Portable GPS
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,333
connoisseur
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OP
connoisseur
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,333 |
Our oldest boy has requested a GPS for his car for Christmas. Both Mrs. Classic and I have them built into our cars, but his '78 El Camino is technically challenged, to say the least. I've been seeing lots of displays at the local stores for tomtom and Garmin units in the $100 range. Are these functional enough or too limited? Is there a model y'all have had good or bad luck with? Comments welcome.
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,236
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,236 |
The $100 units are good but slow. I recently bought 2 Garmin 1650 and I love it because they are fast.
M3 and M80
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 309
devotee
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devotee
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 309 |
I have the TomTom One 340. It works very well and I'm happy with it. TomTom sells refurbs on their web site for just over $100.
I started out with nothing & I've still got most of it left M60 VP160 QS8 EP350 M22 VP100 Algonquins
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443 |
I have the Garmin Nuvi 255WT. I think it is great. I am not sure on the slow vs. fast comment?? I have it on the Australian Female voice and we call her Sheila. I liked it so much that I have given one to both my daughters. I am from NC - we took it her with us to Yellowstone this past summer and it she performed flawlessly.
"A fanatic is someone who can't change his mind and won't change the subject" Churchill
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,236
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,236 |
If I miss a route my new Garmin recalculates in an instant. It is like I never made a mistake. My older Garmin and the lesser priced models take some time to recalculate.
M3 and M80
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458 |
I had an old Garmin that never failed me. I replaced it a year or so ago with (I think) the Garmin Nuvi 265WT, and that model has made a few mistakes, which I found odd considering the old one never missed a beat.
Coming back from the Axiom gig, it wanted me to get off the main road I was on, to take a different road to get to the one I eventually wanted to be on. When I took the turn, I was surprised to find the new road was a suburban neighborhood, and the road turned to dirt after a 1/4 mile. It wanted me on the road for like 70 miles. Needless to say, I went back to my original route and after it recalculated, it took an hour off my arrival time.
Another time, just a few weeks ago, it wanted me to get off the main route I was on, to take a little street that offshot, paralleling the main road for a 1/16th of a mile, and then joined up with it again. Bizarre.
I still trust them, but not blindly anymore.
Yes.
Yes, I used to drive blindly.
::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,928
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,928 |
Scott, you might want to check into this, or maybe someone here can elaborate on their experience with Garmin/Magellan/Tom Tom ect. I don't own a GPS but several of my neighbours do...they say certain co's allow updates for a yr, then you have to pay $$ for further updates, but one of the companies(Tom Tom or Magellan?) allows lifetime updates. Don't quote me, but I think it might be worthwhile finding out about the upgradeability of each of the units and if there's costs or time limits involved.
Half of communication is listening. You can't listen with your mouth.
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,210
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,210 |
Although I've never owned a GPS for an automobile I have used some jam up Garmin portable aviation GPS units for cross country flights and for aerial firefighting without any of them ever skipping a beat. Given that, if I never needed a GPS for any of my automobiles it would certainly be a Garmin.
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 309
devotee
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devotee
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 309 |
Even with a GPS, I believe you still need to have a general idea of where you're going. The GPS doesn't always pick the best or most direct route. Most of the time I'll look at a map, and if I decide not to follow the GPS route, it will recalculate to keep up with me.
TomTom has free lifetime updates, but I don't see that as a deal breaker. After all, how many new roads are being built these days? And in a few years the technology will probably evolve enough that you'll be upgrading the unit anyway.
I started out with nothing & I've still got most of it left M60 VP160 QS8 EP350 M22 VP100 Algonquins
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458 |
Actually, I think the "updates" point was a valid one...if not for roads, at least for finding restaurants, etc.
The reason I replaced that older Garmin with the new one was because the maps were SO out of date, that on a trip from NH to south Jersey, I kept pulling off the road for restaurants that no longer existed, and I was getting pissed at the time lost.
Those maps were like 6 years old, and a new map download was $80, while a new GPS was $100.
::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,236
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,236 |
Joe makes an excellent point. You need to be smarter than the GPS. My new Garmin has some "adaptive" features that want to tailor the routing to your driving style. I had a few strange routes until I found this and turned them off.
M3 and M80
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443 |
Actually, I think the "updates" point was a valid one...if not for roads, at least for finding restaurants, etc.
The reason I replaced that older Garmin with the new one was because the maps were SO out of date, that on a trip from NH to south Jersey, I kept pulling off the road for restaurants that no longer existed, and I was getting pissed at the time lost.
Those maps were like 6 years old, and a new map download was $80, while a new GPS was $100. I bought the lifetime update from Garmin for $120. 6 weeks after I bought (it had been that price for 2 years) it dropped to something like $80. Even with the updated maps, it still doesn't find everything - like the REI in Greensboro - doesn't have a clue that it is there. Yesterday we searched for the Palladium Cinema in High Point so we could get the number - no deal. But, when we went in under points of interest, it was there but it was spelled Pallidium. Probably outsourced the data entry?
"A fanatic is someone who can't change his mind and won't change the subject" Churchill
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43
buff
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buff
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43 |
I purchased the Garmin Nuvi 1300LMT (lifetime maps & traffic updates included). Got it on special at Best Buy for $129.00. I've only had it a few weeks but it's been great so far (used it in Florida and currently on vacation in California). Have not gotten lost yet.
Epic 100-800-180 Denon X6200W
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,466
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,466 |
I just use my Android phone with Google Maps + Navigation. It just got even better with version 5 (using vectors instead of bitmaps so it holds more information of offline use).
Pioneer PDP-5020FD, Marantz SR6011 Axiom M5HP, VP160HP, QS8 Sony PS4, surround backs -Chris
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443 |
I just use my Android phone with Google Maps + Navigation. It just got even better with version 5 (using vectors instead of bitmaps so it holds more information of offline use). Yeah, but can it talk with a female Australian accent?
"A fanatic is someone who can't change his mind and won't change the subject" Churchill
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,466
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,466 |
If someone would make the voice data file, yeah. But as it is, it's just a sort of robotic female (which is also hot to me).
Pioneer PDP-5020FD, Marantz SR6011 Axiom M5HP, VP160HP, QS8 Sony PS4, surround backs -Chris
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,928
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,928 |
I want one with 7 of 9's voice..."a left turn here is futile"..."a right turn would be acceptable"..."you have reached your irrelevent destination"...
...and when the charge is low..."I must regenerate"....
Last edited by Adrian; 12/20/10 10:59 PM.
Half of communication is listening. You can't listen with your mouth.
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443 |
If someone would make the voice data file, yeah. But as it is, it's just a sort of robotic female (which is also hot to me). Sweet.
"A fanatic is someone who can't change his mind and won't change the subject" Churchill
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,333
connoisseur
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OP
connoisseur
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,333 |
Wow! Drive across country for 2 and a half days ans POOF! Two pages of info to go thru. Thanks everybody.
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1 |
*reads back through thread*
Holy smokes! We were helpful for TWO WHOLE PAGES!!
That's a first.
*********** "Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
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Re: Portable GPS
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458 |
::Shaking Finger::
Don't ever let THAT happen again!
I could go for some pie.
::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
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