Advice Needed On Gps And Software Purchase

[+dyankee1995]

I need some advice.

I have made the decision to purchase the Garmin GPSMAP 76CS.

From reading past posts and doing internet research I have gathered that it would be better to purchase the City Select Software rather than the Mapsource Metro software.

I am wondering if it is necessary to buy the software right away, since money is always an issue, especially when you are buying an expensive unit. Can I purchase the unit and take advantage of its autorouting feature with the basemap that is preinstalled or do I need to purchase the software in order to enable that feature?

One of the reasons I decided on that particular unit is for the autorouting feature, so that is a priority for me. I guess I just want to know if I can wait for the software until I can get the unit paid off or I should buy all together as a package.

 

Thanks for any advice you can give. I am hoping to make my purchase within a week.

 

P.S. We are currently using my 13 year old son's Garmin Legend and my hubby and I want one of our own with all the bells and whistles.

[+Miragee]

I recently upgraded to the Garmin Vista C and got the City Select software in a package with the Garmin beanbag automount (with cigarette lighter adapter) for around $140.00.

 

I highly recommend getting the software as soon as you can.

 

It is so great to have the unit direct me through unfamiliar neighborhoods to the cache location. Sometimes it puts me on the wrong side of a fence, but I get close so much easier than when I was pouring over the map and making wrong turns.

[+dyankee1995]

Yeah, that's why we kinda want the autoroute feature. My hubby and I seem to always argue about what road we should be turning on. We are hoping the added feature will cut down on these disagreements.

[+k syrah syrah]

so any way to get garmin 76cs to autoroute with voice prompts ?

 

i see where some lowrance units will do this ... iway 100M..

 

trying to decided between the 2 units...

 

thanks

[+Sputnik 57]

The 76CS will autoroute on its basemap, but the map is limted to major roads and interestates. You won't get driving directions from your house to the nwarest Quickie Mart. You can add City Select at any time. In fact, Garmin has announced that it is just about to release version 7. If you buy version 6 now, you can upgrade to version 7 for free when it is released.

 

The 76CS won't give you voice prompts, but it will beep when you near a turn. There are a dozon or so beeps to choose from. It beeps about 30 seconds before the turn, and again right at the turn. I have a beep set that sounds like the whistle people use to hail a cab.

 

If you want voice prompts, load City Select onto your laptop, and then install Nroute (a free download from Garmin). Hook your GPSr up to your laptop and NRoute will give you voice prompts.

[+georcfun]

so on 76cs ,,,, once i got city select,,,, then loaded my area map into the 76 from city select,,,

 

so i think i could then use the 76cs as autoroute,,, and i could get it to display "turn right at xyz street" ,,, and beep also...

 

would i be able to just enter a street address into the 76cs while in the car and it would autoroute ??? or would i need to know lat & long of the location ???

 

thanks

thanks

[CenTexDodger]

so on 76cs ,,,, once i got city select,,,, then loaded my area map into the 76 from city select,,,

 

so i think i could then use the 76cs as autoroute,,, and i could get it to display "turn right at xyz street" ,,, and beep also...

 

would i be able to just enter a street address into the 76cs while in the car and it would autoroute ??? or would i need to know lat & long of the location ???

 

thanks

thanks

Basically yeah. It gives detailed turn instructions. The only exception is when you exit an interstate. It will say something like "I-35 right on exit 300 to I-35" it will give you the street you are going to which in the case of interstates is the service road.

 

City Select and a 76cs (I have a 60cs, but it and the 76cs have the same operating system) will route to a waypoint (lat, lon), a POI (restaurant, hotel, park, retail business, amusement park, etc.), an address, an itntersection, a city, or several other types of locations.

[+Sputnik 57]

Just hit FIND-->Address-->ENTR. Enter the address, and press "Goto". The map screen will pop up showing the route. Zoom in or out as you prefer. As you drive, when you get near a turn, the unit will beep and a much more detailed map of the turn will be displayed about 30 seconds before the turn. The unit then will go back to the map screen. As you get to the turn, the unit will beep again, and show you on the detailed turn map. After the turn, the unit will go back to the regular map page. This process is repeated for each turn on the route.

 

If you miss a turn, whether accidentally or on purpose, the unit will show a screen that says "Recalculating". It will compute a new best route to the address, and repeat the process. It is truly amazing (but then, I am easily amused).

[+georcfun]

As you drive, when you get near a turn, the unit will beep and a much more detailed map of the turn will be displayed about 30 seconds before the turn. The unit then will go back to the map screen.

 

wow,,, that does great !!!

 

so what features would be gained with Quest2 or lost with Quest2 ??

i know quest2 has the voice prompting.

 

thanks