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whats the best bang for the buck when it comes to GPS ?
- Thread starter horologie_unitas
- Start date
I have a Navigon 5100 and love it. I travel a bunch for work and almost always take it... I forget it last time and got a Garmin Where2 (or something like that) and it sucked. The Navigon's only drawback is that the buttons are quite small on the touch screen. That said, it can almost tell you what lane your in plus displays an arrival estimate, miles to go, altitude, speed, time, has real-time traffic, and a bunch more. With the Garmin, if you go off-track it takes a few mins to figure it out, then re-calculate the trip... terrible.
In my line of work, I've been using GPS's since 1989. I've used everything from the first to the newest and top of the line MIL models, and more different civilian models than I can remember.
For a handheld unit, I have an Garmin etrex Vista that goes everywhere with me. Vacation, deployments, business trips... I don't leave home without it. I've had it for 7 years and it has survived 5 deployments to Iraq and multiple IED hits.
I have used about a dozen different civilian vehicle GPS units, all over the world. After all that testing... I just dropped $540 at Com-U-Vest for a Garmin nuvi 770. It is preloaded with US and European maps. It is fantastic! Easy to read screen, bluetooth works great with my phone. Has a media player, photo album, allows you to upload routes and points. Comes with a traffic receiver, Worldwide AC adapter, windshield mount. It also allows you to use it on foot.
I just loaded the Middle east maps on an SD card and Garmin has the best coverage for this region. Now I have damn near the world in one unit.
If you don't need all these regions, the nuvi 7XX series is available with just what you need.
Mapsource software is easy to use.
Bottom line.... Garmin Nuvi 770. Don't listen to some of the reviews about how long it takes for the GPS to lock on.... ALL GPS's take a while THE FIRST TIME you turn it on. If you last had the GPS on in California, and you next turn it on in Germany..... It will take a while for the GPS to locate itself.
I have three regions loaded (lot's of memory being used), and from turn on, until it's tracking.... it takes about 15 seconds.
For a handheld unit, I have an Garmin etrex Vista that goes everywhere with me. Vacation, deployments, business trips... I don't leave home without it. I've had it for 7 years and it has survived 5 deployments to Iraq and multiple IED hits.
I have used about a dozen different civilian vehicle GPS units, all over the world. After all that testing... I just dropped $540 at Com-U-Vest for a Garmin nuvi 770. It is preloaded with US and European maps. It is fantastic! Easy to read screen, bluetooth works great with my phone. Has a media player, photo album, allows you to upload routes and points. Comes with a traffic receiver, Worldwide AC adapter, windshield mount. It also allows you to use it on foot.
I just loaded the Middle east maps on an SD card and Garmin has the best coverage for this region. Now I have damn near the world in one unit.
If you don't need all these regions, the nuvi 7XX series is available with just what you need.
Mapsource software is easy to use.
Bottom line.... Garmin Nuvi 770. Don't listen to some of the reviews about how long it takes for the GPS to lock on.... ALL GPS's take a while THE FIRST TIME you turn it on. If you last had the GPS on in California, and you next turn it on in Germany..... It will take a while for the GPS to locate itself.
I have three regions loaded (lot's of memory being used), and from turn on, until it's tracking.... it takes about 15 seconds.
Warren
thank you and appreciate your effort and time for this great info. Europe maps ...yes....very helpful.
you seem to be around in the world a lot...be safe !
i will be looking at a 770 today....also i just realized the Garmin 370 has Europe preloaded.
now, i have a good starting point ...and will do some more review reading !
thanks to everyone !
thank you and appreciate your effort and time for this great info. Europe maps ...yes....very helpful.
you seem to be around in the world a lot...be safe !
i will be looking at a 770 today....also i just realized the Garmin 370 has Europe preloaded.
now, i have a good starting point ...and will do some more review reading !
thanks to everyone !
Definitley get any of the Garmin Nuvi's!!!! I got 3, the 200,360, and a 660 wide for my wife. They all are great, but the 660 has alot of bells and whistles, if you like that sort of thing. I got factory nav's in all my cars and never used them because they are terrible. I use the Nuvi's all the time.
Amazon has them for about 40% off what you would pay in the store right now.
