Keeping your GPS's maps up-to-date is one of the most important thing you can do to ensure the best navigation performance possible. Current maps make sure your GPS knows where you are, where you're going, and also updates the POI (Points of Interest) database.
Garmin currently releases mapping updates every few months. Garmin's new nuMaps Lifetime subscription program lets you download up to 4 updates per year for the life of the nuvi GPS. That can add up to a significant savings, and will help make the device last for years to come.
Here's everything you need to know about Garmin's nuMaps, including how to buy, download, and install the updates onto your GPS.
UPDATE: Since this article was originally posted, you can now purchase the Garmin nuMaps Lifetime map subscription directly from Amazon.com
Continue reading "Hands-on With Garmin's nuMaps Lifetime Subscription: Pay Once, Update For Life" »
I keep wondering when these GPS companies are going to get it. Garmin used to do a smart thing letting you update two devices, so at least you had incentive for your second GPS (eg other family member) to be a Garmin.
By making this for the lifetime of the device, they are ensuring that you don't have an incentive to upgrade to newer devices because you'd be "throwing away" the subscription. And then there are issues like how they will handle devices that are stolen or break.
They should be giving you an incentive to buy more than one Garmin, and to keep buying new Garmin units.
Not a bad idea - maybe Garmin should let you add a second device to the nuMaps subscription for half the price.
Had GPS stolen, Garmin only credits you for 50% of your next LifetimeNuvi.
The business case for capturing dollars for map updates must outweigh the customer loyalty on future purchases. In my own case, I hate the fact that I can only update one GPS which is subjected to a support life limit. I figure you can realistically expect to do a little better than break even over the life cycle of the product. All that said, I still wind up buying another Garmin product due to their ease of use. While I would like Garmin to change its policy, I am sure that they have carefully considered our next purchase in their business decision to limit their lifetime map subscription.
Interestingly, most companies that consider the voice of their customers usually win over the long haul. Let's hope that Garmin comes around.
Finally, I just bought eight Gillette Fusion shaving cartridges for $25.95 plus tax. Who says that torquing off your customers does not pay. They are probably long past capturing the non-recuring engineering cost of that product. The reason they do it is they have the best shaver on the market and we continue to vote with our wallets each time we make another purchase. All we have to do to modify their business case is boycott them on our next purchase. They will get the message loud and clear. Meanwhile...did I mention I just paid $26 bucks for razor blades? 'Nuff said!!!!
I'm confused. You say Garmin releases mapping updates every few months. However, I'm under the impression it's more like every 12-18 months. Would you please clarify the frequency of mapping update releases?
Garmin releases one map update per year in the form of a retail DVD that you can buy in stores. This is the "Garmin Map Update 2009", for example.
However, Garmin now releases incremental map updates much more frequently, and distributes them via their website. The updates can either be purchased one at a time whenever you want to update, or you can get access to 4 per year via the new nuMaps program.
This is an improvement over the old, one map update per year model, because now you don't have to wait a year between updates.
Awesome! With a $500 investment in a nuvi780 last year and the current state of the economy, I'm pretty certain I will not be looking to upgrade the GPSr for at least another 3-4 years. So the lifetime map upgrade seems like a pretty sweet deal to me.
I agree with Roger if my device is "STOLEN" or breaks and I buy another Nuvi I'm screwed!! I'd stay away from this method unless Garmin addressed that issue.
Getting quarterly updates makes this worth the money. I got the update for $100 from an online seller, while I paid $60 last year for map on disc. I intend to keep the GPS in the family for a few years as I will hand it down to my kids when I get a new GPS.
The latest update had much better road and POI info for my area. I look forward to not having to wait a year for an update.
With the current cost of NEW PND being in the $200 average price and the average unit will last about 2 years, you are basically paying for a two year update because if you have to send your unit in to replace the battery, you will be better of buying a new product every few years with fresher maps.
NavTeq and TA understands that the new PND now sold for $100-$200 is not going to last forever so life time maps mean nothing.
How old is your cell phone? The hardware will be way outdated and that is the reason they can provide a life time map solution.
It's a nice idea but buying a new product every few years would offer you the same benefits almost.
If you are not a delivery person or a realtor, do you really need fresh map every few months. They will cover new development and some corrections, but not much more else.
I'm wondering if there have been any updates since the initial release of 2009 last year. I don't find anything when I go to Garmin and look around. Are the intermediate updates only viewable and available after you subscribe to the lifetime updates?
Free map update for life - bittorrent, infidels. Allahu Akbar!
I understand North America NT 2009.11 is the latest release. Is there anyway to know what the changes are from update to update?
I have an nuvi 680. Would a 2009 update contain such new features such as "lane assist" etc?
No, they're updating only the maps and points-of-interest data. "Lane Assist" and other features would be a part of functionality update.
Now, Garmin provides FREE software updates throughout lifetime of the product. For example, new updates are still coming out for my Nuvi 350. However, they include fixes, refinements, and optimizations, but not altogether new features like "Lane Assist" or "Reality View" or what have you. If Garmin did that, they wouldn't be out to market and sell NEW units, would they?
There is also set time frame as to the life expectancy of the NUVI 770. Dose anyone know what this is?
Actually, the nuvi 770 has already been discontinued, and is replaced by the nuvi 775T.
I purchased this service and I have yet to get it working.
The update is 1.92 GB and it takes a very long time to download. I've tried extracting the files several times and it always fails with the message "File is corrupt". I've downloaded the update several times with no change.
I've been on the phone on hold waiting for an hour to speak with Garmin technical support. Has anyone actually got this to work? I am very disappointed.
