GPSMap 640 and Weather data

[nickt]

I've used the GPSMap 478 for years, it's a great chartplotting GPS I've used it all over the world. The new GPSMap 640 looked like its obvious replacement.

I subscribe to the XM WX weather service. It's a little pricey (I have the "sailor" package), but we're out and about a lot in CO & UT so it's worth having. It gives me "technical" weather data, NEXRAD radar, surface analysis, and some other stuff so I can interpret the raw data and make decisions about the weather myself. Given the quality of the road data in the US, I'm in "road mode" 95% of the time.

So, you'll realize that I was disappointed to read that apparently the XM XW service only works in marine mode on the GPSMap 640. I contacted Garmin to clarify this and this is the response I got, on 20090512:

Thank you for contacting Garmin International.

Thank you for your recent email to Garmin. This information is correct. The Nexrad weather radar is available only in the marine mode. The automotive weather consists of city forecasts. The GPSMAP 478 does display Nexrad on both usage modes.


With Best Regards,
Steve D.
Product Support Specialist
Marine Team

So there's the official word from Garmin - in automotive mode all you get is City Forecasts. That's a bit naff. Anyway, I've requested an enhancement to get the full WX data available in automotive mode. Maybe it'll make a difference...

Nick.

 

[adventureduo]

That's really a let down. I was excited to be able to use that feature someday. I wonder if that's the same way Lowrance will do it for their new GPS as well? At least there's some weather info you can gather even if it is city data.

 

[Trail Monkey]

Nick

did you get a 640 yet? whats your overall thoughts conpared to the 478?

did you consider the nuvi5000? more street geared but has large screen and from what i can tell will accept the topos properly.

im looking to upgrade and liked my 478, but really want some more features and the latest screen etc. cant figure out whats best...