Best Buy Ratings and Reviews

Best Buy Ratings and Reviews

Customer Reviews for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

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Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Model: 980-0011-001
SKU: 8539548
UPC: 763357117950
Listen as this GPS receiver provides turn-by-turn voice directions with text-to-speech abilities, and then issue your own commands and watch as the receiver performs the desired orders at the sound of your voice. Learn more about the Maestro 3250. (Flash demo)
Average Customer Rating:
4.182 out of 5
4.2
 out of 
5
(22 Reviews) 22
Open Ratings Snapshot
Rating Snapshot 22 reviews
5 stars
8
4 stars
12
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
1
95% of customers would recommend this product to a friend 
(
21 out of 22
)
Customer Reviews for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS
Review 1 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Awesome GPS

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Ken28
from Louisville, KY
on 12/26/2008
Value for Price
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Durability
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
What's great about it: Easy to use.
What's not so great: The voice command.
I have had this GPS since father day and it is awesome. I have never had one before and this is my first, but I love it. I don't see how I ever lived with one before hand. I don't use the voice command much because it don't understand you or can hear you. I am sure that is because each person speaks different then the computer knows. Other then that the machine has made funny noise just twice and I had to turn it off and back on. After that it seem fine, I don't know if it pick up FM radio or a airplane, but its always seem fine and gets me where I need to go. I also work in a lot of new areas that are not on the map so it looks like I am drive in the field, but you can save it for that spot in your address book and it will take you back there each time. It is a great machine that I bought one for my father and father in law.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 2 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Frozen Screen

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: LoriW123
from Lake Worth, FL
on 11/13/2008
Value for Price
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Durability
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Ease of Use
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Features
3.0 out of 5
3.0
What's great about it: Easy to read screen
What's not so great: Gave Wrong Directions, Frozen Screen
Do not purchase this product. It was bought for me as a Christmas gift in 2007. It started to give me problems right away. I took it on a road trip in January 2008 and it gave me wrong directions not once but twice.
In August the screen started to freeze so I put it in my closet and decided to take it on a trip with me to Virginia as I thought it was just a fluke it did not work in August. In Virginia the screen was completely frozen and would not work at all. I called tech support and I was on the phone with them for 45 minutes and they were unable to fix the problem.
Don't waste your money on this product, I am going to buy a Garmin. I know that I will have better luck with there products.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 3 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

A Great GPS

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: MarkMark
from tucson, az
on 07/25/2008
What's great about it: voice activation, quick location updating
What's not so great: map a little outdated, voice recognition slow sometimes
This GPS has everything I wanted, while not compromising on product quality or overall satisfaction. After careful research on other products out there, I found the Magellan 3250 to have the most features for the least price. While some may think the 3.5" screen is too small, it is great to look at while not taking up huge amounts of space on your dashboard/window. This system utilizes speech recognition as well as manual input to decide where you want to go, and then it gets you there quickly! It even gives you a pretty good ETA to your destination. I did not like that sometimes the system won't respond unless the car was quiet, but that is a minor flaw. This is a great GPS!
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 4 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

First GPS

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: dreamsiclern
on 07/22/2008
What's great about it: Easy to use
What's not so great: No user guide, you have to access it online through Adobe Acrobat; customer service wasn't that helpful with my question
This is the first GPS we have owned. The reason I bought it was that we were going to be doing a lot of driving in different directions while college shopping and I really liked having the point of interest (POI) information available. You can search POI by your current location which is really helpful when you are looking for a good place to eat. However, it did send me to a restaurant that was no longer there (twice). I did have problems with it giving me the wrong directions on several occassions. Luckily I was in an area where I knew better. When I called for assistance they were of little help. I ended up downloading a map update off the website and I haven't really used it to test it out since. A downfall to all GPS's is that we were told that if the battery dies, that is it. The battery cannot be replaced. So I suggest the extended warranty.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 5 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Good product to have on a drive.

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: LoveTech
on 07/10/2008
I have been using the 3250 for about two weeks. This is the best gps I have ever used. The ones that I'm comparing it with are TomTom One 3rd, Mio 220 and 230, Garmin Nuvi 350, and Garmin streetpilot 330. The Magellan is not quite as easy to use as the Garmin units, but lets the user have more control over navigation.
Pros:
-Best poi database I have seen with AAA tour book
-Voice commands, really cool
-TrueView map. Shows you the intersection turns on the left of the screen
-Up to date maps
-Text to speech
-Traffic conditions
-Interactive POI icons. On map screen icons, touch and see what it is.
-Navteq maps. Better than TelAtlas thats on TomTom and Mio
-Tells you what side of the road your destination is on. Garmins do this too.
-Quick spell. Makes entering in you address much easier.
-Multi destination routing.
Cons:
-Customer support. Website and phone not that good
-No user guide
-Rerouting after missing a turn a little slower than the others
-Some buttons are too small
Overall I really like this Gps. If you want a lot for your money this is the one. Check prices, because on some sites the price changes daily. I paid $299.00.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 6 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Good GPS, Bad Bluetooth

