GPS Navigation

Apollo

Apollo

Jason Stanley
At the start of the year, I will be purchasing some sort of GPS Navigation device. I do not have very much experience with any of the models. I rode to a match with a guy who had one and it was really helpful. What are some "must have" features that I should look at before making a purchase? Thanks in advance.

Stanley
 
My must have is Garmin... I have had several of their products on and off water.
 
I heard that Nighforce may have one in their new SUPERSCOPE...Wouldn't that be dandy? :cool:
 
I had a magellan which worked just fine , but could not hear it with my shot out hearing. I just bought a Garmin which has a much larger speaker and now I can hear the commands. Wish I had it all along. John
 
In 2004 I bought a new Dodge Viper Ram SRT10 pick-up, it came with Navigation which also gave me built in Blue tooth hands free for my cell phone. Since then I have not owned or purchased a vehicle without navigation and BlueTooth. I don't know who's system Chrysler used back then but it was a great Navigation, simple to operate and the Hands Free is the only way I can hear a cell phone when driving. I had have had this same exact system in 4 pick-ups and my wife's Chrysler 300C. We were completly happy with the Chrysler radios and there Navigation.

Over the Thanksgiving Holidays we found us needing to replace Joannes Chrysler, I bought her A NEW 2012 Dodge Challanger. I only thought we were happy with the old system, this new Challanger came with a factory installed "Garmin" navigation and blue tooth. Man is this the cats meow. All touch screen simple to use not only is the sound quality great, but it has features I would never have thought possible. I mean at the touch of the screen I can have the weather forcast for the next "week", it will tell you not only how to get to the closet fuel or store or whatever but how much the fuel cost at that station and compare cost between up to 20 stations in the area.

These things have evolved. If I were to go looking today "Garmin" would top my list thats for sure. Whatever system you choose look at the features it will amaze you what these things can do today.

Roland
 
I am a Garmin fan. Frankly I think there are 2 or 3 things to look at when making a choice...most of the more expensive units have features that most do not use or need such as viewing pictures and bluetooth and so forth. A cheap one is going to be no more or less accurate than an expensive one.

1. Screen size. (how good are your eyes? Some of the larger ones are easier to read if you have older eyes but keep in mind the bigger it is the more it may obstruct your view in certain areas of your windshield)

2. Because many range locations are listed by latitude and longitude, not ALL units have that ability, some will just let you enter an address.

3. Map updates. GPS units are cheap enough that instead of updating maps which I think doing every 2-3 years I nomrally just to replace the unit with a new one. With that said, some of the Garmins come with lifetime map updates....so keep that on your radar when looking.

4. Some units will verbally tell you the name of the street to turn onto instead of just saying turn left in 500 ft. Nice but not necessary.

Bottom line...don't think spending more money gets you a more accurate unit....its just bells and whistles with the exception of making sure the one you pick will take coordinate inputs instead of address only.

Also, don't trust them 100 percent...they may get you there but sometimes taking some crappy routes.

Make sure you use it for a while before you want to use it to go on a trip. Program it when you know where you are going just to understand how it works. I have seen people pull them straight out of the box not knowing how to use one as they are getting ready to leave for a long trip....that is NOT the time to learn how to use it. You want to be comfortable in its operation and how it acts which will give you more trust in it to take you on your way.

If you want to save a few bucks I have bought several factory refurbs, I guess new units that had problems and were returned to the factory repaired and look and work as new. I find great prices on new and refurbs at www.tigerdirect.com Good Luck.

Sorry, didn't mean to write a book.
Charlie
 
Charlie,

Don't know if it's the same stateside as here in Australia, but some of the upmarket units draw each lane as well as talk you thru which can help at tricky intersections & layoffs.

I'm with you on Garmin.

John
 
Apollo

I just bought my first GPS a month ago.
Saleskid recommended nothing but a Garmin.
I needed it for the next morning and explained I did'nt want to read a 1000 page manual to learn how to use it.
He suggested they're base model for my needs. Get to point A to point B without all the extras.

Super easy to use. Plug it in and thats about it. within 15 minutes you'll figure it out with no instructions
For a little more cash I could have got more bells and whistles and I wish I did, but it works awesome anyhow.
Just a quess but I doubt the top models are any harder to use than the base model.
The Bells and Whistles would be cool. My next will have them. Nothing in this technology to fear. Very simple and user friendly.

They can take you on some stupid excursions as cpeters has said. But if you really are lost you may never know that.
 
My vote is with Garmin as I have used their products for a long time. I have been using what GMC puts in their vehicles for a time and they work well but I would rather have a Garmin that I could move from vehicle to vehicle.

I have taken trips of over 2000 miles with my Garmin and never missed a turn.

I have seen some unusual things on my Garmin in my travles. Once it showed me leaving the interstate out in Arizona at a rate of over 600 miles per hour and once I was westbound on I-10 east of San Antonio and found Garmin was indicating that I was crossing San Antonio at a rate of 1780 miles per hour. They must have been moving a satellite.

I have a hand held unit that Southwest let me use on flights that worked great. It showed my altitude, location and ground speed. That was before 911 and I am sure that has changed.

I love GPS units.

Bill
 
Garmin hands down, I have the 1490 LMT, I find the lane assist helpfull when traveling to differant States
 
I had a TomTom after seeing my stepson's TomTom in action in England a couple of years ago. It gave him directions that got him right to places after entering the address that amazed me. I got one, not the same model, and that sucker couldn't figure out the USA or Western Canada to save itself. It got turned back in, and I've been without since.

It sounds like what I need is a Garmin, thanks gentlemen!
 
Defiantly the garmin. I have one for personal use in my own pickup and love it. They just bought us the Tom Toms at work for our service trucks and thier horrible. Ive had it take me in a huge circle all around the city just to and up 500 yards from where i started, and it is forever telling me some random field is the adress im looking for. Spend a little more for the garmin youll thank yourself later.
 
Any of these devises are just devises. They are tools that will help a human who uses them. They think like machines and they work better for us when viewed in that light.

Bill
 
I have used several makes and models of GPS in my own vehicle as well as rental cars. I currently have a Tom Tom and do not care for it.
If I get another it will be a Garmin.
But any GPS is only as good as its map. So even the best GPS will suck if you don't update the Maps on a reqular basis.

Ted
 
Thank you all for the advice given. Based on your information, I have narrowed down my choices. Now, I'm just going to shop around to get the best deal.

Thanks again. Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Holiday Season.

Stanley
 
JerrySharrett said:
Magellan. If you have a big windshield get the 7" model. Magellan has lane smarts, turn alert, altitude, ETA, miles to destination, speed, 2D view, 3D view, zoom-in, zoom-out, the whole 9 yards.
Click to expand...

+1 only thing I use (aged eyes) BUT my Magellan 1700 Big Screen told me how to get to the nearest Walmart (in Erie , PA… trip distance 4 miles) even tho I could see it… right in front of me.
 
deadwooddick said:
+1 only thing I use (aged eyes) BUT my Magellan 1700 Big Screen told me how to get to the nearest Walmart (in Erie , PA… trip distance 4 miles) even tho I could see it… right in front of me.
Click to expand...

GPS rules to follow;

!-if you have a GPS AND know where you are going you will do OK.
2-Read rule #1 again.
 
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