Garmin Drive 52 (Renewed) Review: Conditional Buy 7.8/10
“Hard to set up for me (85 years old) it took me 3 days to finally get it to work.” That single line captures the tension around the Garmin Drive 52 GPS Navigator (Renewed): once it’s running, many people call it dependable and simple—but getting there (and keeping it powered) isn’t always painless. Verdict: Conditional buy — 7.8/10.
Some buyers describe it as the antidote to flaky phone navigation. A verified buyer on Amazon noted: “My phone is not getting me where i need to go but the garmin is right on target… i don't worry about phone dieing.” Others love it specifically because it’s a dedicated device that “sits on dash no need to fumble with phone,” as Best Buy reviewer Edge wrote.
But digging deeper into user reports, recurring friction points emerged: inconsistent routing decisions, traffic features that confuse or disappoint, and battery life so short that several owners treat it like a device that “has to be plugged in 100% of the time,” in the words of a Best Buy reviewer.
Quick Verdict
Yes/No/Conditional: Conditional — great if you want a no-frills, always-plugged-in car GPS; risky if you need strong battery performance or expect traffic features to “just work.”
| What users agree on | Evidence from users | Who benefits most | Risk/Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy to use once learned | Best Buy: “easy to use even for a novice.” | Older drivers, non-techy users | Some report setup learning curve |
| Clear directions & readable screen | Best Buy: “screen is plenty large enough.” | Road trippers, delivery drivers | Some complain about glare/reflections (BestViewsReviews) |
| Better than phone for some trips | Best Buy: “better than smartphone for travel.” | Travelers with weak cell coverage | Depends on map freshness and routing choices |
| Battery life is short | Best Buy: “5 minute unplugged battery life.” | People who keep it plugged in | Poor for walking/bike use, power outages |
| Traffic can disappoint | Best Buy: “traffic doesn't seem to work.” | Commuters (if it works) | Confusion about required accessories/apps |
Claims vs Reality
Claim: “Simple on-screen menus” and easy programming.
Digging deeper into user reports, this is one of the most consistent positives—but it’s not universal from minute one. A verified buyer on Amazon said: “the garmin was much easier to program,” especially compared with “another brand” that caused “difficulty with the app.” Best Buy reviewers echoed that tone, with one saying it was “easy to use even for a novice” and another calling it “easy and fast” to set up and update.
Still, the “simple” claim collides with real-life onboarding for some older users. A verified buyer on Amazon wrote: “Hard to set up for me (85 years old) it took me 3 days to finally get it to work.” Even when people end up happy, the early friction is part of the story.
Claim: Traffic is ready out of the box / traffic helps reroutes.
While some versions and listings emphasize traffic capability, multiple users describe confusion or disappointment. One Best Buy reviewer wrote: “traffic doesn't seem to work… i purchased this particular gps for the traffic that didn't need bluetooth it is somewhat disappointing.” Another noted: “lifetime traffic updates is iffy though.”
At the same time, other Best Buy feedback paints a more optimistic picture of traffic usefulness, with one reviewer saying: “it will adjust the arrival time if there is traffic and gives you detour suggestions.” The gap suggests the experience depends on model variant, accessories, or expectations—something buyers frequently stumble over rather than understand upfront.
Claim: Battery “up to 1 hour.”
Official specs cite “battery life up to 1 hour,” but user experience often reads harsher. A Best Buy reviewer reported “the 5 minute unplugged battery life,” while another said it’s “not designed to be used without power… must be plugged in all the time.” On the resale side, an eBay listing warns a unit “will only operate while plugged in… battery can not hold a charger more than about 15 secs.”
While officially rated as “up to 1 hour,” multiple users report behavior that feels far shorter in practice—especially with renewed/refurbished units or after time.
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
A recurring pattern emerged: people buy the Garmin Drive 52 GPS Navigator (Renewed) because they want a dedicated dashboard GPS that reduces phone dependence. That “no need to fumble with phone” sentiment is explicit in Best Buy feedback, where Edge wrote: “awesome device. sits on dash no need to fumble with phone.” For drivers who don’t want to drain a phone battery or rely on cell service, the device is described as reassuring rather than flashy.
