Garmin nuvi 265WT GPS Review

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Jeremy's Rating:

Garmin nuvi 265WT has been around since September of 2004. With its functionality, sleek design, and dependability, it’s pretty easy to see why it still remains as one of the top sellers in portable vehicle GPS category.

No doubt that car GPS devices enable drivers to drive more safely and reduce the instances of getting lost. But that is only the case if the GPS device is very accurate. It is important for car GPS devices to track the location as accurate as possible since it can cause problems if drivers rely on the device too much.

Garmin Nuvi devices are famous for their accuracy. In this review we will take a closer look at the features of nuvi 265WT compared to the higher-end models and the competing models.

Key Features

FM Traffic Receiver

The nuvi 265WT is actually an improvement to the budget 200 series with the most significant feature being the integrated FM traffic receiver.

This allows drivers to get alerts in real-time so if there is any traffic delays present in the area, the GPS device will calculate a detour so the conflict is avoided. All of this is done through Garmin nuvi’s simple interface and there is no obligatory subscription fee. Plus the service does not expire either which brings added value to this budget device.

Ads shown at the bottom in Traffic Menu

There is one small catch, however, with the free lifetime subscription to traffic reporting. You will see advertisement showing up at the bottom of the screen (see the picture on the left) when you access the traffic menu. Occasionally they pop up on the map view but the ads do not appear if you are in motion so they do not affect driving.

The traffic receiver is integrated into the power cable so to use this feature the nuvi 265WT must be connected to an external power source, not on battery. Also, you need to be in the range of an FM station that transmits the traffic information.

I actually found a video on YouTube that did a great job demonstrating traffic reporting on nuvi 265WT. I’ve included it below:

Hands-free Calling with Built-in Bluetooth

Another important feature that separates nuvi 265WT from other nuvi 200 models is the built-in Bluetooth technology that allows you to connect the 265WT with your mobile phone and use it as a hands-free device.

Bluetooth Hands-free Phone Menu

Simply pair up your phone with the nuvi and once a pair is established, drivers can make phone calls through the Garmin nuvi’s touchscreen display.

The phone book entries in your mobile phone is automatically imported into the nuvi which makes dialing easy. The built-in microphone allows hands-free conversations and the device supports answering of calls too so the phone is never touched while driving.

Another thing I really like about the hands-free feature on nuvi 265WT is that you can dial any Points Of Interest (store, restaurant, gas station, hospital, shopping mall, etc.) directly from the nuvi.

As an example, let’s say it’s late and you are out and looking for a nearest Chinese restaurant. You want to make sure they are still open. Just touch the “Points Of Interest” icon from nuvi 265WT’s main menu and search for a Chinese restaurant near you. Then touch “Dial” to make the call to the restaurant.

Where Am I gives you exact location and more

Where Am I

With nuvi’s “Where Am I?“, getting the precise coordinates is as simple as tapping on the screen so accurate details are listed. This is useful if you need to tell emergency personnel your exact location. It also gives you the nearest hospitals, police stations, and gas stations.

HotFix Gets nuvi 265WT Ready in Seconds

The HotFix satellite prediction adds to the accuracy by performing faster calculations. This means when you power on nuvi 265WT, rather than acquiring satellite from scratch, it uses the last known location as a starting point to calculate where you are now. By doing so it significantly shortens the time it takes to start navigating.

In my experience this works extremely well especially if I have not moved the GPS much since I last powered it down – the nuvi would only take a couple of seconds to start then it’s ready to go.

Other Useful Features

Many of the other core features that made the 200 series great are present in this model. The home screen looks similar with the "View Map" and "Where to?" present for beginners and experienced users to navigate with ease.

Users can view the map in 2-D or 3-D where the redraw rates are impressive for both views.

The proximity alerts are also handy when going through crowded areas such as school zones. These alerts will keep drivers notified so they can slow down or perform other actions.

The built-in text to speech feature also says the specific road or street name so drivers do not have to rely on the screen every time a turn is announced.

How Much Should You Expect to Pay?

The price for Garmin nuvi 265WT has come down significantly and it’s around $100 – $130 range on the market. The best price I have seen is on Amazon. Be sure to check the price here as it may have changed by the time you read this. Or compare prices from 75 different retailers.

What’s the Difference between 265W and 265WT?

You may see 265W mentioned somewhere and 265WT elsewhere. So what’s the difference between the two?

Actually, the device itself is nuvi 265W. But the package includes the FM Traffic Receiver (denoted by the “T”) so the box is labeled as 265WT.

Accessories

Portable Friction Mount

Available accessories for nuvi 265WT range from car kits, cables, to cases and covers. But there is one thing that I recommend you must get if you are buying the 265WT. And that’s the Portable Friction Mount.

The suction cup windshield mount that comes with the nuvi is really not a good mounting option in my opinion. It blocks your front view, makes the GPS hard to reach, and the power cable dangles high from the windshield is also unsightly. Also, if you use the nuvi on more than one car, moving the suction cup mount is a real pain.

The friction mount, on the other had, sits firmly on the dashboard. It has minimal obtrusion to the front view. You can easily take it from car to car. When you are leaving the car, you can easily remove it and hide it under the seat so thieves won’t even know a GPS might be in the car.

The pictures below show the side-by-side comparison of the two mounting options. Notice how the van in front of me was completely blocked with suction cup mount.

Comparing suction cup mount with friction mount

Bottom Line

With the price tag at around $115, Garmin nuvi 265WT strikes a good price/performance balance. It you need a reliable GPS with Bluetooth and Traffic Reporting but don’t want to pay the extra for the bells & whistles in the high-end models that you barely use, then the nuvi 265WT is the best choice on the market today.

What’s in The Box?

• nüvi 265W
• FM traffic receiver with vehicle power cable (indicated by “T” after model number on the box)
• Vehicle suction cup mount
• USB cable
• Quick start manual

What about Map Updates?

The Garmin nuvi 265WT comes with nuMap Guarantee. You get one free update but you need to register your nuvi within 60 days to get this benefit.

Other options to update maps include a one-time update option for $49.99 and a lifetime option for $89.99.

Where Can You Buy Garmin nuvi 265WT?

You will find the best price at Amazon.com. The shipping is free so that’s a saving of another $10. Not only that, you will get the best customer service available. In case you need to return an item, it is extremely easy with Amazon and in most cases they will even pick up return shipping cost.

Click here to check the latest price at Amazon.

Specifications