Magellan Maestro 3100 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

I bought this unit new from a vendor through amazon. after seven months, its quit operating saying battery critically low... i went through on the hoops, resetting the unit and even installing a new battery and it continues to be un-usable with this error message. For the amount of money paid for the new unit, it is just unacceptable. I really like the ease of use and features better than other models out there that i have tried, tom-tom, etc. However when quality and reliability is so very poor, its just not worth the money.

I received it look great all the pieces worked but the charger so went and purchased a new charger ta find out that there was a short in the A/C port but it works great on batteries and I'll git around ta fixing the Short l8r
and it was about 3 days late

This was my third magellan. I had two Roadmate units. They both died. They both had the annoying habit of overheating in summer and, consequently, getting slower and slower and slower and....then stopping entirely. And then they just stopped working altogether. So I wasn't holding out much hope for the maestro when it showed up. Same basic design and maps - some interface updates, but clearly the same unit reworked and repackaged. But: it wasn't. The overheating problem has been pretty much solved. It's done it once in the last 18 months, on a 100 degree day - can hardly complain about that. Given that, I think it's outstanding value. The maps are great (in the midwest - I took it to the west coast and it sucked somewhat), the reaction time is very fast, the route selection is usually pretty good (and better than Garmin's laughable choices), and it has the unique feature (I think) at this price point of allowing you to build routes in a separate folder: extremely useful if you're making deliveries or need to get around a selection of places (real estate agent, anyone?). The interface is easy to understand and, IMO, a lot faster to find places than any other brand given the way they've structured it: use the "zip, downwards" option for finding places. Warning times are usually good, and the directional instructions it uses suit me very well. Downsides: The manual on-off button stopped working after 6 months. The unit has had four little "incident" so far where it simply stops working and re-sets itself, losing all your stored data. (Gotta back up to SD card!) the maps will never be updated, and Magellan's customer service and support is truly awful. If you do have a problem then you may as well just buy another unit, because Magellan won't be any help.

On balance, and bearing in mind the price, I think it's a great "disposable" GPS that you should expect to last 18-36 months.

I have only had the 3100 for one year with infrequent use. Now it will not start up even though it is getting power. I checked the Magellan site and they state that they only service units under warranty. This one is abount 30 days beyond the 1 yr warranty. They suggest that you buy a new one after one year which I will do, but it will not be a Magellan product.

The product is great for it's value. I owned one for two years with minor problems: it doesn't get a good reception in downtown Pittsburgh due to skyscrapers and narrow streets. There are couple of dead zones on the highway, but gets resolved really soon. It is easy to operate and store. Has plenty of points of interest.
Buy and enjoy!

This is a Christmas gift for my dad so I have not opened it yet. But I bought it based on recommendation so I am confident that it stands up to what it is supposed to be.

I had used the Magellan Maestro 3100 my sister has and was impressed with the unit. I needed a GPS unit and stupidly bought a Tom Tom unit because of the price. What a big mistake! I am real happy I bought this unit to replace the Tom Tom unit. Buy this GPS!

Great GPS for any one, very simple to use. I liked all the features that came with it. Ken

This is the smaller screen but I have never had a problem viewing it. For the price this is the best deal out there; I was able to get two for the family instead of one more expensive one. I also have left it in the car through summer and New England winter (probably shouldn't) and it has been working great for over 2 years. There are others out there with more features, but this is the best deal for a no-kidding GPS that will get you from point A to B.

this product is great, it took a few minutes to get it up and going. ive not have had a problem yet with it. it has taken me everywhere i want to go with ease.

My Magellan Maestro died about a month ago and I needed to go on a long trip out of state. I saw that this one was a whole lot cheaper but still the same brand so I went ahead and bought it. BIG MISTAKE. This model is much more cheaply made than my last and was completely unacceptable. Let me see if I can remember everything that was wrong with it.

1) The processor is w a y t o o s l o w. It seriously took 2 minutes to enter an address in (which is not good while driving). And then, it would frequently freeze up while on the route, making me miss turns. What use is the thing if it can't tell me when to turn right?

2) To update the software you have to have it plugged into the usb port of your computer to allow the data transfer, but it doesn't provide power. For that you have to have it plugged into your cigarette lighter. Yes, in the car. So the first time I tried charging it completely in the car and then brought it in to my computer to update. The thing ran out of power before the update finished. So the second time I brought my laptop out to the car so the gps could be plugged in. After like 8 hours the update finished, but by then it had drained the battery in my car.

