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Garmin StreetPilot c340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator | 
 enlarge | Brand: Garmin
Category: CE
List Price: $365.00
Buy Used: $96.88
You Save: $268.12 (73%)
New (13) Used (6) Refurbished (8)
Avg. Customer Rating:  1176 reviews
Sales Rank: 673
Color: Dark Gray
Media: Electronics
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: Yes
Native Resolution: 320x240
Free Memory Slots: 1
Display Size: 3.5
Includes MP3 Player: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3.3
Dimensions (in): 4.4 x 2.8 x 3.2
Distance
Heading
Speed
Time/date
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
Warranty: One Year Garmin Factory Warranty
MPN: 010-00401-20
Model: 010-00401-20
UPC: 753759050658
EAN: 0753759050658
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Excellent Condition! Works perfectly! Includes GPS Unit, Windshield mounting bracket, and 12v cable, no box. - Best you can get for the price! Always ships in 24 hours!!!
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| Features:
| • | Product Type - GPS | | • | Built-in patch antenna, MCX-type connector for optional external GPS antenna connection. | | • | Preloaded with detailed U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico maps - no downloading required. | | • | SD memory card expansion slot for use with other MapSource street-mapping products. | | • | Traffic alerts with optional GTM 10 FM TMC traffic receiver. |
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Product Description
Package Includes: StreetPilot c340, windshield mount, USB cable, Lithium-ion battery
The new Garmin StreetPilot c340 provides in-car navigation that's simple to use and offers use-friendly options and control. The c340 gives you turn-by-turn directions and turns text into speech -- and if you miss a turn, it will automatically calculate a new route. Follow directions with a color-coded map and 6 million different points of interest. 3.5 LCD display with backlit touch screen Offers 3D mapping or 2D overhead view Built-in 12V power adapter/speaker for external power in your vehicle Integrated suction cup mounting system, for easy adjustment & quick release Lithium-ion battery for trip planning - approx. 4-8 hours battery life USB interface Dimensions(WxHxD) - 4.4 x 3.2 x 2.8 Weight - 9.4 oz.
Amazon.com Product Description
If you're looking for vehicle navigation that's powerful and simple to use, the Garmin StreetPilot c340 is just the ticket. Right out of the box, this unit helps you make the right turns wherever your travels take you. With an easy-to-use touchscreen interface, text-to-speech voice commands, a brilliant display that shows the way with 2D or 3D animations, and a massive points of interest database, the c340 has all the basics covered. Plus, you'll find some great additional features that make it a must-have companion. 
Look Mom, no buttons! Garmin has taken simplicity to a new level with the c340. | The c340 is designed with simplicity in mind, although Garmin hasn't forgotten to add a touch of class. With a weight of under ten ounces and a width of 4.4 inches, the c340 is ultracompact and easy to transport. To keep confusion on the road to a minimum, the only buttons are a rotary volume knob and an on/off switch. The bright 3.5-inch-diagonal display features a touchscreen, making it a snap to input routing information and make quick selections on the road. The c340 sports dual integrated speakers for high-quality voice prompts, a USB port for PC connectivity, and an internal lithium-ion battery that provides power when you're planning your routes outside the car (approximately 4-8 hours battery life). In addition to an included 12-volt power adapter for in-car power, there's also an SD memory card expansion slot for use with other Garmin MapSource mapping products. The unit is secured by a suction-mount cradle that fastens to the windshield, allowing for easy portability between vehicles. You can even customize the c340's appearance with optional colored faceplates that suit your style. While the c340 has an internal GPS antenna, it also has an MCX-type connector for hooking up an optional external GPS antenna. Finding your way with the c340 starts with inputting a location on the touch screen. Next, the unit's text-to-speech feature speaks to you just like a back seat driver, telling you the names of streets and when to turn and in what direction. And if you happen to miss a turn--don't worry, the c340 automatically calculates a new route to your destination. Audible and visual navigation instructions and warnings help you navigate more quickly while keeping your eyes on the road. You can also choose between a 3D mapping perspective or 2D overhead view. 
