MY GPS DIED — from physical damage, nothing wrong with the device — and I see that Consumer Reports top rates the Garmin nüvi 885T. Is the traffic coverage worth it?

UPDATE: Reader Clark Myers writes: “Consumer Reports is a generation behind on Garmin. Consider the 1350 – read the reviews at Amazon – traffic isn’t worth anything in cities with no alternatives such as Seattle useful in others -typically comes with advertisements while stopped.” I doubt I’d use the traffic that much in Knoxville, but I’ve sometimes wished I had it on trips. Worth it?

ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader John Thacker writes:

The Garmin has several different flavors of traffic. There’s a “enhanced services” one (includes weather, etc.) from Microsoft called MS Direct, and another service from NAVTEQ data that uses RDS on various radio stations to transmit the info.

MS just announced today that MSN Direct will be shut down in 2012, since not enough people are paying for their alternative over XM, RDS, cellular, and wifi sources of traffic.

The 855T is bundled with the receiver that works with MSN Direct and comes with a three month subscription to that. You can separately buy the receiver that works with NAVTEQ (FM Traffic). The newer GPS units 1350T, 1370T, etc. come with a receiver and lifetime subscription to the NAVTEQ FM Traffic; for them, the MSN Direct receiver is sold separately.

The traffic is useful, but be careful to look at their coverage maps. Only the most major interstates (and near urban areas) get both “flow” and “incident” information. Some other major roads get only “incident” information, such as if there’s an accident. Alternate routes may get no traffic at all.

It works okay, but it’s annoying when, e.g. I see trouble on the I-66 but I don’t know if US 50 and US 29 have a lot of traffic or not so I don’t know whether to sit through it or not.

Hmm.