Customer Rating
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Posted by: Chrystopher
from Albany, NY
on 06/28/2008
What's great about it: GPS works solidly
What's not so great: Bluetooth with iPhone Won't stay paired
The GPS functions well, although the interface is a little confusing. I don't care for the fact that some menu items have an audible "yes" when I selected yes, some don't. I have used it a few times and it has worked well for me. The voice command is OK, although it has trouble hearing me frequently. You cannot use voice to enter address. Address entry requires city first, then street, then street number. I give the GPS a 4.
The Bluetooth will not stayed paired with my iPhone. Magellan's website says it is compatible, but clearly it is not. The iPhone thinks it is still paired. Every time stop my car or turn off the Magellan, I have to unpair from the iPhone, then set up pairing on the Magellan, then pair from the iPhone, then pair from the Magellan, then dismiss a message that the SMS connection didn't work. Then, the Bluetooth works well. Until you get out of your car. This is not acceptable. I give it a 2.
I downloaded the update, and that did not help.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 7 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Great value for money

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: texasjr1
from Houston, Texas
on 05/27/2008
What's great about it: Small-size, Bluetooth, text to speech, AAA integration, and voice command
What's not so great: Sometimes sluggish response operating system, battery-life
I bought this about a week ago. When I compared this to other comparable units, it was the smallest unit that was bluetooth compatible with my phone. The size of the unit is great and makes it very convenient to travel with and transport to different vehicles.
I had no problem in using it right away out of the box. Very intuitive! Although, it did not come with a user manual, I downloaded a pdf version from the www.magellangps.com website.
I really appreciate that integration with AAA. This is fantastic! Since I am a AAA member, I got an additional year warranty for FREE by calling AAA for the "secret code" when registering the device online.
The bluetooth connectivity with my Nokia phone was very easy. The speaker is not very loud, but callers on the other side indicated that the voice quality was fine.
I kinda wish the battery-life was longer.
The voice commands are very good.
The system sometimes is sluggish, but as I read in other reviews, PATIENCE is the key here.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 8 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Good portable system.

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: MAC22
from California
on 05/03/2008
What's great about it: It has a lot of useful features and voice is not annoying!!
What's not so great: Touch screen does not always work well
I bought this GPS about five months ago and I still love it. It is very easy to use and has a lot of features. The traffic alerts and points of interest are particularly helpful, especially if you are low on gas and out somewhere where you do not know the area. I know all GPS units come with points of interest loaded into them, but only Magellan has the AAA Tour book loaded in it. If you are a AAA member this is particularly helpful because not only does it tell you what is around, but it has all of the information on AAA ratings, discounts, and more. The Maestro 3250 also allows you many different methods to search for what you want. There are a couple of problems with this unit that may or may not be easy to overlook. First, sometimes the touch screen does not respond well and you will have to try and hit the same button over and over again before it will register. Second, any development that has taken place within the last five years or so will not be in the points of interest, so if you know the name and city but do not know the address it is not going to find it for you. I am not sure why this is so out of date. Anyway, the last thing that I take issue with is searching for things by name. It does not look for alternative spellings so if you misspell something it will simply come back that it does not exist. Furthermore, some of the locations are misspelled in the system itself. These are all minor quirks that may or may not be annoying depending on often you encounter them. I do not encounter them that often so it's not a big deal. Overall this is a great unit and worth the price.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 9 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Good choice for the money($329.99 on sale)

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: Kwire
from Tulsa, Ok
on 04/29/2008
What's great about it: Bluetooth, text to speech, and voice command.
What's not so great: Lack of options to customize
This GPS works very well and pretty easy to use. I use this unti on a daily basis with my job and it saves me alot of time and head aches when needing to find an address. I purchased this unit mainly for a trip to florida. Its nice knowing you have a visual guidance and audible guidance to your destination. I found it very useful that when I had to travel off course for gas or food it would guide me back on course. Having a huge selection of points of interest is nice; We were able to find specific food types and even search by restaurant names and magellan would route us there. Another thing I found great about having this GPS is we saved our friends address in florida to magellan and could run around all day and no matter where we were at we could guidance back to their house( in a town we have never been to before ). The voice command feature is nice but I don't use hardly at all. The bluetooth is nice being a can pair my phone to it and use the built in speaker and microphone to do handsfree calling and the display shows the number called or received.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 10 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Great Buy

