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Ansley · 05-22-2010, 09:36 PM

I am looking to purchase a GPS system. Any advice that I could get from y'all would be great. Thanks!

cowdog · 05-22-2010, 11:12 PM

ansley, I use a tom-tom xl-330 , cost at radio shack around $130-$140 after you get comftorable with it it works pretty well the witch telling you to keep right can get to be a pain but overall unit has been a lifesaver for me. the mileage estimates are accurate the driving times can be off by quite a bit usually on the high side.

oden · 05-22-2010, 11:21 PM

I have used them for fishing and they work great but in cars sometimes it tells me to turn under a bridge with no exit. However, in cars I have only used them in rentals.

discreetgent · 05-23-2010, 12:11 AM

I have used the Garmin ones; works nicely; my cell phone also has one, many of them now do.

Chainsaw Anthropologist · 05-23-2010, 12:54 AM

My Garmin interfaces with my Bluetooth cell phone. As a result, when I get a call I actually answer and talk to the GPS.

LatinaVeronica · 05-23-2010, 02:00 AM

Garmn Nuvi works well for me ...

DFW5Traveler · 05-23-2010, 06:34 AM

The Garmin Nuvi's that have lifetime traffic... There are several options ranging up to 4 bills. Here is one: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134&pID=32700

WTF · 05-23-2010, 09:42 AM

I know a girl that uses a Tom Tom and if she can use it than anyone can! LOL

Thay're cheap too. So they work well, interface nicely with its owner and all at a great pricepoint.

LAVixian · 05-23-2010, 10:17 AM

garmin works well

ElisabethWhispers · 05-23-2010, 03:43 PM

I want one as well, Ansley. But isn't there a sense of purity just using a city Mapsco and figuring it out yourself? I guess not anymore!

I have asked around and heard that checking out EBAY is a good purchasing option.

Elisabeth

pyramider · 05-23-2010, 06:47 PM

My Tom Tom shorted out, no customer support. Moved on to the Nuvi 765, works like a charm.

discreetgent · 05-23-2010, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElisabethWhispers

I want one as well, Ansley. But isn't there a sense of purity just using a city Mapsco and figuring it out yourself? I guess not anymore!

I have asked around and heard that checking out EBAY is a good purchasing option.

Elisabeth

Heh, may be the only post in this forum that extols purity

Guest112113-3 · 05-23-2010, 09:16 PM

Just in case you have not heard already........

GARMIN Nuvi

Sydneyb · 05-23-2010, 10:54 PM

spend the money on a good one - you're looking for one that assesses traffic jams and works around them, good search program (mine is awful for that purpose) - for instance: looking for a grocery store and have to figure out that its in "shopping" under "general" - you want to be able to search for the specific grocery store by name, as well as under nonspecific avenues. Good search programs costs. And they're worth it. (words of wisdom, as I'll be gone for THREE WEEKS -I wanted to leave you to contemplate the important things in life - yes; knowing where you're going - literally and figuratively count!).

GneissGuy · 05-24-2010, 03:46 AM

Some things to watch out for.

If you drive with sunglasses, try out the unit while wearing your sunglasses. Especially if they're polarized. Some displays can't be read if you're wearing polarized sunglasses unless you tilt your head to the side. Be sure to tilt your head back and forth to see if the display fades in and out.

Some units have a very narrow viewing angle. You can see just fine if you look straight on at the unit, but they may fade out if you are off to the right, left, or up and down.

I hate the "3D" view and the "direction of travel up" up view. I'm used to looking at maps with north up, and if the GPS shows another view, I have a difficult time figuring out where I am. The "3D" view is a good choice if you want it, but you shouldn't be forced to use it. One GPS I had let you set "2D north up," but if you used the navigation features, it automatically changed to "3D direction of travel up" view every time you came to a turn. It then took 7 screen touches to unscrew it up.

One GPS I had would not zoom out to a scale more than about 5 miles wide. If I'm driving from Houston to Dallas on I-45, I may not care about what the local streets are, but it's nice to be able to zoom out and visually see that you're about half way.

I wouldn't worry about getting a GPS you can update maps for. Technology is improving all the time. The prices for updates are a royal ripoff in many cases. If you wait a few years for when you need an update, just buy a new one. You will probably get a better GPS, and it may not cost that much more.

I bought a Magellan 1440 for around $140 sometime last year at Best Buy. Best Buy was good because they had a unit I could turn on and play with to check the display and a few other things. Buy.com sells refurb 1440's for $80 or so.

My biggest problem is that it's too bright to use at night without dimming it. Then if I dim it, if I turn it on during the daytime, I can't see the display well enough to undim it. I have to pull over and shield the display with my hand to see. I've gotten pretty good at being able to do the 5 or 6 menu items without really being able to see the display. Luckily it clicks when I press menu buttons. It talks directions, but doesn't speak the menu items. It doesn't have a battery indicator, but I don't use it portable. I think the battery lifetime is pretty bad. It's a car unit, not a hiking unit.

The maps are pretty good.

There's probably better units now since it's a 1-2 year old design, but I haven't been shopping for a similar unit since them.

It's useful to download the user manuals before you buy anything like this these days. I've avoided nasty gotchas in several things I was thinking about buying by reading the user manuals before I bought.