Garmin 276c - s/hand availability and price?

[The_Pilot]

I've been looking for a 276c s/hand for a little while, whilst not knowcking myself out searching, I have noticed that very few appear to find their way onto the market.

Is there a low upgrade rate amongst users? Do you all love it that much?

I currently have a quest, I likes buttons and not touch screens Is the 276 is much harder to use even with the automotive pack or is it just a more sophisticated quest with bigger, better screen/calcs and more tracking.

Are there any elagent mounting solutions like the quest powered mount and cradle?

Feedback/advice welcomed. Or if anyone knows of one that might be available either now or in the future?

 

[PanEuropean]

The 276 and its sister product the 296 are special purpose GPSRs. The 276 is a combination marine/automotive unit, and the 296 is a combination marine/aviation/automotive unit.

These GPSRs are purchased primarily by people who want the marine or marine/aviation capability, but also want automotive navigation capability in the same unit. Because there is little change from year to year in the marine and aviation feature set, the people who buy these units tend to hold on to them - there's not really much advantage to upgrading to the 'latest and greatest' marine/automotive or marine/aviation/automotive unit. By example, I have a 296 that I use when I am at work (I work in aviation), and I don't see any reason to upgrade to a 396 or a 4x6 series GPSR. The 296 still does the job quite well.

This is probably the main reason there are so few of these on the resale market. It's a little bit like comparing a cell phone (GSM phone) to a satellite phone (Iridium or Thuraya). There's not much motivation to buy a new satellite phone - they pretty much stay the same from year to year, unlike the GSM phones, which are constantly being upgraded, enhanced, offered in different configurations, etc.

The 276 is a competent GPSR for automotive navigation, but do keep in mind that its main disadvantage (compared with the current crop of automotive only GPSRs) is limited map storage space. It uses a small Garmin chip to store maps. If you find a 276 on the resale market, chances are it will come either with no chip at all or with a 128 meg chip. For touring, you will probably want a 256 or 512 meg chip - check the prices of those before you buy a 276.

Michael

 

[Jimb]

276C

You don't see many 'cos its an excellent tool, had mine for over a year now, it came with the 256Mb automotive kit which has the mapsource mapping and I recently got a 512 mb chip from the USA for £83 delivered.
I can get the whole of the UK & Ireland on 186 Mb, it holds 3000 waypoints and lots more other features, Now I have the secon d chip I load up the maps for the region I'm going to and just change the chip over on the ferry.
The display is superb, three times the size of the quest with ilumminated buttons that are usable with gloved hands. The audio out put is inteneded for a binacle speaker without amplification so the sound level is to high for in helmet speakers or in ear monitors so fit a 1000 ohm 1/8 watt resitor to the left and right audio outputs and its spot on.
If your'e into photography the celestial features are useful, it shows you where and when the sun will rise and set so you can predict the lighting.

An excellent tool, the latest version firmware is V4 and it has excellent terrain and area shading.

 

[ebbo]

I couldn’t agree more Jimb, I still haven’t seen a better GPS for my usage (or I would have bought it) and card size just isn’t an issue for me ether. If you want a GPS with a display you can see easily, you seriously want to ‘look’ at the 276c

My totally biased little review of the 276c http://www.ebbo.org/garmin_276c.php

 

[PanEuropean]

I just want to make sure my comments (above) are not taken the wrong way - the question asked in the first post was "Why don't I see many secondhand 276 GPS units for sale?", and that was what I tried to answer.

To answer another question in the original post - "Are there any elagent mounting solutions like the quest powered mount and cradle?" - mounting a 2x6 on any motorcycle is pretty easy, because the 296 comes with a very sturdy bracket. All you have to do is purchase some RAM hardware to attach to the bracket, and you're all set. The pictures below show my 296 on my Honda ST1100, I suspect the same arrangement would work on any other moto. I'm using an external antenna here because the supplied antenna (the thing that sticks up from the body of it) was blocking my view of the tachometer - not because I needed an external antenna.