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: mtwbb
from Portland OR
on 04/27/2008
What's great about it: small, convenient, cost effective
What's not so great: Sometimes you take the scenic route
I love this product and it has saved me several times from being lost and late to appointments. I have tested it though on trips to places where I know the quickest and fastest routes and it is not always right – but I always get there. It is well worth the money.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 11 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

a very good investment

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: ruthdlc
from Paterson, NJ
on 02/28/2008
What's great about it: it tells you if theres traffic, danger, construction, or accident, and takes you directly
What's not so great: abc keypad instead of qwerty
I bought this product because I work in the new york census department and they send me everywhere and i kept getting lost and my son was always printing out directions for me on map quest [which is really dangerous reading directions while driving] I'm very satisfied with this product and would defenitly recommend to a family member or friend....
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 12 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Good buy

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Texernie
from Sherman, TX
on 02/27/2008
What's great about it: Big and Very bright screen, easy to program, automatic detours in slow traffic
What's not so great: ABC keyboard instead of QWERTY
After seeing this in the store and comparing it to another GPS (not Magellan), I decided to buy this one instead. The screen size and features sold it. It didn't have every feature the other one had, but the larger screen size and brighter display made up for that.
The GPS works very well, even in complex "Mix-Masters" that exist in some cities. Excellent warnings before a turn (2 miles, 1 mile, and continously after 0.5 miles). Describes complex turns (slight left turn followed by a right turn) well. Re-routes well after missed turns, but could be quicker at times. If traffic becomes slow, it will prompt you if you want to detour. I am enjoying this purchase a lot. No signs of the lockup that other reviewers have commented on.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 13 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Good things come in small packages...

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: MSoooreel
from SF, CA
on 02/13/2008
What's great about it: Small and portable... you can take it with you on the go even.
What's not so great: Setting-up your prefs aren't always clear... menu commands not the most intuitively organized.
Overall a good buy. I like the portability of this thing. You could even take it with you out the car even in your pocket!
Another plus is how you can search for your destination by zip code. Also, you can mark your points of interest as banks, gas stations, entertainment venues, etc.., so that on the map these places are referenced by the symbols that they are represented by. Like gas stations appear on the map as little gas pumps symbols.
I the only problem is that the menu is not set-up to easily maneuver through... to do such things like change your prefs.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 14 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Best bang for the buck

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Aceinnj
from Morris County NJ
on 02/06/2008
What's great about it: Easy to use, many features, great directions, traffic!
What's not so great: not any
Bought this for a X-mas gift and WOW, need one for me. Tried a few others out, Garmin, Tomtom and this unit by far outweighed them all. For 250.00 can't think of a more feature packed GPS. Traffic module built in, voice prompts, turn by turn, AAA guide and more makes this the best buy for the money hands down!
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 15 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Good but not complete

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: DELEE
from Peoria, Illinois
on 12/31/2007
What's great about it: great unit, easy to use, really like voice commands
What's not so great: No AC adapter and they're impossible to find
got the unit after Christmas...good price at Best Buy. have two lesser priced units from another company and they're nice but this is small enough to go in a pocket as well as in the car. Down side is you need to have it in the car or attached to your computer to charge it...when you get into the $400-500 price range, $9 for a little USB AC adapter would be nice...so far I haven't been able to find one. Other than that it's bang on for the car or for a walk about.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 16 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Easy to use navigation

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: LovetheBASS
from New York
on 12/30/2007
What's great about it: Ease of use, easy user interface, announces street names and menu options, Zip code search, Bluetooth
What's not so great: Tunnel sounding Bluetooth
I will start by saying I set high expectations for purchases and expect a lot. This purchase was for my fiance who is terrible with directions and technical things. I did quite a bit of research before purchasing and 2 major selling points for me on this product was the zip code search and the announcements for every thing you do (if you click the maps, it says "Map"). Not many of the other products had announements for every touch. The other big selling point was being able to search for a location by zip code. It gives you the option to find the city you are looking for by zip code, typing in the city or a previous city. I also like the fact that when you start punching in a name, it will only allow you to enter a letter that is relevant, thus eliminating mispellings or incorrect streets. I found it very simple to set up a destination and get going. Very simple user interface.
Now to usage: one flaw I found is that it would not let me find a city. I had looked for a specific city and could not find it. After obtaining the zip code and entering it, it brought me to another city that was in the area. I guess the unit determined that it the actual city name was part of the other city based on zip code. When finishing the input of the location, it wound up bring me to the wrong place (thankfully we knew the area). Not a huge deal but that was the only instance. (I am not sure how the software determines the city name so this could be ignorance on my part) Map is clear and very accurate.
One thing that I would change would be the "ding dong" when you get to a place where you need to make a turn. If you are driving under 15mph, the alert comes before the turn. If you are driving at highway speeds, the alert comes at the point of the turn. The nice thing that makes up for this is that it gives you an approximate 2 mile heads up that your turn or next course of action is coming. Then it will give you a .5 mile heads up. I would change that "ding dong" to alert you slightly earlier. Not too big of a deal though, just me being critical. The Bluetooth is a nice feature for those hands free finatics. As per people on the other side of the call, they report the audio sounds like you are in a tunnel. It could be b/c of no noice cancelling but I have not tested this for myself. Of the 3 people we spoke with using the Bluetooth, they all said it sounded like we were in a tunnel. You can also set up your phonebook in the unit as well as send/receive Text messages. This feature "Failed" on set up so we could not use it or review it for you. You can also play MP3's by use of an SD card (optional).
Overall, I like the unit for its ease of use, text to voice for streets and touch actions, zip code search and quickness in getting going. No real negatives with this unit other then a few expectation things (alert prompt, couldnt find the city). If you are looking for something that will provide easy usage, simple user interface, has some of the nice new features, I recommend this unit. Like I said, I have high expectations and for the most part, they were met. Since my fiance is not the most technical, this seemed like the perfect fit. Hope this helps!
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 17 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Great Unit

