Mio C-230 Car GPS Receiver

I bought this as a hot spare for an existing Mio C-230 since I can back up data on one and transfer it to it's replacement via SD card. I've used this unit for almost two years and I've found it to be overall extremely reliable. It gets a strong signal even in cities with tall buildings (a problem for many GPSs) and generally provides good routing. Notably, it has been able to find some routes to some private roads (gated community) which other GPSs I've used were unable to display. The voice guidance is very good, it speaks the name of the next road and counts down the distance with a reasonable lead time. The built-in speaker is good and loud, low volume was another problem I've had with other units. The only problem I've ever had with it was the battery wearing out which I replaced with a BP-LP850/11-A1 battery (FYI this is the same battery as the Navman S30 Battery 1250mAh). One peculiarity is that you need to use a utility on your PC to add favorite locations to the memory, which means that in your car, you will have to type in addresses more often than units which can download your address book (Pharos GPS's for example). The history feature is useful in this regard since it remembers the last 50 locations you set as destination. On the plus side, the Points of Interest catalog is quite extensive and usually can find things like restaurants, airports, and even gas stations quite well. Note that this unit was made in 2007, so these might be out of date by now (as would any road changes since 2007).

I had no experience with this brand prior to my purchase. The unit was refurbished but looks as new. I was especially impressed by the screen clarity. The windshield mount is quite substantial and is easily adjusted. The GPS locates quickly and tracks well. It does not seem to have the short distance accuracy of our Garmin unit. Being that I bought this unit refurbished, I was not surprised to see the maps dated 2007. I plan to update the maps. All said, I think for the price it is a good purchase.