Nuvi advice for a Woodsman

[vfrpilot]

I've used GPSs for years now, before they were popular. .. I regularly use my 60c that I've had for years both on and off the trail as I'm an avid hiker, climber, camper & jeeper ....

 

My question is; I'm about to take the plunge to the Nuvi series for the truck & jeep (the 60c's windshield mount finally broke & this has given me the excuse to keep it in my pack) and have a dedicated unit for the vehicles (aside for the GPS V I've kept as my backup).

 

Which unit do you all reccomend?

I prefer to stay GARMIN as the equipment and company has always treated me well.

I don't need bluetooth or mp3 playback, or a photoviewer...... I have other tech that does this.

Although I do enjoy options... I'm one of those guys who uses ALL the features and tools of his cell phone & feels the Rhino walkie talkie IS worth the money!

I'd like a comprehensive map that I can in some manner UPDATE as necessary, and text to speech would be a nice addition to the experience. The ability to transfer my waypoints would be nice.. as well as do everything and more that I can now with my 60c (aside from caching of course)...

 

Pros, Cons, experiences & opinions are encouraged - please.

 

As always, thanks in advance!

Edited July 31, 2008 by vfrpilot

[+briansnat]

I think anything in the Nuvi series will be fine. It's just a matter of which features you want. I think every Nuvi has the ability to download waypoints and the maps are update able as long as you are willing to buy the software.

 

I have a Nuvi 200 and it does the job quite well. I'm sure I'm missing out on a lot of good features but what I don't know ain't hurtin' me.

 

 

Moving to appropriate forum

[SergZak]

I think any of the nuvi 2x5(w) series would do just fine for you. These are the newest in the low-end nuvi line and have some features that even the high end units like the 7xx & 8xx series won't give you such as the ~4hz screen redraw rate and the updated UI (user interface) which gives more on-screen info to the user.

 

Be warned though that the nuvi line is basically a soccer-mom or dumbed-down automotive navigator. Don't expect to find anything close to the configurability of the older Garmin units. I started with the Garmin eMap as my first "auto-nav" unit many years ago along with a Magellan GPS 310 even before that as a hand-held so I think I'm qualified to say that I know where you'll be coming from. You'll be moving from "options galore" to "this is what you get to see...be happy with it".

Edited July 31, 2008 by SergZak

[vfrpilot]

Ahhhh... I'm a bit bummed to hear of the ill-configurability option.. or lack thereof

 

Can I at least check distances as well as zoom in and out???

 

I was actually hoping to pick one up tonight based on my reponses from you guys (and girls)

[+Red90]

Get a 205W.

 

Everything you "need" is there. They have just removed some options to justify the low price..... Go and try one in a store and see what YOU think.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

Get a 205W.

 

Everything you "need" is there. They have just removed some options to justify the low price..... Go and try one in a store and see what YOU think.

 

Or a 255W for text-to-speech.

[vfrpilot]

Arrrrgggghhhhh....

 

I picked up a 260 and talk about a "DUMBED DOWN" unit!

you nailed that one SergZak

 

I will use this tomorrow for a 75 mile ride to an amusement park and most likely return it on Saturday.

 

For the record:

 

It dosen't find the fastest routes & the maps aren't as detailed as in my 60c - - they're pretty & I kinda liked the 3d view.... but can't I switch to overhead?

 

Man the manual is like 3 x 4 inches.....

 

As he said above.... SoccerMom material.

 

I've only had an hour... so, maybe I'll have a awakening ?

[+storm180]

I like the tomtom x30 series. I own the tomtom 730 and its totally configurable right down to the menu and the screen colors and voice. Works pretty well for getting me to the cache. You can have custom pois and icons. You can view your custom pois without having to be zoomed in or in 2d mode like on the nuvi line. This is the main reason I went with tomtom instead of the nuvi line

[vfrpilot]

I like the tomtom x30 series. I own the tomtom 730 and its totally configurable right down to the menu and the screen colors and voice. Works pretty well for getting me to the cache. You can have custom pois and icons. You can view your custom pois without having to be zoomed in or in 2d mode like on the nuvi line. This is the main reason I went with tomtom instead of the nuvi line

 

Hmmmm... tell me more bud.

