Garmin Garage: Fun for the Fourth!

Getting ready to load up the Family Truckster and make your way to friends and family this holiday season? If so, we’ve got two new vehicle icons to help you celebrate in style. Stop by the Garmin Garage today before you hit the road. We've spent the last week getting Topper and Ol' Glory ready to go! They'll look great guiding you from picnic to party to fireworks show and back home again. So if you're traveling near or far, your nüvi will be packed with patriotic pride. Of course, Topper and Ol' Glory aren't the only vehicles you'll find. We've got many more - including last year's Fourth of July icons - Wingspan and Moonshot. Stop by and load up! From all of us in the Garmin Garage, have a safe and festive Fourth of July!  

Garmin Garage: Father’s Day Special

We’re just a day away from Father’s Day, so if you’re looking for some last-minute gift ideas (*cough* new nüvi *cough*), you’ve come to the right place. We were hard at work all week in the Garmin Garage to get our two new father friendly vehicle icons ready for you. Introducing Weekend Warrior and Windsor. Weekend Warrior is perfect for short trips around the town or around the yard. And Windsor works well with any special occasion. Besides, it wouldn't be Father's Day without the ol' "Get Dad a tie" joke! Either one would make the perfect addition to a gift for dad.  And since they’re priced right (FREE!), you could download two for the price of none! How’s that for savings? Of course, fans of the Garmin Garage may also remember Big Daddy – our 2008 Father’s Day icon. So regardless of what you’re doing this weekend, plan a trip to the Garmin Garage and add a little character to your nüvi. Happy Father’s Day from all of us in the Garmin Garage! 

Garmin Garage: It's Midnight

Just in time for summer cruisin’ – Midnight has arrived in the Garmin Garage. This low-slung cruiser has style for miles. And the attitude to back it up. Midnight looks great in the Garmin Garage and it will look even better on your nüvi. Plan a new route to the Garmin Garage and grab Midnight before the sunsets.

Peg’s Posts: How to make mom’s day

While perfumeries, patisseries and other retail niches are advertising the perfect gifts for mom, Peg’s been thinking of some unique ways to show mom she’s the best. And some won’t even cost you a dime. After all, she probably just wants you to spend time with her.

Adventure-seeking moms: Take her to find some cache … go geocaching. If you already own a GPS, that’s all the equipment you need. This high-tech version of a scavenger hunt can be played with just about any Garmin GPS—basic handhelds to nüvis to units like Oregon 400t with special geocaching features. Look up nearby geocache locations online and transfer the GPS coordinates to your unit, then head out to seek. As of today, there are 794, 655 active geocaches around the world. That oughta keep you and mom busy. If you’re caching with kids, be sure to bring swag to swap in the standard caches. Got piles of kids’ meal toys looking for a new home? Bring it.

Moms on the run: Find a new scenic trail or route that she’s never been on and take her for a run. To search for new routes in your area or a nearby town, go to our Garmin Connect site and click the “Explore” tab. Here, you can search from millions of activities uploaded by Garmin users around the world. Get detailed data on the route, including distance, mapping, elevation and more. There's even a map player feature to replay the activity. If you have a compatible Garmin fitness device (like Edge 705 or Forerunner 405), you can send the course file to your device. Just click the “send to device” button under the summary box.

Garmin Garage: Download a lucky charm for holiday fun

There are two surefire ways to enjoy the luck of the Irish in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Your first option is to book a flight to Dublin and embrace the country's rich culture and tireless hospitality. Your second option is quicker, easier - and free! You can download Lucky, our four-leaf clover, as a vehicle icon for your nüvi. Scooter has been out in clover patches finding enough for everyone, but you'll still want to hurry and download today for the good fortune to be in full effect for the holiday. You don't need to live a charmed life to get your hands on Lucky. Just visit the Garmin Garage, follow a few easy steps and luck will be on your side (and your nüvi) in no time. To capture the full essence of the season, you'll want to go as green as possible. Let ecoRoute guide you with fuel-efficient navigation, available through - you guessed it - a free download at www.garmin.com/ecoroute. 

Oh, but if you have your heart set on that trip to Dublin, don't forget to check out our European mapping options for your Garmin devices. Because even the lucky can get lost.   

Garmin Garage: Nomad

Get your motor runnin’.  Head out on the highway.  And let Nomad lead the way to two-wheeled fun. At least that’s how the song goes, right? Anyway - since we swung the shop doors open on the Garmin Garage, we’ve heard from motorcycle riders far and wide. Everyone has wanted a few more bikes in the line up and we finally had time to add one to the list. It’s a good thing, too. We’re quickly approaching riding season and with our recently launched zumo 660 available soon, we wanted to make sure Nomad was all polished up and ready to release into the wild. Of course, you don’t need to ride a motorcycle to download Nomad. In fact, you don’t even need to drive. All you need is a compatible nüvi, zumo, or Street Pilot and you’re ready to go. And if you think about it, this free vehicle download may be one of the easiest (and cheapest) bikes you can own. So grab Nomad today and feel the virtual wind in your face as you travel down the road in style. Stay safe out there and remember to keep the shiny side up!

