navigation systems

gate33 · 12-20-2006, 09:49 AM

hi folks,
i'm cosidering a nav system purchase in the near future and would like some feed back on the models some of you may use. I am looking for a model that is easy to use, let me repeat that EASY TO USE!!!. I dont need one with 5000 added options that will help me balance the federal budget or track Brad and Anjolie around the world or solve the crisis in the middle east. I have learned that I would prefer one that has the maps already loaded in ,also one that gives points of interest. please give me some pros and cons of the models you use. thanks
in advance.
ERIC

2manytoyz · 12-20-2006, 10:09 AM

I have a stack of GPS units at home and work.

The two I use for navigation are the Garmin iQue 3600, and the Garmin M4. The iQue is mine, and I've used it for several years. It has been recently discontinued, but can still be found online. Very reliable unit. The bean bag cradle sits on your dash, the GPS locks into it, and the power cord plugs into a cigarette lighter outlet. Very quick and easy to move from vehicle to vehicle. When not used for navigation, the antenna closes, and it becomes a Palm based PDA. Very useful. Plan your trips wherever you are (work, Dr's office, restaurant, etc) The downside is the maps must be loaded ahead of time, but you can load 1/2 the country or more in a single download, and won't likely need to do that again for a while!

I recently bought the wife the M4. Looks similar to my iQue, but several notable differences. First, ALL the maps and ALL the POIs are preloaded. The entire USA in the palm of your hand, amazing. Every little rural road and back alley.

The M4 is a Windows based model. It had an external memory slot, like the iQue, but it isn't just an SD slot. It's an SDIO slot. What's the difference? Well, you can put in a $40 SDIO WiFi card and surf the net at any WiFi hotspot. It has IE preloaded. Check your e-mail, or find things to do, while camping. No need to carry a laptop anymore. Lot of power in a pocket sized device.

Both are relatively easy to use. With the iQue, I didn't bother looking at a manual. It's very intuative. The M4 has a different OS, and the common things were in different menus. It took me a little time to get the hang of it, primarily due to me being used to a different model.

Not a clear picture, but you get the idea of the SDIO card sticking out of the top of the M4 and being able to surf the web...

Lots of pics of it online. Just google "garmin m4".

The built-in speaker talks you through the entire trip. The display shows your speed, heading, time to next turn, distance to next turn, name of the road you're on, the exit number, ETA, etc.

See one of these in person, you'll have to buy one. Everyone ('cept 1) in my shop all bought the same model.

gate33 · 12-20-2006, 11:12 AM

good info robert thanks ,if you don't mind what was the price on the new one?

Bear · 12-20-2006, 01:25 PM

I have a Magellan 700 Road Mate and I love it. It has guided me through several large citys that I had not been in befor.. It gives you voice directions as you go. It is touch screen to set up, just punch in an address and it takes you there. It attaches to the windshild of my vehical via a suction cup, and plugs into the cigarette lighter. No external antana required. It was a little spendy when I bought it a few years ago, it was $1100 canadian, but I am sure prices have come down (they always do AFTER I buy things). It's one of the best investments for traveling I have ever made.
http://www.magellangps.com/products/...asp?PRODID=955

2manytoyz · 12-21-2006, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gate33

good info robert thanks ,if you don't mind what was the price on the new one?

You can get one for $479 from here: http://www.thegpsstore.com/detail-ga...ket-pc-pda.asp

Includes: leather cover, stylus, USB hotsync cradle, A/C power adapter, windshield mt. w/charger, Dashboard disk, Mapsource City Navigator North America Pre-Loaded.

Features:

High capacity lithium rechargeable battery for up to 7 hours of continuous use. Powered by Windows Mobile pocket PC with outlook, word, excel and more. High contrast 3.5" diagonal color LCD display with 320 x 240 resolution. 32MB built-in memory plus SD card expansion slot, SDIO compatibility. Internal speaker for voice commands, MP3 player and message playback.

Add ~$50 for a 2MB SD memory card (not required, but nice to have)
Add ~$50 for an SDIO WiFi card (again, not required)

Load your MP3s, use an FM modulator, listen to music through your car stereo. As you're listening to music, the volume drops momentarily while giving you navigation instructions, then the music resumes normal volume.

