Car Tech : Garmin nuvi 360

I have been wanting a portable gps system for primary use in my car but had the capability of moving with me when travelling with others or walking to an appointment. The nuvi 360 is compact enough to take with you whereever you go. I live in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and the nuvi 360 has decreased my stress level enormously. I don't have to pull over to consult numerous maps or worry about detours due to heavy traffic, construction or accidents. It makes my travel so much more enjoyable.
I did think the manual could have been more detailed and comprehensive. Hide Full Review

I've had my Nuvi 360 for several months, and continue to be amazed by it. Makes driving in unfamiliar places a breeze - considering the amount of time I spent being lost before I had it!

If you're considering purchasing a Nuvi unit, I suggest that you hold off ordering accessories until you discover what comes with it - the Nuvi is shipped with a suction mount and a nice leather case. An exception might be an external antenna such as the excellent one offered by Gilsson.

Just a few suggestions for Nuvi users to help get the most from the unit:
* Use the vehicle power cord whenever possible. This allows you to enable the WAAS function of the Nuvi without draining the battery. WAAS makes the thing so accurate that it can distinguish between being in the first or second position at a traffic signal.
* Consider the dash mount system for the Nuvi marketed by ProClip USA. Their mounts consist of a section specific for the vehicle, and a second section specific for the GPS unit. A bit pricey, but excellent quality, perfect fit, and holds the unit rock solid.
* I purchased a bean bag mount and an extra auto power cord to use with rental cars. These fit in a small case I carry in my briefcase, and setup in the rental car is very simple. I add the locations of the rental car provider, my hotel, and the location of my business meetings to the Nuvi's "favorites" group before I leave, and then use the Nuvi's directions to move to and from these locations, even when I'm in the city for the first time. Hide Full Review

My favorite Christmas gift of 2006. I got it working within five minutes of unpacking it. The Nuvi 360 is incredibly compact and so easy to carry for pedestrian uses and to prevent theft while away from the car. Its PIN security feature should discourage thefts also. The audio is clear and the normal sounding street names are spoken intelligibly. The non-standard street names are pronounced phonetically but still understandable. Map upgrades are a bit expensive (~$90) but at least are readily available from Garmin. Hide Full Review

The Nuvi 360 worked great for about a year - then it started losing satellite signal frequently and no longer acquires a signal. Searched for help and found this is common for Garmin products. Well this one is going in the trash and I am going to try a Tom Tom product. Outside of the satellite signal problems it was a nice product. However, without a satellite signal (unable to acquire a satellite) the unit is completely useless. Hate the product and will never buy products from Garmin again. Very disappointed to say the least. Hide Full Review