Garmin Garage: Be Mine

Love is in the air around the Garmin Garage. Well, actually, it’s either love or exhaust fumes from Tiny. But at this point, it doesn’t make too much of a difference – we’re mere hours away from Valentine’s Day and we thought we’d get our newest creation out the door for all of you last-minute Romeos and Juliets who are looking to put a little love in your nüvi - so to speak.  So it’s with great pleasure that we introduce Be Mine to all of you. Swing by the Garmin Garage and grab Be Mine when you get a chance. It’s the perfect vehicle icon if you’re planning a trip to Lover’s Lane this weekend. Or any weekend for that matter.  Have a great weekend everyone!   

Garmin Garage: Putter

Fore! Here comes Putter rolling down the cart path at a spirited 7 mph! If you haven’t already heard, Garmin recently announced the Approach G5. This touchscreen handheld gives golfers an advantage by showing key course features such as distance to the center of the green and distance to fairways and hazards. So we figured it was time to get to work on a Garmin Garage vehicle that reflects our excitement for the Approach. And, after reviewing the submissions to the Parking Lot, it looks like a lot of golf fans had requested a cart as well. Since we’re all about efficiency, we figured we could knock out two birdies with one stone. (← please forgive the pun) So we got to work. Of course, with this project, we couldn’t confine ourselves to the Garmin Garage. We had to do a little R&D at the nearby course. As it turns out, the Approach can only improve our game. By leaps. And bounds. Which is a nice way of saying that no one in the Garmin Garage will be joining the Pro Tour any time soon. But regardless of our game, Putter is now ready for you to download. Stop by the Garmin Garage and grab Putter today before your next golf outing. It's better that we get Putter out of here sooner instead of later - before Scooter ends up crashing it into our CNC Machine.  And be sure to stop by the Garmin Garage every now and then to check out our newest free vehicle icons for your nüvi or zumo!

Get Your Garmin Fix in 2009

Those of you who've followed our blog for some time may remember this post from the fall. But we've got lots of new readers joining us in the new year, so we thought we'd re-post this for everyone.

Around the Garmin blog, we’re always looking for ways to get our word out. In 2006, we tried skywriting our URL across the entire U.S. While we did enjoy limited success throughout parts of northern Montana, we didn’t get the results we were hoping for. In 2007, we thought we figured it out when we rented hundreds of Clown-a-grams® to blanket the states. Again – mixed results. But now we think we might be on to something. After a bit of coding and some switch flipping, we’re pleased to re-announce our ‘Subscribe Via Email’ option. Located in the upper left-hand corner of the blog, this new functionality will deliver a daily dose of blog posts directly to your inbox. It’s quick. It’s easy. And it’s a great way to stay-in-the-know about all things Garmin-related – whether it’s a contest, an event, a new product release, or just a chance to win some more of Jake's stuff. Not enough for you? Well, don't forget about Jake's Twitter account, too!

Of course, you can also subscribe to our RSS feed.  And if you’re not sure what an RSS feed is, we’ve included a quick video below from the good people over at Google. You can subscribe to the entire blog – or just individual feeds listed in the ‘categories’ section on the left. So however you choose to subscribe – RSS or email – you’ll get the freshest content available! Sign up today and put the Internet to work for you!

Ask Garmin: Getting to know your gift

Many of you followed the advice of our holiday commercials and chose to "Give-a Give-a Give-a-Garmin" to your loved ones this holiday season. And now a whole new generation of Garmin owners want to get acquainted with their nüvi or Astro or Forerunner or Edge or Oregon or GPSMap or Mobile software or ... well, we could go on for a while.

The easiest way to learn about your new Garmin is to turn it on, go outside so that it can find the satellites and then play around with it. But if you're stuck indoors (or at work) and you want to see your new GPS device in action, we have solutions on our Garmin Buzz page. There you can find the handiwork of our interactive team, who has created minisites and online demos to introduce you to the technology. The crown jewel of the Buzz page is the Land of Oregon minisite. This highly interactive - and addictive - minisite introduces you to the Oregon touchscreen handheld in ways no owner's manual or blog can. There are also specific product demos as well as informative minisites for our Marine Network, the G600 glass cockpit and Garmin Mobile solutions.

12 Cars of Christmas: Day 12 - All Aboard

Merry Christmas everyone! Day 12 of our 12 Cars of Christmas series is here and we've got a great new free vehicle icon to release today! Introducing All Aboard. Since we opened the Garmin Garage last year, a train has been one of the most frequent requests. Whether it was comments on our blog or submissions to The Parking Lot, lots (and lots) of people have asked for a train. So we rolled up our sleeves, paid a few visits to the local railyard, and got to work crafting All Aboard. And now we're happy to release All Aboard to all of you. All Aboard will make a great addition to any nüvi. And if you're looking for new custom vehicles and voices for your new nüvi, be sure to stop by the Garmin Garage and personalize your GPS at our one-stop shop! Happy holidays to all of you and a happy New Year!

