Interesting threads on GPS units - am thinking about buying one (have used one on trips and they are great) What are your thoughts on needed features and things to consider as well as best sources to buy.

I am leaning toward GARMIN nuvi 760 or 265T (or possibly a 255)

What are your thoughts folks????

__________________
TOMBECK

My girlfriend had a Garmin Nuvi (sorry I don't know the model) and loves it. It is very accurate and has good maps. My future BIL has one too.

There was a post just recently about a member's wife using a Garmin and having it **** out on her, but I think it was an issue with proper charging going by the thread.

All in all I recommend the Garmin Nuvis.

__________________
- The Federalist #46 -

I have an older Garmin (looks like a fat TV set), but its mostly retired in favor of two new TomToms. The Tomtoms were under $200 each, bought at Wally World, and they have been completely trouble free. They are easy to update with the home computer, and I like the street level view rather than the top down view on my old Garmin. I'm sure the new Garmins are just as good, though.

__________________
“What you got, ain’t new.”

Look around here maybe help you to decide.

http://www.gpsinformation.net/

I've got a Garmin Nuvi 660, no longer made. I think the 760 is the successor. Works well; I enjoy tapping in favorite locations such as restaurants so that no matter where I am, the GPS figures out the fastest way to get there. Garmin does free upgrades via the USP port from your computer, so it can be pretty much up to date as far as data is concerned. The verbal direction feature is a must. This one warns you when you are approaching a turn, then tells you to turn when appropriate. If you get off course either intentionally or unintentionally, it recalculates and re-instructs you. Great for detours. And the female "voice" is pleasant!

__________________
- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I have had 4 Garmins, all super units, I am still running my 276C(4 years old) and feel no need to upgrade, just added a Garmin external antenna($15) and it makes a HUGE difference in my rig, works much better in the heave woods. Years ago, the darn external antenna were $100...I had one mounted on the snorkle on my Land Cruiser.

I use the same unit on land or sea

I really dont think there is any better GPS than Garmin, their CS is great as well

Two thumbs up for the Garmin.

__________________
U.S. Army Viet Nam Vet '68-69'

I don't use my simple unit for driving, but after my experience on a road trip with a friend's unit, would advise getting a Garmin with the "T" suffix, which provides continuously updated traffic condition reports and advisories, which were remarkably up-to-date and helpful on our trip.

I use a Garmin GPS60CSX on the trail and a Garmin Streetpilot 550. Love 'em both.

I think I bought both of them from GPS now. Read some reviews (try zdnet.com or cnet.com) Pull up specific models at amazon.com and read reviews there, too.

I'm sure there are GPS forums but I'm always on S&W!

Good luck!

In my experience, three of the things to think about (I'm sure there are more) are:

- Screen size
- Spoken street names
- Update ability (Garmin yes, TomTom no)

__________________
Barry, youngest son of Claud

Just bought a TomTom go720 from Amazon. Most all the bells and whistles, 4.3 screen, under $150 delivered. My wife loves it.
http://www.amazon.com/TomTom-4-3-Inc...6539005&sr=8-1

I have used Garmins exclusively for years. I carried the Garmin Etrex Vista when I deployed to Iraq. Both my wife and I have the Garmin Nuvi models in our car. You can get them for a decent price at Wal-Mart, along with any accessories you could want. I don't think you would be disappointed with the Garmin.

These are progressing as fast as computers. I have a tom-tom. I will be buying one hopefully soon for my airplane and starting to check those out. I have a garmin for rideing trails on our ATV. However, I am not satisfied with it. I need a bigger screen and I still havent "learned" it as well as I enticipated!
The ones like tom-tom etc are fine in the car, but I hope they come out with ones for the trails. Someone is missing a big financial bet on that! I have been tempted to take my lap top with me on the quad. I have "map source" on it for use with my garmin. Only thing is, I am afraid the dust and bouncing would ruin the lap top. All my life I have been a map freak, and spend hours on map source always looking for new trails to explore on our quad, as that is the biggest thing I and my wife do together. I also spend hours scopeing out our rides with "virtual earth". If someone some day comes out with a GPS in conjunction with a lap top that you can mount on a ATV or whatever and show all trails anywhere pre programed and right where you are, that would be the ultimate! Of course that will happen when I am too old to swing a leg over the Quad!

I bought three Garmin 250's for my family members at Costco.
Simple, functional and easy to use.

I also purchased extra optional brackets to mount on my mt bike handlebars
at REI.

Here is a link to a detail review on the Garmin 250.

http://gpsmagazine.com/2007/04/garmi...iew.php?page=2

586L-Frame

I have a Garmin and it works OK but I do have some observations.

I like the speed, distance, moving, stopped, estimated time of arrival, distance to next turn features and the "3D" Map display.

First, a lot of them use the same mapping/voice/direction software, so there are probably equivalent models all over the place.

Garmin wants $60 or $70 to "update" your maps after about a year. I'd rather buy a new one every three to five years and switch manufacturers.

Additional maps, like Topo Map/off-road, is available on some models but hard to come by in reasonably priced car mounted screen sizes, I haven't seen any but they must be out there.

Favorite route planning by destination is not supported on my Garmin.

Speed is not displayed when a destination is specified. You can switch bacj & forth to see it, but current route and speed not at the same time.

