Magellan Maestro 4250 - 4.3" GPS w/ Pre-loaded Maps, Text to Speech, and Bluetooth - Refurbished - 980-0019-R01 - Refurbished

My sister ownes the 4250 for over a year and we easily see why every driver should have one. It will always get you to your destination even if detoured. recently i ordered the 5310 but returned it a day later after i learned the best feature that was in the 4250 has been removed and that is voice recognition. Why they would not include this in every model from the 4250 on is just insane and makes using them more dangerous so I'm ordering the 4250 for myself. If you want to know what it's all about just go to Magellan web site and pick the 4250 unit and click on voice commands, there is a video that will explain why it's so important. Don't worry about buying a referb, my sister did and it has always been fine and if your a AAA subscriber they will existent the warranty. This is something new, they will give you a free map upgrade if you register and call within the first 30 days just look at the left of the screen for the words "magellan 30 day map guarantee" even on refurbished models. This is an excellent unit and one worth buying!
 
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Pros: Low price, ease of handle, user-friendly interface. Cons: Voice control not working all the time, battery easily dies out without daily use, out-of-date map. To sum up, not a bad product at all with the low price.
 
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I am no GPS afficionado. It did what it did to my satisfaction. There are many features I hadn't even bothered to try out. What i don't like is the fact that if anything happens to any Magellan unit outside the warranty, the ONLY option is to buy a replacement unit. There is ZERO support, and we are each only a heartbeat away from a software glitch. I mean if you hold the power switch too long; or, if you upgrade the firmware; or, God forbid, you toss it in your glove box while the moon is full, you might wind up with a very nice, shiny, hi-tec paperweight. I have one now. Very nice indeed.
 
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Couldn't discern this refurb from new product. Came with same accessories as new product and up-to-date maps. Performance of unit is excellent - routing is well done, finds location quickly and recalculates quickly when necessary. Speech-to-text could use some improvement, but is adequate.
 
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Initially the unit seemed to work fine out of the box. I tried some local trips but it did not yield the best or shortest route. It did better on longer trips. The voice commands did not work very well-even when the car was stopped and radio off. The adjustable mount is steady but very bulky and not easy to use. The cables attach to the unit at an awkward place and angle. The maps shift in a jerky fashion as you travel. After about 3 weeks the unit froze up and could not be reset. It has been sent back. Perhaps this is why they have so many "refurbished" unit to sell!
 
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I purchased two of these... both came with version 31 maps. The latest available. Updated the firmware and the AAA Tour Book. I also purchased the earlier version from here also refurb. These units are factory perfect. Thanks Buy.com JM
 
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Aside from the unit having to be sent back for warranty work within 1/2 of receiving. I received another unit 10 days later. This unit is awesome. It is easy to use nice display and voice recognition all work fantastic. The AAA maps work great and the POI's are easy to use. I would recommend this GPS unit to all my friends. I am very happy with the warranty process and fast service from Magellan. The customer service rep was friendly and helpful. If you are looking for a fantastic deal on a fabulous product. Check out Buy. com for Magellan.
 
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the overall of this is great, easdy to use, the one thing that i don't care for is that you can't put in for the shortest distance, when it is very far off. we are going from ohio to myrtle beach, and it tells me that option is not avaliable the miles are beyond 300 miles, for me to use fastest time or most use of freeways. but overall a graet unit. looks new it even has a house charger included. our other magellan 3100 didn't come with one and it was bought new. but i have't had to do anything but charge the battery.
 
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I have owned this product for approximately one month now. I waited to write this review until I put it through a good test. I recently traveled to North Carolina, (the feared Mountains, where you are told not to use GPS) and I tell you it worked pretty well. Yes there is some roads that are not in the map because they are not recognized city roads, but overall it got me there, it took me around, and we were always able to return to our starting point. Of course nothing is perfect and you have to use some common sense and your own knowledge. POIs are not perfect but good enough. I have to mention this, I never lost the satellite signal while travelling in between 3000 feet high mountains. Overall a good buy, I am very happy.
 
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The product is great, it looks brand new and every accessory I need comes in the box. The free shipment was a bonus and it only took me a few days to get it. So far I have not had any problem with it. So I say that this is a great buy.
 
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Did a lot of research to find a good value for the price. Read a lot of reviews. I settled on this unit. Bought one for my wife to use. When I received it (fast shipping) it was cosmetically perfect. All accessories were included. Maps loaded are the latest so no updates needed. There is a new version of the firmware available so I downloaded that and updated the unit. Simple process. Excellent reception, even indoors where older units could not find a signal. It is very easy to set up, make changes and use. In use it has been very accurate and gives excellent directions, very ample warning about turns and such. I was impressed enough that I bought another for myself. I highly recommend this GPS. And as I said I did a lot of research, great value for the price.
 