12 Cars of Christmas: Day 11 - Aunt Edna

Well, Christmas Eve is here and there's only one day of our 12 Cars of Christmas series left. And, you know, we feel kinda sorry about today's free vehicle icon. You see - last night was our annual holiday swap around the Garmin Garage. It's where we invite friends and family over to trade gifts. And, as luck would have it, we ended up with ol' Aunt Edna's famous fruitcake. We'd love to keep it for ourselves. Really. But unwritten rules clearly state that any/all fruitcakes received as holiday gifts must be immediately re-gifted. So we're wrapping up the fruitcake and sharing it with all of you. Our advice? If your friends have nüvis, you may want to share the fruitcake with them, too. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving. And, you have to admit, using a fruitcake to guide you on your travels is pretty funny. Of course, if any of you are in the Colorado area, you can always attend the Great Fruitcake Toss in Manitou Springs   - it's been held each year on the first weekend of January since 1995. (If you go, send pictures!)

We hope you enjoy your new fruitcake! And remember - there's only one day left. So if you're giving the gift of Garmin this holiday season, be sure to let friends and family know that they can get free vehicle and free voice downloads to truly customize their new nüvis at the Garmin Garage! And also plan one more trip back by the Garmin Garage tomorrow to see our Christmas-day icon!  Happy Holidays everyone!

12 Cars of Christmas: Day 10 – Super Slider

Are you planning on dashing through the snow in the next few days? If so, you’ll want to plan a quick trip to the Garmin Garage and pick up Super Slider – our newest free vehicle icon during our 12 Cars of Christmas series. Super Slider was made with hauling gifts in mind. So if you’re picking up (or dropping off) lots of great gifts this holiday season, Super Slider is the icon for you. This stylish sleigh will look great on your nüvi – especially if you’re out and about in all of the snow that’s shown up across the country during the last few days. Remember – there are only two days to go! So you’ll have to stop back by the Garmin Garage tomorrow and see what we’ve got in store for you! Happy holidays!

12 Cars of Christmas: Day 9 - Sweet Tree

It's Monday and we've only got a few days left in our 12 Cars of Christmas series! And with all of the office parties and holiday parties, we've been seeing lots (and lots) of cookies and candies around the Garmin Garage. Well, we've had our share and we wanted to treat all of you, too. So we've got Sweet Tree ready to go to help you sweeten up your nüvi! If you've got visions of sugar plums dancing in your head and you've already decked your halls with delicious delicacies, you'll want to grab Sweet Tree today! And remember - there are still 3 days left. Download Sweet Tree and stop back by the Garmin Garage tomorrow! We still have a lot of fun in store for all of you!

12 Cars of Christmas: Day 8 - Blue Baron

Prepare for take off! The Blue Baron has moved from the Garmin Hangar and made his way to the Garmin Garage. This barnstormin' beauty was created with all of our aviation friends in mind. And he's perfect for guiding you from the runway to the highway as you travel this holiday season. Set your flight plan to end at the Garmin Garage and load up the Blue Baron on your nüvi before he heads off into the wild blue yonder! And then plan a return trip back to the Garmin Garage tomorrow to see our newest release. You can also subscribe to the Garmin Garage RSS feed or enter your email address so you'll always be the first to know when more free vehicle icons show up for you to download. Happy holidays!

12 Cars of Christmas: Day 7 – Frank

Day 7 is here and we've got another free vehicle icon to share with all of you. Meet Frank. (You name all of your ornaments, too, right?) For years, Frank graced the tree in the Garmin Garage shop while decked out in his festive Garmin blue. And while he was made for decorating trees, we thought we'd let him get out and see a bit more of the world. So now you can download Frank and decorate your nüvi this holiday season. He's merry, cheery, and bright . . . and what's not to love about an ornament named Frank? Grab him today and stop by tomorrow to see what's new! And stay safe if you're traveling this weekend!

12 Cars of Christmas: Day 6 – Frostbite

We’re at the half-way point of our 12 Cars of Christmas and we thought we’d bring some fun for all of you . . . especially since most of the country is getting blanketed with snow. Say hello to Frostbite. This fast-and-fun runner sled was favored by Scooter . . . until he took up skiing. So we decided to share him with all of you. Grab Frostbite today and then spend your weekend dashing through the snow! We’ve released six vehicles so far and now we have six more to go. Stop back this weekend and check out what’s new! And have fun loading up your nüvi with lots of our great new Garmin Garage icons!

12 Cars of Christmas: Day 5 – Skiin' Scooter

Well, as luck would have it, we get hit with a snowstorm a day after we release Al Valanche. And now we’re up snow creek without a plow! Of course, the bad news for us is great news for Scooter. Because school is now canceled and Skiin' Scooter can hit the slopes in search of fresh powder. While he’s having fun on the hills, you can stop by the Garmin Garage and load him up and drop him off in your nüvi. And if you’re making your way to the mountains this year (or next), Skiin' Scooter is great for leading you from lift line to lift line. Grab Skiin' Scooter and stop back tomorrow – we’re closing in on Day 6 of our 12 Cars of Christmas series and we’ve got lots of great icons in store for all of you!

