Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Just got my refurb'd 4370 in a couple of days ago since we're going to go on a couple of trips in the near future.I initially wanted to use my iphone 3G with Navigon but have found that the it only intermittently works - think the 3G is too slow and it kills the GPS process and is constantly showing no GPS signal though google maps picks up the GPS signal (blinking blue dot just fine) but the software seems to work fine on my brother's 3GS.I already have a built in GPS unit on my 05'Accord Hybrid that is super easy to use but can't take it with me when we fly.I love the navigon maps on the iphone and their lane assist/reality view but I wanted something much more reliable and here are my initial impressions:
Upon opening the box:
1) Unit looked brand spanking new
2) Only sign that it was a refurb unit was the white box as well as "rf" stamped at teh bottom of the unit in very small letters
3) All parts were in the box:USB cable, CD, quick start, traffic code coupon, slip case, car charger, and wall charger
Upon powering it on:
1) Boots up fairly fast
2) Was expecting it to take awhile to aqcuire a signal since I was inside (though I do have windows in my office) but it acquired a signal fairly quickly (~30 seconds)
3) I downloaded the Content Manager software and plugged in the unit - found that the maps were already up to date but there was a new OS update.Update was quick.
4) Was able to pair it with my iphone fairly quickly - though the mic sounded super soft when I tried calling myself to test
5) Copied over an avi video file to an SD card and it worked great - not sure how often I will use this feature since can't watch and navigate at the same time.It won't recognize any of my music files (m4a extensions).Don't want to go through the trouble of converting it to MP3.
6) the visual crispness of the maps looked great on the screen
7) Did notice some lag inbetween some of the screens as others have noted
Upon driving around to test the unit:
1) The built in speaker is decent and loud enough
2) Tried the FM transmitter and it worked ok.Sound quality is ok - not great - but definitely understandable
3) Though the unit is labeled as TTS for speaking street names, I found that it ocassionally only spoke the names of the street.Seems like it doesn't like announcing numbered streets (ie 20th ave, etc.).This was a bit of a disappointment since I was hoping it would like Navigon does on the iphone.
4) The 4370 didn't seem to provide a lot of directions compared to Navigon or my accord's nav system.Granted that my destination was fairly straight forward, it didn't provide any guidance on slight curves/turns while my car's GPS was providing guidance so I was a little disappointed.Some of the intersections I passed would have been confusing if I wasn't already familar with the area that I was testing.The 4370 seemed to assume that if the route was on the same street, there was no need to provide verbal guidance even at a fork in the road (for those in SF area, 19th ave and Junipero Serra right coming from hwy 280).
5) I tried deviating from the recommended route and it recalcuated very quickly and provided an alternate
6) Traffic seemed to work fine though don't expect it to be instantaneous when an accident just happens - will require some delay to get the accident reported.
7) Lane guidance seemed ok but the doesn't seem as visually appealing as Navigon on the iphone.
8) Love the fact that the unit will auto shut-off if you are using the car charger and turn off the engine.
9) Wished the car mount would fold flat so you can store it better and not worry about breaking it.
Overall, seemed to be decent unit and for the price is a good deal.Just wished the 4370 was more chatty and provided more directions/instructions as well as speak street names more vs turn left/right...
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Thought I'd provide some additional comments after taking a 4 day trip using the Magellan....
Things that I liked:
1) The auto night/color adjustment.It auto dims and changes to the night high contrast colors based on time of day as well as if it knows that you're on a route that take you through a tunnel.
2) Chiming before turns -subtle feature but it reinforces when you should turn
3) Maps are fairly up to date - worked perfectly even though my Accords nav maps had no idea how to get around in the small town of Copperopolis, CA.
4) Very quick recalculations of directions when needed
5) When it loses GPS signal it doesn't stop in its track like some other units or like the Navigon software on the iphone.It assumes your maintaining the same speed in the same direction until it acquires the GPS signal again - (ie when you lose line of sight when you go through a long tunnel)
6) Battery life is decent - if you decide not to plug it in.
7) Address entry is easy - love the fact that to get started you can just enter in the zip code, then the street address versus having to type in a state then long city name.The address book is a useful feature as well since it allows you to pre-enter all of the destinations of your upcoming trip.
Things I didn't like as much:
1) The unit froze up once on our 4 day trip.There was no indication/error except I realized the map and distance to the destination wasn't changing (was on a long stretch of back country roads so everything looked the same on the map)Had to power cycle it.Luckily this thing boots up fast and continues onto your current destination.It hasn't frozen up since but would have caused lots of trouble if there was an exit that was missed due to the freezing up.
2) Dual plug - USB power and 3MM traffic plug that you have to plug into the unit (though both are on the same cable) - would have been nice if they could have integrated it together so that all you have to fiddle with is a single plug.
3) Traffic - It comes with 3 free months - after that, it's $39.99 per year - haven't had the unit reroute that often due to traffic so not sure I'd renew this when my trial is over.My wife has also taken it on a couple of other trips to Baltimore & Atlanta without any issues and she loves it compared to the nav in her 01' TL.
After using it I'm upgrading my rating to 4 stars and with the price drop to $109 for the refurb unit, I'd highly recommend it and may pick up another one for a family member.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan Maestro 4370 4.3 Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished)
Product Description:
Effortless navigation! Get instant access to your favorite places, features, and points of interest with the Magellan Maestro 4370 OneTouch menu. Magellan's exclusive OneTouch interface puts your favorite routes, searches, and applications just a single touch away. Simply customize the menu to display the icons of the items you want easy access to - restaurants, banks, businesses, and so many more. Now with OneTouch, you'll have your favorites at your fingertips.
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