Portable GPS suggestions

[UoD]

Been shopping around for a portable GPS solution. I did a search on the forums here and was only able to find some dated information about the Garmin 60c and the sp2610.


Has anyone recently purchased a portable vehicle GPS system? I am really thinking about the TomTom GO 700 (as it has bluetooth built in ... which is a nice feature to have). However, I have never heard of TomTom before and I have no idea how good of a brand it is.

Any suggestions?

 

[RL Lemke]

I have motivated a lot of folks to try GPS. From my perspective (off-road use, motorcycle use, vehicle use) Garmin remains the standard.

The screen size on the 60 is too small to be effective in vehicle use. The Street Pilot is fine for vehicle use, but I don't care for it when off-road because of the limited track use.

Which GPS you will want depends on your specific uses.

The GPS I am lusting for is the new Garmin 376C. If you want to listen to XM Radio, it has it built in (regular XM fee required). If you want to watch weather radar, it has it built in (added $100/month fee). The super bright screen is visible even in direct light, no Street Pilot can do this. The redraw chip inside is as fast as anything Garmin offers (this is an important thing).

RAM mounts are the best bet for using any GPS in a variety of vehicles.

 

[UoD]

I really am diggin on the bluetooth feature on the TomTom .... kinda makes for a nice little handfree unit. I wonder if Garmin has anything like that .... I will have to check.

 

[MsMarine]

GPS and Pocket PC

I am ...let's say geographically challenged. :bonk:
I have a Garmin iQ M5. This is a great GPS, and Hand Held PC. I use it for navigation while driving and for Geochaching as well as logging points out on the trail. It comes with all the mapping for the US, and I beleive Canada. You can purchase Europe and most other places you might travel too.

 

[CuzzinOlaf]

I really am diggin on the bluetooth feature on the TomTom .... kinda makes for a nice little handfree unit. I wonder if Garmin has anything like that .... I will have to check.

I have the Navi in my 4Runner but bought my GF a TomTom 700 for her Acura TSX. I love the thing. Don't get the TT300 because it doesn't have a harddrive and you need to store map info on the disk.

I read a write up of 5 units like the TomTom700 and the guy rated this one the best.

It is touch screen, easy to use, to mount, to read.... it talks and is just as good as the 4Runner Navi... I really like the 3D view from behind too. I wish my 4Runner navi did that or had the option to switch.

If you want to know anything let me know....

 

[UoD]

Awesome --- I am glad to hear someone has one and likes it ....


So --- few questions for ya ...


Does it come with wires to wire in a permanent power source for it? Also --- is it easy to unmount and throw into a glove box for security ?

 

[otterball21]

the tom tom is something that is great and easy to use. The blue tooth is a great addition. I just learned about the tom tom last week. Best Buy should be carrying it sometime in the near future.

I really hope I get a chance to play with it when we get one. But it's a definite recommendation.


We carry the garmin ones also, but I think the tom tom will out do both of them

 

[IIIBradIII]

I'm a proud Garmin c330 owner and if I had to choose units again today I'd buy it again.

 

[UoD]

Just looked at a c330 ... impressed.....


Now I am trying to decide between a TomTom 700 and a Garmin c330 or c340 .....

I think price may end up being a motivating factor at this point.

 

[UoD]

Umm ... ok ... I hope this isn't a scam (but -- I guess it doesn't matter because I am protected with Amazon.com's A-to-Z Safe Buying Guarantee) ...

I just found the Garmin c340 (usually about $575 to 625 from online retailers) for $320 from a seller on Amazon.com

Linky linky = http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...ref=dp_pb_a/102-5391484-1688953?s=electronics


Not sure how the heck it is almost $300 less than the cheapest places I could find it --- but.... what the heck. I paid by credit card (so I am protected there) and Amazon.com guarantees my money back.


I really wanted the TomTom with the bluetooth ... but it is hard to beat a $320 full featured GPS system (if I actually end up getting it )




UPDATE : Amazon.com canceled the order .... apparently the seller is "unable to accept payments"

Oh well --- worth a try

 

[moneypit]

Purchased a Lowrance iWay500c last month. Great screen, 5 inch diagonal, 10GB space on 20GB hdisk for maps,MP3 player with 10GB available. Found the reviews on the TomTom saying the maps are lacking. Sam's Club offered the Lowrance for $646USD adn $79USD for a three (3) year extended warranty. I used it last week for a trip into southern Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota. It even knew I was in a rest area when I stopped and advised to merge back to the freeway. Screen is great in sunlight and controls are excellant. PM if you have questions.

 

[MsMarine]

Hard Drives and GPS

I have not played with a Tomtom or any of the hard drive based GPS. Just rememember from a computer stand point, that a hard drive requires moveable parts. Off road jarring + heat + hard drive = not good. Just keep it in mind.

 

[CuzzinOlaf]

Awesome --- I am glad to hear someone has one and likes it ....


So --- few questions for ya ...


Does it come with wires to wire in a permanent power source for it? Also --- is it easy to unmount and throw into a glove box for security ?

I haven't hardwired it yet but will eventually. It only comes with one power cord so another would have to be bought. It is very easy to disconnect and throw in the glovebox or bring with you.

I bought mine at Circuit City ONLY because I wanted the extended service plan. The plan was $200 for 4 years but well worth it in my opinion. I had it once on a radar detector and 3 and half years into it the thing died. The replaced it with the latest and greatest. Yea you can find them cheaper on eBay or Amazon but I want that security I guess.