12 Cars of Christmas: Day 4 – Al Valanche

Day 4 is here and it looks like our newest Garmin Garage icon arrived just in time! As snow falls around the U.S., a snowplow is perfect for clearing your path on your holiday travels and we've got the perfect free vehicle icon for you! Introducing: Al Valanche (<--pronounced just like it looks). Al showed up in the Garmin Garage late last night after back-to-back shifts clearing the roads around Garmin. Al’s work is almost finished here so now it’s time to share Al Valanche with all of you! Now – a bit of a warning – Al may seem a bit quiet at first . . . but that’s only because he’s so focused on getting his work done. And, once you spend a little time letting Al guide you and your nüvi around snow-covered streets, you’ll realize Al is the perfect icon for winter travel. Visit the Garmin Garage today, download Al Valanche, and plan a return trip tomorrow to see the next vehicle in our 12 Cars of Christmas series. Safe driving everyone!

12 Cars of Christmas: Day 3 – Red Rider

Over the river and through the woods, you know the rest of this song. We’d type more but don’t want to get stuck making royalty payments. So, without further adieu, here’s Red Rider! Red Rider is the newest addition our 12 Cars of Christmas series and he's now available in the Garmin Garage. Have a lot of errands to run? Planning on dashing through the snow? Maybe you’re out picking up a tree and need an SUV to help you navigate the hustle and bustle of the season. If so, you’ll want to visit the Garmin Garage download Red Rider today and add it to your nüvi. We’ve got 9 days left and a lot more great icons heading your way. So be sure to stop back tomorrow and see what we’ve got waiting for you!

12 Cars of Christmas: Day 2 – Blinky

Well, day 2 of our 12 Cars of Christmas series has arrived and we’ve got another free icon for you to download. It took us a while to come up with this idea - but then a light went off. Literally! Say hello to Blinky. He’s perfect for guiding you and your sleigh to all of the fun festivities that take place during the holiday season. And for those of you who followed along last year, you may notice that Blinky looks similar to Twinkle. We had so much fun with Twinkle last year, we thought we’d add another holiday bulb to the group. It’s sort of a series-within-a-series bundle! And the best thing about Blinky and Twinkle – they’re not only efficient, but they’re a lot of fun, too! Swing by the Garmin Garage and grab Blinky today and make your nüvi shine this holiday season! And be sure to stop by tomorrow, too. We’ve got ten great icons left . . . and a few surprises, too!

12 Cars of Christmas: Day 1 – Tiny

Happy holidays to our Garmin Garage fans! In keeping with tradition (well, it just became a tradition), we’re releasing a new Garmin Garage vehicle icon each day for the next 12 days with our 12 Cars of Christmas series! It was so much fun last year, we wanted to do it again this year. And to start things off, we have Tiny – you may recognize Tiny if you’ve seen our holiday commercials this year. Tiny sure attracted a lot of attention in the Garmin Garage – with a short wheelbase and a trick paint job that’s 100% groove-a-delic, Tiny travels to the beat of a different drummer. So if you want to make your nüvi groovy, stop by the Garmin Garage today! You can find Tiny here and in our Holiday Bundle - which features our icons from this year and last year.

You can also be sure you’re one of the first to find out when a new vehicle arrives by subscribing to our RSS feed or registering with our email subscriptions! Stay tuned . . .

Garmin Garage: Icons from 24

If you’re a fan of the FOX hit 24, you may want to swing by the Garmin Garage and check out our two new vehicle icons. We have the Chopper and the Mobile HQ ready for you to download to your nüvi! And when the downloading is done, you can visit the FOX site for all-new online episodes of 24: Dossier. While you’re watching, be sure to be on the lookout for great Garmin gear throughout each episode. Of course, the excitement only builds from there. After that, get ready as 24: Day 7 begins with Jack Bauer on trial in the two-night, four-hour season seven premiere event airing Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7C on FOX. 

24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.

Garmin Garage: Wishlist

We’re all about giving back at the Garmin Garage. And when we realized Black Friday was right around the corner, we thought we should get to work on an icon that’s up for taking on the task of that very chaotic day! So if you’re heading out and braving the crowds in search of great deals far and wide, we’ve got the perfect icon to lead you from store to store. Introducing Wishlist! It’s ready to go as you’re dashing through the snow in your pursuit of the perfect present. And if you’re still looking for gift ideas for family and friends before you go, be sure to check out our Holiday Guide. It’s full of great gear for everyone on your shopping list. Grab Wishlist today and hit the stores in style!

Garmin Garage: Say Hello to Elfred the Elf!

Looking to add a little holiday cheer to your nüvi this holiday season? Well, we’ve got the perfect addition for you! Say ‘hello’ to Elfred the Elf! This little guy has been quite the help around the Garmin Garage . . . so much, in fact, that Scooter hasn’t had much to do since Elfred arrived. But Elfred was meant to move on to bigger and better projects so that’s why we’re happy to share him with all of you. Elfred is a new voice bundle that arrived just in time to guide your sleigh on all of your holiday travels. And as much fun as he was to have around the shop, we know he’ll have even more fun helping you out this holiday season. So download the Elfred voice bundle today and hit the highway with a laugh or two! You’ll also want to make sure you subscribe for the Garmin Garage RSS feed or sign up for our email updates – we’ve got a lot more in store for you during the next few weeks - and it's all free! Besides, who doesn’t want to be the first kid on the block to have the latest and greatest vehicle icons?  Happy holidays from everyone in the Garmin Garage!

