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after market gps system?
Old 07-03-2006, 05:13 PM   #1
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after market gps system?

im starting to do some homework on an add on gps system for my car.....i looked at tom tom and the garmin street pilots..so far i like the garmin nuvi 350...what are you all that have them using?im hoping they work better than my garmin handheld...in tree cover,,,blocked by buildings,,,mountains,,,wrong exposure it works pretty poor .
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-03-2006, 05:16 PM   #2
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Re: after market gps system?

My garmin experience is a bit dated, but I bought two of them and the maps they provided stunk. Old, out of date and frequently wrong. They admitted the maps were awful and sent me a different vendors maps to use, which were only slightly better.

Later I bought a larger flash module for one of my units that said "compatible with all x, y and z models" and mine was one of those. Didnt work properly and after a week of trying to raise tech support they said "yeah, that doesnt work with that, and....ha ha!". Wouldnt take it back without a restocking fee.

No more garmin for me.

Hardwares robust though...my first one's gotta be 5-6 years old and its been kicked around and left on the dashboard in 150 degree direct sun and it still works great.
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-03-2006, 05:21 PM   #3
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Re: after market gps system?

Has anybody tried one of GPS units for laptop PCs? It is the cheapest solution because I already own a laptop. Amazon has one for $119. I'm concerned with a) the accuracy of such a system with no wheel pick up for speed and b) finding a secure location for my laptop in my car.

Mapquest is nice, but for driving to unfamiliar places, and that could be as close as 15 miles from my house, looking at a paper map while trying to steer the car can create its own expenses. Think medical bill and a new car.
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-03-2006, 05:38 PM   #4
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Re: after market gps system?

Quote:
Originally Posted by mathjak107
im starting to do some homework on an add on gps system for my car.....i looked at tom tom and the garmin street pilots..so far i like the garmin nuvi 350...what are you all that have them using?
Got the Nuvi. It is awesome. Consumer Reports rated them this month -- Nuvi won.

It's the GPS that Apple would have designed.

It's very simple, reliable, and sensitive to signals. Gotten me out of a few jams. FYI - it does not measure altitude, and does not accept coordinates, just locations. But for routine in-car or walking use, I think it's great.
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-03-2006, 05:43 PM   #5
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Re: after market gps system?

Nuvi is a great product. I use an Etrex for hikes and a Streetpilot C330 for the vehicles. Had no problems with maps here. They do need to be updated every so often. We used a Streetpilot (can't remember the model#) when BIL and I went down for Katrina relief, it had satelite radio capability (that worked really well as there wasn't much on at the time). I don't know anything about Tom Tom or others but am pleased with Garmin products.
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-03-2006, 05:52 PM   #6
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Re: after market gps system?

I'm still navigating with 10-years-out-of-date paper maps...
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-03-2006, 06:19 PM   #7
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Re: after market gps system?

Quote:
10-years-out-of-date paper maps...
... mine a closer to 20 yrs old
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-03-2006, 08:43 PM   #8
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Re: after market gps system?

In my neck of the woods, about 25% of the roads werent here 10 years ago.

My favorite "gps moment" was the garmin unit that tried to have me drive through an enormous train yard...
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-03-2006, 11:04 PM   #9
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Re: after market gps system?

Garmin Streetpilot 2610 - couldn't function without it. We are on the second generation. Have used these baby's since 2001 or so. Before that tried the handheld combo laptop solutions - got old REAL quick.

Of course we drive our big rig all over the country - so top quality navigation is verrrrry important to us.

Don't use the ones that require a laptop. They are very unwieldy, not good UI while driving, and usually impossible to see anyway with the glare coming in the windows. The standalone units have a great UI, are nice and compact and easily sit on the dash in the driver's view, great readable screen, so easy to set up and use.

We get new data every year or two.

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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-04-2006, 06:09 AM   #10
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Re: after market gps system?

Although I do use a gps unit when traveling in unknown country, I do question the fact that it almost forces you to "not think" about what you are actually doing.

Many years ago an older couple along the roadway flagged me down and asked me where a certain town was as they were almost out of gas and weren't quite sure where they were.

I gave them a couple gallons of gas and told them about how far the town was ahead of them. I also asked where they were going. "We're heading to California and we got computer directions" was the reply.

I sure couldn't justify their route when they had just pulled off the interstate and were heading down what amounted to backroads.

Their "computer directions" were absolutely correct but they made as much sense as a Twin Peaks dream sequence.
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-04-2006, 07:26 AM   #11
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Re: after market gps system?

Quote:
t's the GPS that Apple would have designed.