Road-trip practicality shows up as story-driven praise. A verified buyer on Amazon wrote: “for the money, this refurbished model performed great for a 3,000 mile trip down the mississippi and back!” That same buyer highlighted unexpected extras: “traffic light camera feature and several other cool things that pop-up occasionally,” framing the unit as a helpful co-pilot rather than just a map.
Ease-of-use praise often comes from users comparing it to older Garmin units or other brands. One Best Buy reviewer described the transition: “Switching from an old garmin nuvi unit… once that was all ironed out, it is easy to use,” calling out the “what’s coming up” panel and the ability to drag the screen “like a phone.” A verified buyer on Amazon similarly framed it as accessible for an older household: “this garmin was much easier to program… (we are not kids so this is great for the older trucker).”
After those narratives, the most repeated praised themes are:
- Easy operation after initial learning (“easy to use even for a novice.” — Best Buy)
- Strong trip performance (“performed great for a 3,000 mile trip.” — Amazon verified buyer)
- Clear, helpful driving info (“shows what’s coming up.” — Best Buy)
Common Complaints
Battery life is the loudest recurring complaint, and it hits specific user types hardest: anyone who expects handheld-style flexibility or even short unplugged sessions. A Best Buy reviewer summarized the limitation bluntly: “has to be plugged in 100% of the time.” Another described why that matters in real life: “which is an issue in my car i only have one outlet so i need to now get a splitter.” That’s not a theoretical gripe—it’s a daily-cockpit problem when you also need to charge a phone or run a dash cam.
Some reports suggest renewed units can arrive undercharged or with weak batteries, amplifying frustration. Best Buy reviewer Ricker wrote: “gps unit was dead out of the box. took over a day to fully charge,” and later concluded it has “only a short life battery.” On eBay, one seller explicitly warned the device “will only operate while plugged in… battery can not hold a charger more than about 15 secs.”
Routing judgment is another persistent sore spot, especially for drivers who know their area well or want routes that match local intuition. One Best Buy reviewer said: “some of the test routes are different then i would have picked but it got me to the right place.” On Amazon, a verified buyer described a more concerning moment: it started saying “turn left at the stop light” when “the correct path was to the right,” even though they still called it “a gem” overall. Aggregated user snippets from BestViewsReviews echo the same theme: “it sometimes shows the wrong route and sometimes shows the correct route when it's not.”
After those narratives, the most repeated complaint themes are:
- Very short unplugged battery life (“5 minute unplugged battery life.” — Best Buy)
- Occasional questionable routing (“different then i would have picked.” — Best Buy)
- Setup friction for some older users (“took me 3 days.” — Amazon verified buyer)
Divisive Features
Traffic is notably polarizing. Some buyers expect “traffic… without bluetooth” and feel let down when they can’t get it working. Best Buy reviewer feedback is direct: “traffic doesn't seem to work… somewhat disappointing.” Another said “lifetime traffic updates is iffy though,” suggesting inconsistent reliability or unclear value.
Yet other users treat traffic as a standout perk. One Best Buy reviewer praised it as their best GPS purchase because “it will adjust the arrival time if there is traffic and gives you detour suggestions.” That contradiction doesn’t read like users disagreeing about whether traffic is useful—it reads like people encountering different configurations, versions, or setup realities and then rating the feature based on whether it actually activated for them.
Screen readability also splits opinions depending on conditions. Best Buy feedback frequently calls it “plenty large enough,” but BestViewsReviews includes complaints like “The screen reflects too many images and it is not comfortable or safe to view,” pointing to glare/reflectivity as a real-world issue for sunny dashboards.
Trust & Reliability
On trust signals, the strongest “scam concern” pattern isn’t about counterfeit listings—it’s about refurbished variability and battery condition. A recurring pattern emerged in anecdotal reports: units arriving dead or acting like they’re designed to be powered constantly. Best Buy reviewer Ricker wrote: “gps unit was dead out of the box,” and the eBay listing warning “battery can not hold a charger more than about 15 secs” reinforces how battery condition can become the make-or-break reliability factor with refurbished devices.
Longer-term durability stories in this data skew toward people replacing old Garmins after many years, which indirectly boosts confidence in the category—even if it doesn’t guarantee the renewed unit will match that lifespan. One Best Buy reviewer said their older Garmin lasted “10+ years,” and they bought this after it “gave up.” Another described it as a “replacement for my previous nuvi model,” implying continuity and familiarity as part of why they trust the brand ecosystem.
