Zumo GPS

[JT 384]

I been doing some reading on the Zumo GPS. I searched on the forum and couldn't find much. I was wondering which one to get , the 550 or the 660. I know the 660 has a bigger screen but the 550 seems to be the most popular. The 550 is on sale for $689.95 from $989.99 and the 660 is on sale for $699.99 from $879.99(gpsity.ca). So is the newer 660 the way to go or the 550.

Thanks

JT

 

[kebo123]

I recommend you to visit forum www.zumoforums.com. It is a great platform to learn everything about Zumo's. I have Z660 - yes there were a few problems in the past with certain firmware version (3.8 was terrible), but from 3.9 (now with 4.0) works great and without any issues. I would not recommend to go to Z550 - it is older model and will be not supported and developed more. Some US users prefer Z550 because of XM functionalities (not valid for me, because in Europe this is not available) - for those there is Z665 available.

 

[bramfrank]

There are issues with both models, even now, not to mention GUI issues with the 660.

However for the most part the 660 sort-of works, subject to periodic spontaneous shut-downs, stuttering in the display updating, some very serious lacks in the Bluetooth implementation and instability in the device itself. The 550 has a well known issue whereby it sometimes fails to start up, necessitating removal & reinsertion of the battery from time to time (I believe it is temperature related and manifests itself most when it is cold out). For for this reasonyou should carry a small Allen key if you have a 550.

My personal choice these days is still the 276c and it's bretheren for it's far superior display, though for some the lack of a touchscreen makes it a non-starter. The main alternative might well be to buy a 765T and put it into a waterproof housing (if I wanted the onward Bluetooth A2DP connection) or better yet, a 760 if I didn't. The 765 uses the same crappy Motorola Bluetooth implementation as the 660, but it costs $400 less.

To quote one of my best friends, who happens to be one of Garmin's largest distributors when he responded to my question about what I should update the 760 in my car with; "Keep what you have. The last good units were the Nuvi 7X0s - it's all been downhill since then". He has Kenwood in two of his cars and a 3790 in the third. His bikes have 660s.

I recommend you to visit forum www.zumoforums.com. It is a great platform to learn everything about Zumo's. I have Z660 - yes there were a few problems in the past with certain firmware version (3.8 was terrible), but from 3.9 (now with 4.0) works great and without any issues. I would not recommend to go to Z550 - it is older model and will be not supported and developed more. Some US users prefer Z550 because of XM functionalities (not valid for me, because in Europe this is not available) - for those there is Z665 available.

I'm not a fan of Zumoforums - when the 660 first came out I was seriously chastised for having had the nerve to suggest the 660 was buggy and I was beat up by some of their members who were outright lying about their experience and even about their 'connections'. When caught out, the owners banned me.- then, one day I was 'attacked' by the owner of the site in posts on poi-factory.com.

People at Zumoforums seem to have finally figured out that the 660/665 sucks in a number of ways and they no longer gang up on dissenters (and if you think 3.8 was 'bad', you should have been around for 2.7). However some of them don't have the maturity to accept criticism of their beloved devices.

My REAL problem is that the 660 still sucks in key areas more than a a year and a half after release - it is NOT good. It is simply better than it was. For what it costs and the time they've had it should be perfect.

 

[SouthernCruizer]

I had ZERO problems with my 550,and have had MANY problems with my 665.WHEN the 665 works, it is great, and superior to the 550. However, if you go for a 665, be prepared to fight some problems (like shut downs).

 

[wfooshee]

Some good deals to be had on 2720s and 2730s on eBay. StreetPilots are GOOD devices, although screens are smaller than some want to put up with.

 

[Bungie]

Some good deals to be had on 2720s and 2730s on eBay. StreetPilots are GOOD devices, although screens are smaller than some want to put up with.

Good advice. I bought a refurbed 2730 and before I ever had the chance to use it, a forum member was selling a brand new 2820. I sold the 2730 to a co-worker and made up the difference in cash. I wanted the 2820 for its bluetooth capability.

Love the unit except for two things. The screen gets completely washed out in the midday sun and you cannot 'reverse a route' on the GPS itself short of manually reordering all the via points. Oh, and I have a love hate relationship with that ***** Emily.

 

[HaulinAshe]

I love the way BramFrank and I always go back and forth about the 660. But that's what makes these forums worthwhile for the observers.

First, I do agree that Garmin got caught with their perverbial pants down with the 660. It was certainly released prematurely and with an obvious mindset of "Let's get the units out there and we'll fix the problems as they arise."

Personally, I don't see any Bluetooth problems that I would characterize as unique to the 660, but more a list of problems that appear to be inherit with every BT 2.0 or later device I work with. The 550 doesn't suffer such ailments because it is based on a much older Bluetooth chipset. There may never be a 100% clean Bluetooth implementation of the 660, or any other BT 2.0 device for that matter. Garmin has made some substantial improvements in their 660 implementation, but yes, they still have a way to go.

Again, personally, I love my 660 and would never go back to a 550. I own both and stand by my decision to marry the 660 girl. Although *** with 550 American English Jill was very, very predictable and always available... 660 Australian Karen doesn't tease me too often and mostly delivers upon request.

