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Car GPS Suggestions


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I have a 60Csx but I am looking around for a unit for the car. Since I have a number of Garmin map disks I am leaning torward buying another Garmin for the Car.

 

What I would like in features is:

1. Turn By Turn Voice directions with speaking of street names

2. Color easy to read Touch Screen

3. Easy enough for my wife to also use.

 

I'd like to find the lowest cost one of course as well but with the above feautures.

 

Any suggestions or comments would be helpful

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For current models, I'd recommend either the Garmin nuvi 260 or 260W. For yet to be released models (you may want to wait for these new units which should be available in ~2 months), have a look at the Garmin nuvi 255 or 255W.

 

See the complete nuvi line HERE

Edited by SergZak
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I have a 60Csx but I am looking around for a unit for the car. Since I have a number of Garmin map disks I am leaning torward buying another Garmin for the Car.

 

What I would like in features is:

1. Turn By Turn Voice directions with speaking of street names

2. Color easy to read Touch Screen

3. Easy enough for my wife to also use.

 

I'd like to find the lowest cost one of course as well but with the above feautures.

 

Any suggestions or comments would be helpful

 

I use a Garmin 650 in the car and then my 60csx on foot. The 650 does exactly what you want and I think they are under 300 now. Great unit.

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I too would recommend the nuvi line. I did, however, opt for a Mio230. It fits all your criteria, and only for $130 on sale at radioshack. As far as I know, it is the only unit at this low price that speaks street names. When I was doing my research, I kept wanting a garmin, and really wanted something that had a wide screen, but the price and great reviews led me at the Mio. I love it.

 

Edit: I got the c230, not the 320

Edited by admo1972
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I too would recommend the nuvi line. I did, however, opt for a Mio230. It fits all your criteria, and only for $130 on sale at radioshack. As far as I know, it is the only unit at this low price that speaks street names. When I was doing my research, I kept wanting a garmin, and really wanted something that had a wide screen, but the price and great reviews led me at the Mio. I love it.

 

Edit: I got the c230, not the 320

I

 

I had four of the Mio units. They worked well but would die after a few weeks and the voice level was a bit low. I must have gotten into a bad batch. I finally paid a bit more and bought a Nuvi 200 which is impressive and easy to use. Actually, the Mio had more features than the Nuvi and I was sorry to have to pay more.

Edited by donc30
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I too would recommend the nuvi line. I did, however, opt for a Mio230. It fits all your criteria, and only for $130 on sale at radioshack. As far as I know, it is the only unit at this low price that speaks street names. When I was doing my research, I kept wanting a garmin, and really wanted something that had a wide screen, but the price and great reviews led me at the Mio. I love it.

 

Edit: I got the c230, not the 320

I

 

I had four of the Mio units. They worked well but would die after a few weeks and the voice level was a bit low. I must have gotten into a bad batch. I finally paid a bit more and bought a Nuvi 200 which is impressive and easy to use. Actually, the Mio had more features than the Nuvi and I was sorry to have to pay more.

 

Interesting... I've found the voice level on this one just fine. It does have an option that the voice volume to be louder at higher speeds (to compensate for louder road noise). I've only had mine about 2 weeks, hopefully it will last a while...

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Hands down....NUVI.

 

My wife was anti GPS. She was making a trip with her mother to a remote location in VA to a Bed and Breakfast. We were in Circuit City and picked up a nuvi on displayed. I asked her what the name of the B and B was. She said, "it's not in there" scoffingly(sp). I plugged in name and within seconds it created a route from our location to B and B. Needless to say we had a nuvi after that. I love my nuvi. We go to strange cities and just drive all around the city like we own, or have lived there all our lives.

Pardon my xtra info, but I could be a nuvi salesman. I've referred several people to them. They're absolutely awesome.

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Thanks for the info. Can any one comment on the sensativity of the Nuvi line? How is it in big cities or on tree lined streets?

 

Since I have so many different Garmin maps it seems to make more cents to stick with them even if the price is higher.

Edited by CiscoHiker
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Thanks for the info. Can any one comment on the sensativity of the Nuvi line? How is it in big cities or on tree lined streets?

 

Since I have so many different Garmin maps it seems to make more cents to stick with them even if the price is higher.

I program my 350 siting in my recliner,for the next days delivery's.Picks up a signal with no problem.

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I am a proud Nuvi and have owned it for almost a year now.

 

The Nuvi and Tom Tom (to the best of my limited knowledge) and the only car navs that will take coordinates.

 

But the advantage to using a Nuvi is that you can download POI Loader (for free) from Garmin's site and load up the Nuvi with the geocaches. That way you don't have to input the coords each time. There is supposed to be a way to do it with the Tom Tom, but the two Tom Tom owners that I know have not been able to figure it out.

 

The Nuvi's sensitivity is great. Like the above poster said, it can get a reception inside a house. (I can't get a signal everywhere in my house, but if I'm near a door or window I can.) I've NEVER lost a signal while driving. Not in the woods, not under trees.

 

And if I've not patted Nuvi on the back enough already: I'm amazed at how most cemetery roads show up in Nuvi's map.

 

I played with a friend's Magellan Maestro for a bit and found it a cheap (err more expensive) imitation of a Nuvi. The Nuvi was better and gave phone numbers. (The Maestro did not.)