This is so much better than reading the reviews

[+storm180]

I like the tomtom x30 series. I own the tomtom 730 and its totally configurable right down to the menu and the screen colors and voice. Works pretty well for getting me to the cache. You can have custom pois and icons. You can view your custom pois without having to be zoomed in or in 2d mode like on the nuvi line. This is the main reason I went with tomtom instead of the nuvi line

 

Hmmmm... tell me more bud.

This is so much better than reading the reviews

 

The tomtom 730 has a lot nice features. It has several menu screens but you can configure them to your liking with the custom menu software for the tomtom. It has advanced lane guidance which show a static graphic of your turn off and will show arrrows flashing on which lanes you need to be in. THere is also IQ routing where it learns the quickest routes during certain times not only from your tomtom but from other tomtoms when you dock it at home. Most gps only will do quickest route and its set, but IQ routing goes beyond that and keeps time/date/speed/traffic data during your trips to give you the acutal fastest route so during rush hour won't route you along a highway that it knows is severely congested at that time and give you alternate routes. You can also alternate route to your hearts content until it computes the way you want to go. You can select from hundreds of screen color combos which are totally customizable which I liked. You can also make corrections to pois, roadblocks, closed roads, then you can share it with others and others can share it with you. However you cannot add a road but you can add one and request that it be added when you dock it you can draw the road right on the screen.

 

One con the display washes out in direct sunlight but I bought a visor for it and everything is cool.

 

Check out some of the reviews on the tomtom 730.

Edited August 1, 2008 by storm180

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

I picked up a 260 and talk about a "DUMBED DOWN" unit!

 

<snip>

 

It dosen't find the fastest routes & the maps aren't as detailed as in my 60c - - they're pretty & I kinda liked the 3d view.... but can't I switch to overhead?

 

Sure, just change the map settings to 2D.

[vfrpilot]

Just finished a 175 mile trip w/ the 260... and I have to 2nd, er.. 3rd the original "DUMBED down" description...

 

refresh is terrible en route - I thought initially it was cause I was on battery - but I plugged in & it was the same... it was chasing my truck, like a vw trying to keep up with my 750 sportbike

 

Then I thought it was a redraw pull cause I had it set on the higest detail possible..

I switched back to "normal"... same thing = like a tired old dog... My GPS V shows me "traveling" on the screen at a better/more accurate rate in grayscale!!!.

 

Luckily, I uploaded an extra map section to the 60c prior to the ride & had it (as well) running to guage the... er, inaccuracy... ?

 

Also, I much more prefer the 60's upcoming turn in "_____ minutes", etc as opposed to the 260's "miles only".

Whats up with that? Did customer feedback determine this [in the design]?

It IS much easier to disertain / prepare for whats ahead in terms of time as opposed to "how far" !!!

 

"How Far" depends on your speed man... duh

If I'm driving 55 and the wife is driving 70, well she's gonna come up on that exit way before me,

But we're both gonna have the same UPCOMING READOUT!!!! so she'd better not make that call to the boss thinking she has time to review something.... just my opinion based on 10 years of street navigation anyway.

 

As I said above; this is goin back for a refund... maybe (with regret) I'll try a TomTom - Garmin really let me down here...

And to think.. I've been telling people "Yea, the price(s) have really come down since I purchased my units"

Ha, no wonder !!

[+storm180]

The TOMTOM give you plenty of warning on turns and talks about each of them. You can turn then on or off. It also has warnings like if your speeding or going by a church or school. They can all be ticked on or off if you want the warning. The tomtom x30 can also give you leway times which say you need to be somewhere by 4pm you put it into the gps and then it routes to get your there by 4pm. During that time it will show you a + or - time like +3:00 minutes ahead of schedule along with the time you will arrive. It has been suprising accurate. There is a lot of information that can be displayed on the front screen of the unit.

Edited August 2, 2008 by storm180