Q: I read your column about the Magellan 5265T-LMB GPS and did a little follow-up research. I was surprised that the overall rating from 39 reviews was 3.8 stars out of a 5-star index at Best Buy's website. I expected a higher overall rating for something you held in high regard.

Any thoughts?

A: I looked up the reviews and out of 39 reviews, 16 were 5-star ratings and eight were 4-star ratings. One of the 5-star reviews was from a cabdriver, which represents what is probably the most grueling test of any navigation system. Obviously, a lot of people were happy with the unit besides me.

There were five 1-star reviews that drove down the average. Three complained of their unit freezing, and one complained of low battery life. One person complained of getting lost by the routing.

When I review something, I have to go by my impressions. I didn't have battery life problems. As for getting lost, I had only one serious error in the three months I had the system.

Ironically, it was the first time I used it. It told me I was at my destination when my destination, a residential address, was a left turn and 300 feet away down a hill. It did get me to the correct cross street, so it was easy enough to find it, but I was about to give up on it right then and there given that I felt we were off to a bad start.

I'm glad I kept using it, though, because it impressed me after that, including on long trips that took me across state lines to business and residential addresses. The system made me feel confident as I used it, especially on the highway, and I liked that.

I wasn't there when other people had problems, so I can't say why their experiences were different.

Did they have a setting wrong in the setup menus? Did the accessory power cord have a solid connection so the power supply was uninterrupted, allowing the unit to charge continuously when it was connected? Was the system updated with the latest firmware, or perhaps they just got a bad one? It happens.

Also, anyone who has used several GPS units will tell you that all of them have quirks and that none is 100 percent accurate.

Finally, some products might work better for some people than others. For example, Garmin is the industry leader, but although I have tried its GPS systems, I have never had an affinity for them. That's why marketplace competition and lots of choices are wonderful things. The right fit is out there for everyone.

Something else I noticed when I looked up the reviews was that the unit was selling for only $129.

Read the good reviews, as well as the bad ones, and decide if it's worth a try. If it doesn't work for you, return it and try another brand.

Send questions to donlindich@gmail.com. Get more recommendations and read past columns at www.soundadviceblog.com.