Garmin Garage: Thanksgiving Bundle

Time sure flies around the Garmin Garage. It seems like it was only yesterday when we were introducing all of you to Dr. Nightmare and the Boo Bundle. And now we’re just a few days away from Thanksgiving. All of us in the Garmin Garage are thankful for all of our fans. Since we opened our doors almost a year ago, we’ve been overwhelmed by the comments, suggestions, and enthusiasm everyone has had. So we thought we’d show our appreciation and give thanks to all of you by releasing the Thanksgiving Bundle in time for your Thanksgiving travel. Say ‘hello’ to Mr. Mayflower and Drumstick. Both are perfect for leading you to and from your Thanksgiving celebrations this year. And don’t worry – no turkeys (animated or otherwise) were actually harmed in the creation of these icons. It’s good ol’ fashioned 3D fun for the entire family. Be sure to grab Mr. Mayflower and Drumstick today . . . and stop back often as we have a lot more in store during the next few weeks! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone from the Garmin Garage group!

SEMA: Vegas serves up buffet for the senses

It's hard to picture Las Vegas needing any more blinking lights, booming speakers or shiny bling than already covers the strip. Then SEMA rolls into town. Put on by the Specialty Equipment Market Association, this week's automotive trade show brings together the most extravagant cars, elaborate accessories and innovative technology known to man. And anywhere the world's best electronics are being showcased, Garmin is there drawing a crowd.

People gather around the nüvi display, checking out nüvi 880's speech recognition, nüvi 5000's expansive screen, nüvi 500's multi-mode versatility or the lifetime traffic and lane assist on the newest nüvis on the market. Wireless wanderers appreciate the capabilities of Garmin Mobile, which can turn a smartphone into a handheld navigator. And of course, since we're at an auto show, we're also showing off the tricked-out Garmin SWERV Jeep and zumo-equipped, three-wheel Can-Am Spyder. For more details, check out our "On The Road" section of Garmin.com.

Garmin Garage: Meet Dr. Nightmare

Greetings ghouls, ghosts, goblins and all other Garmin Garage fans. We've got a new visitor around the Garmin Garage and his name is Dr. Nightmare. He's not your typical vehicle icon - in fact - he's not an icon at all. He's a voice bundle that's ready to put some spook in your commute. So instead of your typical voice prompts, you'll have a new co-pilot to lead you down the road. Dr. Nightmare is the perfect companion for our Boo! Bundle and he arrived just in time for Halloween. Stop by the Garmin Garage and grab Dr. Nightmare today . . . especially before the sun sets. The sooner we can get him outta the Garmin Garage, the better - he's been creeping us out all week long. Just make sure you have a compatible unit and you'll be ready to haunt your way down the highway. And if you want a sneak preview, click on the player below. But beware . . . Dr. Nightmare seems to have a mind of his own - and we're not even sure if it's his!

Garmin Garage: Boo! Bundle

Beware the things that go bump in the night! They've found their way to a nüvi near your just in time for Halloween. Introducing the Boo! Bundle - our newest addition to the Garmin Garage. It's been a strange last few weeks around the place . . . we'd work all day creating vehicles for you and then head home for the evening. Each morning, we'd return and find that the shop had been disturbed. A misplaced wrench here. A light left on there. And strange noises throughout. It had us pretty concerned and poor Scooter - he's had nightmares all week. Well, it finally made sense today when the Boo! Bundle showed up. And it looks like the trick was on us and the treat is for you! Now there are now 6 new additions to the Garmin Garage and we're happy to introduce: Dead End, FrankenScooter, Knuckles, Sugar Rush, Vroom Broom and Scary Scooter. Grab 'em all today and dress your nüvi, zumo, or StreetPilot up for all Hallow's Eve. And don't be scared - all of these icons are just dying to meet you! Happy Halloween from all of us at the Garmin Garage!

Garmin Garage: Wrex

Well, it's been almost a month since we opened up the Parking Lot in the Garmin Garage. If you haven't stopped by, the Parking Lot is your place to submit icon ideas that you'd like to see us create. In the short time the Parking Lot has been open, we've heard from hundreds and hundreds of you. And one of the most popular submissions was a tow truck. So we rolled up our sleeves, got to work, and now we're ready to release our first Parking Lot series vehicle icon. Introducing Wrex. We know a lot of tow truck drivers rely on nüvis, zumos, and StreetPilots to get them to unfamiliar areas. And we thought Wrex would be a great addition to the Garmin Garage line-up. Plus, having Wrex around has been a big help. As you can imagine, we've got a lot of vehicles coming and going and Wrex can really keep things moving. So grab Wrex today and be sure to stop by the Garmin Garage and visit the Parking Lot to submit your idea. Who knows. Maybe your icon will end up in the Garmin Garage. And if you want to be the first to know when a new vehicle arrives in the Garmin Garage, be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed! Thanks for everyone who has submitted ideas. We love seeing all of your great suggestions!

