Help With Gps Purchase - Gps 315

[+tbird2340]

Hello, I did my first geocach in April 2001. I purchased a Magellan GPS 315 and ended up selling it because I needed the cash. Now I want to get another GPS and have some questions. I've read all through this thread and now I have some questions. What happened to the Magellan GPS 315?? I don't see anyone saying anything about it. I'm sure people talked about it in '01 when I originally got it. I don't want to spend over $150 and I will be using it for the following:

 

Geocaching

Hooking it up to a laptop in my truck and using it for directions and what not via Microsoft Streets and Maps.

 

From reading I'm looking at the Geko 201 and the Etrex. I seen in a thread someone selling a GPS 315 $125.

 

A GPS with maps looks to be out of my range but what exactly does that do? How detailed are the maps as far as side roads and what not.

 

Please help me with this decision.

 

Thanks, Tom

[Finler]

I purchased a Magellan SporTrak Map for $169.97 at Radio Shack. Right now it has a $30 Dollar mail in rebate which drops the total to 139.97. If you purchase any MapSend software with it, you’ll get an additional 20 bucks rebate for a total of fifty dollars. It’s a great unit with lots of bells and whistles. Plenty of memory for down loading maps. You wont be able to down load the entire United States, but more then likely you’ll be able to down load what you need with plenty of room to spare. I’ve down loaded a large section near my home, which includes 3 large cities, airports, roads etc. It was only 399 kilobytes. I still have over 5 Megs of room left on the unit. I hope this information helps. Good luck selecting a unit which is right for you.

[+tbird2340]

Thx for the reply. Question about the "map" functions of a GPS. What exactly does that do? Can you download maps of your area, put in an address, and have it tell you the directions turn by turn?

 

I appreciate the help!

[+tbird2340]

Also, I just looked... You got it at radio shack for $170!? Amazon has it for $177.94 and I never seen radio shack have anything cheaper then Amazon? Let me know.

 

Thanks

[+GeckoGeek]

I never seen radio shack have anything cheaper then Amazon?

They can be pretty aggressive on close out and that was a close out - I can tell from the price. (OK, so I hang around Radio Shack too much.....)

Edited January 9, 2004 by GeckoGeek

[robertlipe]

$170 is about street price for STMap. I've seen them for $150, but that might have been including the holiday rebate. Spot checking Best Buy and Walmart from my desk shows that's about right.

 

I don't know if the 315 is officially discontinued, but it's certainly an older unit. The newer ones are much more likeable. The closest to the 315 is technically the "SporTrak" (no map) but for the $20 (street price) difference, maps will be very tempting. And unlike the 315, it comes with a PC cable, so the real price jump from the $125 for a 315 isn't that much.

 

See my articles below for more info, including the map sizes you might expect to fit in an ST Map and the various mapping options.

 

I have an ST Map. It's not my favorite in the collection, but it's a great entry-level unit.

[+RobRee]

if you are just looking for a point finder and using it for geocaching.. the 315 is good. look for an ebay auction.. hint.. look for spelling errors.. and bid 50$ and under.. you will eventually land a 315 and have fun.

 

i'd scrimp and save a few more bucks... coffee money and change and get a meridian with a sd card.

 

opinion

 

robbie

[+tbird2340]

I found the SportTrak Map for $155 (before $30 rebate so $125) at shopharmony.com. I don't know for sure if that's the one I'll get or not.

 

With the mapping.. Could I get some questions answered..

 

1. Do you have to have the MapSend softare ($80 and up) to put maps on the GPS or are there ways to do it for free?

 

2. Is it possible to put in an address and the GPS show you the route to take to get there?

 

I appreciate the help!

[+tbird2340]

robree, what do you mean look for spelling errors? I just checked ebay for the 315 (using correct spelling) and I didn't see any going for under $50.

 

Thanks

[+RobRee]

people frequently spell things wrong... when searching ebay look under different spellings... magelan, magelllan, migellan... eventually you will score. i do this with baseball cards, electronics etc.

 

i may be selling one for 50$ soon as i move the kids GPS towards a mapping unit.

 

the 315 is a great no nonsense unit. but like i said i would save a few move duckies and go meridian or a garmin equivilant.

 

robbie

[+tbird2340]

How about the SporTrak Map?

[+RobRee]

1. Do you have to have the MapSend softare ($80 and up) to put maps on the GPS or are there ways to do it for free?

 

maps are magellan only. yeah, you have to use their product. you can purchase mapsend for like 30-50$ used. you can put waypoints in using easygps, expert gps etc.

 

2. Is it possible to put in an address and the GPS show you the route to take to get there?

 

only if you go with direct route. currently 130-160$. ooofa. too much loot for me. my laptop has routing anyway.

 

good luck in your quest. keep doing your homework and it will pay off. try looking for a bundled gps too. GPSr, cable, case, cdrom maps etc. that is how i bought my sportrak pro thru price club/ costco.

[+tbird2340]

Yea I went to Sam's club today but I didn't see any GPS's anywhere. I thought for sure they would sell them.

 

What do you mean by maps are magellan only?

 

Say I get the SporTrac Map ($170 shipped at shopharmony.com - $30 rebate = $140). Can I somehow put maps (say my local city / town) with local roads and what not? Or am I going about this all wrong..

 

The two things I want this for are geocaching and for directions in my car. Is it hard to use it in the car with just the GPS because I can also take my laptop loaded with Microsoft Streets & Trips and just get directions like that if I understand it. So should I spend that much for a GPSr with mapping if I'm just going to use it as I explained?

 

Thanks again!

[+Learned Gerbil]

Remember that a 320 is the same evice as a 315. I got my 320 for £50 and £ = $ in this country for electronics, so I would have though $50-$80 should get you a 315 or 320.

[vagabond]

$170 is about street price for STMap.  I've seen them for $150, but that might have been including the holiday rebate.  Spot checking Best Buy and Walmart

 

 

If you can still find Magellans at Wal-Mart you might think about grabbing them, as the 2004 diplay or mod shows only Garmin products

[+tbird2340]

Can someone answer this please?

 

"Say I get the SporTrac Map ($170 shipped at shopharmony.com - $30 rebate = $140). Can I somehow put maps (say my local city / town) with local roads and what not? Or am I going about this all wrong..

 

The two things I want this for are geocaching and for directions in my car. Is it hard to use it in the car with just the GPS because I can also take my laptop loaded with Microsoft Streets & Trips and just get directions like that if I understand it. So should I spend that much for a GPSr with mapping if I'm just going to use it as I explained?"