3) The suction cup didn't stick. It had a hole in it or something. That was just annoying.

4) The trip calculator sucked. On the way home on my trip it calculated me a 24 hour route (going through a different state!) for what was really a 9 hour route. No, it was set on "fastest time," I checked.

5) This model did not have "previous addresses" like my old one. That caused me some problems in my business.

6) The car adapter was much more cheaply made than my old model. I don't know if this was a coincidence but a few days after getting this piece of crap my car wouldn't turn on and the battery and alternator had to be replaced. The battery light still hasn't gone off again. I guess the gps might not have been the cause of this, but I must admit I highly suspect it.

So of course I recommend you avoid buying this piece of crap. It actually makes driving harder. I think Magellan ought to recall and destroy all of this model before it causes some serious accidents.

I gave this to my son and he's very happy with it, so I am too.

bought to drive cross country, opened, started up, updated map ---- froze. never unfroze. seeing as i didnt have time to send it to the manufacturer we went out and bought a TOMTOM on sale - which was the same price, easier to use, and NEVER FROZE. ever.

I got this for my stepdad who is in his 70s. He is not what you would call a gadget guy. It is perfect for him because it is very simple to use. What some might call a lack of features is a actually a plus for him. I helped him get started with it and he quickly mastered switching between the screens, entering addresses to navigate to, using the points of interest feature (very handy when traveling in unfamiliar areas to find gas, lunch, hotels, etc), and the current location feature (which gives your exact location in latitude and longitude, as well as relative location to cross streets and intersections. This really gives him peace of mind in case he needed to dial for help while traveling. My $200 Garmin does not even have this feature! I love it!). He is currently using it on a trip from Mississippi to Niagra Falls!

Not the most feature-packed GPS on the market, but for basic navigation and finding local points of interest (not to mention the current location feature), it is a great value for the price - less than $70 when I ordered. One ding on its review was the map update - you have to pay to update the maps on it. No big deal if you're keeping to Interstates, but for areas with recent road construction you want the newest maps.

I STARTED USING THIS UNIT RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX AND UP UNTIL NOW IT HAS WORKED PERFECTLY. IT IS VERY EASY TO USE, HAS A FINE USER FRIENDLY SOFTWARE, RE-ROUTES BY ITSELF AND HAS A VERY CLEAR DISPLAY AND IS PERFECTLY AUDIBLE AS WELL. ALSO THE SELLER PROVIDED ALL THE NEEDED ACCESORIES INCLUDING BOTH CAR AND HOUSE CHARGERS AND A HANDY POUCH AS WELL. I WOULD RECOMEND IT TO ANYONE LOOKING FOR AN AFFORDABLE AND DEPENDABLE GPS. A GREAT VALUE AND A GREAT BUY!

This Magellan is easy to use and has nice features, but very inacurate and one of the most expensive and complicated units to update I've ever had. Definitely will go back to Garmin.

The Magellan Maestro 3100 is truly a master in navigation. Previously, we had owned a Navigon that got dropped and broke. After using the new Magellan, we almost wished the Navigon had broken sooner. The ease of use, clarity and affordability make this GPS one of the finest on the market. Definitely, in this case, size does NOT matter--the sound is as clear as the visual image and both make it very easy to follow accurate directions.

This gps works very well. My only problem is that the serial number was taken off so I can't register it with Magellan and get updated maps.

The internal battery of my Magellan 3100 died after only 18 months without being exposed to extreme heat or cold. Emails to Magellan were not answered.

I gave this navigator to my boyfriend as a gift. We used it today and found it to be fun, accurate and easy to use. It has the ability to store and save destination information. I liked that. Good buy.

OVERALL THIS IS A GREAT BUDGET FRIENDLY GPS. I HAD MINE FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF. AFTER BEING DROPPED ABOUT 50 TIMES, MY CHARGER INPUT COMPLETELY BROKE OFF INSIDE THE UNIT. MY WARRANTY WAS UP, SO IT IS JUST A GPS SHELL NOW. THE OS IS NICE BECAUSE YOU CAN INPUT ZIP CODES UNLIKE THE COMPARABLE GARMIN. MAP MAY NEED SOME UPDATING, AND THERE IS NO TEXT TO SPEECH, BUT IT WAS STILL FUNCTIONAL FOR IT'S PURPOSE.