__________________
Bob

I still use my 10 year old Lowrance handheld with the latest software. I don't need two female voices in the car telling me where to turn.

__________________
Bob

I run Topo on my 276c.....ran it on my old III as well. On my 276, I just have to hit a button and it will switch from roads to topo, or to marine maps.

I have mine set to the british chick.....she sounds kinda sexy

unless you got alot of new roads in your area, updates are not really needed all that often

also darn handy to find vacant land, I can get GPS # for most props, just type em in the garmin and off i go

I agree about the updates. Envious of the map switching. How big is your screen?

__________________
Bob

Tom -

My daughter loves her Tom Tom. I would suggest getting the largest screen that you want to afford. There are many trick things on most of the big name GPS' anyway. You probably wouldn't go too wrong with any of them.
I know that with the Tom Tom, there are free downloads via computer for any updates and if you travel out of the country, you can also download for the country that you plan to go to. Even Europe.
Stick with the known brands and maybe even check out Consumer Reports.

Folks, I really appreciate the many inputs on GPS units - will have to "smoke it over" and make a decision. Hope this was useful for others also. S-WF can always be counted on for good advise and great people.

__________________
TOMBECK

3x2.2

didnt even know they still made it.....
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?...=true#specsTab

it works just like every other Garmin I had, so no learning curve was part of the reason, didnt like touch screens and wanted it vertisal(but not for hiking) Still today I am happy with no need to upgrade.

the darn power/speaker cable at the GPS end busted 2x's on me, garmin sent replacement both times(even 3 years latter) the new plug is much better designed

I use a tom tom. I have found areas where the maps are out of date however and I do update it every month or so.

i've had two of the roadmate series, the latest one is the 1412, touch screen, talks out all streets and highway exits very happy with them, i have the new one in the truck and keep the older one in the jeep for running around.

Just read this morning that Garmin has a new software update, to fix some gliches in older software

Nuvi 650W so I can see the screen.....got it at BIG discount from Garmin web site. After about a year it needed a fix. Just got it back yesterday all updated no charge.....actually looks like they gave me a new one. Haven't had time to play much with it yet.

I like the Aussie chick.

__________________
Dum vivimus Vivamas

I've got 2 garmins. A 340 (big) and a Nuvi 350. Both speak street names (a big deal at night when your on back roads) The garmin site used to tell you how many satalites a specific unit tracks. My 340 tracks 12, the 350 tracks 20. This number of satalites tracking thing is a big deal in cities where there's tall buildings. I have to go to Shitcago a lot. I like the garmin 365 also. It actually tells you the speed limit on the road you're on. Also the 365 has free lifetime traffic reporting. I bought a 365 but took it back cause it was not as "fast" as the 350. The 360 is a 350 that has bluetooth for your cellphone. 350's and 360's can be had for $149. I'd jump on one of those. When the 350 was new to the market it was a $500 item. BUY NEW, NOT REFURBED!

__________________
SOS USA

I have a Garmin Streetpilot C340 and it works great, but as noted, they do need to be updated occasionally. Most of the few glitches I've found are from local changes to freeway bypass routes and exits around some of the cities. The new bridge that bypasses Parkersburg WV really threw it into a tizzy.
I don't know if all Garmin models have the same option, but for mine, Garmin offers a one time update download for around 60 bucks, but the best option is the lifetime update that offers up to four updates per year for life. I don't remember the exact amount...I think a tad over a 100 bucks for the lifetime download option. It's a no brainer if you travel much, considering how often the orange barrel crews are constantly changing the roadways.

I got a Tom Tom for my son for last Christmas, purchasing it in early fall. A little later I decided to get a GPS for Christmas too. This time though, after a lot of research, I chose a Garmin 265. I've been in the car when both were used, and on basically the same routes.

Tom Tom is big in Europe and the US market is not their forte, but it does a good job. The big plus for my son is that he likes the multiple choices for voices. Right now I believe he's using something from the Hobbits. In any event, it is pleasant.

The Garmin is also nice.

WHEN I BUY MY OWN . . . it will be another Garmin.

Why? Because the Garmin takes me right to my driveway for my street address . . . and Tom Tom puts me on the same side of the road two blocks down . . . in a pond! Not a big deal, for these things are only as accurate as the information programmed in them, but obviously the two companies use different software sources . . . all of which get updated regularly as errors are discovered.

I have the same problem between Google Earth and Mapquest. One puts me in the pond, and the other puts me in my driveway. Our street's numbering is a little whacked, but one gets it right and the other doesn't.

YOUR ADDRESS OR EXPERIENCES MAY BE JUST THE OPPOSITE!

T.

do you need a Garmin to find your driveway,,,,,lay off the booze a little

It must be a different gal than what's on the 305. The American gal sounds like she's smoked 3 packs of Marlboro unfiltereds for several decades and gargled a glass of turpentine. The Brit gal is tolerable, though. (My wife agrees on both counts.)

I have the 305 (entry-level model) and it doesn't do spoken street names, but it works for me. The only address it hasn't been able to find is a friend's house in Rapid City, SD. Her street numbering's a littly wacky, though.

__________________
Where's my dad's America?

i just use yahoo maps and have never had a problem, but I don't get lost very often