The c340 offers clear, easy-to-read 3D directions. | Another time- and frustration-saving feature of the c340 is the database of preloaded maps and points of interest. Gone are the days of uploading partial maps from your computer to your GPS device: the c340 has them all built in. The unit comes preloaded with Garmin's highly detailed City Select NT street data of the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Finding points of interest along your route is made easy with the c340's huge built-in database of nearly six million hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions. Garmin has also made it easy for users to upload custom points of interest--now you can add school zones or safety cameras to your database. You can even turn on a proximity alert to notify you of upcoming custom points of interest. Garmin really kicks the power of the c340 up a notch with the addition of real-time traffic information. This optional service will display congested areas on a color-coded map, allowing you to avoid traffic by simply pushing a button that calculates a new route. All this wizardry is made possible by the new Garmin GTM 10 receiver that connects to the c340 and other select Garmin products. Note that while the GTM 10 receives digital data from specific FM broadcast stations in select major metro areas throughout the United States and Europe, note that these traffic services are available only in select cities where coverage exists. The service requires the GTM 10 FM TMC traffic receiver and, in some cases, a subscription to enable these traffic capabilities. What's in the Box
StreetPilot c340 receiver with built-in antenna, dual internal speaker system for voice guidance and alerts, vehicle suction cup mount with 12-24 volt adapter, dashboard disk, USB interface cable, preloaded City Select North America NT database, and quick-reference guide.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1171 more reviews...
 Accurate and Easy to Use Unit October 18, 2005
643 out of 653 found this review helpful
Pros: Easy to use, sharp screen, clear voice instructions and less expensive than other GPS units with comparable features
Cons: Needs more dynamic search capabilities for POI (its a little too simple which is good and bad)
The Garmin C340 is a wonderful unit, I've tested several other units such as the Navmans & Magellans, but the Garmin was the hands down winner.
It has built in street level maps for both US and Canada - so there is no need to download detailed maps from your computer. In addition, the interface is a breeze to use - w/o even reading the manual I was able to get it up and running. The screen is razor sharp and the navigation controls are intuitive. Another bonus is that it has a built in rechargable battery, so you can walk around with it for a while or even program your next destination while you're away from the car.
I recommend this unit very highly - especially after reviewing the alternatives at this price point.
---------Update--------------
Just an update because I've taken my Garmin C340 to: 1) Toronto, Canada 2) Omaha, NE 3) Salt Lake City, UT 4) Denver, CO and 5) Seattle, WA. I have to say it worked wonderfully. It NEVER led me astray and got me to my destinations without any problems. This is a definite must have because it's so compact and easy to program that it makes exploring new cities a breeze. Who needs to rent an expensive GPS unit from a rental car agency when you have the Garmin C340 with you!
If you're bad with directions, you MUST have this! May 24, 2006
277 out of 280 found this review helpful
First of all, I'm an electronics junkie. My house looks like the Star Ship Enterprise, and I'm extremely picky concerning the function of everything that I purchase. Probably too picky. So, after being more than impressed with the Garmin StreetPilot c340, I decided to write this review. I purchased this unit due to an upcoming road trip to Florida, and I'm HORRIBLE with directions. It seemed like the logical thing to do. After much research on the latest GPS units, the c340 seemed to be best suited for my needs, financially and functionally.
PROS:
As stated time and time again, the c340 is extremely user-friendly straight from the box. No bulky manual is included (although one can be downloaded on-line), most likely due to the fact that it is not needed. There's a brief start-up guide which is more than sufficient to get this thing up and running. Simply let the satellite locate your home location, which takes a few minutes and only has to be done once, and you're ready to input your next destination. Hit "Where to?" on the touchscreen and everything is made perfectly clear. It could not be any simpler. You'll then have options to enter addresses, food locations, lodging, your saved favorite locations and recent browsed selections, fuel, intersections, attractions, shopping, parking, entertainment, recreation, community, near-by cities, hospitals, transit, and auto service locations. There's no guess-work involved: just touch the type of place you wish to find and go; you'll get plenty of options. You can also touch the "Near..." option, type in a city of destination, and it'll pull up businesses in that city for your convenience. Again, this unit is extremely easy to navigate. Pick your destination, hit "Go", and you're all set. Just follow the highlighted path and you're sure to get there with ease. I've had no problems or long-term satellite loss in my area so far. Phone numbers are also shown which would be especially convenient when making hotel reservations on the road.
