Marksman
Member
I am buying my daughters GPS for their cars as Christmas gifts, looking for suggestions as to which brand and model to get. I'd like to keep the cost per unit about $100.00 or so since I am buying two. Thanks for your suggestions.
GPS for the car, what to get?
- Thread starter Marksman
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The Garmin Nuvi series are tops; look for lane identification and spoken street name features if you can find one in your price bracket. I've had a Nuvi 660 for a couple of years, and this year upgraded to a 1450 which has a larger 5" screen. This latter one sold for around $150 at Sam's Club, and I also got one for my wife. It has all the bells and whistles. We've been pleased with all of them.
John
John
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Wheelgunner840
Member
Another fan of the Garmin Nuvi. Mine is the 250W. It doesn't have a ton of fancy features, but sure gets me where I need to go with no problems. They have models within your price range. Wait till a week before Christmas, and they will be giving them away!
WG840
WG840
I'll have to suggest Garmin too! I'm assuming Tom Tom is pretty good? Never really looked into those but there's some for really good prices. You may want to consider one with live traffic, there was one on sale for $130 at Best Buy. I hate taking the time to get to the freeway and it's a slow crawl just getting on =/ so I think the feature would really be a big help to me.
OLDFED
Member
First was the Magellan. Had it a week and traded it because I couldn't understand the female voice's pronunciation and twice she put me into a cornfield. Went for the Garmin Nuvi and love it. Got them at COSTCO so it was a no-sweat exchange.
sipowicz
Member
Garmin made the satellites for the government and they make the best GPS for civilian use. I use them and they repay the cost in fuel savings very rapidly.
A person can select the voice they desire and there are a lot of voices to select from.
My favorite GPS is the 255W. Easy to read but the voice prompts eliminate the need to read the screen.
A person can select the voice they desire and there are a lot of voices to select from.
My favorite GPS is the 255W. Easy to read but the voice prompts eliminate the need to read the screen.
I'll jump up and shout for Garmin as well. I've got 4 units, two of
which have over 200k miles. They're in use virtually everyday, and are
going strong even without a recent map up=grade. One is a wide
screen, the other standard. Actually, all four are in constant use.
I'm planning on another, as the prices drop, so all our little fleet
has proper guidance. TACC1
which have over 200k miles. They're in use virtually everyday, and are
going strong even without a recent map up=grade. One is a wide
screen, the other standard. Actually, all four are in constant use.
I'm planning on another, as the prices drop, so all our little fleet
has proper guidance. TACC1
I got a Garmin 255WT last year and so far it has done everything I needed. Has enough bells & Whistles for extra's. They were $149.95 last year at Best Buy.
cowboy117
Member
Get them an atlas.I had a Garmin.I took mine back after a trip to Az.Put me on the wrong roads,ect.Also,one put a guy and his wife on a shortcut to the ocean by my house in winter-he died and she only lived because of a guy in a helicopter that found her.
Beemer-mark
Member
Whatever one you buy make sure it has the latest map software on it. I bought a Garmin for Christmas in 2005, it had 2006 maps on it that where terribly out of date. In Jan 2006 they updated the maps and I had pay another $100 to get them.
PO'd me so bad I bought a Tom-Tom. You get one free update when you buy it (so you have the latest map) and then you can get 4 updates a year for $40 or so.
PO'd me so bad I bought a Tom-Tom. You get one free update when you buy it (so you have the latest map) and then you can get 4 updates a year for $40 or so.
I have had a Garmin Nuvi 350 for several years. It is out of print now, but if it is any indication of all Garmin GPS units I would say that you would not go wrong. I checked into a software upgrade, but didn't think it would be worth the $60+ (to me anyhow). The directions that came with it were pretty sparse, but it is easily figured out by just using it.
I have both a Garmin Nuvi and a Tom Tom XL330S.
Both work just fine but I like the format of the Tom Tom better.
Both work just fine but I like the format of the Tom Tom better.
Downlow411
Member
My vote
Plus 100 on the Garmin.
Plus 100 on the Garmin.
nogoodnamesleft
Member
I use a Garmin™ 250W and couldn't live without it. I connected the power supply to the AC adapter behind the dash and ran the outlet to the left side of my windshield where it sits on its mount. This way I've no cords flopping around the cabin of my car.
I'm not familiar with other models, but the 250W has a SD slot that allows you to upload Streets and Trips maps as well as addresses imported from Excel sheets.
The unit has paid for itself ten fold in gas savings, U-turns, and the lack of 'WHERE THE F*&K AM I!!!' stress.
You won't be disappointed with the Garmin™.
I'm not familiar with other models, but the 250W has a SD slot that allows you to upload Streets and Trips maps as well as addresses imported from Excel sheets.
The unit has paid for itself ten fold in gas savings, U-turns, and the lack of 'WHERE THE F*&K AM I!!!' stress.
You won't be disappointed with the Garmin™.
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
Being a guy-I don't need to ask directions and don't need a GPS. During the day, I orient myself with the sun. At night Polaris. Plus there is this thing called road maps.
Girls on the other hand need GPS's-hell they need a navigator.
Girls on the other hand need GPS's-hell they need a navigator.
Be warned:
I went through 5 magellan's from the original purchase. Although their warranty people worked with me, i always ended up with a piece of junk.
As I see it once they have your money there is no way that you will get it back.
I am currently waiting on my new Garmin to arrive.
I went through 5 magellan's from the original purchase. Although their warranty people worked with me, i always ended up with a piece of junk.
As I see it once they have your money there is no way that you will get it back.
I am currently waiting on my new Garmin to arrive.
safearm
US Veteran
Another vote for Garmins. I've had 4 of them, currently have Nuvi in both my car and my wife's car. I carried an Etrex in Iraq and other overseas locations and never had a problem.
JcMack
Member
Buy a Garmin. Go to their websight and use compare feature to select features one model against the other. A 265wt will probably set you back +- $100. It has all the good stuff and free traffic tracking for life. Another nice feature is it displays speed limit for road your on.
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JcMack
Member
I've purchased a couple Garmins that came with a free update. Doing an update via computer is a real leap of faith. Involves using their update program which is 3-4 gigs.. Then actual program is another 3-4 gigs.. Speed of load is determined by how fast they put out. The 2 times I've done it on 2 different units, it took 3 hrs. each time. I only did the update because N.E. Illinois did some big route changes on their toll roads. You can get the pay for updates in thru internet or cd form. You really don't need them unless you like to spend $75 to keep current.
GRIZZLYBEAR
US Veteran
I like the Garmin Nuvi
jframe
Member
State Farm customers can get a great road atlas for free from their agent, and they'll learn a valuable skill when they learn to read them.
I have to jump on the Garmin train. We got the Garmin nuvi 1200 for a b'day gift from our daughters before a big trip out west. It was the bomb. They aren't perfect, but will save you time, gas and frustration. I like the features where you can look up local spots like restaurants, etc. I'll never go anywhere without one. It is good to have a map as a backup, but you won't refer to it more than 5% of the time. You can probably get the 1200 in your price range.
Which Garmins have the feature where you can tell it to avoid the highway? I.e., plot a route that does not take you onto an expressway? My wife wants that feature for northern CA. The speeds and traffic there frighten her.
I see some of 'em now have lifetime free map updates.
I see some of 'em now have lifetime free map updates.