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After initially trying a TomTom GPS that my husband had, I was able to make a more informed decision on this particular item. I love how easy it is to navigate through each section, depending on my needs, and absolutely love the text to talk feature, which was the complete selling point for me. The first one we had didn't do that, so this is great! I also like instructions that are easy to comprehend, and that is another reason why I love this item. There is nothing to dislike about this GPS and it even comes with a cute little case to hold it in!
 
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I am using this refurbished GPS and so far, i have not seen any issues. Especially there are no connecting to satellite issues which is a common problem in Garmin GPS. I am really enjoying this product.
 
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This is my first GPS unit. I don't have a point of reference, but this unit at this price is awesome. I carried it to work and a coworker bought one the same day. The product was just like new, the only thing I had to do was update the firmware(free fom Magellan). Even the map version was current.
 
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The reason I am not giving it a rating of 5 across the board is It did not work right when I received it. I contacted magellan and sent it back to them and it was fixed right away.So now I can say I am very happy with my GPS,it is replacing a TOM TOM.I like the large screen,bluetooth,and AAA.Also can not go wrong for the price.I also like the fact the it tells you street names and just turn right in 300 feet.Overall now its a 5.
 
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I'm always reading other buyers reviews and want to thank all of you that participate in helping me make informed purchases. So heres my contribution...This unit for this price is awesome. It looks new, works great. It may not be the leading GPS but you get great value for your money. I ordered on Friday and recieved it on Monday. I was however somewhat dissapointed that it came with the incorrect mount and no cradle. I called Magellan support and was quickly notified that one was on its way. With a little patience on my part this has been an overall good buying experience.
 
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Works as advertised. I have an older model like it and wouldn't travel without one of them. Great buy. I recommend it.
 
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Everything works as expressed in the description. The only thing I wish was for the Bluetooth volume level to be louder. With road noise, the directions are loud, but while using the Bluetooth, you need to be parked on the road side. I'm sure that is not enough of a reason to knock it down. It came with the most updated maps available from Magellan too. It is a great, low cost, convenient device. I would recommend the Magellan Maestro 4250.
 
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I have built-in gps systems in my 07 Honda motorcycle & in my 07 Honda Accord. This unit performs better and is much easier to set and operate. I would purchase another one, and would recommend the Magellan 4250 to anyone.
 
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This is my first GPS, so I cant compare this product against any other. But, I can say that I am delighted with it! We bought it for a 1000 mile roadtrip to Florida, an it performed flawlessly. The spoken directions were clear and the mapping was perfect. I coupled it with my cellphone through the bluetooth feature, making it easy to call points of interest along the way (hotels, restaurants, etc.). The mounting system is rock-solid, and adjusted to fit my car perfectly. Although refirbished, it arrived as if it were new. Worked perfectly out of the box. I love this thing!
 
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Bought refirbed item for Xmas. Worked great right out of the box. Love the large screen and the moving map. Good gives nice advance warning of turns and when you reach the destination area. Bad is data entry can be tedious since no way to turn on "qwerty" keyboard. Also don't like how you can be in points of interest and can't quickly get back to the map. Battery has held up nicely and easily handles my day trips for work.
 
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This is an excellent GPS. The only complaint that I have is when making phone call, the volume is very small. People can hear you very well even if you speak softly; however, the other person on the other end can also hear his/her voice too, which can be annoying.
 
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I just received mine a week ago and I am very pleased. Simple to use. Please make sure to read the instructions. Had a little scratch but I don't mind. If you want it perfect, go buy a new one; not refurbished! One last thing: ship quickly. Mine took 2 days.( no extra fees)
 
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The new magellin 4250 is a package of perfection. If I could only remember where I left it,I might find a way out of the dellema that I'm in.
 
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When I first received this GPS Maestro..it worked for 2 days then went out. Stuck on a screen until the battery wore out. Then I actually read the directions and went to the website and downloaded something from the computer and WHA LA! It works like a charm. Not perfect...but as much driving as I do (service appointments in strange cities and small towns) I really love this! And the price was RIGHT -ON! I would recommend the Maestro to ANYONE! My new best friend (when driving alone!) ha haaa
 
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No complaints, been using this device for two weeks and it works like a charm. Great value, I'm happy!
 