Michael

296 on Motorcycle
<a href="http://www.hostdub.com/PanEuropean:Garmin_Bracket_296_1a:full"><img src="http://www.hostdub.com/albums/PanEuropean/Garmin_Bracket_296_1a.jpg" alt="hostdub.com"></a>

<a href="http://www.hostdub.com/PanEuropean:296_on_Motorcycle_2:full"><img src="http://www.hostdub.com/albums/PanEuropean/296_on_Motorcycle_2.jpg" alt="hostdub.com"></a>

How I mounted it
<a href="http://www.hostdub.com/PanEuropean:Garmin_Bracket_296_2:full"><img src="http://www.hostdub.com/albums/PanEuropean/Garmin_Bracket_296_2.jpg" alt="hostdub.com"></a>

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

I have a 276c on my R12GS, very happy! I would say that the BMW effort seems to have a clearer screen for bright sunlight, but you would always be squinting through the tears at it because of the higher price, so it would work out the same in reality....

 

[ebbo]

but you would always be squinting through the tears at it because of the higher price, so it would work out the same in reality....

 

[The_Pilot]

thanks guys, vrey useful stuff. Is the 276 mount as robust as the 296 mount looks in the pictures here?

I will try to keep my eyes open for a used unit, it sounds like an appropriate change for me. Like you guys the memory is not really an issue, I tour in Europe but would also just take more than one card.


The screen, portability and durability are the key elements...just need to find one at the right price now

 

[PanEuropean]

thanks guys, very useful stuff. Is the 276 mount as robust as the 296 mount looks in the pictures here?

To the best of my knowledge, yes, because the 276 and 296 are physically the same thing - the only difference is that the 296 supports aviation use as well as marine and automobile use. However - the bracket holding the 296 on my moto was scarfed off a Garmin 'yoke bracket' that was intended for use in an aircraft. I am pretty sure that this is the same bracket that is supplied for marine-automotive use.

The 276 is a good little piece of kit. It has a very nice screen on it - very high detail (tight pixelation), and different screen technology than the automotive units. Some people prefer this, to others, it doesn't matter. The 2x6 units are controlled by buttons, not by a touch screen. The downside of the 2x6, besides the little data chip mentioned earlier, is that it doesn't support the additional features that have become common in automotive units over the past year, for example, display of dynamic traffic information via TMC, and the ability to load a speed camera database and get warnings of speed cameras ahead of you as you ride.

It's kind of a 'specialty' GPSR. Those that own it seem to be pretty happy with it, however, if you are new to using a GPSR, you might want to meet up with an owner who has a 2x6 and have a look at it, then also meet up with an owner who has one of the newer model automotive units (Quest II, SP 26xx or 27xx series) and have a look at that, too. Once you have a good understanding of the pros and cons of both types, then you can make a well educated decision about which type to get. I own both - although I do like the screen display of the 296 and the ability to customize the display of information provided, I am afraid I can't live without the speed camera warnings and the TMC information I get from my 2xxx series GPSR. But, having said that, if you had asked me 18 months ago to choose between a 2x6 and a 25xx (back when a 25xx was the latest and greatest automotive device), I probably would have chosen the 2x6.

It's a tough call, and very much a personal preference matter - so do the research before you buy.

Michael

 

[ebbo]

thanks guys, vrey useful stuff. Is the 276 mount as robust as the 296 mount looks in the pictures here?

I will try to keep my eyes open for a used unit, it sounds like an appropriate change for me. Like you guys the memory is not really an issue, I tour in Europe but would also just take more than one card.


The screen, portability and durability are the key elements...just need to find one at the right price now

I would hazard a guess it’s the same mount Pilot, Touratech make a couple of mounts for it as well but I couldn’t see the point in buying them when the marine mount fits so well

Good luck with the search, they do come up from time to time

 

[PanEuropean]

Ebbo:

Does your 276 mounting bracket have a little locking tab on the left side of it? I have two 276 mounts, one has the little locking tab, the other doesn't - that's the only difference I can see between them. See the arrow in the photo below.

