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Which GPS?

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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

Great Pumpkin
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Before Rolling Wreck and I head out on my 8000+ mile road trip next fall, I thought maybe a GPS could come in handy. (I've been using these medieval relics called maps - which haven't failed me yet.)

I figure I need something that's actually useful in a "new" city - both for finding addresses and for driving through/around the city. A tool which is more than just "bells and whistles". The previous two GPS units I've borrowed and tried, had what I thought were small screens, were hard to see in bright light, and often gave wrong and/or conflicting verbal directions.

What are some other issues to consider?
Which make and model would you choose?
Or ... would a "smart phone" type device with GPS app be more useful?

Thanks.
Tom
PS: I tried searching BCF for GPS posts, but the term GPS is too short for searching. "Global Positioning" didn't work either.
 
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We have Garmin, friends have Tom-Tom and Magellan. Which ever seems easiest to use.

But don't toss the maps. At one time or another, the GPS lady (ours has a female voice who sounds disgusted when I don't follow her directions) will get it wrong.
 
I'm on my 2rd Garmin. The old one has a small screen and no features. The new one has a much bigger screen, lifetime free map upgrades, lane assist(big help) displays the speed limit, and a red light camera warning. I don't think the smartphone apps can do all that yet?. The new one is much better at directions but I don't think any of them are perfect. All that said, I will not go on a long trip without it(and a backup map). George
 
I have 2 Garmins. Not sure how I ended up with two but I really like them. I like to turn them both on and set one to fastest and one to shortest and let them argue it out as I go my own way.
 
Hooray for you! I am so delighted to see that you have decided to do it. I will be following the pre-events so do keep us all posted. As to the GPS I have no opinion.
 
I still use my 1992 Rand McNally road atlas of the U.S. and haven't gotten lost once. As for GPS I'm pretty sure they won't work once the zombie apocalypse happens, so don't waste your money.
 
I agree; all GPS units are only as good as their stored maps and all of them make mistakes. You can't just blindly follow what they tell you to do. Just a few days ago, I was in a motel that my wife's Garmin claimed was on the south side of the freeway (it was actually on the north side, not visible from where the GPS claimed it was). The amusing part was that while I was checking in, the clerk took a phone call from someone with apparently the exact same problem! "No ma'am, it's been here for many years."

On a previous trip, another Garmin (I think it was) tried to steer us into a river! Apparently it was possible to ford the river during the dry season, but at the time there was at least 3 feet of water over the road! Actually kind of entertaining in retrospect, but at the time I nearly threw it in the river.

IMO the GPS is a valuable tool, but if I had to choose between just the GPS and just a map; I'd still take the map. And I actually work in the GPS industry! (although not making consumer-grade units).

One additional consideration is what to do with the unit when you leave the car.

PS, all of the units I have tried have a selection of voices available. I switched yesterday to "American English Jack", who also names the roads. Very helpful when it is telling me to "bear left on I55" but I'm looking at a 4-way split and the leftmost lane is actually an exit to another highway. Lanes 2 and 3 went where I wanted to go.
 
I may get an el cheapo from ebay and just see how they work. I'm finding two kinds of stories: (1) "my GPS is the best thing since they invented air!", and (2) "it's a lot of fun, but you can't trust it."

You get the feeling that somebody's done a great sales job.

Oh well ...

Tom
 
I bought a Garmin Nuvi 1450 a couple of years ago and like it well enough. I think it has 5 inch screen which is all right for older eyes. It also includes lifetime map updates. It also has lane assist and traffic alerts but those features just seem more complicated than valuable. It has managed to get me to wherever I wanted to go with one exception. It misses my grand daughters house by about 5 miles although it gets a friend's right less than 1/4 mile away. Lucky for me, I can find her without it.
 
We have two Garmins (one in Accord and one in van). Both were around $100, so these are not fancy ones.
My very non-technical wife figured out how to use her Garmin in about 5 minutes.