The suction mount is also very nice. I was skeptical about it at first: What if it falls off? Will I be able to see the road? No worries; it's great. Like the unit itself, the mount is high-quality and very sturdy. Just attach the c340, place the mount into position (I have it right under my rear view mirror), and pull the lever down. I don't see any way that this mount could fall off, and it's not a distraction while driving. I hear that it's illegal in California, but I really don't see why. It provides the perfect location for the unit and is no more distracting than the rear view mirror. A dash-mount disc is included also for CA residents or in case you'd prefer a lower location, but it's a permanent mount, so I'd advise caution if going with this option. I won't use it myself.
As far as power goes, a 12V adapter is included for the car, but don't worry about buying the AC adapter. The c340 includes a USB cable that allows it to be powered and charged via any computer with a USB port. Very convenient when planning out trips at home to save battery life. The USB cable also allows you to download male voices from the Garmin site such as American English Jack, Australian English Lee, and British English Daniel which is very cool.
CONS:
Not much to say here. The only 'major' thing I've noticed so far is that some local businesses are not in the database, and a few businesses are present which no longer exist. It's kind of strange: local mom and pop stores can be pulled up, but NO Walmarts in my area. I have three Walmarts within 25 miles of my home, and none are in the database. I didn't subtract any points since all Garmin GPS units seem to utilize the same database (nearly 6 million points of interest) and it does have the potential to be updated. Also, keep your eye on the road during exits as it may not detect recent route changes. It will recalculate a new route if you simply go past the road that has changed; you won't get lost, but it can be an inconvenience. It's happened only once to me so far and I've been doing a lot of traveling. It was a familiar area and I didn't even realize that the road had changed. Again, this is a Garmin database problem which hopefully will be addressed in a future update.
The voices for the most part are spot on. They can pronounce streets that I've been mispronouncing for years. However, every now and then it's hard to decipher what they're saying as they can sound overly-digitized. This is just a minor inconvenience since most of the time they're flawless, but keep your eye on the screen just in case you don't understand the street name. No big deal really. I use American English Jill, and she is usually very accurate with pronunciations. British English Daniel is also easy to understand, although he must be downloaded.
CONCLUSION:
All-in-all, I'm very, VERY impressed with the performance of the Garmin c340. This is my first GPS, and I can't imagine needing anything more. I'm not sure what these $1000+ units do, but unless they drive me to my destination and pump my gas, I don't need them. I've heard people complain that the touch screen collects finger prints. Hmmm...unless you have jelly, paint, or motor oil on your fingers, it does not detract from the display. Hello, it's a TOUCHscreen. Of course it's going to get finger prints on it. Wipe it off now and then and you're good to go. I've also heard complaints that sometimes the unit doesn't give you ample time to turn via text-to-speech. Well, I've been driving everywhere with this thing for the past three days, and it verbally tells you TWICE when to turn, by street name and in which direction to turn. It tells you once within a 1/4 mile or so and once again right before the turn. If you miss your turn after two verbal prompts, a big white arrow on the GPS screen, and the name of the street at the top of the screen, you may want to reconsider this whole driving thing. The turn alert is almost overkill; if you're awake and free from severe brain damage, you can't possibly miss it. Maybe this was a problem with some of the older units, but mine is perfect. Perhaps these people didn't hear the first prompt and of course the voice prompt times will be shorter with city driving, but that's to be expected. As far as satellite loss, I've only experienced a couple seconds of it while driving so far which is no inconvenience at all. There is an optional generic antenna that can be purchased for around $20 if this is a problem in some areas. The actual Garmin antenna costs more, but I've had no need for it so far.
After three days of taking the c340 everywhere, I absolutely love it; I have no regrets whatsoever. It's one of the top 3 electronic purchases I've ever made in my life. I can't wait to take it to Florida and find all the local attractions that I would never have been able to locate otherwise. This thing is great. I've already had two friends order the c340 after seeing how well mine works. I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
UPDATE:
I just returned from Florida, and I love this thing even more. We never had any need for a map: I simply typed in each destination and we got there with no problems whatsoever. When we got a craving for some baby back ribs on the interstate, I simply hit food, barbecue, got a nice little list of local restaurants, picked one and hit GO. It takes you right there! It then took us right back to the interstate. I'm still amazed that this type of technology can be purchased at a reasonable price.