IMHO, whether or not you plan to also implement a BT headset and really WANT stereo, is the single deciding factor.

 

[kebo123]

There are issues with both models, even now, not to mention GUI issues with the 660.

However for the most part the 660 sort-of works, subject to periodic spontaneous shut-downs, stuttering in the display updating, some very serious lacks in the Bluetooth implementation and instability in the device itself. The 550 has a well known issue whereby it sometimes fails to start up, necessitating removal & reinsertion of the battery from time to time (I believe it is temperature related and manifests itself most when it is cold out). For the 550 you should carry a small Allen key for this reason.

My personal choice these days is still the 276c and it's bretheren for it's far superior display, though for some the lack of a touchscreen makes it a non-starter. The main alternative might well be to buy a 765T and put it into a waterproof housing (if I wanted the onward Bluetooth A2DP connection) or better yet, a 760 if I didn't. The 765 uses the same crappy Motorola Bluetooth implementation as the 660, but it costs $400 less.

To quote one of my best friends, who happens to be one of Garmin's largest distributors when he responded to my question about what I should update the 760 in my car with; "Keep what you have. The last good units were the Nuvi 7X0s - it's all been downhill since then". Then again he has Kenwood in two of his cars and a 3790 in the third. His bikes have 660s.

I recommend you to visit forum www.zumoforums.com. It is a great platform to learn everything about Zumo's. I have Z660 - yes there were a few problems in the past with certain firmware version (3.8 was terrible), but from 3.9 (now with 4.0) works great and without any issues. I would not recommend to go to Z550 - it is older model and will be not supported and developed more. Some US users prefer Z550 because of XM functionalities (not valid for me, because in Europe this is not available) - for those there is Z665 available.

I'm not a fan of Zumoforums - when the 660 first came out I was seriously chastised for having had the nerve to suggest the 660 was buggy and I was beat up by some of their members who were outright lying about their experience and even about their 'connections'. When caught out, the owners banned me.- then, one day I was 'attacked' by the owner of the site in posts on poi-factory.com.

People at Zumoforums seem to have finally figured out that the 660/665 sucks in a number of ways and they no longer gang up on dissenters (and if you think 3.8 was 'bad', you should have been around for 2.7). However they don't have the maturity to accept criticism of their beloved devices with maturity.

My REAL problem is that the 660 still sucks in key areas more than a a year and a half after release - it is NOT good. It is simply better than it was. For what it costs and the time they've had it should be perfect.

bramfrank,

This is just my personal experience and opinion. I like Z660 (works for me now without any issue) and I like zumoforums - there are people who are ready to help and know how to.

 

[JT 384]

Thanks for the info everyone. I'm going to get on the Zumo Forum and get some reading in and way out the pros and cons . Im in no rush and the season is pretty much done for the year here, so I have lots of time. Thanks again!

JT

 

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

Well, can't speak much to functionality, but can speak much to durability on the 550.

Stopped for a quick rest and was going to dismount the zumo550 from cradle, well decided not to.

However when we took off and rolling around 40mph, flipity/flopity the zumo went flying by me.

Hit the ground. Of course I immediately stopped,, ran back to find it on the paved road shoulder.

Took some scratches across the top, but still working...screen not even cracked.

And for good measure:

Had a speedy laydown crash on the freeway. Zumo was secured, however alike everything else,

at speed crashes throws everything off, including the rider.

Well, Had the zumo bluetooth connected with a earpiece in my tank bag.

After crash and I was in the ER I was trying to use cell, but could not get phone to work,

then noticed that the bluetooth on phone was activated, there on the floor with other gear was

the zumo still connected and working.

Of course the bottom housing cracked, and a piece off the top, but the screen was still clear and in tact.

Haven't had a chance to test it's viability but it was operational on battery power last I checked.

So, durability for the zumo 550 is a 10 in my book.

 

[08FJR4ME]

I am another happy owner of the Z660. I will admit I somewhat had a hickup with the previous update but since it has been resolved quickly with a newer update of the firmware. I have been through torential downpoors several times and it has never failed me. I think we all can still remember the ride heading north after leaving EOM last year. Even Bramfrank seems to be softening up a little at this point.

+1 on the Z660

Dave

 

[NSrider]

I had ZERO problems with my 550,and have had MANY problems with my 665.WHEN the 665 works, it is great, and superior to the 550. However, if you go for a 665, be prepared to fight some problems (like shut downs).

And your old 550 is still working excellent.

 

[RaYzerman19]

I have a 4 year old 550, and have no reason to "upgrade" to a 660 series. I like the combination of hard buttons and the screen doesn't wash out as bad as larger screens. Still use a hood though.

Many have had what I call perceived issues with their 550's that for the most part are fixable and preventable by the user. Mostly it's about using contact cleaner for the cradle and all contacts, including the battery. And it likes to be powered on all the time rather than switched power. You can replace the digitizer easily, etc. It was built for bikes.

And worst comes to worst, you can send it to Garmin to be replaced for $150 if it is beyond repair. They do support the firmware and I expect they will continue to do so. Used ones are available but not in great supply, and don't go cheap. New ones are still being sold. There's a reason....