I ended up spending well over 2 hours on the phone with Garmin. Their response was to blame everything except themselves. At their request, I just downloaded the update for the second time today, this time with the anti-virus disabled. The downloaded file is exactly the same size and it also fails to unpack due to corrupted files. According to WinRAR, the files have the same CRC. Now I'm trying to download the file again without using their download manager. Has anyone got this to work? If so, please contact me.
Ok, I made some progress. I bypassed the Garmin Download Manager and the download seemed to have worked. It extracted 100% of the files and is now doing the update. I waited another 2 hours to speak with Garmin and they all but admitted this is a known problem.
Yesterday I sucessfully updated my PC and my Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx to CN NA NT 2010.1 using the lifetime subscription.
Dispite the misleading product name, many models other than tne nuvi's are able to use subscription service.
I bought the NuMaps Lifetime card for my GPS60CSX from Best Buy. The unit was brand new and had no maps on it other than the included base map. The salesman and myself incorrectly assumed that this card would include the map. IT DOES NOT! It is not a map. It is only an upgrade. I will have to spend another $100.00 to buy the map.
I'm with the guys who say hold off on this for awhile. The clencher for me is that the subscription is tied to just one device.
So if it is stolen, breaks, you want to get a newer model, or if Garmin discontinues the model, you are SOL.
And what's with the bogus $70 price tag for yearly updates. You can easily find them for less than $55 at Amazon.
And when you think about it, how many of us will go through the hassle of downloading updates 4 times a year anyway? Most people don't update their maps until they get the warning message saying their maps are 18 months old.
I would be more inclined to pay $199 for just ten years of quarterly updates, if they allowed me to transfer the subscription to a new device.
Just a few items to point out in response to your post:
1. Technically - if your GPS is stolen, you can provide Garmin a copy of the police report and they will let you transfer the subscription.
2. The $70 yearly update price is MSRP - most retailers sells things the less than the company's official website.
3. 10 years? It's highly unlikely you will be using the same GPS for 10 years. The logic behind the updates is that the lifetime subscription is the same cost as around 3 yearly updates. So if you plan to keep your GPS for more than 3 years, this is a cheaper option that also has the benefit of more frequent updates. It's not a required purchase, just a nice option for those who like to keep their GPS up to date, or plan to use it for more than 3 years.
My 330c GPS was stolen from my van in my driveway and was promptly reported to the local sheriff. If I send a report from the sheriff to Garmin will I be allowed to transfer my recently purchased numaps Lifetime update to an older Street Pilot GPS or am I restricted to the purchase of a new Garmin? In effect, I will only be using updates on one Garmin only.
I had a Nuvi260... worked great. Bought Lifetime Updates... after one update, the unit just dropped dead. I replaced with a 1300 and was pissed to find out that the Lifetime Update is not transferable to another unit, registered by me. I offered to send the dead unit to prove I am not trying to stab them. Waiting to hear. I don't hold much hope, but I can assure you that I am singing my protest to anyone listening. If I don't get satisfaction, I will never buy Lifetime again since no one will be able to convince me that there is not "something" in a Lifetime Update download that will (intentionally) kill your unit.
We'll see.
I have thought the same thing:- what's to prevent a virus being downloaded and screwing up your Garmin turning it into a paperweight ?
...and judging by remarks hereabouts, Garmin are useless at customer service or solving problems.
Is this only for a nuvi GPS or can a zumo use the same maps?
I am very confused about Garmin's Lifetime upgrades offer for Europe.
Their advertising blub says "Upgrade for the whole Europe, even if your original maps just covered a single region". In my case my Garmin just has UK/Ireland maps at the moment, so this sounds a great offer as I am going to the Italy soon and would welcome those maps.
HOWEVER, when I go to purchase it, it says "This map update can only be used to update the preloaded maps that came installed on your Garmin GPS device.", the opposite of what the advert says.
Can anyone clear up this confusion? Which statement is the correct one?
I also have been frustrated with Garmin's "lifetime" map update product.
I recently had my Nuvi 250w stolen, promptly reported it to the police and bought another Garmin 255w - because I had a "lifetime" map subscription. So now I find out that the subscription is tied to the original product serial number and can not be transferred.
Again they offered $50 off the purchase of another lifetime update, but my local police charge $40 for a copy of the police report. I'm SOL...
Garmin has screwed me and it looks like other Garmin customers. So I'm going to return my new Garmin and buy a competing product ans suggest that others do so as well. Garmin is not loyal to their customers, so why should we shell-out our hard earned money an be loyal to them?
MV
The small print says "until your product’s useful life expires or Garmin no longer receives map Data from NAVTEQ, whichever is shorter."
What does this mean? Who determines the product's useful life? Sounds like Garmin can just say the useful life is over. Also, who is to say where Garmin gets their map data?
I can't believe this process is so expensive, fraught with bugs and time consuming. To me it's cheaper and a whole lot easier to just buy another unit. Inexcusable Garmin!
My current Garmin navigator is nüvi 715 [1M4006143] acquired from a local BMW car sales office in Sweden. Maps were installed via a customized Micro SD card. It includes special info on BMW and 3-D views on buildings and road junctions.I have lately bought the nüMaps Lifetime extension - evidently in vain.
I acquired a Garmin City Navigator Europe NT map update on the web. It was only available for download, which I also did. But my intention was to acquire it as hardcopy DVD, with maps and software loadable into my computer. How do I get hold of this form of delivery (DVD). The local Garmin dealers and the dometic Garmin Service group have not been very helpful. Please advice on what to do!
Kind regards,
Morgan