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Old 06-15-2020, 09:40 AM   #1
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GPS For RVs

I was wondering if someone knew of a good GPS to use with RVs. I have a 30' trailer and would like to get one that you can see during the daylight.

Thanks.
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Old 06-15-2020, 09:53 AM   #2
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https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/705997
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Old 07-12-2020, 10:24 PM   #3
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If you have an Android or Iphone there is an app called RV Life that has a subscription service. $10 a month or $50 a year. I haven't subscribed just yet only because I haven't completed outfitting the new trailer, but once we get plans, I probably will when going to an unfamiliar area. It seems pretty good, you can search for campgrounds like Good sams site does, but on your phone instead of the web.

I bought a Rand McNally RV GPS with Dash cam, and what a mistake that was. It is basically a tablet with apps. The "dash cam" does not tie into GPS, runs as a separate app, and the mount is so unstable the video is practically useless. I wish Garmin made a NuviCam for RV's. I loved my NivuCam and dropped it one day cracking the screen. Video still works and routing works, but anything on the right side no longer works. Mesosad.

If you are looking for a full on dash mounted one, then I second the Garmin above, but if you are OK with Google Maps, then check out the RV Life app, it uses Google Maps for the routing, but adds the bypasses for your trailer or RV that you can't get with Google Maps.
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Old 07-15-2020, 04:50 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bhrava View Post
{snip}...it uses Google Maps for the routing, but adds the bypasses for your trailer or RV that you can't get with Google Maps.
I love RV Trip Wizard for planning the trip. However, I've not been able to take the route in RVTW and make it work in navigation mode in Google Maps. You CAN import the RVTW route into your Saved Maps in Google Maps, but you cannot then navigate with any of your saved maps. Hopefully, Google will address this eventually.

I have not tried to import them into Basecamp (Garmin) and then download them to my Garmin device, but I know it can be done.

Problem is, I like navigating in Google Maps with the real time alerts and such. I've not tried Waze as I prefer to use Google Maps.
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Old 07-16-2020, 07:42 AM   #5
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I agree real time with google is great. IF your in a car. If you are pulling a 42’ 5th wheel not so great. Two years ago google took me down some county roads that were dirt and not in the best condition in ND. In South Dakota had me turn off a main road and took me thru residential area with low hanging tree branches. On our trip this year. When I woke up I would do a rough route in my head then manipulate google by putting in cities or towns that were along that route in order to get her to take routes I preferred. Not all roads were ideal but I have to take some blame for that. We are looking at RV apps as well. The wife says the one she likes runs off gps so we won’t lose service. Not sure how that works.
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Old 07-16-2020, 09:30 AM   #6
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I prefer dedicated RV GPS when I am pulling my 5er which is 13'-6" tall. I am currently using a Garmin 785 with traffic and a dash cam installed. So, far so good with this unit which I purchased this year to replace my Rand McNally unit.

The Garmin unit has several features that I like. To name some they are voice activated view maps, will pair to your smart phone for hands free calling, forward collision waring above 35 MPH, Lane departure waring, Red Light camera and speed/school zones. You also can enter your data for your RV and switch easily between RV and car as required. The GPS will come with life time maps if purchased from Garmin. I do not know about third party sellers, since I will not purchase from them!

The unit mounts on suction cup windshield device that the power cord is plugged into. There is a powerful magnet that holds the two together so, you need to give the unit a tug to separate the GPS from the mount.

We still care paper maps just incase.
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Old 07-16-2020, 10:41 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by Jim34RL View Post
I prefer dedicated RV GPS when I am pulling my 5er which is 13'-6" tall. I am currently using a Garmin 785 with traffic and a dash cam installed. So, far so good with this unit which I purchased this year to replace my Rand McNally unit.

The Garmin unit has several features that I like. To name some they are voice activated view maps, will pair to your smart phone for hands free calling, forward collision waring above 35 MPH, Lane departure waring, Red Light camera and speed/school zones. You also can enter your data for your RV and switch easily between RV and car as required. The GPS will come with life time maps if purchased from Garmin. I do not know about third party sellers, since I will not purchase from them!

The unit mounts on suction cup windshield device that the power cord is plugged into. There is a powerful magnet that holds the two together so, you need to give the unit a tug to separate the GPS from the mount.

We still care paper maps just incase.

Is this a fairly new release? I searched for a Nuvi like Garmin for RV and could not find one, and got the RM instead and regret it. Not the best designed unit. It works, but not like the Nuvi cam does with integrated cam with GPS that shows location and speed in the video. The mount is garbage on it too. To use a tablet based mount would interfere with the camera making it practically useless for it's intended purpose. Only thing I use it for now is as a paperweight in my center console.
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Old 07-16-2020, 02:17 PM   #8
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No, I believe the Garmin 785 with Traffic has been around for some time. Since I was looking at this last year, waiting for my Rand McNally to stop working. I was having issue with the Rand McNally not updating but it still worked until this year.

What you need to do is go to the Garmin home page and click on Automotive, than click on RV. This will bring up the RV GPS page, you than click on the RV series, you can than choose what size screen you want. I choose the 7" screen which provides the 785 with traffic and built in dash cam. This is the only one that Garmin offers with the built in dash cam in the RV series.

Here is the link: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/66...n/010-02228-00
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Old 07-16-2020, 02:27 PM   #9
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No, I believe the Garmin 785 with Traffic has been around for some time. Since I was looking at this last year, waiting for my Rand McNally to stop working. I was having issue with the Rand McNally not updating but it still worked until this year.

What you need to do is go to the Garmin home page and click on Automotive, than click on RV. This will bring up the RV GPS page, you than click on the RV series, you can than choose what size screen you want. I choose the 7" screen which provides the 785 with traffic and built in dash cam. This is the only one that Garmin offers with the built in dash cam in the RV series.

Here is the link: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/66...n/010-02228-00
They only had the 780 when I was shopping. Looks like the 785 came out early 2019, after I already had the RM one. All the reviews I found start around June 2019. I found one on Amazon and just might bite the bullet and get one. My F350 has a Kenwood head unit with Garmin Nav, but not the RV version, which I wish they made an option of.

Anyway, thanks for posting up the model, it's what I have been wanting since I first got my TT.
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Old 07-16-2020, 03:27 PM   #10
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I bought the RV770 last year, and we used it for our trip down to New Orleans and Pensicola.



It worked well, except it did not know where the entrance to Bayou Segnette SP was located, and it did a couple of wierd things like take us to an offramp that paralled the highway only to take the same offramp back onto the highway. The Bayou Segnette deal was a PITA... but we got it figured out, and then saved it as a favorite, and had no more issues.


I'm hoping they get the navigation anomalies straightened out in future firmware updates...


I still would recommend the Garmin RV770, but I have the feeling it is being discontinued. But the new RV890 looks very nice, for double the price.
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