GPS System recommendations?

[Will B]

A couple things to look for in a GPS...

• Bells and whistles (voice direction, Bluetooth, route planning, points of interest, etc...) will add to the $$ of any GPS you buy. Choose what best suits you and don't over purchase.
  
• Screen size is important. Be sure to look at the screen from a distance close to how far it will be away from you when you are driving. If it's too small, go bigger.
  
• Make sure that you get one that allows you to make up your own routes. You'd be suprised how many don't.
  
• Find one with a good "Point if Interest" collection. Those would be gas stations, ATM's, hotels, parks, etc... I use mine for that all the time.
  
• Find one that has a really bright screen for daylight that can be adjusted to different levels. Also, some have night screens that change the color pallet which makes a huge difference.

The Nuvi and Zumo models are very good. Lowrance just came out with a new model called the XOG that is good as well. Buy which ever one you choose online. You will save a lot of $$.

...and a final few nuggets...

Most GPS's, regardless of make / model all use the NavTeq database. If there is an error in one, it will be in all. Even Google uses the NavTeq DB. In that respect, none are better than the other. It all comes down to bells and whistles, ease of use, and what makes you feel good.

All GPS models use mathematical algorithms to generate routes. If you are going from A to B and have a specific way that you go, chances are the GPS will take you a different way. Generally, they route in this order: fastest route, highways from biggest to smallest, surface roads. Some will take into account left turns and tolls. They are best used for situational awareness (not directing you) when you know where you are, getting you out of a lost location, or allowing it to reroute you when you have to detour.

BTW...I have a Lowrance iWay 500C and love it. It was designed to be used on motorcycles and is waterproof and has a giant screen. The downside is that it is really big, and heavy; however, it was the unit that best suited my need and probably would not have bought that particular model if it was for my car only. Base your purchase on the criteria above, and you can't go wrong...

Oh...and the more you use it the better you will understand how it works and why it does what does. Have fun with it!

 

[Paula]

All great advice. I would be concerned about being given directions in a round-about way (sometimes MAPquest does that, too), so I'd have to be able to be somewhat specific about the general way I'd like to go.

So much good advice, and keep it coming because I think I'll buy it next weekened!

 

[Will B]

All great advice. I would be concerned about being given directions in a round-about way (sometimes MAPquest does that, too), so I'd have to be able to be somewhat specific about the general way I'd like to go.

Coincidentally, also powered by NavTeq. Pull up a Mapquest map and look in the lower right corner!

GPS generated directions are, in most cases, identical to Google and Mapquest directions down to the last turn because the software that they all use is the same.

There is a learning curve with all of GPS units, but if you get one that allows you to program your own routes you can avoid the "round-about" directions that your refer to!

 

[ShallowsNole]

Thanks to Paula for this thread, as we have been considering *another* GPS. The one we have is an older model that requires you to download maps, which does you no good when you are at the Orlando International Airport and it cannot locate Orlando.

This same GPS pulled me off I-10 in Mobile and told me to go right, even though I could clearly see the USS Alabama on my left, and people turning left into the parking lot off of 98. When I turned left, it almost jumped off the dashboard at me, squawking "OFF ROUTE! RECALCULATING!" Six hours later, after a trip through Foley and Pensacola, dam thing telling us we were wrong every time we made a turn, we decided to eat at IHOP in Gulf Breeze. As we crossed 98 it came alive again, telling us we are off course. Fuzz pulled the plug out of the power port, threw it in the back seat (almost hitting ShallowsSquirt in the process) with the admonition to "eff off, b****!"

I tend to get giggly when I get tired, and that took the cake. Just remembering it is enough to bust a gut and bring me to tears. You would have had to be there. :funn:

 

[Beach Runner]

Our TomTom frequently tells us to turn on dirt roads, like when we're coming home from the local Mexican restaurant (not like we don't know how to get home from there -- I think hubby likes her voice ) or when traveling down Highway 81 on the way to the beach. When we don't turn, it asks us to turn around and go down that road.

NavTeq has all of the streets in our neighborhood in Seagrove labeled incorrectly (and our street doesn't even exist!). I have emailed them to correct this. There response was:

"Thank you for bringing this to our attention. This is an automated reply to your report of incorrect map data. Please be advised that the map data found in Maps is sourced largely from NAVTEQ and TeleAtlas. You can report this error directly to our map-data providers using the following links:

NAVTEQ
http://mapreporter.navteq.com/dur-web-external/secured/submitDur.do?userType=CONSUMER&language=en


TeleAtlas
http://www.teleatlas.com/MapInsight/index.htm

While we can't guarantee individual corrections in the immediate future, please be assured that we're working with our sources to consistently refresh this data. We appreciate your patience as we work to improve this service."

 

[Will B]

NavTeq does update once...maybe twice a year depending on how many changes they have to make. It's not perfect, but it's close to the only game in town so we're kinda stuck with it!

 

[Paula]

Thanks to Paula for this thread, as we have been considering *another* GPS. The one we have is an older model that requires you to download maps, which does you no good when you are at the Orlando International Airport and it cannot locate Orlando.

This same GPS pulled me off I-10 in Mobile and told me to go right, even though I could clearly see the USS Alabama on my left, and people turning left into the parking lot off of 98. When I turned left, it almost jumped off the dashboard at me, squawking "OFF ROUTE! RECALCULATING!" Six hours later, after a trip through Foley and Pensacola, dam thing telling us we were wrong every time we made a turn, we decided to eat at IHOP in Gulf Breeze. As we crossed 98 it came alive again, telling us we are off course. Fuzz pulled the plug out of the power port, threw it in the back seat (almost hitting ShallowsSquirt in the process) with the admonition to "eff off, b****!"

I tend to get giggly when I get tired, and that took the cake. Just remembering it is enough to bust a gut and bring me to tears. You would have had to be there. :funn:

Sounds nasty - what kind did all these bad things?

I'd like to stay around the $200 price range, but it sounds like good ones are about $400?

 

[Arkiehawg]

Singinchicken......My wifey says you must be an IT nerd.....

Regardless, I am impressed and truly do appreciate the detailed response.

 

[Miss Kitty]

Oh, ShallowsNole...that is the funniest thing I have read in a long time!

 

[Will B]

Singinchicken......My wifey says you must be an IT nerd.....

Regardless, I am impressed and truly do appreciate the detailed response.

Closet IT nerd! I know just enough to be dangerous...