Overland1

I have a Vista, and bought all the extras to go with it. No complaints so far, and it performs really well. The only thing is that is had a monochrome display, but that may be better in sunlight anyway. It goes with me just about everywhere..... on the motorcycle, on foot, on the bicycle, and in the Jeep (which has a built-in nav system).

I wonder why Honda did not include a mapping GPS system in the GoldWing motorcycle. They offer it in their cars and truck (Ridgeline?), as well as their ATV's; why not on their flagship touring motorcycle?

Check here for some opinions from those who have mounted many types of GPS units on their motorcycles, although mostly Gold Wing 1800's. Many prefer the Garmin 2610 (cheap memory) or the 276C (better display). Various mounting options are available.

The 276C has become very popular with the motorcycling crowd; I would consider one if it had something other than proprietary memory. I doubt Garmin will give up that part of the 276C.

I use the monochrome Vista for most of what you are looking to do with yours, although I need to set up a mount for it to go on the GoldWing. The larger display of the 60CS is a major improvement and mapping software is a must A USB connection is a huge plas as well. If I had it to do over again, I would buy the 60CS..... I just may upgrade the Vista sometime if I find the right deal.

Definitely get the Vista instead of the Summit, but the Vista C (color display and much faster USB interface) would be tempting at this point. Then, for just a bit more, you could get the 60CS or 76CS and have a really super hand-held GPS receiver. Do some looking around and compare price, service, and shipping..... let us know how it goes.

My Jeep's speedometer is within one MPH at 60 MPH, probably because it has the larger factory-supplied tires on it (example "C" below). They offered three tire choices on the Grand Cherokee and there is quite a difference between them. A.) P235/65R17 Goodyear Wrangler HP black sidewall all-season (721 Revs per mile) B.) P235/65R17 Goodyear Eagle LS black sidewall all-season performance (719 Revs per mile) N/A P C.) P245/65R17 Goodyear Wrangler SR-A outline white letter all-terrain (710 Revs per mile) If choice "B" had been on the vehicle, I suspect the speedometer error would be greater. By the way, I confirmed accuracy by measured mile/stopwatch, GPS, and radar. On a previous vehicle (1998 Grand Cherokee), I upgraded to one size larger (P235/75-15) when the OEM tires (225/75's) wore out, and speedometer accuracy improved markedly.

I didn't get a new GPS for Christmas, but will have a new GPS system this week in the new Jeep. It is part of a lot of options included in a Grand Cherokee that I got a decent deal on. This makes four GPS's in the family.... my wife has one in her Jeep, and I have a Vista; we also have a DeLorme GPS to use with a laptop, although that one will probably get less use now.

Not for my full-time job, but as an EMT with the local FD/EMS agency, it has come in handy. Several years ago (when I had an ICOM GP-2), I responded to a motorcycle vs. pickup truck crash. On arrival, I handed the GPS to one of the other guys so he could relay its lat/long reading to dispatch. Back then, it took several minutes to get a solid reading; by the time the first assessment and IV's were in place, he had spoken with dispatch and the helicopter had coordinates for a landing zone.

I suspect that following the above suggestions would be much easier and less expensive to the consumer than filing a lawsuit. I doubt that any company would knowingly leave itself open to legal action relating to (perceived) slow or inadequate tech support.

I still use the eTrex Vista, but may upgrade to something newer and more capable later on. Whatever I upgrade to, it must work well (and mount well) on the motorcycle as well as be a good handheld GPS unit. I am considering the Street Pilot 2610.... maybe the 276C or 76CS as alternatives.

You will like the Vista; I have been using one for more than a year and it has been fantastic. The 24 MB of memory is very useful when you load maps into the unit.... 8 MB did not seem to meet my needs. With the Vista, I can load a very large area near my home (much of upstate NY and Northern/Central PA) without any problem. It goes with me on all trips, although I just returned from an 1100-mile run in which I used the EarthMate and Street Atlas 2005 (this program does not yet impress me as much as the 2004 version).