The bluetooth is mono, but can you really be an audiophile on a bike? I do like stereo and HD home theatre, but can't really tell much difference on the bike if it's not stereo.

Otherwise, the 765T seems to get good reviews and is a good unit, just not waterproof. Very economical, although they have been discontinued.

 

[Fairlaner]

My 665 has been good, no problems at all.

R

 

[HotRodZilla]

When I first got my 660, a software upgrade was done that caused a shutdown everytime the unit picked up a satellite. The unit worked great inside the house, but if I got near a window, poof...It was gone. Calls to Garmin were useless, but an email to the tech help got the unit reset and it has worked great ever since. The screen is great, the bluetooth works fine, and the MP3 player works all the time too.

I guess I just know better than to expect too much. Also, as a note, don't buy a new one. Search the internet for stores that sell refurbished units. They are just like new, have all the included hardware and warranty, but are easily $100 cheaper. I think my brother and I bought ours from gpsonsale.com. I think.

 

[LancasterFJR]

Do not buy the 665. If you do, you will be very very frustrated, and you will regret spending nearly a $1000 for a POS. Funny thing, if you contact garmin, they promptly send you another exact same device with he exact same problems. Refer to the Zumo forum. There are many unhappy 665 owners.

 

[nik.hisham]

I have got the 660. Have not had any problem with it from day 1. Works great. Connects to my Sena SMH-10 bluetooth comms device so that I hear instructions in my helmet. Connects to my mobile via bluetooth. And plays my music while I ride.

The only complaint I have is that in order to connect the 660 from my computer using the USB cable, I need to remove the battery cover.

Otherwise, its a great product.

 

[rickcorwn]

This should tell you something about the Zumo clicky :huh:

I haven't owned a Zumo but from the people I've spoken with about them I'll keep my 2730 for a while longer. Garmin keeps making their units more powerful and faster but they get dumber and dumber. If my old GPS V had the power, screen and memory of my 2730 I'd be a happy camper.

 

[bramfrank]

I have a 4 year old 550, and have no reason to "upgrade" to a 660 series. I like the combination of hard buttons and the screen doesn't wash out as bad as larger screens. Still use a hood though.

Many have had what I call perceived issues with their 550's that for the most part are fixable and preventable by the user. Mostly it's about using contact cleaner for the cradle and all contacts, including the battery. And it likes to be powered on all the time rather than switched power. You can replace the digitizer easily, etc. It was built for bikes.

And worst comes to worst, you can send it to Garmin to be replaced for $150 if it is beyond repair. They do support the firmware and I expect they will continue to do so. Used ones are available but not in great supply, and don't go cheap. New ones are still being sold. There's a reason....

The bluetooth is mono, but can you really be an audiophile on a bike? I do like stereo and HD home theatre, but can't really tell much difference on the bike if it's not stereo.

Otherwise, the 765T seems to get good reviews and is a good unit, just not waterproof. Very economical, although they have been discontinued.

First of all your 550 cannot possibly be four years old since deliveries started in late March of 2007 - that's when I got mine, but then I have an 'in' at Garmin. - 3 years old, OK, even maybe 3.5, but not 4.

As to issues;

1. The 550 will fail to start up from time to time, as I said, generally necessitating removal and reinsertion of the battery - that problem has never been resolved as it is a hardware iissue.

2. The contacts in the stand will rot out because they are at the bottom of the cradle and water will get in even if you use the magnetic rubber cap that deteriorates - doesn't seem to affect the cradle if you leave the 550 in it - the 660 cradle has a better chance of surviving because it's contacts are on the rear face of the cradle, though they are angled to drain into the base, so I'm not sure.

3. The 660 & 665 have a wired umbilical - when (note I said when and not if) your cradle fails (I'm on my third) you get to experience the pleasure of unwiring your bke - the 550 cradle has jacks on the cradle itself, making a cradle swap simple.

There are issues with the external wired audio input on the 660 cradle.

4. There is a security screw on the 550 which will help to a minor degree against crimes of opportunity - the 660 is a press and run affair.

5. The 660 display is slightly less readable in bright sunlight than the 550. The GPSMAP 276/376/378/478 is actually MORE readable in really bright sunlight.

6. The screen display on the 550 allows the user to zoom out to 1.2 km and still see secondary roads - this is important if you are riding outside of urban centers. The 660 is limited to views of 500 meters and closer - which means that you can actually physically see farther down the road than the 660 will display - and if you zoom out to 1.2 km and are not on a primary road, you get to see a blank yellow background, possibly with a purple line if you happewn to be navigating.

The 276 will dipslay details even farther out and doesn't use the comic book motif for map displays.

7. When not actively navigating, the 276/376/378/478, Nuvi XX0 and Zumo 550 will announce upcoming cross streets in the banner box that runs across the top of the screen - this is VERY useful if you are looking for a turn but don;t want to bother entering a destiination and navigating to it - the 660 (and Nuvi xx5 and beyond) all simply display the street you are driving on unless you are on a limited access road, in which case they will display the name of the next exit.

I can go on. But if you go to epinions and search my username you can read my reviews of both the 550 and 660.