Garmin nüvi 885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct Service (Factory Refurbished) Review
I reviewed many GPS units to become my first GPS. Within my price range, the 885T was the best. I bought a refurbished unit from Amazon. I see the price went back up, too. I got a bargain! Although, I saw right after I bought it that Garmin discontinued it. Oh, well. They included the 2010 maps and nine months of the MSN, which isn't in my area anyway.
The unit has performed many functions perfectly:
1. As a GPS, it senses and locks to satellites quickly. The 2010 maps are not completely perfect, on back country roads, and new intersections, but I was able to run the length of the New Jersey Turnpike and it directed me to the best route, with images of upcoming lane changes. That was cool.
2. As a bluetooth device, it said my LG phone was not certified for use, but it connected anyway. It reads the contacts, dials and answers calls. Once in while it will forget to connect to the phone, and I will have to delete it and try to reconnect, with minor irritation. When it is connected, all phone calls come through the 885T, hands-free. Very cool.
3. As a music player, I can load music and books and listen through the FM radio. It worked, but I would rather use my iPod. Technology is always advancing.
4. Games? It has them, but I am not sure why. Should I be playing solitaire while I drive??
5. Walking: I used it on the streets of New York, and it found a clothing store I wanted to see. And a restaurant we wanted to find. It is a great little database to carry around. But, so is an iPhone, if you have one. The 885T is cheaper.
6. The remote button that attaches to the steering was not mentioned in the description. It came as a pleasant surprise that I can press the button and talk to the 885T. The other surprise was, it did not require "training". If I speak clearly, simple words on the screen, or the pre-programmed shortcuts, it knows what I am saying. It even can interpret spoken names of stores or restaurants. That is cool.
I love it. The English female voice is the easiest to understand. And the most charming.
In a year or two, I may need to next generation of GPS, but until then, this is the best.
Note: the feature of reading Google Maps and loading the location into the unit is awesome. However, you need to be careful that the address is correct on the map. Often, I found, the place I found and loaded was not exactly where it really was. That was the fault of Google maps interpretation of data, rather than the 885T. The 885T took me to within feet of where Google told me to go, but it was at times a quarter of a mile off. The solution was to use the satellite view in Google maps to make absolutely sure I was finding the right location.
Garmin nüvi 885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct Service (Factory Refurbished) Feature
- 4.3-Inch Screen
- Voice-Activated navigation
- Text-to-speech feature
- High sensitivity GPS receiver with Hotfix
- Route planning with via points
Garmin nüvi 885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct Service (Factory Refurbished) Overview
nüvi 885TNOH, MFG# 010-N057730, preloaded city navigator, North America NT, remote for voice activation w/battery, vehicle suction cup mount, MSN Direct receiver/vehicle pwr cbl, Bluetooth, lithium-ion battery, USB cble, dashboard disc, quick start manual
Garmin nüvi 885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct Service (Factory Refurbished) Specifications
This is a refurbished GPS. Refurbished generally means that the unit has been returned to the manufacturer, who brings the navigator back to like new conditions. Some GPS may contain cosmetic blemishes.
Garmin International's nüvi 885T is a GPS navigator and personal travel assistant featuring voice-activated navigation and lane assist with junction view. Navigate with confidence while nüvi directs you to the preferred lane while driving. Also, see realistic images of upcoming junctions where available.
 This advanced model feature voice-activated navigation and lane assist with junction view. Click to enlarge. |
nüvi 885T builds upon the features of the 855 by adding dynamic content from MSN Direct. You'll benefit from traffic updates, flight status, advanced weather (now includes Doppler radar), gas prices, enhanced movie listings, stock info, news, local events and send to GPS feature for trip planning (3-month trial subscription included). Also, take advantage of hands-free calling when paired with a compatible Bluetooth phone.
The nüvi 885T offers full coverage mapping for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The preloaded map data features nearly six million points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs and attractions. The map data is provided by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping.
 Garmin's nüvis pack top of the line features into a slim form factor. |
 Lane assist guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. Click to enlarge. |
 Junction View gives you a photo-realistic screen that shows you both the road detail as well as the signs as you will see them on the road. Click to enlarge. |
Speak commands and get on-demand travel info from MSN Direct with nüvi 885T. This widescreen navigator features voice-activated navigation, preloaded maps, hands-free calling and an FM transmitter--plus real-time local weather, traffic, movie times, gas prices, stock information, local news and events. Like the rest of the wide nüvi 800-series, you can navigate with your voice for on-the-go convenience.
