Summary: Garmin is known to produce quality GPS products and the StreetPilot C580 is no exception. The GPS unit is basically the C550 with the exception of added MSN direct data service. With the same features and functionality of the C550, the C580 premium over the C550 is worth every penny. The C580 comes with 1 year of MSN direct data service, $50/yr after that. You can pay for the lifetime service for $150, but the service is not guarantee after 2012 according the MSN direct website. Within 20min activating the MSN direct service, I was able to avoid LA traffic and view gas station prices. Weather is a nice touch and the movie information is a bonus. MSN direct data service is also available for the Garmin Nuvi 680, but at a $300 premium. Bottom line: Accurate routing engine, intuitive user interface, good bluetooth cell phone computability and with the MSN direct data service, you got yourselves a road warrior's best friend.

Summary: Bought the c580 for a recent trip to San Fran and Seattle as I have not been to these cities in years. Once the satellite connection was made I couldn't believe the accuracy of the unit. Took me to remote locations in Napa Valley as well as to locations in the cities. It even found a residence in a very private gated community in Seattle. Each instruction was clear and with ample warning prior to making any turns. It recalculated directions if I made a left in stead of a right turn of if I missed a turn. I missed the turn because I didn’t believe the instructions. It only took a couple of “recalculating” instructions before I obediently followed each instruction given.
It save several hours of trip preparation by not getting maps from AAA, reading them and then trying to locate the specific address. All I had to do was type in the address and the little genie took over. When we got hungry, we tapped in food and up came a list of restaurants.
Once set up, which was very easy, less that 5 minutes, my cell phone and address book was active. Made hands free driving a breeze without the earpiece. This is by far the greatest tool for anyone who travels out of their neighborhood, it is a MUST have! I think I sold two units as the guests traveling with us loved it as much as I did. It also eliminated the arguments with my wife as she didn’t have to navigate with a map open the entire trip. She got to enjoy the seamy as much as I did!

Summary: The StreetPilot c580 is for the GPS navigation fan who wants it all. You get easy to use navigation, built-in Bluetooth, accident alerts and MSN Direct displayed on your screen. I previously owned a c530 with just the basic GPS features so I was really impressed that I could add all these features for about the same price I paid for the c530 just 9 months ago! The StreetPilot 500 series have a brighter screen and faster connectivity to the satellites than previous models.

The Bluetooth is a safety feature if you own a Bluetooth cell phone. This enables you to talk hands-free while you’re driving.

The MSN Direct is cool but is limited to only 4 functions: weather, gas prices, movie times and traffic alerts. A minor complaint is that the gas prices have a one or 2-day delay and are not necessarily current. This is OK if you are driving through an unfamiliar area and want to know ballpark gas prices. The MSN Direct is free for the first year and $50 for each additional year or $130 lifetime. MSN Direct offers a special $9.95 deal for 6 months after your free period, so owning the c580 will give you the first 18-months for only $9.95. If you go for the lifetime deal, the price is not transferable to another GPS should it become defective or if you upgrade to a newer model.

The StreetPilot c580 is a feature-laden GPS that not everyone would need. With current prices, the basic StreetPilot 530 is $200 less than the c580. Whether you need all the bells and whistles for $200 is a decision only you can make!