Amazon has them for about 40% off what you would pay in the store right now.
I love you all. But I think GPS is a yool for the lazy much like Blackberrys and cars that park themselves. I use a map and my memory.
Don't tell me Fakey, you even yell at kids to turn down that darn Rock-n-Roll!! 
I need to get to places in a hurry and need the quickest ways in and out so I rely on my TomTom and it has not let me down. I even use it as my iPod controller and my Bluetooth wireless source.
I need to get to places in a hurry and need the quickest ways in and out so I rely on my TomTom and it has not let me down. I even use it as my iPod controller and my Bluetooth wireless source.
- 4/3/06
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I just purchased a Garmin Nuvi 200W for $170 from amazon. I dont plan to use it much.. .except for a couple vacations this spring and summer..
No. I love Rock & Roll. What bugs me is the complete reliance on these devies to the point where people are so dumb they can't add change. I don't need GPS to tell me which way is north. they do.
I am with Fakey on this one. the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. From there I can find my way.
Natron
Natron
Wow!! I did not realize there were so many opponents of GPS devices out there. Boy, do I now feel stupid when I relied on mine to get me home from my neighbors house the other night after a few cocktails.
For what it's worth...
My 84 yo grandfather is career Air Force.... born in 1924 and signed up for the Air Force before his 18th b-day in 1941-2 (can't remember exactly when)... he flew fighter planes in WWII, and flew B-29's in the Korean conflict...
He makes the trip from Melbourne Florida to Southern California by the way of 4 months in Bullhead City, AZ and back once a year... my mom bought him a TomTom for Christmas that he scoffed at when he first saw it.... he told us he had driven back and forth across this great country at least 30 times and he could do it in his sleep.... he had navigated all over Asia with nothing more than a map and a watch (he has a special Bulova he had made and a Navi somewhere he is going to find for me one of these days) and that he didn't any stupid little gps thingamajigger....
He barely listened as i explained to him how to use it... well, he just arrived home in Florida and called my mom to tell her that he has no idea how he ever lived without one of them... he actually extended his travel out of his way to visit some new places as he had so much confidence in it telling him where to get gas, find a hotel, and show him the way....
I don't know what my point is really other than I thought it was a cool anecdote.... don't mind me....
My 84 yo grandfather is career Air Force.... born in 1924 and signed up for the Air Force before his 18th b-day in 1941-2 (can't remember exactly when)... he flew fighter planes in WWII, and flew B-29's in the Korean conflict...
He makes the trip from Melbourne Florida to Southern California by the way of 4 months in Bullhead City, AZ and back once a year... my mom bought him a TomTom for Christmas that he scoffed at when he first saw it.... he told us he had driven back and forth across this great country at least 30 times and he could do it in his sleep.... he had navigated all over Asia with nothing more than a map and a watch (he has a special Bulova he had made and a Navi somewhere he is going to find for me one of these days) and that he didn't any stupid little gps thingamajigger....
He barely listened as i explained to him how to use it... well, he just arrived home in Florida and called my mom to tell her that he has no idea how he ever lived without one of them... he actually extended his travel out of his way to visit some new places as he had so much confidence in it telling him where to get gas, find a hotel, and show him the way....
I don't know what my point is really other than I thought it was a cool anecdote.... don't mind me....
If you buy it at Staples you can return w/i 7 days (ish) for 100% refund... you can try them out and see what you end up liking best.
i decided for the Garmin 360.
used one today to deliver goods in 6 diffrent locations in / and around San Francisco / Daly City.
this thing worked INCREDIBLE - you think you might know the way just by knowing which direction NORTH is ?
trust me, a comparison of 2 people that have to find 6 locations....one with GPS....one without.
i guarantee the GPS guy saves min 50 % time and hassle.....all those one ways in SF !
not to mention the savings in gas !
Love the Garmin !!
used one today to deliver goods in 6 diffrent locations in / and around San Francisco / Daly City.
this thing worked INCREDIBLE - you think you might know the way just by knowing which direction NORTH is ?
trust me, a comparison of 2 people that have to find 6 locations....one with GPS....one without.
i guarantee the GPS guy saves min 50 % time and hassle.....all those one ways in SF !
not to mention the savings in gas !
Love the Garmin !!