This is a fantastic product, I would definitley buy another one if anything ever happened to this one. It came nicely packaged and is very easy to operate.

The first 2 GPS units had small issues, but the seller was prompt in responding and we have one that works well now.

I purchased a Magellan 3100 18 months ago. I have had it repaired twice and working on the third time. Customer Support very poor at best. Unit is very unreliable.

MJK

All I can say is I love this product! I bought it for an incredibliy low price considering everything I got. They were quick getting it to me and I have been using it since. It is so easy to use and it doesnt constantly bother you with messages but gives you enough heads up which is very effective. I love it and have recommended this model and where I got it from to my family and friends. It's Awesome.

This is a terrible product mainly due to the power connector I've had this unit less than a year and it already can't be charged without constantly messing with the power connector. It died on me in the city today and I had a very hard time getting home as a result of this. When the unit worked it was great but the build quality is dismal.

Read my lips: DO NOT BUY THIS UNIT!

I have only used the Maestro 3100 maybe 5 times. It is now broken.

Here's the deal: It has a built-in rechargeable battery, so you can use it portably. But guess what! Once that battery fails to hold any charge whatsoever, the whole unit won't work! It will not turn on for more than 5 seconds, then goes into standby.

You know when I decided to buy this GPS, I wasn't going to go hiking, I just want it to sit on my dashboard of my car and use it while being plugged in. I could give a rats a_ss about using it outdoors.

My unit hasn't been working for well over 5 months, the unit is 13 months old. Unfortunately my unit is out of warranty by 1 month and their tech support would only sell me another new or used unit at a discount.

PLEASE TAKE IT FROM MY BAD EXPERIENCE: DONT BUY ANY MAGELLAN PRODUCT EVER!!!!!

I heard Garmins are the way to go.

If this review prevents one customer from throwing their money away on buying a Magellan product, then the 5 minutes I spent writing this review was well worth it.

Moved to Minnesota and with all the changes of the roads up here, it is safe to say that it has saved us many gallons of gas and hours of time! easy to mount and read with a pleasant voice. an excellant buy that is easy to recommend to friends!

I bought this unit a year ago, and it did decently. However, it tended to recommend routes that really didn't make sense at times. After my son's recent usage to navigate home from his honeymoon destination he complained that it needed updating. Soooooo, armed with access to the Magellan web site I set out to update my unit. There are two updates available: a free download to update the firmware, add points of interest (POIs) and add Hawaii and Puerto Rico maps. There's also updated North American maps available for a cost of $79.99 ($67.99 for AAA members).

Here's where the fun began. First--the free update only works with Windows XP (according to Magellan's web site). I'm running XP, so no problem. And, it's massive (over 900 MB) takes a long time to download even with fast DSL, dialup--FUGGEDABOUTIT!!!

I connected the unit with the USB cable and the fun began. The added hardware wizard in XP never seemed to run quite properly. Made it seem like I had two new drives hooked to the computer. Onward, I slogged.

When I started the update program (which I had previously unzipped) it then started to uzip itself even more. SHEESH

It hit the POI update file (a monstrous 898MB) and took 20+ minutes to upzip it.

I then got several error messages that stopped the whole update process.

Oh, it also erased the unit's firmware. I now had a big fat paperweight.

A quick Google search found several sites warning folks about doing this update.

Luckily, I stumbled across a site with instructions on how to manually update the unit. Three hours from when I started I finally had an updated unit.

I can hardly wait until the map update arrives!!!! More to come---

i bought this unit it was fine at first but in some areas it looked like i was in the middle of a field, so i bought the new maps try to load them and guess what, it locked up so i sent it back to megellan and i had to pay shipping one way but they gave me new one, but once again tried to load the maps and again it locked up again so i called again ,payed to have it shipped again but here i sit waiting for it to return maybe this time with the new maps put in for me, but something tells me that that may never happen so be careful when buying these units it may or may not work for you Magellan Maestro 3100 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

I purchased this GPS for my fiance last Christmas. Living near Boston poses its directional challenges (Big Dig, anyone?), but to add to that, I sometimes think the boy might have trouble finding his way out of a paper bag. I tend to have a better sense of direction, but even so, a GPS is one of those things that you never really realize how much you would need it or rely on it until you have one.

It was a great price, and it was perfect - just a GPS that gets you from point A to point B, with voice commands and a touch screen. No camera or phone or any other crazy contraption imbedded in it to make it more complicated or unnecessarily expensive. It tends to have trouble with city streets because buildings block the signal, but overall we've both been really happy with it. I snag it when I can if I need to go somewhere new. It was the best gift he didn't even realize he wanted!