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Kacky
on 12/29/2007
What's great about it: Takes me where I need to go fast and easy
What's not so great: Wish the screen was larger
This is my 3rd choice in 1 week, first was the Mio C320, then there was the Tomtom XL One. I am so glad I have found the perfect unit, this is a great tool. The other 2 could not get me home, this one took me right to my house. Screen is sharp, text to speech is great, and precise, the bluetooth paired with my phone without a problem. The outside of the box doesnt tell you that it comes with the FM tuner for the traffic updates, Magellan also offers you a 3 month free subscription to traffic updates when you register your unit. Will be traveling to Orlando soon and I know the traffic updates will come in handy.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 18 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Great GPS

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: outdrs1
from Virginia
on 12/04/2007
I have been using the 3250 for about two weeks. This is the best gps I have ever used. The ones that I'm comparing it with are TomTom One 3rd, Mio 220 and 230, Garmin Nuvi 350, and Garmin streetpilot 330. The Magellan is not quite as easy to use as the Garmin units, but lets the user have more control over navigation.
Pros:
-Best poi database I have seen with AAA tour book
-Voice commands, really cool
-TrueView map. Shows you the intersection turns on the left of the screen
-Up to date maps, 8/2007
-Text to speech
-Traffic conditions
-Interactive POI icons. On map screen icons, touch and see what it is.
-Navteq maps. Better than TelAtlas thats on TomTom and Mio
-Tells you what side of the road your destination is on. Garmins do this too.
-Quick spell. Makes entering in you address much easier.
-Multi destination routing.
Cons:
-Customer support. Website and phone not that good
-No user guide
-Rerouting after missing a turn a little slower than the others
-Some buttons are too small
Overall I really like this Gps. If you want alot for your money this is the one. Check prices, because on some sites the price changes daily. I paid $299.00.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 19 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Very Pleased

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: WindshieldWorrier
from Sunny South Florida
on 11/30/2007
What's great about it: Streets announced, LOTS of POI's! Slim design,Gives you all information on where you are at a certain point
What's not so great: Bluetooth works good, but can only really use when sitting in car still, redirection time
Well i do love this unit. I had the TOMTOM ONE Version 3, Returned it because there were not enough POI's. The directions are always right on the money. I work for an insurance company inspecting damaged cars. So i go to homes, repair shops, tow yards and tons of other places driving everywhere. 99.8% of the time i can find the names of the shop in the POI's. I havent had a problem with the unit as of yet. The redirecting route takes a second longer than the TOMTOM did if you miss a turn. I do however like that the unit says the street names. Streets sometimes come up fast and the unit will tell you "turn now". Besides that this unit is an amazing peice of work. I would defintely recommend this unit to someone else. The GPS makes me want to jump in my car and try to get lost. But i dont think it will let me.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 20 for Magellan Maestro 3250 GPS

Best Value for the Price

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: BBReviews1126
from Kennesaw, GA
on 11/29/2007
What's great about it: Bluetooth, Accurate, Voice Commands, Text-to-Speach, Accurate, Quick Power-up, Good Battery Life, Accurate, Very Compact
What's not so great: Can't Choose Night View--Only Auto
I got a TomTom a couple years ago, and promptly returned it--even though I had to pay a 15% restocking fee. It was that bad. It got me lost every other turn. I've only had the Magellan a few days, but it is ten times more accurate. It has the most out-of-the-way country back roads on its maps. The magic word "Magellan" turns the Voice Command feature on, which keeps your hands completely free. It's awesome, and it isn't even noted in the listing! That was a great surprise! I played with a similarly featured Garmin before I got this Magellan--I didn't like it nearly as much, and it cost a lot more. For the price, this is the best best best you can buy. The only thing so far that I don't like is that you can't choose to turn on or off the night view. You can only choose to have it turn on automatically or not at all. I don't guess it really matters, but I don't like that. I haven't tried the free traffic trial yet.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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