Both have their purpose and will excel at some things more than the other. The PC laptop will likely do many display things faster, or at least seemingly so, but does not have to pan as often. I use the EarthMate for long trips in the Jeep, and the Vista for short trips as well as on foot, bicycle, and motorcycle (OK, OK, I always bring the Vista along, even when the EarthMate is running ). The other differences may be swayed by the fact that the newer GPS receivers (60-CS, etc.) are probably faster than my Vista .

USB Hubs are the devil, and so are many USB-Serial converters. I found this out while attempting to program my VX-7R and FT-8900R radios, as well as connect with my Vista. I finally bought a PCMCIA serial card from StarTech.com, and it works every time without difficulty. That thing has saved me a ton of headaches.

I just bought my wife a Zire 72, and that thing is fantastic so far..... definitely not a toy, and the price is not bad, considering all the features...... makes my m515 look like a rank amateur PDA .

Definitely worthwhile; this becomes apparent once you start doing mapping with it. I use mine for mapping while on foot, on the motorcycle, and in the Jeep - it works great, and the price isn't really all that bad.

My first was an ICOM GP-2, followed by a DeLorme TripMate (which I used with a ThinkPad 760-ED). I bought the Vista a bit more than a year ago, and am happy with it, and also have the DeLorme EarthMate for long trips. I will probably sell the TripMate sometime soon... no real hurry until I decide the money from that would go (about 10%) toward the purchase of a 60-CS.

I just bought an 8-pack of those last evening at Wally's - still 17 dollars and change - and tried them in the Vista. They are very slightly longer than the 1800's, but not enough to be a problem. Between the GPS and the digital camera (also uses two AA cells), I have enough for a pair of spares. The old ones (Ray-O-Vac and Energizer, bought 2 years and 1 year ago, respectively) will be used elsewhere around the house, while the higher capacity batteries will be a bit of an improvement.

I get approx. 12 hours on the Vista (almost the same power consumption as the other eTrex units) when using the 2000 mAh Energizer NiMH batteries. Looks like yours is doing OK.

Gee, I feel like I don't have enough GPS's..... I only have the Vista and an EarthMate, as well as a TripMate (probably will sell that one soon). Probably will not buy any new ones for a while - kitchen remodeling and house painting must come first.

The V-6 is a gas engine; the Diesel has four cylinders and a turbocharger (Wheeeeee!!!!!!!!), similar to (but maybe smaller than) those in the Sprinter vans that FedEx and UPS are using. The Diesel will probably evolve in the next few years as a good alternative which should provide good economy and lots of power/torque. Now, if they would offer a Diesel in the Grand Cherokee.......

For me, the GPS came first, in the form of an ICOM GP-22, followed by a DeLorme EarthMate and ThinkPad 760 (still have both; may sell the TripMate). Then came the Vista, and then a DeLorme EarthMate. My first uses for the GPS were hiking/distance measurement and as needed to use in EMS/Rescue operations. The old ICOM would be started up at the scene of a crash (or anywhere a helicopter was needed to land) and the lat/long coordinates would be relayed to the dispatcher, who would then notify the bird. Some of the command officers at various scenes would be hesitant, then became amazed, when I would press the start button, hand them the GP-22, and then head for the patient(s).... a great way to keep the chiefs busy, much like going to a childbirth call and having the nervous family member go and boil some water . That ICOM took about 45 seconds to get a reading, and the chief would relay the numbers. With the Vista (which I always carry in my Jeep), I just read the location (if needed) to dispatch as I arrive at the scene. This takes about ten seconds and that part of the job is done.

The pinging was caused by an "adjustment" of the timing, which is done in the Powertrain Control Module, using the DRB tool. The fix required adjustment of the timing parameters (no loss of performance or economy). It was a flash, much like we do with out GPS units ). The solid front axle allow more precise crawling over some obstacles; rather than just one whells flexing upward to clear an object on the trail, the entire front end is raised to clear it. I have seen some Liberties do very well in this regard with their IFS. The next generation GC will be IFS (which weighs less - better fuel economy - and handles/rides better). The federal reg has to do with overall fuel economy and emissions quality, and some engines are limited in how much they could be improved to meet the future standards. While the 4.0 is a very clean running motor, it will likely cost Chrysler less to meet the next standards with the newer V-6 and Diesel engines. This is one reason the 5.2 (318 cid) was replaced with the current 4.7, which is quickly becoming a "legend" in a relatively short time. After seeing the picture of the Ford Skyliner as a geocaching vehicle, I am envious. If I had the time, the space, and the $$$, I would get something like that .