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I am a proud Nuvi and have owned it for almost a year now.

 

The Nuvi and Tom Tom (to the best of my limited knowledge) and the only car navs that will take coordinates.

 

But the advantage to using a Nuvi is that you can download POI Loader (for free) from Garmin's site and load up the Nuvi with the geocaches. That way you don't have to input the coords each time. There is supposed to be a way to do it with the Tom Tom, but the two Tom Tom owners that I know have not been able to figure it out.

 

The Nuvi's sensitivity is great. Like the above poster said, it can get a reception inside a house. (I can't get a signal everywhere in my house, but if I'm near a door or window I can.) I've NEVER lost a signal while driving. Not in the woods, not under trees.

 

And if I've not patted Nuvi on the back enough already: I'm amazed at how most cemetery roads show up in Nuvi's map.

 

I played with a friend's Magellan Maestro for a bit and found it a cheap (err more expensive) imitation of a Nuvi. The Nuvi was better and gave phone numbers. (The Maestro did not.)

 

I use the Tom Tom 920, I think its better than the nuvi for several reasons. I have used the nuvi 350 before. Tom Tom is better. You can use GSAK to import POIs into the Tom Tom. Its very quick to lock on, about 10 sec. Ablility to d/l map updates for free is nice too.

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I do need to add that the Mio allows coordinates to be entered. I t can be done by hand, or be sent to the unit via a Mio program called POI Loader (same name as the garmin one).

 

Like I said, I think you'd be most happy with a Garmin Nuvi unit. But the Mio is pretty great, and $200 cheaper.

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I have the Nuvi 250W. It is a very nice unit for the money. I think it was around $250.

Have have a Nuv 250 and 360. They are both terrific.

I did not get the W units as I wanted the smaller size, because I always pop it out and carry it in my pocket when out of the car (for anti-theft, not for navigation).

 

At first, I thought the flip antenna on the 360 might be annoying, but it is not a bother at all.

Both come with very excellent mounting hardware (important for a portable vehicle unit).

 

One thing I would highly recommend is a GPS with text to speech. Instead of just telling me to "turn right", it tells me to "turn right on Riverview Drive". With this capability, I do not even have to look at the GPS, which I think is safer. Even better, as I wear glasses for close-up only, I used to drive with my glasses on the end of my nose to look at the 250. I'm an old guy with a sports car, and I definitely look uncool with the top down and glasses hanging at the end of my nose! :rolleyes:

 

A funny sidebar. The voice prompt on the 360 is set to Female British. My wife just shakes her head, "why do you always take intructions from her, and you never take instructions fom me"?

(Ahhh, dear. That's why I have a GPS. :( )

 

I promise you'll never regret getting a GPS.

Have fun with your decision.

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I use the Tom Tom 920, I think its better than the nuvi for several reasons. I have used the nuvi 350 before. Tom Tom is better. You can use GSAK to import POIs into the Tom Tom. Its very quick to lock on, about 10 sec. Ablility to d/l map updates for free is nice too.

You can use GSAK on the Nuvi too. I just loaded the 450 closest caches to my house into my Nuvi 350 using GSAK. It doesnt lock on quite as fast as the Tom Tom though, mine takes about 16 secs to lock on. I haven't used a Tom Tom yet, but I am totally satisfied with the Nuvi.

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I have a 60Csx but I am looking around for a unit for the car. Since I have a number of Garmin map disks I am leaning torward buying another Garmin for the Car.

 

What I would like in features is:

1. Turn By Turn Voice directions with speaking of street names

2. Color easy to read Touch Screen

3. Easy enough for my wife to also use.

 

I'd like to find the lowest cost one of course as well but with the above feautures.

 

Any suggestions or comments would be helpful

 

you didn't say if you want portable or in-dash.... the in dash's that i have are all from alpine,

and i did that primarily becuase i wanted high end stereo.....

 

my work van uses alpine head end, alpine dvd GPS, 1600 watts for dolby 5.1, dynaudio

speakers, a 12" 50 lb alpine sub, XM radio, and traffic feed for the gps. around $7k installed.

suggest two oddesy AGM batteries as well. significant improvement in sound, as peak

draw on both amps (playing "all right now", by free) pulls about 230 amps, causing bleeding from

ears and nose.

 

getting there is all the fun.... :-)

 

FulThrotl

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I've got a Nuvi 660 and love it. It has some extra bells and whistles that I don't need and many that I enjoy. It has great sensitivity. I hide it on the floor under the seat sometimes when I leave the car, and it never seems to lose the signal.

 

Pilotsnipes has written a GSAK macro that is covered in this forum for many in the Nuvi series. It allows you to put everything on the GPS (as POIs) that you now load onto a PDA for paperless caching. (Link) This applies to the 600 and 700 series. There is another thread for the other series; although this changes at times.

Edited by boda
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TomTom 930T or 930 (no traffic receiver).

You get EPT (enhanced position technology - to drive under tunnels), ALG (advanced lane guidance - when the lanes are confusing), IQ Routes (choose the routes according to the time of the day), Mapshare (map corrections shared online with other users).

If you want spend less, go for the 730 (which is the 930 minus the EPT).

The Satellite acquisition , Route calc and route recalc are also superfast on TomToms.

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