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We bought this GPS system to use on a recent trip to England and Wales. We were able to find sites more easily and more quickly than we would have been able to do without a GPS system. As such, we were able to use our time more efficiently, and therefore we were able to see more than we would have had we not had a GPS unit. We also made use of the point of interest (I think that's what it's called) feature of the unit. You can look for many different types of businesses and sites (e.g., restaurants, drug stores, gas stations, post offices, historic sites) and the GPS unit will find such places close to where you are. You can also look for a specific business for which you have a name, but not an address. We used this feature often to find restaurants, historic sites, and the like. We chose this particular brand based on positive reviews we had read, and we purchased the particular model because it is preloaded with maps of European countries in addition to maps of North America. If you don't need the extra maps, Garmin makes less expensive models that cover only N. America. We opted for the 270 model because it was the cheapest of the "70" series. The "70" series are Garmin's units with Europe and N. America maps. Unlike the other models in this series, the 270 tells you to make turns, but it does not say the street names in its verbal directions (the street names can be read on the unit's display, however). We decided we didn't need this feature and could save some money, as we would be using the GPS primarily for vacation travel and there would always be someone in the car to watch the GPS and help to navigate. But if you're considering this unit for solo travel, you might want to consider another model in the series that speaks street names as part of the verbal directions. The only downside I have seen to this unit is that it can sometimes give you slightly wacky directions. I have tested it near my home, and for the most part, it leads you to your destination in the most efficient way. But occasionally, it has taken me slightly out of my way on a route that I know is neither the shortest nor the quickest. But for travel in an unfamiliar area, I think it is an invaluable tool. This GPS unit is very easy to use. Our 8-year-old son acted as navigator for much of the trip and he was able to navigate easily through the screens (e.g., to zoom the map, to get a list of upcoming turns). Overall, I would recommend the Garmin nuvi 270. We found it to be invaluable on our trip, and as mentioned before, it actually added to the value of our trip, allowing us to find more sites more quickly than we would have otherwise.Read full review
Having recently relocated to England, it wasn't long before I came to realize that Google Maps just doesn't cut it with the roundabouts and non-descriptive local roads. The Garmin Nuvi 270 was the best price point in its category that I could find considering it has both North American & European maps already loaded. Plus, in doing my homework, Garmin products in general received some of the top reviews for GPS devices. It is very small & compact and easily slips into my purse as I don't want to leave in it the vehicle. The only downfall is that it doesn't come with a pointer and using a bulky finger can be tricky, but I use the stick that came with my Nintendo DS and it works like a charm. All in all, it has so far gotten me to Stonehenge and back (a 4+ hour roundtrip drive) and I am looking forward to many more adventures while keeping piece of mind. One last thing to take into consideration, though, as there was construction at one point which threw the route off and our "Boss Lady" as we named her had to keep "calculating" to find where we were...a GPS is only good when coupled with the driver's (or passenger's) common sense!!Read full review
I bought this unit for a 2 week vacation in Holland, Germany and Italy. I also own a Nuvi 260 in the US, which only has U.S. & Canada maps and love everything about it (i.e. EXCELLENT). Here's the comparison of 270 with Nuvi 260: PROS: * European maps pre-loaded: more than 20 countries in Western and Eastern Europe * Safety camera and speed limit alert (not found in Nuvi 260) * Lots of Points of Interests * Compact - same 3.5" screen size as Nuvi 260 fits in pocket for use in pedestrian mode CONS: * Takes a long time to acquire satellite - when we first arrive in Amsterdam from USA, it took us more than 3 minutes to lock on the satellite. Once you've locked on, it takes about 30 secs to acquire satellite after turning it off and on again. However, if you've moved to another country, the unit seems to take a long time again to reacquire satellite - more than 3 minutes...so you have to be patient * Unlike Nuvi 260, which says out the actual street name or highway number, the Nuvi 270 only says turn left or right, so you sometimes have to check the screen to see the actual street name. Please note that my comments relate to a refurbished unit of Nuvi 270 versus a brand new Nuvi 260. For the price I paid, it beats renting from the car rental company.Read full review
Bright, simple, high contrast, easy-to-read, sharply defined color display. Very user friendly; the learning curve is practically non-existent. Locks on to satellites very quickly -- no need for an external antenna. Recalculates routes when you miss a turn or insist on your own in 2-3 seconds. However, Garmin is skimpy on the accessories it includes in the package, and pricey on accessories. Did not even include a computer USB cable for which it wants almost $25.00 plus shipping. Fortunately, other merchants on ebay sell the same for $0.99 plus about $4.00 shipping. I also found a more functional leather case with a belt loop and additional pocket for my flip open cell phone, a dashboard holder, and an AC charging adapter at much lower prices than Garmin asks for the same or similar accessories. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this GPS as a best buy if you need Western and Central Europe as well, unless you want bells and whistles like blue tooth, a larger screen, and programing by voice. Then you will pay hundreds of dollars more. I would have liked the last feature, but a larger screen would provide no advantage at all; indeed, it would make the unit cumbersome. Hopefully, future Europe updates will include more of Eastern Europe and Russia. Tom Tom's top of the line does.Read full review
Good Points The NUVI 270 is moderatly easy to use, provides good directions to places that are documented correctly. My wife and I are in real estate and it allows us to save time and gas as a real plus. It became habit forming before we realized it and has saved us lots of time preparing maps to houses all over the area. It is most useful if we have to exit a neighborhood after dark in non-familiar places and lack of street signs. The security feature is excellent. We only hope that a potential thief knows about it before they lift it. Negative Points The faults are few but still are worth noting. 1) the turn instruction in unknown neighborhoods is often too soon and we end up turning down the wrong street. 2) Some new neighborhoods are not documented. 3) Sometimes the vocal instructions must be muted when clients are in the car so a blue tooth feature might be worth considering. 4)There needs to be a default state/city for local navigation. 5) The "Recalculation" annunciation ends up being funny and rather useless when we detour or stop for gas. Storage of multiple way points would be more useful than 10,000 places to eat or shop. Conclusion Excellent choice of GPS when on a budget. It doesn't have all of the more expensive features but the need for the latest buzz in gadgets is often only used a few time until the user finds they only need directions. Recommendation Yes, well worth it.Read full review
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