I am definitely a Jeep fan. My wife got the first one; she traded a Honda Accord EX on a 1995 GC Laredo, then I inherited that when she got a new 1998 Laredo. I then got a 1996 Laredo, and we traded that for her current Jeep, and I got her 1998 (I know.... what a husband! ). I then traded the 1998 on the 2002 Overland, and have never regretted any of the Jeeps. We were introduced to the current dealership several years ago by a physician with whom I worked; his brother-in-law is the Service Manager (Jerry K.) whom I referred to in my previous post. I had a problem with pinging in my 1996 Jeep, and the local shop told me it was "normal" and to use higher octane gas . The physician gave me Jerry's phone number. I called, and set up an appointment. The fix took less than 30 minutes, and it worked. Needless to say, they made me a customer because they do business the way I do business - do the right thing for everybody involved. We live in an area where there is plenty of ice and snow, so the Jeep 4WD systems prove themselves quite well. We occasionally go off road, and have fun with them as well. By the way, Jeep windshields do not cause attenuation of GPS (or other) signals. While I have not personally driven the Liberty, it is taller (but with a slightly shorter cargo area) than the Cherokee. The V-6 is smoother, although the I-6 is a tough act to follow - the 4.0 Six is being phased out due to federal requirements. The V-6 has a decent amount of torque and has been very reliable, according to those I know who own them. Having IFS, the ride and handling is more like that of many cars, although the Liberty does very well off road, provided you have reasonably good tires (true with any 4WD vehicle). A couple of friends (locally) have Liberties; she has one for a "company" vehicle, and he has one for his personal vehicle. Both are totally pleased with them and will buy the same again when the time comes, unless Jeep offers something even newer and better, which is entirely possible. Daimler Chrysler appears to be adopting the 'new model every several years' approach. The 4WD purists will stick to their support of the Solid Front Axle Jeeps, and they definitely have their place. The Liberty was first thought to be a cheap, incapable "fake Jeep"; it has proven itself repeatedly, both on and off road. That Diesel option really sounds intriguing (C'mon, Chris N. - jump in here!). I have no reservations about recommending the Jeep brand; the price may (or may not) be slightly higher, but the cost of owning one is usually less. The enjoyment is something extra that cannot be easily measured.

My wife and I drive Jeep Grand Cherokees; hers is a Laredo 6-cyl, and mine is the Overland (H.O. V-8). On trips they both get very good gas mileage, and are comfortable. No problems with either one, except for a few minor things that the dealer took care of quickly and correctly. We bought them from a dealer (Patrick in Rochester, NY) located 90 miles from where we live, and their service is worth the trip (makes the local dealer service departments look like the amateurs that they are. One of their Service Advisors is a GPS'er and checks in here every so often (say hello, Chris! ). Their Service Manager is a definite motorhead who seems to have every service bulletin and the Factory Service Manuals committed to memory. A lot of the decision on which vehicle to buy should be based on the dealer service available for that vehicle. I know people around here who stopped buying certain brands because of the dealers involved. I like the Jeeps and have no problem with driving a bit farther to get things done right the first time. If you are looking for better fuel economy, hold out for the Liberty with the CRD (Common Rail Diesel).... it is said to be a Mercedes design and is bulletproof as well as a great performer that will do close to 30 MPG with the torque of a V-8, the power of a V-6, and the economy of a four-cylinder engine. The Liberty has become quite popular over the last few years; one of the people at work bought one and loves it dearly. For a better look at what many people think of Jeeps (and what they do with them), check out the I Love Jeeps web site.