Garmin Nuvi 3590LMT

Pros: Looks great, but that's about it.

Cons: Basic features work horribly, like turn by turn view, and "split screen" view.

No voice to tell you unit is "re-calculating"

Whole unit is a huge step backwards, because of poor programming and horrible priorities: "bells and whistles" over basics.

Summary: I've had a Garmin Nuvi 360 for a very long time, and have been pretty happy with it, and very happy with Garmin as company, in terms of their customer support, and tech support.

However, my recent purchase of their Garmin Nuvi 3590 LMT has completely changed my view of Garmin in every way.

In the past, when you called their tech support, you got through to someone very quickly, and the person you spoke to was very knowledgable.

I can say with certainty, based on a recent and large sample size, that neither of those things are true anymore.

That's a shame, because Garmin was one of those rare companies that you USED to be able to say that about.

Now, onto to the 3590.

While lots of "bells and whistles" have been added along the way, over the years since the Nuvi 360, unfortunately, for the 2012 model year, some of the most important, at least to me, "nuts and bolts" (necessities) have been taken a way.

TURN BY TURN VIEW
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When you are in the regular map view, and click the green bar on the top, it puts you into the turn by turn view.

** This view, new for 2012, NO LONGER UPDATES THE DISTANCE (OF THE STEP YOU ARE ON) of when you need to turn.

** So, it can say "MAIN STREET 6.0" (MILES) FOREVER!!!!

** And the 6.0 will never change, no matter how far you drive.

** My Nuvi 360 that is 5 or 6 years old, updated the miles, and my wife's Nuvi 1360 (discontinued) that is 1 or 2 years old updated the miles!

** I like to stay in the turn by turn screen, and use it as my main screen, but that becomes impossible if the distance of the step you are on does not update!

** Who could have possibly thought removing this BASIC GPS FEATURE WAS GOOD IDEA?

** I have spoke to Garmin at length, to many different people, and it was REMOVED ON PURPOSE!

"SPLIT SCREEN VIEW"
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There is another view available, that I call the "split screen view".

It shows you the map on one half of the screen, and the the next turn on the other.

You can manually call this up by pressing the green button on the upper left of the screen.

** However there is 1 MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS VIEW as well.

** It is not PROGRAMMED TO RE-CALCULATE, SO IF YOU DEVIATE FROM YOUR PRESCRIBED ROUTE, IT WILL NEVER ADJUST TO SHOW YOU THE RE-CALCULATED WAY TO GO, IN THIS VIEW.

** On the phone, Garmin tech support says you are not supposed to stay in the view for more than a few seconds.

** How is anyone supposed to know that?

** Why would they make a view that does not re-calculate?

** IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, THIS COULD REALLY MESS YOU UP!

SPEAKING OF "RE-CALCULATING"
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While I'm sure many people found it a little off-putting when their Nuvi, said "re-calculating", it was helpful to hear.

It meant either you took a different route on purpose, or you missed a turn or something.

This unit does not say it, and does not give you the option of saying it.

To me, that is poor, just as all the above things I wrote are as well.

CRASHING
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I have only had my 3590 a few months, and it has inexplicably crashed 5 or times. Just shut down, and re-started itself.

NAVIGATION
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Finally, the 3590's navigation is worse than my Nuvi 360, despite the fact all the same preferences are chosen.

The 3590 has me going some of the worst ways possible to places.

I ran both at the same time one day, as a test and Nuvi 360 directions were much better

CONCLUSION
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I have had the most updated software (6.30) and maps since I started using it, so that is not problem.

It was just poorly programmed.

I truly hate the 3590.

My wife's 1390, that is discontinued is better, except her traffic is slower.