Highly Recommended - Important Battery Information here November 22, 2006
87 out of 89 found this review helpful
I love this product and can very highly recommend this unit to anyone. It's a great feeling to have this thing by your side as you freely roam aound places you may not have otherwise gone because it's so easy to find your way home or to somewhere else. I love having this in my car and would never go anywhere without it again. You'll find yourself using it to find those hidden streets and shortcuts you never knew where there ;-)
Also Garmin's tech support is very responsive and helpful. After about 11 months of using the c340 the battery stopped working. After calling tech support it turns out there is a known fundamental problem with the charging circuit in the c340 (maybe other units as well) in that the battery will not actually charge while the unit is turned on. It needs to be in the turned off charging screen for it to charge. So that means if you just leave it in your car for months the battery will never charge unless you turn it off manually. Because of this the battery drains so badly that it actually destroys the battery and it will no longer hold a charge at all anymore. I'm sending mine to Garmin for a free fixup but now I know to periodically (once every 1 or 2 months should suffice) charge the battery overnight.
So other than this glitch which I know how to avoid (and now you do too) this is absolutly the best unit on the market especially for the price it's at now-a-days. Also don't believe the hype about saving a couple of bucks on the c310. The voice on this thing is GREAT and speaks most street names perfectly, and you'll appreciate it saying the street name to turn on to instead of just turn left or right. The new units have the newer voice pack that fixed a few of the older voice problems (even if they didn't the new one is easily downloadable). The c340 is the BEST of all the streetpilot versions as it's just right. Not too much and not missing all the cool stuff. I got mine about a year ago and still LOVE it. Get one and enjoy, you won't regret it I promise.
Cheers,
Russ
Very easy to use and quick to acquire satellites November 17, 2006
73 out of 74 found this review helpful
I have to admit, I'm a GPS junkie. I've had a variety of GPS units over the past decade and currently own 3 - the c340 being my latest acquisition for use solely when driving.
I am greatly impressed with this unit. It was fast to get going right out of the box and after the initial satellite acquisition and almanac download (for those who are interested, when a GPS unit is turned off and moved a significant distance, say 300+ miles, from where it last thought it was, it needs to recalibrate itself by downloading the current almanac of satellite positions from the GPS satellites. This can take a few minutes.) In any case, after the initial automatic recalibration, the unit acquired satellites quickly whenever I turned it on.
The user interface is very easy to use. I've used Hertz NeverLost systems for years and have always thought they had a good interface. I think Garmin's is better. The touch screen is intuitive and very easy to use and the adjustment I want to use most, tinkering with the volume, is an easy-to-use wheel on the side that allows instant access without requiring interaction (and interference) with the on-screen navigation/map display. Very well thought out!
One highly useful feature is the ability not just to search for Points of Interest (POI), but to have the unit search for those points of interest that are along the route you are currently navigating. This allows you to identify, say, hotels along your route while you are driving and then, using the telephone info provided by the unit, to call the hotels up and see if you can negotiate a lower rate before you arrive - "let your fingers do the walking..."
If you don't tell the unit where to look, though, it can take quite a while to search for a Point of Interest. I didn't know which city to specify and I did a search for "Eagle Rock Rec" (I was too lazy to spell out "Eagle Rock Recreation Center" which turned out to be about 175 miles away) and the unit chugged away for several minutes but eventually came back with the right entry for me to navigate to. I later realized that even though I didn't know the exact city the destination was in, I did know a city that was near the desired destination. When I specified that information, the c340 took only a few seconds to find the right location.
The advanced user can also create your own POI lists complete with custom icons and load those into the c340. I have done this for all In-N-Out Burger and Krispy Kreme locations. The advantage to having your own custom POIs even though these places are in the built-in POI list is that the custom POIs are visible on the c340 map screen at certain zoom levels. If you are a Geocacher, you can do the same with geocaches, but you'll still need your handheld unit to find the cache.
