Gps?

[brighteyes]

Ok just wondering what model and brand everyone is using lately for their GPS? What features does it have and what do you like or dislike about it?

I am looking to get one and heard that the Garmin Nuvi's were good but not sure what I'm looking for except lane assist and spoken street names.

I did a search but it seems new models are out now, so I thought I would ask for recent opinions.

Thanks.

 

[bankr63]

I have a Garmin Nuvi 260 that is now about 1.5 years old. As a Computer Geek, I am a bit disappointed about how many huge issues there are in the user experience for these, but overall, I love having and using a GPS.

My model is a "small screen" unit which I actually consider a benefit; smaller for travel, less windshield real estate, and a wider screen doesn't really show you significanly more.

Lane assist "might" be nice, but I have never had a problem with my unit providing enough information to get in the correct lane anyway. It is pretty obvious just from looking at it that a left turn may be quickly followed by a right turn.

Biggest frustration is that the map updates are expensive; considering buying another unit rather than new maps. You would be surprised at how often roads change to need an update.

My biggest pet peeve is that they show no intelligence around "regular routes". My Nuvi can't recognize that I ALWAYS drive through my neighorhood (1 light, one stop sign) instead of following its directions to a major street with 3 slow lights to reach the highway. After this long, it should be able to realize that this is the best route. I have not been able to find a unit that can recognize regular driving habits, even though it should be very simple to program.

Since this is a Disney forum, I will say that my Nuvi has been indispensible in Orlando for getting around. It never steers me wrong, although I have learned a couple of shortcuts that avoid traffic that it does not know about. Still my Nuvi always gets me there; just not always by the fastest route.

If you do purchase a GPS, download the Disney Points Of Interest file from the mousesavers at http://www.mousesavers.com/gps.html. Gets you to all of the Disney hotels, restaurants, and attractions quickly.

Happy motoring!

 

[nat1234]

I have the TomTom Go 920. I love this unit. It has text to speech which makes it so much easierto know when a turn is coming up. This was a feature that I really wanted. It has a touch screen so is really simple to use. I used it to get us to Disney last year, something I never would have tried before I got it. I have updated the map once since I got it. It came with maps for Canada, the US and Europe (whick I don't need, right now). I decided when I got it that I was only going to update my maps once a year. Which has worked so far for me.

 

[brighteyes]

Does it cost for things like the map updates? If so, how much?

 

[nat1234]

It cost about $80-90 for a one time update. TomTom also offers updates four times a year which is about $25, I think. That's why I only update mine once a year.

 

[dennise]

We have a Nuvi 650, wide screen, it has saved a lot of missed exits. We purchased the lifetime map update for about $120. We can update it 4 times a year. Some of the new ones include the map updates as a bonus. I wouldn't be without one, but as a aprevious poster mentioned, it doesn't always take the shortest route. We ignore the directions if it is a place we are familiar with, but for a new destination, following directions is better than driving for hours looking for a place.

 

[brighteyes]

ok one last question, can you program them ahead of time and save destinations for later reference? DO you take it out of your car so it doesn't get stolen? When you are going somewhere new, do you take it out of the car to program it or leave it in the car?

For instance, if I know I am going somewhere t he night before can I enter the address and find out how long it takes me to get there?

Thanks again.

 

[Mrs. M. Mouse]

We have a Tom Tom xl something or other. We just got it before summer. It has lifetime map updates for free which is nice with all the new infrastructure going in around here! We used it to drive from calgary to san francisco, then down to anaheim, san diego and back home through las vegas. it has a feature you can add any voice to it from their site. I have my eyes on yoda lol...

so far we've had no issues with it at all.

We took it out of the car at nights in the new cities and otherwise here at home we don't. I just lock it into my glovebox.

To program it on our trip we took it out the night before with us and programmed out our route that night for the next day. it worked well. twice on our trip it found us a better route than what was originally suggested and alerted us before it changed saving us 45 mins one day and 10 minutes another.