I don't know much about the other you mentioned so I won't say anything. I do like how clean the TomTom looks. It is the shape of the screen, no ugly buttons, all touch screen and easy as hell to use. I haven't ever looked at the instructions and don't think I will ever need to. You can even download different voices for it. John Cleese is the big one everyone talks about.

Good luck with your choice... I am sure whichever you buy you will be happy with.

 

[CuzzinOlaf]

Re: Hard Drives and GPS

I have not played with a Tomtom or any of the hard drive based GPS. Just rememember from a computer stand point, that a hard drive requires moveable parts. Off road jarring + heat + hard drive = not good. Just keep it in mind.

Unless you get an extended warranty.... through Best Buy, Circuit City or a place like that. It is one of those things they replace and don't repair. You can drop it or whatever and its covered. That translates to an upgrade after 3 years..... for free. :

 

[IIIBradIII]

Umm ... ok ... I hope this isn't a scam (but -- I guess it doesn't matter because I am protected with Amazon.com's A-to-Z Safe Buying Guarantee) ...

I just found the Garmin c340 (usually about $575 to 625 from online retailers) for $320 from a seller on Amazon.com

Linky linky = http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...ref=dp_pb_a/102-5391484-1688953?s=electronics


Not sure how the heck it is almost $300 less than the cheapest places I could find it --- but.... what the heck. I paid by credit card (so I am protected there) and Amazon.com guarantees my money back.


I really wanted the TomTom with the bluetooth ... but it is hard to beat a $320 full featured GPS system (if I actually end up getting it )




UPDATE : Amazon.com canceled the order .... apparently the seller is "unable to accept payments"

Oh well --- worth a try

Whoa - you just about got scammed there. You still might be contacted by that seller and if you are, avoid him like the plague! There are scams going on at Amazon Marketplace right now where this exact scenario you had happen occurs, then the seller will contact you saying Amazon's payment system had a fluke or something, and asking you to go ahead and send him the money. DON'T DO IT! Going around the Amazon system like that releases them from protecting you, and releases him from Amazon's watchful eye. You'll never see your 300 bucks again nor will you receive a GPS in the mail.

 

[IIIBradIII]

Just looked at a c330 ... impressed.....


Now I am trying to decide between a TomTom 700 and a Garmin c330 or c340 .....

I think price may end up being a motivating factor at this point.

The main things that drove me away from the TomTom units were the reports I read about their mapping database not being as accurate in the States, and the price. It was considerably more than the c330, and while their map db is apparently top-notch in Europe (where they are based) it is less accurate in the States than the Garmin units. (Garmin uses the Navteq db, considered to be the most reliable in the States)

 

[UoD]

Whoa - you just about got scammed there. You still might be contacted by that seller and if you are, avoid him like the plague! There are scams going on at Amazon Marketplace right now where this exact scenario you had happen occurs, then the seller will contact you saying Amazon's payment system had a fluke or something, and asking you to go ahead and send him the money. DON'T DO IT! Going around the Amazon system like that releases them from protecting you, and releases him from Amazon's watchful eye. You'll never see your 300 bucks again nor will you receive a GPS in the mail.

Don't worry about that --- I am a computer and network security administator ... I teach the same stuff to people in my department.

The only reason I went for it in the first place is because I knew I was protected by Amazon.com in case there was a problem.

 

[CuzzinOlaf]

The main things that drove me away from the TomTom units were the reports I read about their mapping database not being as accurate in the States, and the price. It was considerably more than the c330, and while their map db is apparently top-notch in Europe (where they are based) it is less accurate in the States than the Garmin units. (Garmin uses the Navteq db, considered to be the most reliable in the States)

I dunno... I never had any problems yet. The only thing that sucks is it doesn't work in tunnels or parking garages. Not that either of those things matter but I compare to the Navi in my 4Runner.

 

[Zona4R]

I work for the National Park Service and use GPS regularly and have used many different types. After using everything various units, I've come to be a big believer in Garmin. Their accuracy, ruggedness, and ease of use can be beat, especially for the price. For example, I was using a $7000 Trimble GeoExplorer XT to map a site, but had to switch to my a Garmin Map76S. The Trimble started failing.

Check out Garmin's web site. http://www.garmin.com/products/iQueM5/
If you're not hiking, climbing, or doing anything to rugged, they have a new iQue M5 that takes Garmin's MapSource products for city and highway travel. It will also accept MapTech maps. These are digitized 1:24000 USGS topographic maps. They sell them by state for around $90/ state.

If you don't want a pocket pc, look at their other auto GPS units. I have used any of these though. If you plan on hiking and need something more rugged, try the Map76 series. the color one is nice, but the screen is smaller than the others.

For the car, you'll probably want external antenna capability too. Check www.gpsnow.com for low prices.

 

[lojeff]

Purchased a Lowrance iWay500c last month. Great screen, 5 inch diagonal, 10GB space on 20GB hdisk for maps,MP3 player with 10GB available. Found the reviews on the TomTom saying the maps are lacking. Sam's Club offered the Lowrance for $646USD adn $79USD for a three (3) year extended warranty. I used it last week for a trip into southern Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota. It even knew I was in a rest area when I stopped and advised to merge back to the freeway. Screen is great in sunlight and controls are excellant. PM if you have questions.

I have the oemvalue nav for my 4runner but I have the Lowrance iWay 500 for my other car. Great unit. I get the navigation and mp3 in one unit. I hardwired it and gives a nice clean look. The maps and POIs are excellent.

I'd recommend it too.