Speak Commands
nüvi 885T not only tells you where to turn but listens to your spoken commands. With nüvi's innovative speech recognition, you safely control nüvi's interface with your voice--allowing you to keep both hands on the wheel. Simply press the button on the remote (which attaches to the steering wheel) to activate speech recognition and begin speaking menu options. nüvi even recognizes shortcut phrases for popular functions. Tell nüvi "Find Address" and speak an address to start navigating.
Get Enhanced MSN Direct
With next-generation dynamic content from MSN Direct, nüvi 885T is one resourceful personal travel assistant. Using the included receiver and free trial service to MSN Direct, you can check the weather, avoid traffic backups, compare local gas prices, get enhanced movie listings, stock information, news and local events when you travel with your unit. Even plan trips from the convenience of your computer, via Windows Live Local, and wirelessly send locations to nüvi 885T.
Check out a full description of MSN Direct content features, or a coverage map for MSN Direct services.
A 3-month subscription to MSN Direct is included with the device. After that, subscription fees are .95 per year, or 9.95 for a lifetime subscription.
See More
With nüvi 885T's widescreen display, you'll always get the big picture. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3-inch display is easy to read--from any direction.
Navigate With Ease
nüvi 885T comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator NT street maps and millions of points of interest (POIs) such as hotels, restaurants, fuel stations, ATMs and more. Speak a menu option or touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2-D or 3-D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. It even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road. In addition, nüvi 885T accepts custom points of interest, such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs.
Where Am I?
Keep track of yourself and your car with nüvi 885T. Just speak or tap "Where Am I?" to find the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, nearest address and intersection. Also see your exact latitude and longitude coordinates. nüvi 885T even remembers where you parked. It automatically marks your position when you remove it from the windshield mount, so you can navigate with nüvi on foot and find your way back to your vehicle. Perfect for unfamiliar spots and crowded lots such as amusement parks, stadiums and malls.
 With the POI loader program users can set up proximity alerts for school zones, safety cameras, create custom POIs and more. Click to enlarge. |
 A handy MP3 player lets you play songs stored on SD memory cards. |
 Enjoy a richer navigation experience using pictures as a guide with Garmin Connect Photos. Click to enlarge. |
Plan Ahead
nüvi 885T includes advanced navigational features to take the worry out of traveling. With route planning you can save 10 routes, specify via points and preview simulated turns on its wide screen. In addition, nüvi 885T automatically sorts multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for errands, deliveries or sales calls. It also displays speed limits for highways and Interstates. A trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you've been on the map.
Make Hands-free Calls
Talk about worry-free driving. For hands-free calling, nüvi 885T integrates Bluetooth wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker. Just pair it with your compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free through the 885T while staying focused on the road. Simply speak or dial numbers with nüvi's touchscreen keypad to make a call.
Take It With You
nüvi 885T's high-sensitivity internal (non flip-up) antenna gives it a sleeker, thinner design than other gps units, making it easy to slip in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or on foot.
Go Beyond Navigation
Navigation is just the beginning. nüvi 885T includes many "must have" entertainment and travel tools including MP3 player, audio book player (subscription to Audible.com required), JPEG picture viewer, currency converters, Garmin Games, alarm clock and more. With the included wireless FM transmitter, you can hear audio, including voice prompts, MP3s and audio books, through your vehicle's stereo. It's compatible with optional FM traffic alerts and comes with Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature. Download custom vehicles that show your location on the map from our free Garmin Garage. With photo navigation, you can download Google Panoramio pictures via our Garmin Connect Photos website and navigate to them. Enhance your travel experience with optional plug-in microSD cards such as Garmin Travel Guides for detailed data on attractions.
 Search for locations on Google Maps or Mapquest, then transfer the addresses directly to your Garmin GPS navigator. |
Navigate by Photo with Garmin Connect Photos
Using Garmin's Connect Photos Web site, you can choose from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google's Panoramio photo sharing community and download them to the nüvi for a richer navigation experience using pictures as a guide.
- Choose from Panoramio's collection of photos from around the world.
- Easy to use interface displays photos on Google Maps.
- Search for photos by location name or map area boundary.
- Transfer photos directly from Garmin Connect to device with the Garmin Communicator.
- View photos in Google Earth.
- Supports Internet Explorer 6+, Firefox 2+, Safari 3+ on Windows and Mac.
Send Addresses Directly from Google Maps or Mapquest
Itching to try out a new restaurant, or setting off on a road trip to locate the best toffee apples on the East Coast? Now, it's easy to search for locations on Google Maps or Mapquest, then transfer the addresses directly to your Garmin GPS navigator.
- Hook up your Garmin to the computer via its USB port
- Search for the location you want
- Click the Send link in the info window for the address. That will bring up a popup "Send to" form.