Michael

2x6 Garmin Bracket
<a href="http://www.hostdub.com/PanEuropean:Locking_Tab:full"><img src="http://www.hostdub.com/albums/PanEuropean/Locking_Tab.jpg" alt="hostdub.com"></a>

 

[ebbo]

Ebbo:

Does your 276 mounting bracket have a little locking tab on the left side of it? I have two 276 mounts, one has the little locking tab, the other doesn't - that's the only difference I can see between them. See the arrow in the photo below.

Michael,
The marine mount which comes as standard with the 276c has the lock tab

The Auto mount that come with the Auto Kit doesn’t.

276c and marine mount on the road.

 

[The_Pilot]

I don't mind not being warned of speed camera's, my quest doesn't do this, but I can overlay the location and type of camera's onto my quest by using mapsource.

I presume this is the case for the 2x6 series.

I aslo presume that the 2x6 series with the automotive kit allows a search of parking, lodging, food etc...as this is a function of the software?

 

[PanEuropean]

Hi:

You can create overlays that will show certain points on the earlier model Garmin GPSRs that don't have 'Custom POI' support, however, the process is kind of clunky and you won't get the same level of sophistication of proximity warning. In other words - there's a way of 'cobbling it together' on the earlier model GPSRs, but it is rather primitive. It's also difficult to create these files, compared to creating Custom POI files in tab or comma delimited format for use in the later model GPSRs. If proximity warning is an important feature for you, be sure to investigate the differences between the 2x6 and the later models (27xx etc.) very carefully - there are significant differences in competence there.

The ability to search for lodging, parking, restaurants, etc. (referred to as POIs, or Points of Interest) is identical across all the Garmin GPSRs that support this. In that respect, the 2x6 will give you exactly the same information that a 27xx will give you, assuming you are using the same version of the cartography.

Michael

 

[The_Pilot]

Thanks Michael,

I think that is the final piece in the puzzle. If I can find one at the right price I'll go for a 276.

 

[PanEuropean]

If I can find one at the right price I'll go for a 276.

It's a good bit of kit, and as you have probably discovered, just about everyone who has one is happy with it. It's a bit like owning an Apple computer in a world of Windows - not exactly mainstream, but inspiring of fierce loyalty... Just be certain you comprehend what it can and cannot do regarding the proximity warnings (speed camera warnings) before you buy. It really was not designed for that purpose, and its capability in that respect is well below the capability of the newer automotive models.

During your search, keep your eyes open for model 296 GPSRs, which are exactly the same as the 276 but have aviation capability. Although these sold for a considerably higher price than the 276 when new, you might find one on the resale market at an attractive price. Along the same line, look out for model 376 or 396 GPSRs, which are the next generation. Although I don't think you will find too many of these available, you never know...

Michael

 

[HMR]

Just be certain you comprehend what it can and cannot do regarding the proximity warnings (speed camera warnings) before you buy.

The 276C can only store 100 speed cameras. The 2720 can store thousands.

 

[HMR]

Is there a low upgrade rate amongst users? Do you all love it that much?

Yes we do! There is currently nothing to upgrade to. It's not until Garmin releases a 276Cx with a high contrast screen, 2 GB map memory, support for Custom POI's, etc as you will be able to find any second hand units.

 

[ebbo]

Yes we do! There is currently nothing to upgrade to. It's not until Garmin releases a 276Cx with a high contrast screen, 2 GB map memory, support for Custom POI's, etc as you will be able to find any second hand units.

Plus, electronic compass and Barometric altimeter with elevation over distance screen (similar to the 60csx)

Now that would probably prise my wallet out

 

[PanEuropean]

...Plus, electronic compass and Barometric altimeter with elevation over distance screen...

Again, horses for courses. I don't have either of those two features on the pure automotive GPSR I am using now (a 2xxx series), but then again, I have TMC data and speed camera alerts that provide a persistant warning if I am going too fast, from a database of over 12,000 speed cameras.

You have to investigate what features the various models of GPSRs have, and buy one that has the features that you will use. A feature that you won't use is a waste of money.

Michael