Garmin Garage: Walkin’ Scooter

While we all know that nüvis far and wide are great co-pilots when we’re heading down the highway, we occasionally overlook the fact that these nifty navigators are perfect for pedestrian pursuits as well. Almost all newer nüvis offer a pedestrian mode when you’re out of your car and traveling by foot - perfect when you’re in a new city and trying to find your way about town. And even though the Garmin Garage has more vehicle icons than your average car lot, we realized we needed a few more icons for pedestrian mode. So say hello to Walkin’ Scooter. As you can see from the Garmin Garage page, Walkin’ Scooter has a little pep to his step – and if you have a nüvi from our 2X5, 7X5 or 500 series families that support animated icons, he’ll march to the beat of his own drummer as you’re pounding the pavement. Of course, Walkin’ Scooter also works with other nüvis, zumos and StreetPilots, too . . . he'll just look like he's taking a break.  So if you find yourself walking just as much as driving, download Walkin’ Scooter today and you’ll be ready to go next time you’re in pedestrian mode. And remember – if you have an idea about an icon you’d like to see in the Garmin Garage, be sure to swing by The Parking Lot and let us know!  Your idea could end up on the front page of the Garmin Garage!

Garmin Garage: The Parking Lot is Now Open!

Fall is beginning to settle in around the Garmin Garage and we’re starting to focus on the holidays. Lots of new vehicles and lots more to do! It seems like we’re always working on something . . . and, lately, some of the best ideas for free vehicle icons have come from fans of the Garmin Garage.  So we thought we’d open up the Parking Lot for all of you. The Parking Lot is your place to submit your own ideas for vehicle icons. Got a great idea for a new vehicle? Be sure to share it with us! Each month, we’ll sort through all of the submissions and create our favorite! So if there’s something you’ve always wanted to see on your nüvi, zumo, or Streetpilot, stop by the Parking Lot today and let us know! You can write up a description, attach an image if you want, and send it our way. And we love creativity – the more interesting your idea is, the better chance it has of being picked! Just be sure your submission is an original one – we can’t create icons for existing vehicles . . . something about ‘legal reasons’, ‘lawsuits’, and ‘jail time.’ Start sending those ideas our way and we’ll see you in the Parking Lot! And if you want to be the first to know when a new vehicle arrives in the Garmin Garage, be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed! As we like to say in the Garmin Garage . . . Stay Tuned!

Garmin Garage: 800 Series Vehicles

Well . . . Labor Day is almost upon us and all of us at the Garmin Garage have been working away to ready a set of new vehicles for you to enjoy this weekend. The 800 Series - featuring the Concept, Crossover, Jet, and Sedan are now ready to roll! This fast-and-fancy group of vehicle icons were created specifically for the nüvi 800 series. You can find them in the nüvi 800 minisite and also in the Garmin Garage. Download them and hit the road in style! As good as they look on your computer screen, they look even better on your nüvi, zumo, or StreetPilot. Just grab 'em and go! As always, we've got a lot more in store in the coming months. Make sure you subscribe to the Garmin Garage RSS feed and you'll be the first to know when a new vehicle (or vehicles!) arrive. And if you're hitting the roads this holiday weekend, have a safe trip and be sure to enjoy a little rest and relaxation!

Garmin Garage: Take flight with the Hangar Bundle

To help celebrate the opening of Oshkosh, we’ve briefly turned the Garmin Garage into the Garmin Hangar . . . sort of. Say ‘hello’ to Wingman, Hover, Takeoff, Airborne, Jet Stream and Props. You see – we’re more than just flashy cars and tasty treats in the Garmin Garage. We’re also big fans of flight. In fact, you’ll find more pilots around here than you will at most airports. And as Oshkosh drew closer and closer, we knew we wanted to give all of the pilots out there some icons of their own. So even if you’re behind the wheel instead of behind the yoke, you can look down at your nüvi and see a flying icon leading you down the runway highway. And if you can’t decide which one of the free icons you want, we’ve eliminated all of the guesswork and created the Hangar Bundle – so you can swoop in, grab ‘em all, and head back out into the wild blue yonder . . . just as long as you watch the speed limit. Download them all today and if you’re in Oshkosh this week, be sure to stop by the Garmin booth and say ‘hello’ to everyone. Safe travels everyone!

Garmin Garage: Team Garmin Chase Car

As Week 2 (quickly) approaches on the Tour de France, we're releasing another Team Garmin vehicle so you can show your support for the team. The Team Garmin Chase Car - which you may have seen darting back and forth onscreen if you've been watching the Tour - is now available for you to download from the Garmin Garage. It's another free Team Garmin icon that's ready for you to download to your nüvi, zumo or StreetPilot. And if the Chipotle Burrito, the Felt Bicycle, and the Team Garmin Chase Car leave you wanting more Team Garmin Tour info, you can also follow Jake's Twitter Feed,
check out Garmin's Flickr Page for behind-the-scenes photos and visit our Team Garmin page - where you can register for your chance to win for a free Team Garmin Felt Bicycle, a Garmin Edge 705 bike computer, a Team Garmin Cycling Kit or one free Chipotle burrito a week for a year! So download the Team Garmin Chase Car today and help us rally the team to victory! Allez Argyle, Allez!