I find it to be a priceless possession.

 

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

I have a Garmen c330 my wife has a garmen nuvi ??? dont know the number. It is a wide screew though. We have all our trips planned and inputted into it days no weeks before we leave. We went to Newfoundland at the end of Aug and my wife had all the places of interest hotels we stayed in and every place we planned on stopping pre programed. man it makes things a breeze. We to have life time map uploads for ours. $120 for mine hers we havent done yet. When we did our last trip to disney we just used all the inputted stuff from the trip before it was great.

 

[bankr63]

ok one last question, can you program them ahead of time and save destinations for later reference? DO you take it out of your car so it doesn't get stolen? When you are going somewhere new, do you take it out of the car to program it or leave it in the car?

For instance, if I know I am going somewhere t he night before can I enter the address and find out how long it takes me to get there?

Thanks again.

I only take mine out when parking in high risk areas; downtown parking garages. Again, mine doesn't look very high end (but has all the necessary features) so it isn't a big target. FWIW, I got it at Costco, they usually have a decent unit on for just over $100. I think I paid $120 for mine; that's why $50-$90 map updates seem so expensive.

The Nuvi remembers several pages of past destinations. They are in order of use, and for me holds about 1 year worth. I can usually find last years Disney addresses by paging back a bit.

You can program tomorrow's destination in advance and find out how long it will take; but I still use mapquest or google maps when sitting inside at the computer (the GPS lives in the car). The times are more accurate using the GPS, as it takes into account your driving style. I was always shocked at how accurate the times were considering I don't always follow the posted limits (what? so maybe I drive slower!), but then found out that it does take your style into account.

Regardless of the unit you buy, you will very quickly come to rely on it. The kids named our "Bossy" because she sounds increasingly strident if you don't follow her directions. recalculating... REcalculating... reCALculating... RECALCULATING... RECALCULATING YOU DEAF AND DIRECTIONALLY CHALLENGED MORON... (okay, she may never have said the last one).

Have fun choosing!

 

[Reggy]

I have the Nuvi 360. It is old and I have had it for 3 or 4 years now and love it. What I like about the Garmin is that they offer a live time map update service. You pay about 150% of a single annual update, but that is it and you get updates quarterly rather than waiting once a year. Each trip we take we favourite the locations we really like and will return to. Especially great when you find that hole in the wall restaurant or shop that 2 years later you want to find again.

 

[BackSlash3]

I use my iphone as a GPS at home and an ipad on trips. I bought the Navigon software for $90 so I don't need cellular data to use the gps like with google maps. I can load it on multiple devices without paying extra, it included maps for Canada and the US and the map updates (twice a year via the app store) have been free for the past year and a half.

The big screen on the ipad is surprisingly nice when it's dark and you don't know where you are.

 

[Tower]

Mines a Garmin Nuvi 255WT. W for wide, T for talking (or speaking out the street names). It's interesting while driving in Quebec, or eastern Ontario and it pronounces French names with her British accent.

One thing I like about it, at least while travelling in the USA, is the speed limit posting on screen. You can travel most places south of the border and it will display the posted speed limit to keep you safe from the troopers.

Last August, while travelling around Detroit, we stopped in Mexican Town at the border. After dinner, we made our way toward Sarnia via the USA. The GPS was navigating us one direction, and there were signs all over saying 'Please obey street signs, DO NOT FOLLOW YOUR GPS!'

Sometimes, ya just can't win!

 

[noelk]

For the relatively low cost, a GPS is indispensible when driving in an unfamiliar city. I'm on my second unit right now...bought I my first Garmin in Dec. '07 just a few weeks before our first family trip to Disney...it was great!