This product has been helpful on several occasions already. I tried it around town first to make sure it knew the best/quickest ways to get around and it passed with flying colors. It's built in avoid system is very nice for when you're low on cash and can't afford tolls. Very easy to use right out of the box. Screen is large enough to view from the farthest point on your windshield. The change from light to dark streets at night is an amazing feature, it tones down the brightness so your not binded everytime you look at it while driving down those dark streets. The sound quality is good, however if your like me and like listening to fairly loud music, you might need to check the screen more often to make sure you dont miss a turn. If you do miss a turn the GPS quickly gets you back on track the easiest way it can. I have taken it on long and short trips and hasn't let me down yet. This is a Great buy!! I'm now getting two more for my parents.

DO NOT PURCHASE THIS UNIT !!!!! I WAS TOLD I WOULD RECEIVE 1 FREE UPDATE WHEN I PURCHASED IT !! WHEN THE UPDATE CAME OUT THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ME $80. I E-MAILED THEM AND TRIED TO EXPLAIN WHAT I WAS TOLD AND THEY REFUSED TO HONOR THE UPGRADE. THE POINTS OF INTEREST ARE VERY LIMITED. MY WIFE HAS A GARMIN AND IT IS GREAT!!! 6MILLION POINTS OF INTERESTS AND 1 FREE UPDATE. I TELL EVERYBODY TO STAY AWAY FROM THEM AND BUY A GARMIN. THE ONLY REASON I PURCHASED IT WAS THE FREE UPDATE. THE MAPS ARE 2006 AND IT WAS A GOOD PRICE. i WILL NEVER BUY A MAGELLAN AGAIN!!!!

GREAT INEXPENSIVE GPS FOR GRANDSON THAT COULDN'T FIND HIS WAY TO COLLEGE AND BACK EVERY DAY IF THERE WAS A DETOUR, WRONG PARKING GARAGE, ETC.!WELL WORTH THE MONEY, SIMPLE TO USE,SEEMS VERY DEPENDABLE AFTER FIRST 2 MONTHS! EVEN WORKED FOR THE OLD FOLKS THAT BORROWED IT ONCE.

Received this in a timely manner from Tiger Direct thru Amazon.com... I liked the unit, it had all of the basic features that I needed but... after a 2 week trial I found that the volume just wasn't loud enough. With the windows open or the radio on at a comfortable volume, I just couldn't make out the audio instructions that the unit spouted, even at it's highest volume setting... Nice unit, but I returned it...

Works fine, reliable just would like to see an enhanced database but works great as a basic unit.

In general the product has excellent features considering its price making it in my opinion an excellent value. There is one anomaly which is bothersome however. At the final destination the unit frequently will inform you the destination is to the right when in reality the destination is to the left, the same being true for the other opposite final destination.

I recently purchased mine. So far, very simple to use. I look forward to sitting down and going thru all the options.

I purchased this item for my daughter for her birthday because I already had one. It's convenient and for the price, it has great features. I love it!!

The best "Bang for the Buck" No Bluetooth, No MP3 Player, No loading pictures....Just a great basic GPS for your travels. The 3100 comes with a fewer number of Points of Interest than other comparable GPS units. But, you can go to the Magellan website and download or they will send you a disk for $4.95. This upgrade will give you nearly 3 times the POI.

The only "Issue" I have is that my large finger don't always "fit" some of the selection boxes on the screen. I have found it much easier to use a PDA stylus or ball point pen with the tip retracted for making selections on the touch screen.

This unit has met all of my expections for a auto navigation system.

I Purchased the Maestro 3100 in July 2008, and put it to use right away. It was great, right out of the box...simple to use, and responsive.

Two things could be improved...the volume (maxed out) is very difficult to hear over the radio (turned low), and also, someone having a phone conversation in your vehicle.

The display colors could be more vibrant...they get washed out in sunlight...but, for the price ($129.00), it is a very good buy, and gets the job done.

Gerald J. Cifaldi

WOW. You can get this GPS for a song and it has everything you need to get going right out of the box. It might not have some of the features that some of the other higher priced units have but I like to use my other devices for phone and mp3 playing anyway. Text to speech is also not on this device but not needed at all. A chime rings when you need to turn, plus it gives you plenty of warning.

