your opinions/experiences with automotive GPS units

[ponyboystroker]

I just started a new job last week where I will be on the road quite a bit. I have about 40 customers or so that I will be calling on. I am debating on buying an automotive GPS unit.

I am currently using the GPS on my Verizon Motorola phone. I have to say it is not the best or most accurate thing in the world. I have also been using maps from mapquest.com. Both mapquest and the GPS have sent me the wrong way more than once.

A few of the customers that I have visited are located off back roads in remote areas. I am curious as to if an automotive GPS unit will be any more accurate than my the GPS on my phone. I wanted to see if anyone has used a certain brand and model that works very well.

[bangingears]

tomtom

[ihave1sweetride]

we use a program called Delorme for my work. It is used on a laptop. It's a very easy program to learn and use. Never had any problems with it. If you want more info, let me know.

[ponyboystroker]

we use a program called Delorme for my work. It is used on a laptop. It's a very easy program to learn and use. Never had any problems with it. If you want more info, let me know. Is it like mapquest that gives you directions or do you take the laptop with you and use it like a GPS unit?

[ihave1sweetride]

Is it like mapquest that gives you directions or do you take the laptop with you and use it like a GPS unit?

Take the laptop with you, it talks to you and tells you where and when to turn. It will do several different routes and it will do the longest route, shortest, it will put everything in order to safe time, etc.

We really like ours been using them for 5 years now.

Its a one time fee of $100 i think and no monthly or other charges.

[qwk93ta]

At work we use Garmin's Nuvi 660 and they are excellent, but they cost about $600 right now.

[Mista Bone]

Girl I sold my TA too, her dad uses a laptop with Mircosoft Street program, he drove for Schneider and now a different company.

[ewalt]

I wouldn't recommend the laptop route. It's so hard to look at a laptop screen sitting in your passenger seat while driving. The fact that the standalone unit makers make it so easy to enter address' and get directions makes them worth their money alone. With a laptop, you're gonna have to input the whole address with a full size keyboard. With a standalone unit, as you put the address in, it's smart. It will help you out.

TomTom and Garmin are both good. Not to mention, it'll be mounted in the windshield, and that makes it much easier to glance at while driving. Also, it's easier to get rerouted directions than it is on a laptop. Basically in the end, a laptop makes everything a lot harder.

Walmart will let you return them, so I'd vote go there, find a tomtom or garmin, and if it turns out it's not right for you, they'll take it back. Find one with the maps built in though, that's key.

[ponyboystroker]

I wouldn't recommend the laptop route. It's so hard to look at a laptop screen sitting in your passenger seat while driving. The fact that the standalone unit makers make it so easy to enter address' and get directions makes them worth their money alone. With a laptop, you're gonna have to input the whole address with a full size keyboard. With a standalone unit, as you put the address in, it's smart. It will help you out.

TomTom and Garmin are both good. Not to mention, it'll be mounted in the windshield, and that makes it much easier to glance at while driving. Also, it's easier to get rerouted directions than it is on a laptop. Basically in the end, a laptop makes everything a lot harder.

Walmart will let you return them, so I'd vote go there, find a tomtom or garmin, and if it turns out it's not right for you, they'll take it back. Find one with the maps built in though, that's key.

I appreciate everyones input on the laptop GPS, but the laptop route is pretty much out for me because I don't personally own a laptop. :lol: I also would agree that the smaller unit would be easier to look at while driving.

I don't know a whole lot about the GPS units, but I am hoping one has the ability to save destinations by name and address for future use. I am also hoping that it will plan a route by selecting certain stops from the saved locations. Does anyone know if they do that or not? I saw that you can hook some of them up to a PC via a usb or blue tooth connection; maybe that will allow route planning, but I don't know. :dunno:

[beefcake]

I appreciate everyones input on the laptop GPS, but the laptop route is pretty much out for me because I don't personally own a laptop. :lol: I also would agree that the smaller unit would be easier to look at while driving.

I don't know a whole lot about the GPS units, but I am hoping one has the ability to save destinations by name and address for future use. I am also hoping that it will plan a route by selecting certain stops from the saved locations. Does anyone know if they do that or not? I saw that you can hook some of them up to a PC via a usb or blue tooth connection; maybe that will allow route planning, but I don't know. :dunno:

maybe an indash dvd system

[Black92LX]

tomtom

yup. they are good.

[ponyboystroker]

maybe an indash dvd system

would that be a dvd/gps/cd player/radio? If so that would be cool because I am looking to upgrade the head unit in my work vehicle.

[ponyboystroker]

yup. they are good.


I was originally looking at the Garmin Nuvi 350, but a review comparing the Tom Tom Go to the Nuvi 350 has turned me onto some of the features of the Tom Tom. Features that the Nuvi doesn't have and the Tom Tom does are: increased/decreased volume according to vehicle speed, more accurate directions if GPS signal is lost, and a better speaker that is more audible. The only down fall I have read about the Tom Tom is that it is UK based and the US maps aren't quite as good as the Nuvi maps.

[beefcake]

would that be a dvd/gps/cd player/radio? If so that would be cool because I am looking to upgrade the head unit in my work vehicle.

yep,

i had the clarion, without the nav, but you could get the nav on it also,

sharad could probably hook you up with something at a good price


i don't know how many it will store, but i love the nav on my expy, works great

[ponyboystroker]

yep,

i had the clarion, without the nav, but you could get the nav on it also,

sharad could probably hook you up with something at a good price


i don't know how many it will store, but i love the nav on my expy, works great


What is expy? Is that the model? Do you have to pay a subscription fee for the GPS?

[slvr87cpe]

i rented a taurus from hertz and it had like a little hand held or mounted unit in it. loved it it was a little bigger than a blackberry mounted on the side of the consol:bigthumb told you when your turn was coming up etc...

[mach_u]

What is expy? Is that the model? Do you have to pay a subscription fee for the GPS?
I'm guessing Expedition. :bigthumb

[ponyboystroker]

i rented a taurus from hertz and it had like a little hand held or mounted unit in it. loved it it was a little bigger than a blackberry mounted on the side of the consol:bigthumb told you when your turn was coming up etc...

yup, GPS rocks.