This is just a few of it's abilities. Very cool product!

$479, it's ready to use out of the box. Nothing else required to use it. Maps are loaded. Put the cradle in your vehicle, drop the PDA in the cradle, power it up, flip up the GPS antenna, let it find where you are in the world, tell it where you want to go, push GO. You're off! It'll charge the battery as you drive.

Be quick, Santa's coming!

flagstaff · 12-22-2006, 07:49 AM

Well guys I've been married to my navigation system for 35 years. She's fairly low maintenance never fails to give turn by turn directions and rarely ever gets us lost. Of course we have been disoriented a few times but actually lost never. This I know because the system told me so. We have also been known to take the roads less traveled especially when towing. The only problem is I can't turn the verbal directions off and she's difficult to upgrade. I thought about a newer one but that didn't sit well. Something about equipment incompatability. LOL.
Good luck. & Merry Christmas
Larry

gate33 · 12-22-2006, 09:11 AM

thats great Larry !
sounds like you got a great system , there wouldn't happen to be a newer version of yours available ? I've always wanted to have two systems myself,
just in case i wanted to "compare" the two at the same time. the one i have now, her, i mean its battery runs down from time to time. heee heee.
merry christmas all and keep the replies coming i am learning a lot. thank you

MRimmer · 12-23-2006, 07:48 PM

The Best yet!!!!! But my similar navigation system can not fly with me all over the us, so I purchased a Garmin I5 for when she is not around.

http://www.garmin.com/products/spi5/

Thanks for the smile, Mike

Merry Christmas to all!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by flagstaff

Well guys I've been married to my navigation system for 35 years. She's fairly low maintenance never fails to give turn by turn directions and rarely ever gets us lost. Of course we have been disoriented a few times but actually lost never. This I know because the system told me so. We have also been known to take the roads less traveled especially when towing. The only problem is I can't turn the verbal directions off and she's difficult to upgrade. I thought about a newer one but that didn't sit well. Something about equipment incompatability. LOL.
Good luck. & Merry Christmas
Larry

Los Popes · 12-21-2009, 09:57 AM

LOL on the organically based nav systems - I too have one of those, but we also purchased a TomTom 730GO as a back-up and have had no problems whatsoever. We have used it quite a few times and it has never steered us wrong. My only complaint is that it is a power hog - the internal battery only lasts about 2 hours, so hard wiring or using the 12-volt outlet is a must. I am considering doing a hardwire job this week while I am off for the holidays. I've also heard good things about the Garmin road units and I have a Garmin 76CS handheld for backpacking and love it.

NWJeeper · 12-21-2009, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gate33

hi folks,
i'm cosidering a nav system purchase in the near future and would like some feed back on the models some of you may use. I am looking for a model that is easy to use, let me repeat that EASY TO USE!!!. I dont need one with 5000 added options that will help me balance the federal budget or track Brad and Anjolie around the world or solve the crisis in the middle east. I have learned that I would prefer one that has the maps already loaded in ,also one that gives points of interest. please give me some pros and cons of the models you use. thanks
in advance.
ERIC

We have two Garmin units. I use a 60CX handheld in my Jeep for mapping the Jeep trails which is what our web site is all about. I found it's advanced receiver technology to be outstanding when in heavy tree cover (where we do most our Jeepn') We also use this unit for Geocaching.

The 2nd is a Nuvi for road navigation. I don't remember the exact model number but it was something like 765wt. Got it at Walmart for around $250.

I started out with Garmin years ago when they were the ONLY player in affordable aviation GPS navigation and Magellan was still playing around with Loran C.

In our motorhome though I prefer to attach the 60CX to our laptop computer which sits up on the dash and run Microsoft Streets and Trips. I then have a 16" wide moving map display which is much easier to read from the captains seat than a small GPS screen.