- Pick GPS, then pick Garmin and hit the "Send" button.
The address will instantly transfer to your Garmin device, The point will be saved as one of your favorites, and you can navigate to it or view it on a map just like with any other favorite.
The process does require a small plugin, which you can get at Garmin's website. You can send business addresses to your Garmin device from these countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.
Other Features
- Auto time zone--nüvi will automatically adjust your time zone while navigating
- DEM maps--show you shaded terrain contours at various zoom levels
- Trip computer records mileage, max speed, total time and more
- Built-in travel kit includes features such as picture viewer, world clock, currency and measurement converters and calculator
- High-speed PC connectivity using USB 2.0 mass storage
- Configurable vehicle icons--select fun, customized icons from www.garmingarage.com
- Standard headphone and microphone jacks
- microSD card slot for optional mapping and data storage
What's in the Box
nüvi 885t, preloaded City Navigator North America NT, remote for voice activation with battery, vehicle suction cup mount, MSN Direct receiver/vehicle power cable, lithium-ion battery, USB cable, dashboard disc, quick start manual.
Which nüvi is Best for You?
Note: All nüvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.
| Screen
Size
inches
(w x h)
| Included Maps
| Text-to-Speech
(Directions in
Real Street
Names)
| Traffic
| Bluetooth
| Media
| FM Transmitter
(audio through
car stereo
system) | Multi-
Point
Routing
| Battery
life
(hours)
|
Cont. U.S.,
Hawaii, and
Puerto Rico
| AK and
Canada
| Europe
|
| nüvi 200 | 2.8 x 2.1
|  |
|
|
|
|
| Photos
|
|
| up to 5
|
| nüvi 200w | 3.81 x 2.25
| |
|
|
|
|
| Photos
|
|
| up to 5 |
| nüvi 250 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | |
|
|
|
| Photos |
|
| up to 5 |
| nüvi 250w | 3.81 x 2.25
| | |
|
|
|
| Photos |
|
| up to 5 |
| nüvi 260 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | |
| |
|
| Photos |
|
| up to 5 |
| nüvi 260w | 3.81 x 2.25 | | |
| |
|
| Photos |
|
| up to 5 |
| nüvi 270 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | | |
|
|
| Photos |
|
| up to 5 |
| nüvi 350 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | |
| | FM (with opt.
receiver) |
| Photos, MP3s
|
|
| up to 8
|
| nüvi 360 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | |
| | FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s |
|
| up to 8 |
| nüvi 370 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | FM (receiver
included)
| | Photos, MP3s |
|
| up to 8 |
| nüvi 650 | 3.81 x 2.25
| | |
| | FM (with opt.
receiver) |
| Photos, MP3s |
|
| up to 7
|
nüvi 660
| 3.81 x 2.25
| | |
| | FM (receiver
included)
| | Photos, MP3s | |
| up to 7 |
nüvi 670
| 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | FM (receiver
included) | | Photos, MP3s | |
| up to 7 |
| nüvi 680 | 3.81 x 2.25
| | |
| | MSN (receiver
included;
1-year free);
FM (with opt.
receiver)
| | Photos, MP3s | |
| up to 7 |
nüvi 750
| 3.81 x 2.25
| | |
| | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)
|
| Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5
|
| nüvi 760 | 3.81 x 2.25
| | |
| | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5 |
| nüvi 770 | 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5 |
| nüvi 780 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | |
| | MSN-enhanced
(receiver inc.;
3 months free)
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5 |
nüvi 855
| 3.81 x 2.25 | | |
| | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) |
| Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 |
nüvi 855t
| 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced
(receiver inc.;
3 months free);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 |
nüvi 5000
| 4.5 x 2.7 | | |
| | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) |
|
| | | external
battery
only
|
Basic MSN Direct Content Features
|
 | Traffic Reports
- Find the best route through traffic. Your GPS device uses MSN Direct traffic data to select the best route for you to avoid traffic congestion.
- Check traffic flow. Know at a glance where to expect slowdowns in traffic.
- Get accident warnings. Receive warnings about accidents, road closures, and construction in the area that may affect you.
|
 | Gas Prices
- Compare local gas prices. See a list of recent gas prices in your area and an indication of how recently the prices were reported.
- Find your way to the savings. Once you find the best price in your area, use your navigation system to guide you to the gas station.
|
 | Weather Reports
- Stay on top of current conditions. View the current weather conditions in your area, including today's high and low temperatures, chances of precipitation, and more.
- View the three-day forecast, Plan ahead by checking the three-day weather forecast for your area.
