Automotive GPS

[manofprawnz]

I am considering picking up a lower end automotive GPS from Costco or somewhere similar for under $250. It will be primarily for a road trip this summer, then into the wife's truck after that. Looking for comments from users as to what to look for, what features are usefull, what is a waste of time. Also, what options are there for uploading new maps and so on.

 

[JB]

Re: Automotive GPS

As long as you stay on major roads and hiways they work fine, MOP. If you are going to rural, secondary roads it is likely to tell you you are in a wilderness.

Interesting timing. In just the last few weeks I have had three different people with low end auto navigators get lost trying to find The Hideout because their units didn't have local roads on them.

Go for at least a unit (I like Garmin) that you can load fine detail maps of where you are going. Many of them claim that they have everyplace in their maps. Not so.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Automotive GPS

+1 for the Garmin I have one and it works great.

 

[tommays]

Re: Automotive GPS

I do well with a MIO C220 at 149.00 ,i cant speak for the country BUT it works well in the urban Jungle

I do not think you will get into any unit that allows map tweaking in the under 250.00 market buy the time you have all the bits and pieces


NONE of the units always gives you the best ROUTE so you have to do things like NOT drive through NYC to go to NJ even if its much shorter

 

[extremez]

Re: Automotive GPS

i picked up a garmin nuvi 200 a few months ago. mainly for work. i drive a service van around most of the day covering 4 counties. before this i had my head stuck in a mapbook half the day lookin for the road. now i punch it in, listen and drive to where i need to be.

other goodies too, which i assume other brands have as well. hotels, gas stations, food, shopping, attractions, etc... i create points of interest, and add stuff all the time. the only thing i find is that new housing developments or roads weren't loaded. but that will happen over time anyway. i'll be using it for a trip this summer to Indiana.

i haven't tried it yet, but i want to see if it will work in the boat. mark some successful fishing spots on the lake.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Automotive GPS

I have a Magellan i bought for road trips.It does very well.I used to have an older Garmin.Both brands work well.The Magellan was about 150 bucks.
It also lets me do updates with a USB cable from their website.
For a low cost unit i was very pleased.
I have been looking at the Garmin Nuvi 650,Its a higher end unit but i may get one for my work vehicle.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Automotive GPS

Last Xmas I had several friends that got TomToms.
They love 'em.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Automotive GPS

Last Xmas I had several friends that got TomToms.
They love 'em.

Nice to hear. The Mrs just got one for me. Haven't opened it yet due to efforts being expended on outside house refurb. Trying desperately to not run out of decent weather.

I usually like to research purchaces of these kinds of things but I'm going to hope the Tom Tom is at least suitable.

 

[Adjuster]

Re: Automotive GPS

Lowrance XOG Water Street Trail

http://www.redtag.com/Lowrance+XOG+...+Crossover+GPS+System/a11287408-c1491-s2.html

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Automotive GPS

I purchased a low end Magellan Road Mate series (The exact model escapes me) last Christmas. I paid around $120.00 dollars or so for it. So far its worked flawlessly...................well enough I send wife off to parts unknown armed with the Road Mate and an address..................She always returns with out a hitch.....................travel wise any how.............................................additionally I have friends with a Tom Tom that love it also..................seems it would be hard to go wrong either way.

 

[JC1933]

Re: Automotive GPS

I have the Garmin Nuvi 360, went on a 850 mile trip in southern British Columbia, forgot my maps at home, my little friend guided me to all the places I wanted to go.
It talks to you and you can talk to it as it has blue tooth connection to my cell phone, conversation is hands free.

I recommend Garmin.

Regards JC

 

[JustJason]

Re: Automotive GPS

add another +1 for the garmin.
I have a 205W and it works great. I'm a big fan of having the wide screen.
Plus, once you get into it a bit, you can add all sorts of goodies from the garmin website and it's relaitively easy to add your own points of interest.

 

[Hoss the Hermit]

Re: Automotive GPS

Not to change the subject, BUT, does anyone remember how to read a map????????

 

[JoeCrow]

Re: Automotive GPS

I have a Magellan,
$150 at Best Buy
Can't enough good things about it and I haven't been lost since I got it

 

[Labman]

Re: Automotive GPS

Magellan Crossover.
Punched in my cousin's kids house in Parksville on Van. Island, That's over a 16 hr. drive from here, it even had a provision for the ferry to the Island.
Worked flawlessly, of course, that's after I had to down load the Canadian maps, it comes fully loaded for the U.S., has GPS,Points of Interest, Marine and Maps.
Wal-mart $299.00 cdn.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Automotive GPS

Not to change the subject, BUT, does anyone remember how to read a map????????

Few HtH. It's becoming a lost art. Kind of going the way of the slide rule. Along with the lost ability to read a map is the loss of any intuitive way finding.

Funny to note, the TomTom I just got from my Wife was actually purchased for my 24 y/o daughter as she was about to leave for So Cal to spend two years getting her Masters Degree. She told her mom that she really didn't want it because she enjoyed the game of finding her way about. This from a girl, unlike her brother, who would get lost (when she first started driving) at the drop of a hat.

 

[rwise]

Re: Automotive GPS

I can still read a map, if I can find my glasses but as inner cities put roads on top of roads on top of roads it gets harder. I was glad to have one when in Atlanta! I can easily find my way roun this country of ours, but the inner city, they help, no more missed turns! I have used a garmin and Magellan,(unknown models) from car rentals. They sounded like the same voice, had the same inaccuracies, (get ya within 1/4 mile) anyway I just bought a tomtom one off ebay for $120, not here yet so I cant comment further on it,,,yet,,,,

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Automotive GPS

I have a Garmin as well and it works great.

If I were to choose again, I'd go Garmin or TomTom.

Garmin because it works great, nice features, etc. Why not stick with what works.

However, the real difference in the Garmin vs. TomTom is that the map updates for Garmin cost $$$$. The TomTom's are free to download from my understanding. Not important today, but in 5 years when there are a pile of new homes/roads/businesses being built, they'll be inaccurate.

 

[mlukich]

Re: Automotive GPS

IMO - all basic units will do the basic navigation for you... I have a Garmin nuvi 200 and it works well enough for me. Soon to be daughter-in-law has the TomTom and it works fine too.

Biggest thing to remember - again IMO - is that nothing is accurate 100% of the time. As long as you accept that, any make and model should be fine.

Mark

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Automotive GPS

Had a Tom Tom for over a year and we really like it. Update the info on the website every couple of months and downloaded a few new voices into it (for fun) We currently have Austin Powers giving us directions.
It has way enough features for us and cost us $140
I like having a portable unit so we can put it in whichever vehicle we are taking. Seems kind of a waste to me having a built in as you are stuck with an overpriced to begin with fixed unit.