Only thing I would change is the low number of POI's. Other than that. This is a great little unit.

I bought this late in 2007 to help me from getting lost in Fairfax County VA. Since then, I've moved to Florida, and it's just as useful here. BUT YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE MECHANICAL LADY. She is almost always right. I was lost one night trying to find a body shop that I'd been to several times during the day. The Magellan kept telling me to make unfamiliar turns and I was sure it was taking me on a wild goose chase. Nope, almost at the point where I was sure the thing was wrong, it said, "you have reached your destination," and there was the body shop!

I lent the unit to a German-born retired Florida Sheriff's Deputy. He was slightly confused on how to get from my home to his late at night. So I pulled the Magellan off the windshield of my car, and then thought to myself, "this isn't going to work because Johann will never obey the lady: he's a cop and a German to boot (and they never obey anyone.)"

So I told Johann to do whatever the lady said, even if he thought the lady was wrong. Yup, in about 1 mile Johann thought the lady was wrong, and she insisted that he make a legal U-turn. Eventually he did, and the unit took him flawlessly to his front door. HE WAS AMAZED WHEN THE LADY SAID, "YOU HAVE REACHED YOUR FINAL DESTINATION."

The only reason why I did not give the unit 5 stars is because it's not good on way-points, and once in a while, it does take you down a dead end street. I think that's because that street became a dead-ended when the housing industry slumped in Florida.

I have had this GPS for a month and just took it on a long trip. Save your money because you get what you paid for. This is an inexpensive unit and leaves a lot to be desired.

I named it Barbara after my mother in law (she is always giving directions) First, the maps are not up to date and do not have many current roads, at least where I live. On this long highway trip Barbara was mostly quiet except when you come to a major crossroad, then she tells you to stay on the current road at least three times, and sometimes more.

In my case I had driven most of this route many times and know the best way around some major cities. Barbara always wanted to direct me through the town and not give me the best route. In one case she had me going north when I needed to go west. Looking at my atlas I could plainly see that there was no way to get where I needed to be if I followed her directions. This happened many times on roads that have been around for decades. I felt that I could not trust the unit!

If you are in a strange area in the dark and there are not any alternate routes, Barbara would get me there every time. And I can say that that was a big help. But this was at the end of the route is a very rural area.

Next the display, if you can afford a larger display, buy it. This one is small and even with my small fingers I had trouble with some on the buttons. This is a heads up display with two nav bars at the top and bottom on the screen. They display the current road you are on and the one where your next turn is. My logic says the top bar should be the turn you are going to (heads up). But no, that is the road you are on and where you are going is on the bottom. Yea it's a minor thing but annoying.

OK, now try to find a point of interest while you are on a route. Food, Rest Area, etc. Your only option is to exit a point of interest. Now why would I want to exit if I was looking for one? I pushed the button and got a screen that would give me small icons with a distance from my current location. This was not any help at all, especially if I wanted to know where the next rest area was. To find that you must canx. your route and then pick the point of interest button. Barbara will then give you a list of categories to choose from. Alphabetical order, NO WAY!! Try pushing the little down button to find what you want, while driving. This makes you an accident waiting to happen. This unit should be classified in the same hazard category as cell phones!

I could go on and on but I think you get my drift. When you buy a cheap product, you get what you paid for!

Jim

We prefer the TomTom because it has an easier to use (and more thorough) 'points of interest' and 'maps' program. This Magellan Maestro became a headache when we had to utilize without any addresses ...especially when many streets were not listed on the map function. As a sidenote, never leave your GPS in the car...don't even leave it in the glove compartment!

Magellan is a very accurate and helpful item. I use it very often, out of state, and never get lost when looking for difficult destinations. It gives pleanty of time when notifying of upcoming maneuvers. It was a wise purchase.

I have used my Magellan with great success.
Not being the one for great written directions
it has helped me a great deal.
My only complaint are the instructions with the package
need to be more informative re the need to download
or to upgrade.

This product is phenomenal. I bought the Magellan Maestro for my 74 year old father for Father's Day. He is, to say the least, non-computer savvy. However, he was able to use the GPS with ease. The instructions are easy to read, and the on-line help was fast and reliable. He is currently off roading in Nevada using his new navigation system and having a great time.

If you need not expensive GPS - this is the one from you and Amazon is the place to buy it.

Product is good. I travel for work and it is quick and easy to use. Sometimes it does take a long time to change to my location from a previous one.