Is The Magellan Meridian Gold Worth It?

[rodmansju]

I understand I am getting a closeout deal, but for under 150 before adding a cheap SD card and the software.....is that a good GPS for a first GPS?

 

Looking to do geocaching, and benefit from the GPS on hiking, hunting, and trips around my new home in upstate NY.

[+JohnnyVegas]

I have been using a Meridan gold for over two years and I like mine. I recently bought and Exporist 500, so now I use my Meridian gold with Direct route software to get me to the general area of the cache then I use my explorist 500 with topo software. I would guess I have about 600 caches loged while just using the Meridian gold. For $150 I would be tempted to buy another one for a back up in case I lose another GPS, but my Girlfreind would just tell me I have to many

My Meridian gold lives on my dash now.

[rodmansju]

for an in-car unit, does it do a pretty good job? I've used the GPS standard on the Lexus truck, its not bad, but I am sure alot higher end. Just want to make sure that the meridian would do a sufficient job of that

 

thanks

[+embra]

The gold will autoroute (i.e., create turn-by-turn directions) with MapSend DirectRoute software (I think that will cost about $80-90 or so). It is very helpful in places where you don't know your way around. The limitations are that--compared to Garmin autorouting, anyway--it's not too smart in the routes it takes, and you aren't able to customize your preferences for those routes.

[rodmansju]

as long as the "not too smart" routing doesnt mean sending me too far off the beaten path, i can deal. i won't really depend on it, more use it as a helpful add-on, sometimes just to see what other routes exist.

 

if i end up needing/wanting the full fledged auto gps, well...i'll pony up the dough

 

thanks

[Pinon]

I love my MeriGold......

[Frankyguy]

The Meridian Gold is an excellent choice for a GPSr. And I believe Wal-Mart is now selling them at $199.00 everyday. And you can get a 256 meg SD card there for $19.99 to go with it.

[rodmansju]

im just hoping i can find a sports authority that has it. its on clearance at 150. the one nearest me has the demo, but thus far, no box/cables.

 

if i can bargain with the manager, perhaps i can get a steal of a deal. i am hoping so, since they had the 2mb meridian at the same price....

[+Mr Lost]

Yes. It is.

[rodmansju]

So here might be the bigger question.

 

If someone offered you a demo model Meridian Gold, without the strap, CD, manual or cable, for $150....would you do it?

 

The manual, I figure I already downloaded it.

 

The wrist strap, easily remedied

 

The CD? I have no idea what information of value is on there, but I'd guess Magellan has it on the website?

 

The cable is the big piece. Since it's serial, and my intent was to mostly work via the SD cards using my PC card reader....how critical is the cable? IE, can I update the firmware with a card instead of the cable? Or should I search online for a low cost replacement?

 

I held the unit yesterday, its blemish free and I liked the feel. It carries the same warranty/return from what the store told me, so i am covered there. I don't need a box/manual so badly that I would go to Walmart and shell out 200, which is what they list them for, if your store even has them instock. yea, the cable might be 30. but is it needed?

[rodmansju]

sorry for another post quickly....but there is another option...

 

would you go for the Meridian Gold, open box, demo unit at 150 -10%, without anything except the unit....or the base Meridian, in box, with everything, for the same price.

 

Out of the box, is the Gold's 16 MB filled, or do they both come with the same basemap? If they do....most of what I add, if not all, was going to be via SD capacity anyways....

[tossedsalad]

If you are going to use this as a car navigation system, I would suggest that you make another choice. There are units made for that. The main difference is the size of the screen. I use my Merigold for car navigation, well, truck navigation actually. I find that it is very hard to see the screen some of the time and it is never easy to see. The B&W display is not readily visible when there are reflections or low light. In a car the lighting changes quickly so at any given time I can't see the display. Having to reorient the display or trying to push the buttons distracts me from my driving much more than a nice backlit car nav unit would. At least partly this is because of my cup holder GPS mount (just sitting in a dash cup holder), but the screen problems are real.

 

If you want to hike in the woods and/or geocache, then a Merigold is highly recommended. I find mine will see through most if not all leaf cover to find the satellites and it always seems to get me where I need to be. It is also very tough, I have been doing a lot of drop testing lately

[rodmansju]

tossed---

 

it would be primarily outdoors. Only tasked for car duty in a pinch. if the WAF is high, then a dedicated car unit would be in order.

 

thanks

[tossedsalad]

In that case, I would go for a used unit. Check the Garage Sale section here and with the various local Geocaching web sites. There is one for sale here with the Topo software for $150 OBO.

 

Merigold FS

[+embra]

If you are using a card reader, you can get by without the cable for almost all situations. The only concern would be firmware updates...newer firmwares (either from 4.06 or 5.12 on...can't recall for sure) allowed firmware updates from the SD card, but prior to that the cable was needed. You should be able to check the installed firmware at startup or by looking at the menu/about screen.

 

The card reader was preferred for map transfers, because the USB speed difference was so great. The cable was kinda nice for waypoint transfers, since speed wasn't so much an issue and the convenience of not having to take the card out and reinstall it was nice...but I wouldn't consider that a dealbreaker.

 

I think you're looking at all the other missing things accurately. The basemap is "permanently" installed in internal memory. It can be replaced (e.g., by European basemap) but some basemap must be there for the unit to start up. SD memory is required for detail maps.

 

By base unit Meridian, do you mean the green/yellow? I'd probably pass that in favor of the gold.

Edited September 20, 2005 by embra

[+JohnnyVegas]

If you are going to use this as a car navigation system, I would suggest that you make another choice. There are units made for that.

The larger models that are made for car navigation are a bit to big to carry around on a hike. I have been using my meridian for car navigation with very few problems, It is not perfect, but if you are looking for the perfect gps chances are you will never find it. While magellan direct route software is just that, the Direct route, it is not always the best route, but I am geocaching a lot in areas that I am not familiar with, so you might say for me it is the best route. As a matter of fact sence I moved a few months ago I am always driving in places that I an not familar with. But Direct route does get me to were I need to be.

[vagabond]

I used My gold for over three years and loved it. One thing to remember is that the mapping in the unit is only major highways, if you want to go to street level mapping you'll have to buy one of Magellans mapping programs. The unit Tossed Salad mentioned is a pretty good deal, the seller is in the Phoenix Az. area.

[rodmansju]

I went to the sports authority, and because it was their last unit, no box, nothing, they were offering me 10% off. I told them that there was more than $30 in costs to replace the missing cables, so the manager dropped it another 25%. After tax, it cost me 115 for a demo magellan meridian gold. not bad

 

now, my next question

 

In the manual, i believe it says the SD limit is 64 or 128 cards. The sales are all on 512 cards of late, even saw 1gig for under 60. Can the magellan gold now use cards larger than 128? is it firmware or?

 

thanks!

[PodunkPaul]

I used a 1 gig card in my MeriGold with firmware version 5.35 without issue. There may be a limitation in older firmware. Check Embra's sig line for the "Meridian FAQ's". Your question will probably be answered there.

[+embra]

Rodmansju, I want you to come with me the next time I go car shopping.

 

As Paul indicated, there are no known limits with newer firmwares. People have been able to run 2G cards, I believe.

[rodmansju]

thats my luck going good for a change. honestly, if he hadn't knocked more off, i'd have walked away. they were selling them NIB for 150, and this was the last one. nothing included, 15 off doesnt cover what they arent giving me...and i explained that. he probably didn't care....

 

but...i've now got a nice GPS for less than half of what i planned on paying