The newer (and more expensive) c5xx units evidently have the Sirf circuitry in them which is more sensitive, allowing signal acquisition indoors, but I found the sensitivity of the c340 to be fine - especially since I have limited my indoor driving lately :-). In fact, I was just playing with the c340 in my office yesterday and it was able to acquire a GPS fix on my position, so it seems to be fairly sensitive even without the Sirf circuitry. I haven't tried the c340 under a thick tree canopy with cloud cover or in a city with lots of concrete canyons yet, so I could change my tune. The comparable c5xx unit at this price point, the c530, lacks the c340's text-to-speech capabilities (this prevents the c530 from announcing street names).
Since I already have a Garmin handheld GPS unit as well as Garmin's MapSource Topo mapping software, I used the unlock code that came with the c340 to unlock my MapSource maps for the unit. I then loaded the topo maps for the entire Western US onto an SD card (between 300-500 MB) and plugged it into the c340 to see what would happen. It worked! So now I have the c340's excellent built-in maps and POIs for on-road trips *and* Topo Maps available to me for off-road adventures.
One thing you should do if you are in the US is enable the unit's WAAS capability (the default is for WAAS to be disabled). Enabling this capability increases the accuracy of the unit when certain satellites are in range.
Also, since this unit has a touch-screen, fingerprints on the screen are inevitable. You should *never* use an ammonia-based product (like most window cleaners) to clean electronic screens - it will cause them to fog. Instead, use those little antiseptic alcohol towelettes. They are cheap and if you don't use them for cleaning your touch-screen they might come in handy for first-aid.
I give this unit a highly positive rating. I like it.
Garmin is the best for GPS September 29, 2006
51 out of 51 found this review helpful
I spent a lot of time trying out GPS units, and have compared Garmin, Tom Tom, Magellan, and several factory GPS units. All of these GPS units tell you how to get somewhere and will re-route if you make a wrong turn. However, Garmin is my absolute favorite, and here's why:
1. The most important thing about Garmin units is the user interface. It is simple to understand and easy to use.
2. The Garmin unit uses a built in database of sunrise and sunset times (based upon your location) to automatically change from daylight mode to night-time mode. This is important because the daylight screen is much too bright for use at night. With the Tom Tom, you must make this change manually.
3. If you have the Garmin unit plugged into your car power, when you turn off the car (and the cigarette lighter power goes off), the Garmin unit will detect that and automatically turn itself off (it gives you 30 seconds to override and keep the unit on).
4. When you start your car again, the Garmin unit will detect that too and automatically power up. If you were in the middle of a trip, the Garmin unit will pick up where you left off, and you won't have to tell it where you were going again.
5. Unlike most factory GPS units, Garmin will allow you to select your route and make changes while you are moving.
6. The Garmin units have an extensive database of locations and the excellent interface makes it easy to search the database to find what you want. Do you want food or gas? Just click three buttons and a list of locations (sorted by distance) will appear. If you know the name of the place you want, you can type it in on the on-screen keypad and Garmin will find it for you. You can even add your own locations using the favorites feature. I first started using this when I was out of town, but its amazing what you'll find near you when you look.
7. While you are driving, the Garmin unit will both prompt you to turn and give you a written explanation of the turn (including the street or highway name and direction) at the top of the screen. The Garmin unit also shows an estimated arrival time (usually a few minutes earlier than you'll actually arrive) and the distance to your next turn. A separate screen gives you detailed trip information, including how far and how long you've been driving and your maximum speed. I used mine on an airplane once (yes, it is allowed - read the back of the airplane magazine), and it now says that by maximum speed was 590 miles per hour.
8. I often use the Garmin even when driving locally, becase it often finds better, faster ways to get there then the way that I usually use.
9. Garmin offers a variety of installation options and accessories. My favorite is the friction based dashboard mount (three weights connected to a center stand) which is much more convenient than the supplied mounting system.
10. If you turn off the GPS receiver (see settings) and then look up another location, you will get the option to set this new location as your present location. This will allow you to use search Garmin's points of interest for the new location. This is a great feature when planning trips, because Garmin's points of interest database is quite extensive and includes all of the typical tourist attractions, plus food, shopping, gas, banking, etc.
11. Be sure to check for the latest map and firmware updates at Garmin's web-site.
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