The nüvi everyone is talking about . . . and talking to

Interested in taking the nüvi 800 for a test drive? Then plan a visit to our interactive mini-site. The site features a tutorial, demo videos, free vehicle icon downloads and a whole lot more. With voice-activated navigation that puts you in control, the nüvi 800 series is packed with features. From the brilliant widescreen display to millions of points of interest, this premium navigation device is ready to lead you down the road in style. So take the mini-site for a spin and learn more about the nüvi 800 series.   

Garmin Garage: Team Garmin

Not making your way over to France to watch Team Garmin race for the yellow jersey? It's ok. Because the Garmin Garage has brought a little bit of Team Garmin to you with two vehicle icons for your nüvi, zumo, or StreetPilot.

Chipotle and Felt Bicycles, secondary sponsors of Team Garmin, will be along for the ride when the Tour begins on July 5th. While the Garmin Edge 705 will be guiding the team, Chipotle will be providing the power to move the sleek Felt bikes toward the finish line. It's a win-win-win situation.

Show your support for the team by downloading the Chipotle Burrito and the Felt Bicycles. These icons just might be the cheapest way to enjoy a tasty Chipotle Burrito and a champion-caliber Felt Bicycles. And they look pretty good, too!

You can also visit our Team Garmin page for news, photos and more. And if you want to get the latest Tour updates as they happen, be sure to download our Garmin Tour Guide widget. It'll keep you in the know as Team Garmin pedals their way through France!

Garmin Garage: Fun for the Fourth!

Whether you're hitting the road this holiday weekend or staying close to home, we thought we'd help all of our Garmin Garage fans celebrate Independence Day with two new icons to help lead you on your way. Introducing Wingspan and Moonshot. Both icons are ready to take flight on your nüvi, zumo, or StreetPilot.

Wingspan looks great as you soar down the highway and Moonshot is sure to add a little sparkle (ok, a lot of sparkle) to your Garmin GPS.

We hope you enjoy both of these icons. Be sure to swing by the Garmin Garage today and get 'em both both your holiday begins! All of us at the Garmin Garage wish you and your family a safe Independence Day and great weekend!

Garmin Garage: Breaker, Breaker! Three New Cars!

Well, Father's Day is right around the corner and we've got three new vehicles that are ready to roll out of the Garmin Garage and onto your nüvi, zumo, or StreetPilot!  Say "hello" to Big Daddy, Lil' Buddy, and Lil' Missy!

Big Daddy has been a great help around the Garmin Garage - no job is too big or small for this overachieving workhorse. He's perfect for those cross-country trips when you need a dependable navigator to lead you on your way. So put your ears on, brush up on your CB lingo and plan a pit stop by the Garmin Garage to download Big Daddy for free!

Lil' Buddy and Lil' Missy make quite the combo. When both of them aren't zipping around the Garmin Garage at warp speed, these hyperactive little rascals are usually running errands around town. Back, forth, up, down - about the only thing these guys can't do is sit still.

We hope you like our buy-none-get-three-for-free Garmin Garage additions! Stop by today and grab Big Daddy, Lil' Buddy, and Lil' Missy! We can't wait to share them with all of you!

Stay on course with Map Updates from Garmin

If you want to make the most of your nüvi, zumo or StreetPilot, you’ll want to check to see if you’re using our newest map data. This information provides you with the most recent map content available so you’ll be able to navigate with ease on your next trip. And now we’ve made it even easier for you to update maps on your Garmin device because this is the first time we’ve made our updates available via download. Our newest map update includes more than 8 million miles of road coverage, newly revised and fully routable maps for the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, postal code support for Canada and nearly 6 million points of interest! So visit our map update section today for more information about our newest map data.

And the winner is . . . Snacktime!

We’ve tallied the votes and if you haven’t paid a visit to the Garmin Garage lately, you should stop by today and take a look at the winning icon in our Wrench ‘N’ Win Contest! The voting came down to the wire as thousands of you cast your ballot for your favorite icon. And when the dust settled, Snacktime was left as the victor. So if you love pizza, be sure to visit the Garmin Garage and download a slice of Snacktime today! We promise you’ll have it ready to go in 30 minutes or less or your next icon download is free! Just be sure to bring your appetite with you. Thanks again for all of your help! And stay tuned – summer is almost here and we’ve got a lot in store for you!

Time to Vote for Your Favorite Vehicle

The time has come to choose the winner of the Garmin Garage Wrench 'n' Win Contest. We just announced the finalists from Week 4, and they've taken their places alongside the other entries hoping to find a place on your Garmin device. You can see all of the finalists by clicking here. Each person gets one vote, so you need to choose wisely. As soon as you make your selection, you’ll be able to see live voting results. And you can keep checking back to see how your favorite is doing.

Be sure to send this link to everyone you know so that they can help your favorite entry become a free, downloadable icon on Garmin’s devices. And speaking of Garmin devices, we’ll be giving the contest's grand prize winner a brand new nüvi 205! Take a moment right now to check out the finalists and cast your vote!