Neither of us use maps or Mapquest anymore. We just plug the street address into the Garmin as we're departing. It hasn't failed us yet.
She used it to find a place she was visiting just yesterday.

The big thing with maps (for us) is if there's a "surprise" road detour (ie-bad accident), then the map is useful for finding a way around. So, we always bring a map, but that's all we might use it for.

We do at least 8 fairly long race-tows (4+ hours) each year and we never plot them out "manually" with a map anymore. Linda say the GPS is a great stress-reducer because it takes over much of the load of navigating. Very happy with our GPS.
 
Hi Tom,
Here's my opinion for what little it's worth.


You're getting this GPS for your trip across country, right? If so, I don't think a GPS unit will really be that helpful. You will be traveling some back roads and some interstates, and you have very specific destinations and goals for the trip. I think you will want to plan each day's drive yourself, deciding which roads look interesting, and which places you want to visit. A GPS won't be a lot of help for this. Typically you can program them to avoid freeways, or choose the shortest route, or choose the fastest route, etc. Most likely none of those options will be what you want.


If it were me, I would have a laptop computer with me (you'll want to do this anyway so you can keep all of us at BCF up to date!), and I would sit down in my hotel room the night before and plan my route in google maps. You can use street view, and satellite view to determine the 'best' roads for your goals. Save the map in google maps, and either memorize or write down some notes to help you navigate during the day.


If you have smart phone or tablet, you will be able to use the google map that you saved if you get lost, or if there is some unexpected change to the route. You could even have the smart phone or tablet give directions for the route you planned. You could also get a GPS unit to which you can download a specific route that you have planned in google maps and use it just like the smart phone or tablet. I just wouldn't let the GPS unit decide the route.


I personally don't like GPS units. I like to plan my own route and have a mental map of the route in my head so I know where I'm going and what's along the way. Google maps works great for this. Blindly following GPS instructions might be OK if you're just interested in getting from point A to point B, but that is rarely my goal, and I don't think it's your goal in this trip.

Keith
 
Why I love my Garmin Nuvi. Yes, I could find my way quite nicely with a map, but:

1. My Nuvi saves time - lots of it. It will tell me location of gas stations, restaurants, hotels, etc. Comes in handy in a strange town
2. It will give you step by step directions - in voices you can change (I have an Australian lady on mine)
3. It will tell you where accidents and road constructions are and offer to route you around the trouble spots - try that with a map.
4. Many models come with lifetime map updates - never have to buy a new map again.
5. Will tell you distance to nearby gas stations and recent prices (helps you find the best deals on gas - comes in VERY handy on long trips)
6. 5" very high-resolution screen.
7. Can link via blue tooth to cell phone to use as hands free phone
8. The latest model of Nuvi will let you command it by voice (e.g., "Where are nearby hotels")
9. Overall, they're just fun to use and you'll (almost) never get lost

Having had a nuvi for a while now, I would never go back to paper maps, but that's just me. If I were in the market for a GPS right now, I'd probably get something like this:
https://youtu.be/2oqMbbOPIEg

Pricey, but I think it's worth it.
 
The only thing I would add is that even though my GPS is rarely on, more than once it has helped me get "unlost" - especially in the country.
 
I use Garmin and maps with a compass. I've learned not to turn Garmin on until I'm close to where I want to go. Don't like being guided the long way around.
 
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Another vote for Garmin Nuvi. I have found it very useful in the USA, and have optional extra maps for Europe when we go there. A great tool.
 
Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I think I'll try a used Nuvi and see if we're a "fit".

Not sure about a snazzy new GPS unit in a 1960 car. Maybe I should go for something more period appropriate:

retro-radar-wwII.jpg


VOICE COMMAND: Go to 35.0844° N, 106.6506° W

Onward through the fog!
Tom
 
Anyone use the GPS app on a smartphone yet?
 
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Harmon sells "manufacturer refurbished" on eBay. They're brand new units. I've got their 1450 (about $124 on eBay). It's wonderful.
 
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