Zumo 390LM

Grim Rider

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After years of using a succession of old Streetpilots (currently still have two 2610s, a 2620, two Navigator IIs, and even a Garmin Atlantic in the cupboard) I decided to buy a new satnav. Having looked at the options I narrowed it down to either 590 or 390 and chose the 390 as it was nearly £200 cheaper and I am not interested in having an MP3 player on it. The only advantage of the 590 seems to me to be a larger screen.

Set up with Garmin Express was pretty simple, even on a Mac and all the maps were downloaded in a couple of hours.

First impressions using it are that I don't know how I managed so long without having a clear screen which can still be seen in sunlight and doesn't 'condense' like the Streetpilots all do eventually. I leave it in 2D mode and it works very well.

I dislike Basecamp hugely, and only ever used that, or Mapsource before it, to transfer waypoints created and tested in Autoroute to the satnavs. Now I can dispense with Basecamp altogether and transfer gpx files direct from the laptop to the 399, great! Looking forward to using it 'in anger' later in the year :)
 
thanks for this Grim, very helpful as I'm currently researching nav having had issues with a used navigator iii, I'm wondering 340 or 390 or even a used Navigator iv. I do like the sound of the tyre pressure sensors though which can be purchased on ebay with the 390LM as a complete package . . . .
How are you able to do the direct file transfers?
Also, did you use the standard mount with the 390??
 
Sean, I have just ordered the tyre pressure monitors, better buying them as a package if you definitely want them - I decided they are a good idea; if I had had these a few years ago I wouldn't now be walking around with a titanium rod through my right femur!

File transfers are as simple as plugging in a lead from the 390 to my laptop, the laptop sees the 390 as an external drive and you can copy and paste files across.

I am using the standard mount for now, seems to be fine but could be tempted by Touratech mount but £130 is a step too far at the moment!
 
I have the 390 with Touratech mount. I'm very happy with it but have had a torrid time with Garmin over the tyre pressure sensors. I bought a pair in June but the battery weather cap flew off the front one in less than a mile rendering it useless. I assumed this was my fault so bought another - this time making doubly sure that the cap was on tight. Same thing happened within a couple of miles. I phoned Garmin who said that they wouldn't sell the caps separately and would not help with the problem.
I thought I would give them one more go and bought another cap before my summer bike trip. The cap came off two miles into my trip!
After the summer I had another go with Garmin, this time by mail. I was passed from person to person - each one requiring different info or photos. Every time I dealt with someone new it was clear they hadn't read any of he history. They finally asked me to return the faulty sensors in December. After another exchange when they claimed I had not returned the sensors they finally sent me replacements this month.
At no time have they ever considered or discussed the underlying problem. I'm going to try a drop of super glue on the caps next time. Plastic thread lock seems rather hard to come by in the uk.
 
After years of using a succession of old Streetpilots (currently still have two 2610s, a 2620, two Navigator IIs, and even a Garmin Atlantic in the cupboard) I decided to buy a new satnav. Having looked at the options I narrowed it down to either 590 or 390 and chose the 390 as it was nearly £200 cheaper and I am not interested in having an MP3 player on it. The only advantage of the 590 seems to me to be a larger screen.
Set up with Garmin Express was pretty simple, even on a Mac and all the maps were downloaded in a couple of hours.


BARGIN …. Have just bought 390LM on special discount deal at Halfords ….. £200 ! I needed the headphone jack as I am 'non bluetooth' …. (I use an old auto com)

Looking forward to using on my trip to the Sept HISS in Spain, particularly as my trip down through Spain last year was using an old 2610 street pilot.
 


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