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     Sharcnetusa Username: Sharcnetusa Registered: 12-2008 |
 Manufacturer's Retail Price (2006): $1,076.00 USD The Nuvi 6xx was first introduced in 2006 and it is still going strong. There are millions of units still in service today, guiding travelers all over the world to their desired destinations. We're not going to get into all of the features of the 6xx, however as a repair facility, we are going to discuss why we think it is still a great GPS. Having repaired thousand's of 6xx's we've had the opportunity to see what commonly fails on the unit as compared to other failures that we have seen on other brands and models. THE PROS Powered Cradle: The Nuvi 6xx has a powered cradle. A powered cradle is far more superior than powering the unit with only a mini-USB port. Many of the newer models can only be charged with a mini-USB port. These ports can break easily. A powered cradle is designed for many connects and disconnects. The Nuvi can be quickly removed and stored away without the need of removing a power cord. The Nuvi 6xx also has a mini-USB port, which can be used for charging and communicating with a PC. Flip-Up GPS Receiver Assembly: The majority of units now manufactured have the receiving antenna mounted internally inside the case. While this makes things very compact, it can affect reception sensitivity because the antenna is physically located near metal objects within the unit. The Nuvi 6xx's antenna swings upward and away from the unit, giving it a clear and unobstructed view of the sky and away from any metal objects within the unit. External Antenna Port: In addition to the flip-up antenna, the Nuvi 6xx also provides an optional external antenna jack. The external antenna jack allows the GPS user to attach a pre-amplified magnetic antenna on top of a vehicle's roof, which will provide much better reception and a faster satellite lock than using the units standard antenna. Most units these days do not provide the capability of an external antenna jack. Simplified Internal Design: We've worked on a few Magellan Models and we can tell you that the Nuvi 6xx has a very clean internal design with only (1) printed circuit board. Some of the Magellan models that we have worked on contained more than one printed circuit board and look much more complicated, like something from NASA. Units with a simpler design are far more easier to repair. MP3 Player, Audible Books, Picture Viewer & Headphone Jack: The Nuvi 6xx has a built-in MP3 player, audible book player, picture viewer and headphone jack. Many of the newer models have dropped these features. We've received many emails from customers who would rather have their Nuvi 6xx repaired than buying a new unit because they don't want to lose these features with a newer unit. Map Detail: While newer models may claim to have larger screens, the Nuvi 6xx always provides a full screen of map detail. We've seen newer 5.0" models that only provide map detail that is equivalent to 3.5" screen models, while filling up the rest of the screen with unnecessary information. Map Updates: While the Nuvi 6xx line is no longer supported by the factory for out-of-warranty repair, new map releases will still work just fine on the Nuvi 6xx. So if you have a lifetime membership, your Nuvi 6xx can always be kept up-to-date with the latest maps. THE CONS As with any device, there are good and bad things about it. The Nuvi 6xx is no different. Power Switch Design: Like its Nuvi 3xx sister, the Nuvi 6xx also suffers from a poor power switch design. Applying too much pressure from your finger can actually break the power switch off of the printed circuit board. It is a problem that actually led us into the GPS repair business. However it is an easy problem to permanently fix. Touchscreen Failures: Yes, there has been an epidemic of touchscreen failures on the Nuvi 6xx. This is the result of a manufacturing defect by the touchscreen manufacturer and not the factory. This problem too can be easily corrected by replacing the defective touchscreen with one that does not have the manufacturing defect. Non-User Replaceable Battery: The internal battery was not originally designed to be replaced by the user. However it can be replaced without sending the unit back to the factory. There are many GPS brands and models that have batteries that were not designed to be replaced by the user. WHY WE BELIEVE THE NUVI 6xx IS STILL A GREAT GPS As we mentioned above, we have repaired thousands of Nuvi 6xx's. We've had the opportunity to observe what failures are common to the unit. The majority of the failures are easy to resolve. Once these problems are corrected, the Nuvi 6xx should provide many years of trouble-free service. Replacement parts are easy to locate and at a relatively low cost. The Nuvi 6xx is a die-hard GPS that we are sure will be around for years to come. Jim, President/Senior Engineer SHARCNET-USA (Message edited by admin on May 22, 2013) |