As others have mentioned, the map updates are kinda expensive. Rather than buy the update, I bought a brand new Garmin 1350T in Dec. '09...I paid $209...rationale for me was while I did pay about double the price of just the map update, I also got a new unit with great new features...in particular, the free realtime traffic has saved me tonnes of time by giving me the option to reroute around major jams (receives traffic info via radio signals in major cities without a monthly fee!)...also has lane assist (shows you for example whether threre are one or two exit lanes at a freeway interchange) and in the USA, it shows me right on the screen the speed limit along with my current speed...this allows me to "cheat" and continue to think in metric...it converts the speed limit to km/h, and shows me my speed in km/h!

I also give my dad my old unit...he never had a gps before, and loves his new 'toy'...a win-win.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

I use Onstar ... but can jump to my blackberry is necessary

 

[brighteyes]

Thanks everyone for the imput I will let you know what I decide!!!!!! I need it because I am leery of driving out of town or long distances with just my DS and I.

I am also on call for employment and need to find one of 80 or more locations locally on last minute notice so that will be helpful.

 

[Aliceacc]

If anyone is looking for one THIS WEEKEND, Circuit City is running a special:--

sorry, too late.
It ended this evening.

 

[Aliceacc]

They're running it again:

" the Garmin nüvi 265W at $99.99 after coupon. There are good reasons why the Garmin nüvi 265W is so popular. This 4.3" widescreen navigator takes you there with preloaded maps and turn-by-turn
directions that call out streets by name. The 4.3" display is sunlight-readable, and easy to read from any direction. It integrates BLUETOOTH which
allows you to pair the GPS with your cell phone for hands-free calls while staying focused on the road - a good way to avoid a ticket! Because the
nüvi 265W is sleek and slim, you can also take it with you. See it for yourself at:

http://www.circuitcity.com/applicat...M477TT&cm_mmc=email_-text-_-CCEM477-_-ccemail

Of course, these features are great but the real value of a GPS is in its technology and how it helps you find your way. That's where the nüvi 265W is
great. It's intuitive interface greets you with two simple questions: "Where to?" and "View Map." Touch the color screen to easily look up addresses and
services and get voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination. It comes preloaded with detailed City Navigator® NT
street maps, more than 6 million points of interest (POIs), 2-D or 3-D maps. In addition, nüvi 265W accepts
custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs. With HotFix®
satellite prediction, nüvi calculates your position faster to get you there quicker.

So as I said - $99.99, plain and simple! Just click on the link and you get this exclusive price. The regular price is $139.99. It's already a
great price. But Circuit City is all about finding deals. This is a 48 hour deal! It ends Sunday, November 21st at Midnight ET.

http://www.circuitcity.com/applicat...M477TT&cm_mmc=email_-text-_-CCEM477-_-ccemail


It's really the lowest price you will get on this GPS. Go ahead. Shop around. You'll see 99 bucks is the lowest you'll pay for this masterful GPS.
But hurry...This deal ends Sunday night.

Garmin nüvi 265W with 4.3" touch screen, 3D maps and Bluetooth.

- 4.3" TOUCH WIDESCREEN
- 2D & 3d MAPS
- 6M Point Of Interest
- BLUETOOTH for hands-free calls

Regular Price: $139.99
Exclusive Circuit City Price: $99.99

Offer expires midnight ET on Sunday, 11-21-2010.

"

 

[Sue M]

I have an older Tom Tom One, the small screen. This was my first GPS, and text to speech was just coming out, and expensive. I didn't know much about GPS, so I got the One, which was on Boxing Day Special at Staples.

Now I know I want text to speech but have gotten used to just the "left turn coming in xzy meters I use to mainly on trips, and I drive from Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando. It is indespensible driving in Florida, which is notorious for NOT having street signs, or having signs with 2 or 3 names for the same road, By the time you finish reading all the names and realize it's the street you should have turned on, your past it

I prob. will get a new GPS, with Text to Speech, and lifetime map updates. I've never updated mine since the initial free updates ended (years ago). They are way too expensive, IMO.

I'd get another Tom Tom or Garmin. Maybe this Boxing Day