Alternatives
Only one competitor line is explicitly named in the provided data: Garmin’s DriveSmart series. The dividing line in user commentary isn’t map quality—it’s convenience features and input experience. A Best Buy reviewer (Gopro) described the Drive 52 class as “adequate,” but called out that “no bluetooth, or wifi capability” means “a pc is required to update maps,” and disliked the “tft resistive touch screen” as “not very responsive… especially true when typing in addresses.”
For buyers who prioritize voice features or modern connectivity, the same reviewer suggested a path upward: “look for the drivesmart 65 and up,” framing it as the fix if responsiveness and feature gaps are dealbreakers. Meanwhile, some Drive 52 owners explicitly like the simplicity: “good no frills unit,” as one Best Buy reviewer put it—making the “alternative” less about better navigation and more about whether you want extra layers (apps, Wi‑Fi, voice) or not.
Price & Value
Value stories tend to be strongest when the unit is bought refurbished/renewed and used for big travel. A verified buyer on Amazon framed it plainly: “for the money… performed great for a 3,000 mile trip,” and another called it a “good value for the money, would buy again.” Best Buy reviewers similarly tie value to longevity and convenience—“great value for the money” and “best bang to the buck” appear as repeated sentiments.
Resale pricing suggests a wide band that mirrors condition risk. On eBay, certified-refurbished listings sit around the $89.99 range, while a problematic unit is listed at $49.99 with the warning it must stay plugged in. That spread aligns with the biggest user risk: battery health. Buying tips embedded in user stories point to practical add-ons rather than upgrades—one Best Buy reviewer recommended a multi-socket adapter because the GPS “must use the included power adapter for maximum brightness,” and another said “i would suggest purchasing” a memory card because updates can nearly fill internal storage.
FAQ
Q: Is the Garmin Drive 52 easy to use for beginners?
A: Generally yes—after a short learning curve. Best Buy reviewers repeatedly call it “easy to use even for a novice,” and one wrote that after switching from an older Nuvi, “once that was all ironed out, it is easy to use.” An Amazon verified buyer did report setup taking days at age 85.
Q: How good is the battery if it’s not plugged into the car?
A: Many owners describe it as very short. One Best Buy reviewer complained of “the 5 minute unplugged battery life,” and another said it “has to be plugged in 100% of the time.” An eBay listing for a used unit even warns the battery holds charge for “about 15 secs.”
Q: Does traffic actually work without a smartphone?
A: Some users struggle with it. A Best Buy reviewer wrote: “traffic doesn't seem to work… disappointing,” and another said “lifetime traffic updates is iffy though.” Others report it does help, like one Best Buy reviewer saying it “will adjust the arrival time if there is traffic and gives you detour suggestions,” suggesting experiences vary by setup/model.
Q: Is it more reliable than phone GPS?
A: For some buyers, yes. An Amazon verified buyer wrote: “My phone is not getting me where i need to go but the garmin is right on target,” and a Best Buy reviewer called it “better than smartphone for travel.” However, some users note it can choose routes they wouldn’t pick or occasionally misdirect.
Q: Do you need extra accessories for maps and updates?
A: Possibly. One Best Buy reviewer said their “first update nearly filled up the onboard memory” and suggested “purchasing” a memory card. Another highlighted that map loading is done using a computer, aligning with user comments that updates may require a PC and enough storage headroom.
Final Verdict
Buy if you’re a road-trip or daily-drive user who wants a dedicated dashboard GPS with a large, simple screen and you’re fine keeping it plugged in. Best Buy reviewer Edge summed up the vibe: “sits on dash no need to fumble with phone,” and an Amazon verified buyer praised it for being “much easier to program.”
Avoid if you need dependable unplugged battery use or you’re buying renewed specifically expecting strong battery health—multiple owners describe battery life as effectively minimal, and one eBay listing warns it “will only operate while plugged in.”
Pro tip from the community: plan for power and storage. A Best Buy reviewer advised using “the supplied adapter for maximum brightness,” and another suggested buying a memory card because updates can nearly fill internal memory.