- Check weather in other cities. See current weather conditions in major cities across the country.
|
 | Movie Times
- Search for a movie. Find the theaters in your coverage area that are showing the movie you want to see.
- See which movies are playing. View which movies are playing in your coverage area or at your favorite theater.
- See show times and get directions. Once you find a show you want to see, check the show times and use your GPS device to guide you to the theater.
|
Enhanced MSN Direct Content
|
 | Web Favorites (Send custom destinations to your GPS with Live Search Maps)
- Powerful trip planning: Use Live Search Maps on your computer to look up an address, search for a business, or plan a trip
- Choose your favorite location, and then MSN Direct delivers the address, phone number, and more straight to your navigation system.
- Visit Live Search Maps at http://maps.live.com.
|
 | Local Events
- See what's happening near you. Find nearby events to see what's happening in your area.
- Find the events that interest you. Browse events sorted by category.
- Search for an event. Get details about a particular event.
|
 | Stock Quotes
- Watch the stocks that interest you. Select stocks that you want to keep an eye on, and then see regularly updated stock prices and daily changes.
- Get a little more detail. Touch a stock in your list to see daily highs, lows, and trading volume.
|
 | News Headlines
- Browse the headlines at a glance. See breaking news and other major news stories of the day.
- Read more details. Select a headline to read all the details about the news story on your navigation system.
|
|
|
MSN Direct Coverage Map
|
Get detailed info for your Zip Code at the MSN Direct website.
|
Related Products
Customer Reviews
Touch Screen Fails - C. Walsh - Reno, NV
Overall, this product worked and met my needs until it didn't. I'd previously owned a Garmin Street Pilot 2620, which for some reason Garmin Discontinued. It worked great. This Garmin (885t) worked well for the most part. I should have gotten one with an FM tuner (If you have an FM tuner, you can program your setup to play Blue Tooth cell phone calls through your cars speaker system. The internal speaker on the Garmin 885t is incredibly weak!)
The reason for my negative review is that after only 3 months of use, the touch screen failed. The on-screen display is telling me to use the touch scren (I was looking for a phone #) and it is frozen. Even after I reboot the system, the same frozen screen appears. What that translates to is that this product is broken. Oh well, live and learn...
Garmin 885t comments - mchonda -
I recently bought my Garmin 885t GPS. I am very satisfied with it over-all. It is very easy to use, setup and the voice control really makes this GPS unique above all others. Garmin is bringing out the replacement for this model, 3750T due out later this summer for way more than I paid on Amazon for my 885T GPS. The 3750T will have the voice control and bluetooth. As with everthing, you have to shop around to find the best price and deal. Even on Amazon, check often as price points change for the same product are common. I did this and found a superior price at the time I ordered (checked the next the day, the price point increased .00 dollars).
Garmin will honor warranties if you purchase your GPS on/from Amazon. EBAY purchases; warranties are NOT honored.
I have just returned from a long driving trip, I discovered more features and controls while using this GPS. Having business addresses and phone numbers in towns I visited was very useful. The ability to look up a business phone number and use voice control to directly call the location was extremely helpful (via blue tooth with my cell phone). Of course the GPS aspect really was helpfull even on Forest roads to know where your going.
I traveled on Interstate Hwys, State Hwys, County Roads, and finally Forest Roads (dirt) and the GPS always knew the road 99.99 % and all of the side roads with superior accuracy. I did update the maps (one free from Garmin) before my trip to get the very latest maps. Speed limit posting on the GPS was accurate and useful.
Overall accuracy in all respects is superior.
The only weak point for this GPS is the FM transmitter which allows you to tune your GPS and Car radio to the same FM freq. to hear the spoken voice, phone calls etc, thru you car sound system. I tested this feature, found the signal between the GPS and my car radio had noise levels which were unacceptable. Will test again.
Finally, the MSN service will end 1/1/2012, but Garmin has a replacement car adaptor you can purchase for the 885T which brings in the new service (free) Garmin is providing for traffic and services similar to the MSN service. So it is up-ward compatable with the new Garmin service. This adaptor replaces the car adaptor and sell for around .00ish dollars. I will decide on this option later.
I would recommend this "flag ship" GPS to anyone, obviously voice control is expensive, but I believe it make this unit more safe to use on the road. Enjoy!! BTW, Garmin is a leader in GPS products, I also have a hand held GPS I've had for years, again same experience wt the Etrex Legend unit.
Garmin GPS - Pandora Shopper - Washington State USA
Fun Fun Fun. Love this GPS. Refurbished and good as new. I have bought a number of refurbished items and have not had any bad experiences with a single one. Try it, you'll like it.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 13, 2010 21:15:14
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