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I have owned 2 Magellans but stolen by thieves. I was excited to find this one on Buy.com and the free shipping made that much more a great deal for the money. A word of warning..... Follow the instructions when updated the maps or firmware, although I have never had a problem, I brought and received the 2008-2009 map update and ran the disk. At the end of the 45 minutes I received an error message that the unit needed to be re-set (instruction in performing a hard reset are NOT included in the manual) and rerun the disk. No problem I thought, it was then as I ran the disk that both Firefox and McAfee decided to perform their product updates which cause the 4250 to becoming a paperweight thus corrupting the hard drive of the unit. So perform this update in safe mode. The horror stories of dealing with customer service was adverted, as it was the weekend and their website stated that they were closed, so I wrote my issues via their web form. Amazingly they answered with hours and I had an RA number to ship the unit back. So I guess that writing is easier that a phone call. As of this writing the unit is en route back to me, and supposedly they performed all the necessary updates, including the 2008-2009 Map update as they knew that I had paid for it. Prior to the unit going down I was able to use it and found that it was like all the Magellans i have owned and enjoyed. The voice recognition worked easier that I have seen written in other posts. I have only used it on short city trips and also used that tourbook feature (if you are a AAA member).
 
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This GPS was easy to set up right from the box. Announces street names which is more helpful than just announcing a turn. We bought this for my in-laws and I believe they are finding it helpful. You can build an address book for navigation as well as for cell phoning. The blue tooth connection through your phone allows you to use the GPS unit as a hands free device and you can dial the numbers from your GPS address book once it is configured. Pretty neat, but I'm not sure how applicable it is for most.
 
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Unless you want to spend close to $250 to get a GPS with all the bells and whistles that this one has, then go ahead. Yeah, this is a refurb but I got it for $119 and it has so many cool features that you wouldn't get on a budget GPS. Three month warranty that you can extend an extra year if you have AAA. All in all, a pretty good machine and it does what I need it do do plus a bit more. Accurate and fairly easy to use. I say it is a great bang for the buck!
 
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The first one we got had a damaged screen so just got a return number and sent it back and buy sent out another one. We have played with it and really like it. Upgraded the software, maps and AAA stuff and everything works like a charm. Yes it does confused it's right from left if you don't follow it's instructions to the letter but it will always bring you to your destination. Maybe not the fastest or best way but you will never get lost. Device works great and the features make it worth having and at $129 it's a steal.
 
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Great unit... Worked right out of the box. Took it on a trip and worked great. The only thing that bugged me is that when I went to upgrade the firmware and the maps I was told that the map upgrade was not included due to it being a refurb. Usually on any GPS I have bought I get the first map update free. Not with this one...
 
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Very pleased with this purchase. The gps is very easy to use, and was a great buy.
 
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Price can't be beat. Refurb indistinguishable from brand new. Ordered on a Monday, using it on Friday. Download of firmware update crashed a couple of times before it loaded but not the gps's fault. Voice command sometimes doesn't work as expected because of road or wind noise. My Palm Treo 650 is not on the approved list of compatible phones but it works OK with the unit. I previously had a Magellan Roadmate 800 which I paid 250 for, this one has a lot more points of interst, better organized and only cost 119 at Buy.com. An example of the organization of POI's is when you select golf, it lets you choose between courses and driving ranges when you search. I had planned on putting the Roadmate in my truck and using the new 4250 in my car but the 4250 is so much better than the old one, I may just buy another or at least move it from vehicle to vehicle. It is simply unbelievable that you can get a gps with this many features at this price. You should read the owners manual before using for some of the advanced features, but the unit is so easy to use it can be used for the basic navigation prior to reading the manual. Really, for 119, how could you go wrong.
 
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when i use i have to push power button hardly for 5 to 8 sec. besides that it is good device. i also enjoyed BT.
 
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The Magellan works very well and is easy to use. It came with everything you need and at a great price. Very satisfied. Battery seems to last a long time.
 
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Happy with everything that this GPS has to offer. Great value for my money. Wishlist for Magellan and other GPS companies: 1. Make the GPS unit connect to the internet through an USB wireless card 2. Make the screens bigger, 7'' minimum 3. Supply audio connection jacks for integration to in-dash sound systems 4. Provide a remote control
 
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I received this GPS in record time,Packed well. So far It's done everything that it said it would in the manual.Great performance. I would recommend to a friend. Excellent GPS.
 
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No problems at all. Had to update firmware to current release. Finds satellites within 20 seconds or less. Easy to use.
 