It's very simple, reliable, and sensitive to signals. Gotten me out of a few jams. FYI - it does not measure altitude, and does not accept coordinates, just locations. But for routine in-car or walking use, I think it's great.
Yes the NUVI is the ass! It DOES show altitude and it DOES accept coordinates.... Just install the latest update and your set!

Garmin is constantly updating the NUVI with feedback from customers...
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-04-2006, 09:12 AM   #12
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Re: after market gps system?

Quote:
Originally Posted by larry
I do question the fact that it almost forces you to "not think" about what you are actually doing.
That has not been my experience. We know to review the routes the GPS picks, and modify if we decide there is a better way. It DOES occasionally make mistakes due to mistakes in the data, so you have to be alert to these.

It's greatest value is in "talking" you through the route in real-time. Alerting you 1 - 2 miles before an exit, or several hundred feet before a turn. Letting you know to prepare for left or right exit. Priceless!! Makes traveling so much easier.

And then really useful things like figuring out how far to next rest area, nearest gas station, which restaurants are in the vicinity (the restaurant info is particularly prone to error - but it is still way better than nothing).

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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-04-2006, 09:30 AM   #13
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Re: after market gps system?

Oh, Audrey, I agree, it's the neatest thing since sliced bread. But like I said, some people can become complacent and toss common sense out the window with technology.

have a safe fourth
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-04-2006, 11:27 AM   #14
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Re: after market gps system?

Quote:
Originally Posted by gReeNy
Yes the NUVI is the ass! It DOES show altitude and it DOES accept coordinates.... Just install the latest update and your set!
Awesome. Got a link?
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-04-2006, 12:30 PM   #15
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Re: after market gps system?

try this. http://www.garmin.com/products/nuvi360/
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-05-2006, 06:19 PM   #16
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Re: after market gps system?

Quote:
Originally Posted by audreyh1
Garmin Streetpilot 2610 - couldn't function without it. We are on the second generation. Have used these baby's since 2001 or so. Before that tried the handheld combo laptop solutions - got old REAL quick.

Of course we drive our big rig all over the country - so top quality navigation is verrrrry important to us.

Don't use the ones that require a laptop. They are very unwieldy, not good UI while driving, and usually impossible to see anyway with the glare coming in the windows. The standalone units have a great UI, are nice and compact and easily sit on the dash in the driver's view, great readable screen, so easy to set up and use.

We get new data every year or two.

Audrey
Audrey, can you elaborate on your experience with laptop-based GPS solutions? You said that the glare makes the laptop screen hard to read and that the UI is unwieldy while on the move. I have never used a GPS unit at all, so is having to use the UI while en route a common occurrence?

I saw the advantage of using a GPS system when I tried to navigate by Mapquest maps a narrow two-lane road only 10-15 miles from my house.
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-05-2006, 06:45 PM   #17
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Re: after market gps system?

BTW -- the voice feature is almost a necessity for me. It sounded really goofy when I first heard about it, but the ability to watch the road in city conditions and have the voice read the next turn is a great feature.

After a while, you get a feel for just how far you have to go before turning based on the consistent timing of the voice instructions (e.g. "In zero-point-two miles, turn left on Kennedy Boulevard..." and then, 30 feet from the turn, "Turn left on Kennedy Boulevard."

When I deviate from the route and the system figures out an alternate set of directions, the sexy female voice named Jill says, "Recalculating..." with just a hint of an attitude - half bitchy and half disappointed. I'm starting to form a relationship with Jill.

Is that so wrong?

Oh -- sorry. Get the Nuvi. You won't regret it
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-05-2006, 06:51 PM   #18
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Re: after market gps system?

Consumer reports just hit my mailbox and has a review.

Their order, make, model and CR's test score.

garmin Nuvi 350 81
garmin Streepilot 350 79
magellan roadmate 760 79
tom tom go 300 71
tom tom go 700 71
garmin streetpilot i5 69

The streetpilot i5 gets their 'best buy' at $350 vs the nuvi's $800. Only thing it lacks that they like is a touchscreen.

So rich, is that what you meant when you said the nuvi was the gps apple would have designed? Nice but overpriced?

icn 550
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-05-2006, 07:18 PM   #19
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Re: after market gps system?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cute Fuzzy Bunny
So rich, is that what you meant when you said the nuvi was the gps apple would have designed? Nice but overpriced?
Exactly.

BTW, Sam's had Nuvi's for $694 2 weeks ago.
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Re: after market gps system?
Old 07-05-2006, 08:50 PM   #20
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Re: after market gps system?

$609 at amazon and buy.com. Some coopuns are around to knock off 50-75 if you get a buy.com visa and/or do some other funny business...

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/mess...&keyword1=nuvi
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