Reviews on the 2460LMT have been favorable.
I bought a 2460LMT even though my four year old nuvi 660 was still working. I was most interested in speed limits and multi-destination routing. After purchasing the 2460LMT I had many pleasant surprises.
My first surprise happened a mile from home when the 2460LMT warned that I was approaching a Red Light Safety Camera. I didn't even know this feature was included and the safety camera was only four months old. The maps were dated 2011 and I hadn't updated them. I have heard horror stories that the maps on 23xx and 37xx nuvis were not up to date even after loading new maps.
My second surprise happened when a back seat passenger started reading the street names out loud. The top navigation bar is 50% larger than my older 660. Programming in a destination activated voice announcements, which were very loud.
My third surprise happened when I tried Voice Command. At first it didn't work. I had to speak (shout) louder to make it work as the road noise increased. Before I purchased the 2460LMT I thought speech recognition was a gimmick. Now I use it whenever possible. Being able to control basic features hands free is a joy.
My fourth surprise happened when I drove on a new road. My older 660 didn't have this road because I didn't want to spend $100/year for map updates. Map updates are free for the life of the unit. Are map updates worth the extra $40? I wasn't sure until I asked the 2460LMT to find the local Buffalo Wild Wings. It didn't find it. The manager at Buffalo Wild Wings said they had been open for six months. This is a problem with restaurants. I also noticed that the maps displayed no roads where new homes had been built.
My fifth surprise happened when I programmed in ecoRoute information. When I shut-off the engine, a screen popped up displaying trip distance, fuel usage and cost. More accuracy is achieved by adding the optional ecoRoute HD accessory. Now if only it could record business trip usage. I later learned that the Mileage Report feature can be used for recording business trips.
My sixth surprise happened when I viewed the Where Am I feature. Not only does it include latitude and longitude, but it includes nearest hospital, police and fuel station. Where Am I can be added to the main screen for faster access.
The 2460LMT shares many features with the 3790LMT. For details, see Sam Penrod's excellent article on the 3790LMT. The 2460LMT and 3790LMT include myTrends, trafficTrends, Real Time Traffic, Junction View, Lane Assist, Lifetime Maps, Pedestrian Routing, Speed Limits, Voice Command, World Clock, Alarm Clock, Help, Red Light Safety Cameras, Trip Computer, Bluetooth, Multi-Destination Routing, Where Am I and Public Transportation (must purchase cityXplorer maps).
The 2460LMT lacks some features found on the 3790LMT. These features are associated with pedestrian navigation, although both units have pedestrian routing. The 2460LMT lacks 3-D Buildings, Terrain view, Portrait view and a high resolution screen.
Glitches, Bugs, etc.
None so far. I have had the 2460LMT for three weeks.
Routing Issues
None so far. I originally bought the 2460LMT to use multi-destination routing to correct for my older 660's poor routing over long distances. But so far, routing on the 2460LMT seems to be improved.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth worked identical to my older 660. The speaker was loud. Incoming phone numbers were displayed. You can automatically dial phone numbers saved inside the 2460LMT (home and points of interest) but there is no provision for dialing numbers stored in your mobile phone.
Hands Free Calling
After receiving a traffic ticket I have concluded that hands free calling is very dangerous. The person you are talking to is not watching traffic. In some vehicles road noise makes it hard for the listener to hear you. We've all been irritated by the slow poke in front of us deep in thought on a phone conversation. Be careful.
Justification for Portable Navigation Devices (PND)
Hands Free Calling is different than using a PND for driving. PNDs make drivers more alert. They relieve stress from fear of missing a turn or reading hard to see street signs. They are safer than reading a paper map while driving. I am critical of in-dash systems because they take the driver's eyes off the road.
Traffic Alerts
I did not evaluate lifetime traffic alerts, but experience on my older 660 was disappointing. It did not anticipate rush hour traffic, was slow to update, was not lane sensitive and sometimes was outright wrong. Google traffic on my Droid smart phone is superior because the traffic updates are more frequent and include side roads. Lifetime traffic costs $50 compared to $60/year on my older 660. I recommend purchasing it and then deciding for yourself.
Pros
The 2460LMT has an easy release vehicle mount similar to the 3790LMT. The mini-USB power cord plugs into the vehicle mount, another advantage. Unlike the 3790LMT, the vehicle mount does not have a built in speaker but doesn't need it as the speaker on the 2460LMT is large and loud. However, I prefer the (optional) bean bag mount so that I can move everything out of sight when I park my car. The (included) suction cup loses its grip after a couple of removals.
The 2460LMT also has a micro-USB jack for uploading and recharging.
The 2460LMT's 5 inch glossy screen seemed slightly easier to read than my older 4.3 inch screen. The glossy screen doesn't show finger prints or reflections, yet is sun light readable. Unlike the 3790LMT, the 2460LMT does not have a high resolution screen but doesn't need it.
The 2460LMT displays favorite locations on the map. My older 660 also did this. Off-road locations can be saved to favorite locations simply by touching the map. The 3790LMT also displays favorite locations on the map.
Speed limits are adjustable, although I am not so sure how useful this is. They are not adjustable on the 3790LMT.
Cons
The 2460LMT offers only landscape (horizontal) view. I initially thought the 2460LMT had portrait (vertical) view. The 3790LMT and slightly older 2360LMT have both views.
Other features that are lacking (and aren't needed) are an MP3 player, earphone jack and FM transmitter. My older 660 had these features and I never used them. In fact, except when driving a rental car, I disable the voice announcements as I find them annoying.
No School Zone Alert. No system currently offers school zone alerts. School zones are a favorite hideout for police and small children who try to beat traffic.
Conclusion
Wow! The 2460LMT has some features not found on any smart phone or in-dash navigation system. Free lifetime maps and traffic alerts help justify the cost of replacing an older system. After using it, its hard to go back to my older 660.
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