Wrench 'n' Win Contest: Week 3 finalists

The third week was charmed in the Garmin Garage Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest and we have another group of entries for your enjoyment on the finalist page. The Week 3 finalists thought outside the box - especially the pizza box - and the creativity and artistry impressed us yet again. As you know, we pick the finalists but you get to pick the winner. If you’ve already entered, be sure to let your friends and family know. And we announced it last week, but it's worth repeating: We’ll be awarding one lucky grand prize winner with a brand new nüvi 205! So keep those sketches coming and spread the word about the Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest!

Ask Garmin: Add New Vehicles to Your nüvi

Our e-mail this week comes from M. Smith: "I recently purchased a nüvi 260 and know nothing about GPS systems." As proof of the popularity of all of the new vehicles we're adding to the Garmin Garage, topping our e-mailer's to-do list was downloading new vehicle icons. "Can anyone help me?"

Absolutely. Not only is it easy, it's free! We have a cheat sheet for installing new vehicles, and we'll explain the steps in detail later in this post. In less than a minute, you can be cruising in style. For those who spend their days helping others, we have the popular service vehicles bundle. We also cater to outdoor enthusiasts, Elliott Sadler fans, or anyone looking for something sleek or pink or futuristic.

Not seeing your ideal vehicle? Draw your own and enter our Wrench 'n' Win Contest!

Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest: The Grand Prize Has Arrived!

Greetings Garmin Garage fans! We’re right in the middle of the Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest and we’ve been flooded with so many great entries, we may have to make more room in the Garmin Garage! If you haven’t already entered, now’s the time to do so. Because in addition to our prizes for our weekly finalists, we’ll also be awarding one lucky grand prize winner with a brand new nüvi 205! This portable GPS device is one of the newest navigators in our extremely popular nüvi line-up and we can’t wait to give it away to the winning entry! So keep those sketches coming and be sure to let your family and friends know about the Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest! And remember – we pick the finalists but you pick the winner! We can’t wait to see what arrives next.   

Wrench ‘n’ Win: Week Two Finalists

Another week has passed for the Garmin Garage Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest and another round of great entries can now be viewed on the finalist page. Congratulations to the Week Two finalists. The submissions continue to amaze us and we’re sure the voting is going to get tougher and tougher each week. Of course, we pick the finalists but you get to pick the winner. So keep the great ideas coming. We’ve got some great prizes in store for all of our finalists and for the winner, too. And if you’ve already entered, be sure to let your friends and family know, too. A little competition is always fun, right?

Wrench 'n' Win Contest: First Week Finalists

Well, it’s been a week since we announced the Garmin Garage Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest and we’re now pleased to release the first week finalists! Be sure to stop by today and take a look! We heard from Garmin Garage fans far and wide and we were quite impressed with all of the entries. There are still three weeks to go and we’re sure we’ll be amazed by the next rounds, too. So keep sending those sketches, drawings and ideas. We have lots of great prizes that we'll announce soon and remember - at the end of the contest, the winning entry will be voted on by all of you and it will then be turned into an icon for everyone to download!

Also - we appreciate all of the photographs but legal reasons prevent us from making icons based on photographs of actual production vehicles or mass-produced items. Apparently, it’s one of those “lawyer things”. Congrats to our first finalists and good luck to everyone!

The Rides Keep Rolling In

Since we announced the contest at the beginning of the week, we’ve been flooded with lots of great ideas for the Garmin Garage Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest. We are sure going to have our work cut out for us when we pick the five weekly finalists. It’s been great to get such creative ideas and we can’t wait to see what’s next. So keep those sketches coming and remember – we can only use drawings of original artwork and ideas. As much as we’d like to create icons for your personal vehicles, we have a feeling we’d be hearing from some lawyers pretty quickly if we used real-life vehicles. Send those sketches, drawings and ideas our way and you might just see your icon brought to life in the Garmin Garage!

Help Wanted

When we opened the Garmin Garage last November, we never realized we’d be so busy. Well, now we’re asking for your help with the Garmin Garage Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest! We want you to design the next vehicle for the Garmin Garage. All you have to do is sketch out your idea and submit it to the Garmin Garage . We’ll collect all of our entries each week, choose 5 finalists and then post the finalists' submissions for everyone to view. At the end of 4 weeks, we’ll open up the voting and you’ll be able to choose your favorite. The winner will have their sketched-out idea turned into an animated icon for the Garmin Garage! We’ve got weekly prizes and a pretty nice grand prize for the lucky winner! So start drawing, sketching and sending those ideas our way. We can’t wait to see what you create!

Visit the Garmin Garage Wrench 'n' Win Contest page for details!

And the winner is . . .

Phantom! Thousands of Garmin Garage fans voted for our commemorative one-millionth icon and now we’re ready to release Phantom into the wild. It was a runaway victory since the day the polls opened with this sleek, shiny icon taking an early lead and never looking back. We think Phantom will look great guiding you down the road and you navigate with ease. So swing by the Garmin Garage today to download Phantom and take a look around to see what’s new. We’ve got a lot planned in the next month or so and we think you’ll be excited by what you see! Thanks again to all of our voters!