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Auto GPS Navigation Systems

crabby

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2005
81
0
I am thinking about getting myself a GPS navigation system for my pick up truck. I looked at some of them on the net and read some reviews and I'm still confused. I'm kind of leaning towards a Tom Tom One XL S unit, (plus they have a $100 rebate) or, is there one that you use or think is better? I don't need one with all bells and whistles on it just a good basic unit that is easy to use and easy to read.
 

Pa Jayhawk

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2005
7,196
62
Country
United States United States
Been using GPS systems for around 15-20 years and have found Garmin to be very reliable over other brands I have seen or used. They constantly update their software and firmware as well as the mapping software every year or two. I currently have a C550 as a Navigation system and a GPS III+ for trails.

The C550 is nothing short of incredible, and cost almost 1/2 what it did when I bought mine around a year ago. Although it may have a few added options you do not require, and could get away with a cheaper model. For example, it has Bluetooth for a phone, POI Dialing for the phone and address book sync for select phones, MP3 player, traffic receiver if for bigger cities and a touch screen.

Personally I would recommend getting one with vocabulary for street names at a minimum. Maybe a few bucks more over one that just indicates the direction of a turn, but makes it alot easier and alot less thought when you have a name for reference.

Then again, for years I just used my GPS III+ and had to set it up on the PC, so I am really spoiled now.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134
and the one I have.
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=385

From what I have seen, Tom Toms are cheaper, maybe even have better Maps as far as road names, although I believe the Navigation system on the Garmin is superior. While there are a few roads on the Garmin that are not named and just say road, that are on the Tom Tom (Example being the one I live on), it has never been an issue.
 

Bravo

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2004
5,822
15
I bought a Garmin C340 and love it. Make my teenage daughter use it when she is going to a far flung part of the metro area.

It is without a doubt, the easiest consumer electronic device I have ever purchased...great voice instructions....and very accurate
 

Eracer

No more triple bogies!!
Oct 31, 2005
12,405
8
My friend got a Navigon. They were the German OEM maker for other manufacturers, and recently released their own. Seems like a real good unit, and the best thing about it is that the traffic update subscription costs nothing.
 

Glenn70

Well-Known Member
Aug 15, 2005
213
0
I travel a lot for work so I bought a Tom Tom One in March. I used it all over the country. Its awesome, works great, no complaints. The only thing I would do differently is exactly what Jayhawk recommends here:

Personally I would recommend getting one with vocabulary for street names at a minimum. Maybe a few bucks more over one that just indicates the direction of a turn, but makes it alot easier and alot less thought when you have a name for reference.

This is something I wish I had. When streets are very close together, and the voice says, "in 300 yards make a right", it can get kind of confusing. It would be a lot better if you heard "in 300 yards make a right onto Main Street". I've made a few wrong turns over the months because I didn't trust my perception of distance and turned onto the wrong street.

Like I said, I love the TomTom One, but lately I've been thinking about upgrading. I bought it at Best Buy with the extended warranty, so I'm hoping i can exchange/upgrade somehow to a model with the "text to speech" feature, that is what it is called. The one I'm looking at is the TomTom Go 720.

The Garmin's are very good from what I've heard, but they are usually a lot more expensive.
 

shankexpert

Well-Known Member
Nov 29, 2007
32
0
I had a Garmin iQue back in the day and it was nearly impossible to use. It was a Palm-based unit that was very difficult to update and I never really got the hang of it.

I've been using a TomTom GO 720 for about a month and I really like it. Accurate, easy to use, and the touch-screen is a night and day difference as compared to the Garmin. I know this is standard for most GPS units these days, but surprisingly a lot of in-car systems dont have it - my wife's Mercedes being one of them.
 

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