OK so I've finally given in and bought one.....

[Bumpkin]

Mapping update complete , now on 2013.10

Now importing routes for late June Vosges trip. Route import/calculation seems slower than my Nuvi though

 

[jeff]

Bumkin.

Many thanks for help. Did exactly what I posted. Used it straight out of box on route I know so the bologna episode was not an actual problem. Have not got into using computer with mapesource or basecamp so have no experience of them. For some reason my laptop will not read disc that came with 660 so will wait till I get to Crete and PC.

No idea what shaping nodes are, thought they were something to do with explosive charges. No doubt a whole heap of new jargon awaits my ageing brain.

We make the journey from UK to Crete and back every year May & September and like to add in an extra week on to journey time. Where we go can depend on weather on a daily basis certainly N of Alps so detailed route planning not an option. This year whole of France rain and cold so Swizerland and Italy.

Be interesting to see how 660 gets me to Piraeus port as I have never got there the same way twice. Signposting is a laugh and experience.

Even having Long and Lat not a guarantee. Got us within 50m of Hotel but in a private driveway.

 

[GSTourer]

Cheer Jeff, I was a bit wary as I have been lead countless times by guys with Garmins who have got us lost and then sit in a layby hoplessly punching things in. Meanwhile, I've always managed with a paper navi, the sun, a few yellow post its and a 10yo tomtom on a PDA and rarely get lost.

I think the mistake that some people make is that they treat the zumo as a bible, relying on it totally and don't look at the friggin roadsigns.

Stonker,

I did a 2 week tour on my own of the Pyrenees 3 years ago and had all my daily 'stages' in my 550, it never let me down once. As I am a useless map reader I am not sure that it always took me by the most direct route, but then I was on holiday so it didn't really matter. But it always got me where I ultimately wanted to go.

One of the great things IMHO is that you can set out on your intended route and if you get 'sidetracked' by nice looking side roads or things that look interesting on the horizon it is easy and safe to go off for a jaunt ignoring the route directions temporarily, knowing that the satnav is always working to keep you located and ultimately directing you to where you wanted to end up.

I wouldn't be without one, especially when abroad.

Good luck with it.

 

[Bumpkin]

OK, have now had a look into this specifically on the 660.

When putting the destination in, my old TomTom used to show the total route on a map once calculated. I found this really useful as firstly it allowed me to see that I had the correct destination and secondly, I could see the route I would be taking. I did zoom right out on the Zumo and you can see the route though but it's another process

This works in the same way as on my Nuvi, when navigating a route, either just to a set destination, or one pre-planned on the PC, touching the blue bar at the top of the screen shows turn-by-turn instructions. At the bottom a 'Show Map' button that displays the whole route.

But, there's always one , the 660 has the ability to use one of three different map views. The setting of these are accessed via 'Tools' > 'Settings' > 'Map' > 'Map Layout View'. This gives the following options:

Standard View

More Data View

More Map View

The first two have the blue bar at the top that gets you to the turn-by-turn directions and the 'Show Map' button. The third, which I prefer, lacks the blue bar and I can't figure out a way to view the turn-by-turn. No great loss, I'll see if I can live without it.

On the display while driving, I couldn't see the ETA or journey time. Is this a setting or does it require a button push each time you want to see it?

In any of the above screens you just need to touch any of the data panels and you're taken to a screen with a multitude of options. You just select the one that you want and that's then displayed on the relevant part of the map display.

Very configurable