Better directions than Garmin?

This is for anyone who has owned both Garmin and Tom Tom stand alone car GPS.

Which do you find gives better directions? My Garmin SmartDrive 61 LMT seems to being getting senile. It keeps giving me TERRIBLE directions. It will take me off a highway,through a little town, then back on the same highway. Instead of having me simply make a permitted left turn, it may take me a quarter mile further down the road,around the block in a residential neighborhood, back towards my destination on the original road, and them make a right into the parking lot.

This unit is several years old. Do they go bad?

Maps and software are updated, route preference set for shortest time. Thanks.

 

Thanks for the reply. I've double and triple checked my navigation options and they are definitely set correctly.

 

Hello Brewerpaul,
I also own a DriveSmart 61 LMT and I have had similar experiences especially when i intentionally or unintentionally deviate from a pre-programed route while driving. On more occasions than I would like the GPS does not find the most efficient or accurate roads when automatically replanning the route back to my ultimate destination. I may already be on the best road to return only to have the device try to route me off the road with a series of unnecessary circuitous directions. I constantly update all software and maps.

Any suggestions on the best Navigation preferences to minimize these issues? I appreciate the response from Nuvi-Nebie as he gives good advice to many problems. Maybe it's just the number of GPS satellites communicating with the device during the replanning process that causes these errant instructions?