Hipshot · 12-21-2009, 12:45 PM

About 5 or so years ago I bought a smart phone and a little GPS, about 1 inch square. The GPS came with I Guidance software and talks to the phone via bluetooth. The software covers the US and has POIs and voice directions. My truck and my wife's car both have factory nav systems now, so we don't use the GPS/smart phone combo for driving anymore. But, it is great when on foot in the booneys or in a city and on the golf course. A lot of the smart phones today have GPS built in. I have friends that use Garmins and TOM TOMs and they are all pleased with them. Just another option.

j2detroit · 12-21-2009, 08:24 PM

we have a tom tom one easy to use cheap less than 150 dollars usually less than 1oo dollars easy to update and customize and use recomend it to everyone

chevy02 · 12-22-2009, 12:22 AM

I have a megellan 1440 probably under $200 i got it from work for a service anniversary
really works good and simple to use

MightyMike · 12-22-2009, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gate33

thats great Larry !
sounds like you got a great system , there wouldn't happen to be a newer version of yours available ? I've always wanted to have two systems myself,
just in case i wanted to "compare" the two at the same time. the one i have now, her, i mean its battery runs down from time to time. heee heee.
merry christmas all and keep the replies coming i am learning a lot. thank you

Well, mine broke a few years ago. I was reaching over from the drivers seat to point out where the road should be on the Atlas and in an instant the Atlas was flying overhead to the backseat. Verbal phrase of " They moved the Bleeping road!!" was the last I heard. Wouldn't think of a trade though, too many moments like that in the last 33 years that made me laugh so hard I had to pull over!!

TulsaSteve · 12-22-2009, 02:31 AM

My 2 cents..

As best I can tell, all of these devices run off of pretty much the same databases. Some add in features for gas stations and such, but the more "features" the less reliable things get as time passes.

I use Magellan. I have 2 now and I'm looking for a 3rd when the price is right. I would search Craigslist and eBay and pick up a used one for $50-$80. You'll probably get one with 2006ish maps.

Assuming you stray from the main highways into new subdivisions and such, you can buy a new set of maps for $80 from Magellan. (Maybe other manufactures do the same?) I buy Magellan models from the same generation so that they all take the same map update file, that way when I do plunk down the $80, I can update all of my units.

rockwood06 · 12-22-2009, 05:03 AM

FYI, Need to check the dates on last threads before posting. This thread is three years old. It's ok to start a new thread on an old subject. A bout a year ago I ask for help on a what is now call a GPS system.
So if you would like to get fresh answers to your questions. then start a fresh thread.... Just trying to help.

MtnGuy · 12-22-2009, 09:25 AM

Tom Tom 130s were on sale at Staples for $79.99 for couple of days around Thanksgiving. Look for that unit to be back at that price after Christmas at more places as newer models come to the market. It is a great basic unit, and can't beat the price.

NWJeeper · 12-22-2009, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockwood06

FYI, Need to check the dates on last threads before posting. This thread is three years old. It's ok to start a new thread on an old subject. A bout a year ago I ask for help on a what is now call a GPS system.
So if you would like to get fresh answers to your questions. then start a fresh thread.... Just trying to help.

Darn good point Rockwood. I didn't even notice that! The original poster probably is on their 3rd GPS by now as this is so old. This is a huge pet peeve of mine on forums that newbies don't check the age of the post but instead just tack their questions one when they should be posting a new question.

I even posted a new thread subject about checking the dates but I guess it wasn't taken to heart, oh well. I think old threads should be locked so they can be dredged back up. Can that be done? They are a good source of information but we don't need this happening all the time and it seems as though it is.

rockwood06 · 12-24-2009, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWJeeper

Darn good point Rockwood. I didn't even notice that! The original poster probably is on their 3rd GPS by now as this is so old. This is a huge pet peeve of mine on forums that newbies don't check the age of the post but instead just tack their questions one when they should be posting a new question.

I even posted a new thread subject about checking the dates but I guess it wasn't taken to heart, oh well. I think old threads should be locked so they can be dredged back up. Can that be done? They are a good source of information but we don't need this happening all the time and it seems as though it is.

NWJeeper, maybe it can be set up so that the date of the last post would blink red after 5 days from the last post or like you said lock it out....

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