GPS recommendations?

MuddgutsMuddguts
in Off Topic Lounge
In the market for a GPS for the car. I don't travel a shitload but it'll still be nice to have one for local driving and the odd U.S. trip.

I've done a bit of reading and it seems it's a toss up between TomTom or Garmin.
My budget is up to $250

any endorsements? Avoids?

EDIT:

looks like this one is a winner

Comments

  • MiloMilo
    That's more than a few buy-ins for local games . . . buy a road atlas and play more games. win-win.
  • wildbill7145wildbill7145
    I like the free lifetime map updates.

    We got a Tom Tom a few years back and if you want to update maps they make you pay for a subscription type plan for this.

    Thing keeps trying to make me turn off the 401 into farmers fields fairly often.

    If I can offer any advice it would be to mount it to the left of your steering wheel, rather than the right. This will negate the issue of your wife taking the thing every five minutes to fiddle with it or look for something you don't need to look for.
  • trigstrigs
    i suggest tomtom because they get map updates whereas garmins don't. that is, you have to purchase the map updates for garmins. at least that's how it was when i bought one a few years ago. tomtoms also came with more maps in general (i.e. map of north america as opposed to garmins which only came with canada and you had to purchase the extra usa map).

    both are pretty similar in design. i guess garmins are a little more user friendly but tomtoms are still decent.
  • wildbill7145wildbill7145
    Fk u trigs (Still kidding), see linky Re: free updates.
  • trigstrigs
    wildbill7145 wrote: »
    Fk u trigs (Still kidding), see linky Re: free updates.

    heh, yeah just checked the link. free maps FTW.
  • JohnnieHJohnnieH
    Don't you have an iPhone?
  • HobbesHobbes
    JohnnieH wrote: »
    Don't you have an iPhone?

    but he wants good maps. :D
  • wildbill7145wildbill7145
    JohnnieH wrote: »
    Don't you have an iPhone?

    Good you brought this up Johnnie. I know I can get get this for my blackberry (for a monthly fee I believe), and it's obviously available for iPhones, etc. I've wondered how effective this would be having a significantly smaller screen.
  • WolffhoundWolffhound
    At times I find the GPS redundant, but, I do like still having it.
    Never get tired of the 2 iPhones in the car trying to prove the Garmin wrong...

    Travelling everywhere with my daughter soccer, I like the Garmin, been in the car with a bunch of TomTom's and they aren't nearly as user friendly, 2 of the dads are forever bitching about the TomTom.

    I have the same Garmin that I actually got free in a suppliers promotion, its simple, free maps, bluetooth etc.
  • WolffhoundWolffhound
    Milo wrote: »
    That's more than a few buy-ins for local games . . . buy a road atlas and play more games. win-win.

    Yet another quality Milo post.
    Don't go changing.
  • trigstrigs
    Wolffhound wrote: »
    At times I find the GPS redundant, but, I do like still having it.
    Never get tired of the 2 iPhones in the car trying to prove the Garmin wrong...

    omg that brought me bad flashbacks of a family xmas gone wrong. long story. glad the cops didn't haul me in at 3am on xmas day...
  • MuddgutsMuddguts
    Actually I never though of using a GPS app. Are they any good? I have used the iphone mapping but it doesn't call out the turns or have the other features that a GPS unit would have.
  • JohnnieHJohnnieH
    I like the iPhone map app. Haven't gotten lost with it yet.

    There are apps available for purchase at the iTunes App Store. Might be worth checking out.
  • GTA PokerGTA Poker
    I tossed my Magellan in the garbage (literally) a few months back. It was constantly incorrect. I use the navigation on my Android (I assume powered by google maps) and it is excellent and spot-on all of the time. Only downfall is that it is a huge battery drain, but a car charger makes it no big deal.
  • MuddgutsMuddguts
    Tigerdirect has one that Inwas looking at for $60 cheaper than best buy but it's refurbished. What exactly does that entail? Someone's dropped it and it's been "fixed" sort of thing?
  • moosemoose
    Garmin® nüvi® 1390LMT GPS
  • SuperNedSuperNed
    I would never buy a refurbished electronic device. I think they are either just plain returns, or malfunctioning devices that have 'supposedly' been fixed. Then again I'd never buy a used rental car but for some reason people do...:o
  • UnknownUnknown
    the iphone 5 map app is really amazing

    other than that, ive had both a garmin and a tomtom and they were both great.
  • jontmjontm
    Best bet the Nuvi Garmin at Costco for $160 ish. I used it from here to Vegas and Montreal to Foxwoods, never made a wrong turn. Map updates free. The new IPhone app is Tom Tom we believe and calls out turns, just not as good as dash mount.
  • MuddgutsMuddguts
    I've decided to go with this one. Sounds like it has everything I want and need.
    I will still have $ left over for local buyins and even more when I ship this
  • compueasecompuease Admin
    There is no IPhone app that is anywhere near the performance and accuracy of the newer Garmins... Believe me, one of my best friends sons is a huge IPhone nut and a long distance trucker. He also has a newer Garmin, not sure of the model, that he can compare to. The maps that Apple now use instead of Google maps are no where near as accurate nor as up to date. That may change in the future but as of now he says there is no comparison.
  • moosemoose
    Muddguts wrote: »
    I've decided to go with this one. Sounds like it has everything I want and need.
    I will still have $ left over for local buyins and even more when I ship this

    That one doesn't have traffic. The costco one does.
  • MiloMilo
    Wolffhound wrote: »
    Yet another quality Milo post.
    Don't go changing.

    Well, someone appreciated the humour . . . anywho . . . I have never gotten caught up in the whole GPS thing. I am sure it is a cool toy, but if it is somewhere I have never been, I look it up, and then go. An annoying voice telling me where to turn? That is the wife's job. No need to make her jealous.

    Geocaching is a whole different thing, though . . . now that my Colitis is getting back under control, that may be something I look in to getting started with.
  • SuperNedSuperNed
    Milo wrote: »
    Well, someone appreciated the humour . . . anywho . . . I have never gotten caught up in the whole GPS thing. I am sure it is a cool toy, but if it is somewhere I have never been, I look it up, and then go. An annoying voice telling me where to turn? That is the wife's job. No need to make her jealous.

    I can't do it either. I'm somewhat anti technology, and most times I've been in a car where the person has one...it basically turns them into a complete retard and they seem to become dependant on it to get to Burger King or whatever other address they've been to 1000 times. It's really quite bizarre. For sure a useful product for new cities and long range travel etc but I like a little adventure :p
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