopular but personnally important areas.

The ability to follow voice commands may be the 2460's strongest suite, and the single feature that Garmin uses to justify the high (and seemingly fixed) price over lesser Nuvi models. Because I plan my routes in advance, sometimes using Garmin's MapSource PC software, I've found it convenient to use the voice command feature only once. This was while I was following a calculated route in heavy traffic and wanted to find a certain brand of gas. It understood my voice almost perfectly and directed me to the gas station that was a few miles ahead. And it got me back on track as expected.

If a hot-mount, zoom-lock, voice commands and Navteq based maps are important, the Nuvi 2460 may be a good choice. Also, bluetooth and handfree calling are bonuses. Though the lesser 2450LM may save you a few dollars, if you plan to keep a GPS unit for 3-4 years you might bite the bullet and get the 2460LMT. But I personnally would like to have a 2460LM model, because I have not found the realtime traffic reports to be widely available or current, and alternate routes around traffic are usually not practical. It's a pity Garmin didn't make a cheaper 2460LM model like the 2450LM model. It would be very interesting to know Garmin's justification for this curious decision.

Updated on Aug 25, 2011

*** P.S. If you will buy this GPS Navigator I suggest you have compare prices before you decide at: www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B003ZX871I?ie=UTF8&ref_=dp_olp_new&condition=new#?ie=UTF8&tag=***************&********=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957

Updated on Oct 9, 2011

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I suggest you have to compare prices before you decide at: http://2460LMT.url-Go.com