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Bluetooth works great. Speakers is a little scratchy but works just fine. I will say if you speak in a normal voice toent the other party hears you just fine... The GPS works nice. Like all GPS if you are not sure where you are going, it will take you in a round about way, mostly to quicker running roads so to get you there in a faster time. When in fact you already know how to get there another way in a shorter time. When you reach your destination ti will ask to speak another direction or you can enter it in yourself. You have to have your destination pre entered but still overall nice when all you need to say is "office" or "home". I like it for my real estate business when I do my running I can easily re route to another place if I pre enter my destinations. The graphics are nice especially the split screen when you are approaching an exit or a turn. Something the lesser cost Garmin or TOM TOM does not have. I have a TOM TOM 125 and paid $125 and Magellean unit is definitely a better unit. The Larger screen is a world of difference too as opposed to the 3.5" screen. Just another note... I bought a refurbished unit. figured if it was repaired to brandnew I'd be OK, so far nothing. I've only owned the unit or used for about 3 weeks but the features and the price I paid is working for me perfectly. I was skeptical at first about the refurbished unit, but works great so far!
 
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We got this for our daughter who is directionally challenged. She absolutlely loves it! Maps are easy to read and voice directions are easy to follow. If a turn is missed directions are given to get her back on track. She can even ask where the nearest coffee shop is and get directions.
 
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This is my second Magellan GPS. I'm very pleased with their products. This screen is particularly nice.
 
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Bought refurbished, and its like new! No Complaints there. I haven't upgraded SW or Maps. Review of some features: Like: Decently fast in route computation. Mounting with suction in box works fine. Voice for Directions: Clear and loud. POI: Very Good AAA tourbook: Very Good. Don't Like: Voice command: Can't figure this out without reading manual. Really?! Bluetooth: No problems connecting to blackberry, but the audio from the built-in speakers are just too low. The normal directional voice is quite loud. I don't see myself using the feature much. Maybe I should have got the FM transmitter. Routing: -It gets a little confused on dense interchanges and kicks off the route recomputation too quickly, but it also recovers quickly. -Its idea of mostly use highways/interstates is a little wonky. Routing in the Boston area has had mixed results, but definitely gets you there eventually. Conclusion: For about $100, it's a pretty good deal. I didn't find any problems which make me regret my choice.
 
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Refurbish disadvantage 3months warranty and no updated map. Dell offer same warranty for their refurbish PC as New PC. Should offer at least either same warranty or updated map for refurbish GPS. Everything else is satisfactory and value for money.
 
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We bought this for a trip to Florida- it was worth every penny! When we left we encountered an ice storm, and the Magellean was able to re-route the trip in seconds so that we could avoid traffic. The voice is very clear- the system is easy to use- we used it right out of the box, didn't take long to figure out how to use it.
 
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Been wanting a GPS and this looked like a good one to try for the price. Haven't used it except in our area, just to check it out. One thing I question is the fact that it started out in color, but once we got on the interstate, screen changed to black & white. Don't know if it is supposed to do that but all other features continued to work fine. Next time I turned it on; color again. Who knows? I didn't call the company about it. Bluetooth connected easily to my cellphone, and I will probably use that feature some of the time. Also, I like the screen size. The maps are current as of March 07, so didn't feel it was worth the money to have it upgraded, but did do the free firmware upgrade. So far I am happy with the purchase.
 
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I have been using this for about two weeks so far and works good. I live in the Philadelphia area and use it mostly for real estate. Clear and precise directions and nice split screen feature that tells you in advance and displays what direction you will be turning. I have had only one situation where it took me to a wrong address and that was because it was a new development. One great positive is the battery last long, have used it two days in a row without a vehicle power adapter. Bluetooth is not easy to setup. Even if you have to upgrade the new maps for $80.00 it is still a bargain and a nice GPS with good features.
 
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Start out with a great price, deduct $30 for opening a Buy.com credit card account, and you end up with a $400 Magellan for a little less than $89. Add to that it's simple to navigate and use, and the graphics are more than satisfactory, and I can't see how you can go wrong with this deal. It came loaded with a 2007 map, but a 2008-2009 map would have been nice.
 
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This unit works well, but refurbished? Is the hassel worth the savings? The problem I am having is that there are marks like finger prints on the screen which will not go away or are removeable. Also when entering a name or address the letters need to be be pushed a second or third time!!
 
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This is my third GPS so I've had a chance to try others. This by far is the easiest and friendliest I've seen. The ability to look for a coffee shop by just "asking" is great. To change from fastest to shortest without having to touch the GPS wonderful. Also with the annual so far updates of information most accurate for what's stores and food places are still available.
 
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The voice command separates this system from its rivials. The screen is large and the options/protocols are easy to learn. I am happy with the Magellan line. I bought three systems recently for Christmas presents and the receipents are pleased with their results as well. I wish the map could be updated for a smaller fee. The cost is excessive relative to the purchase price of the system. I believe the maps are 2-years old which works for me. The only exception is finding a restrauant as some of these Mom & Pops go out of business rather frequently so call ahead and confirm their location.
 
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bad quality, probably because refurbished
 
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