Garmin 660LM cheap?

[Rotten Ralph]

Why is a Garmin 660 LM only about $300 new? They were around $5-600. Is it because the 665LM is sort of replacing it?

My 450 is about 8 years old, fell off of the bike once, and update maps are about $60-70. Probably time to just get a later model and this looks like a good deal.

[ITSec]

The Garmin 660 and 665 are both being discontinued - stock in warehouse and in the retail channel is being discounted, but the company must have a lot of them in stock because the sell-off has taken a while. Pricing is around $300 for the 660 and around $400 for the 665, but varies (I'm a happy customer of GPSCity).

I bought a 660LM earlier this year when the deal started. It's generally OK, though justifiably criticized for a screen that's not bright enough. The screen is also smaller than I'd like. I'd never have bought it at the original price, but at $300 it's a fair value (Guzzi money-saving content!).

[Zoom Zoom]

I'm in complete agreement with ITSec. GPS City is a great place to deal with and for 300 bucks, the 660 is not horrible. I still miss my 550. I think it was a better unit all round, but for 300 bucks, I can live with the 660.

John Henry

[Cam3512]

I was looking at the 660 on GPS City.  Seems the great prices don't include the mount or connecting wires.  Is this correct?  I seem to recall my 390 came with everything in the box.

[ITSec]

I was looking at the 660 on GPS City.  Seems the great prices don't include the mount or connecting wires.  Is this correct?  I seem to recall my 390 came with everything in the box.

The one I bought a few months back was the complete kit with RAM mount stuff, connecting harness, and so on. I think I paid about $320 back then. It's now $300 at GPSCity, and has everything needed (though you might add a few RAM parts for mounting other than on a traditional handlebar). http://www.gpscity.com/garmin-zumo-660lm.html

[JesterGrin_1]

 Ok I will ask since I am not up on this stuff but why purchase something like this if one has a phone that can bring up maps on the go?

 The only reason I can think of is a bigger screen lol.

[flip]

Ok I will ask since I am not up on this stuff but why purchase something like this if one has a phone that can bring up maps on the go?

 The only reason I can think of is a bigger screen lol.

It's waterproof. You can hardwire it. The available mounts are usually more secure for a gps than for a cell phone. It doesn't run down your phone battery.

[jas67]

......I still miss my 550. I think it was a better unit all round, but for 300 bucks, I can live with the 660.

I just picked up a used 550 from a friend for $150 w/ mount.   I've always just used my phone before, but never had a mount for it, just pull over and look if needed, kind of a PITA.  I never  bothered getting a mount for the phone (iPhone 5S), but, I don't think that it is bright enough for use in bright sunlight, neither is my Asus tablet.

So, for what reasons is the 550 better than the 660? 

It's waterproof. You can hardwire it. The available mounts are usually more secure for a gps than for a cell phone. It doesn't run down your phone battery.

And motorcycle-specific GPS's have brighter displays, bright enough to use in sunlight, where most cell phones do not.

[Zoom Zoom]

So, for what reasons is the 550 better than the 660? 

Biggest was the screen. Much easier to see in the day light. Resetting the trip or fuel counter was easier, (less confusing between the two). I could link the phone to the GPS and the bluetooth in the helmet to the GPS for phone only, yet allow the music to use a wired link. That alone nearly doubles battery life of the helmet. Of course that matters little if those things aren't anything you might use. When playing music on the 660, the top of the nav screen is displaying the music title rather than the road I'm on or the next cross road, or the next interchange I need to take. That means I have to touch it to see the info that used to just be there. The screen seems to be less sensitive, meaning I have to really touch it hard to register. The sound quality between the phone/GPS/helmet is horrible. Something I seldom used but was very handy when needed. Now I simply don't use it at all. For whatever reason, I have never been able to get the mic to work on the hardwired connection so I have just given up. There are probably other things I don't recall right now.

I replaced the touch screen several times on my 550 and kept it going for a long time. The unit  finally screwed up to the point of not working, so I had no choice but to move forward.

In summary, a newer model anything should build on the best of the unit it was made to replace. The 660/665 is worse than its predecessor.

John Henry

edit: for 300 bucks, it is tolerable. At least you don't have to quit using it during a rain storm or put a baggie over it. I don't feel it was ever worth its initial MSRP.

[rodekyll]

I am using gps on my tablet.  It's got a big screen and is very accurate, and it talks to me through my bluetooth headset, which allows me to carry the tablet in my coat pocket or glove box during bad weather and just listen to the nice british robot lady telling me where to go.  However, I can't push the screen with gloves on.  That misery alone would drive me to a real gps.

[ITSec]

Ok I will ask since I am not up on this stuff but why purchase something like this if one has a phone that can bring up maps on the go?

 The only reason I can think of is a bigger screen lol.

There are many (many!) areas on the continent that have no phone service, or phone and no data. Out west, you can't get much outside the cities once you leave the Interstates. Maps are like tools, you can really only depend on the ones you carry - not the ones someone else might (or might not) provide for you.