Are TomTom's any good anymore(or, a easy to use GPS?)update 11/22

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Are TomTom's any good anymore(or, a easy to use GPS?)update 11/22

Posted: 10/20/2012 5:36:00 AM EDT

Thinking of picking up a GPS for my mom, something that's easy to use. When she and I go somewhere and I need to use GPS, I just use my phone, but I want her to have something that she can use to get to places in unfamiliar areas, like impromptu trips to Walmart. Reason I ask about TomToms are that my sister and brother in law have one but it got us lost in East St. Louis.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Posted: 10/20/2012 5:50:06 AM EDT

[#1]

I have Magellan 3030-LMwith lifetime maps update for a year and using it daily. I run TomTom in the same time and TomTom sends me in

oposite direction sometimes. In some parts of the Downtown Magellan can't enter some numeric streets when entered into rout planning

I used Magellan in St Louis and it work great there

Posted: 10/20/2012 5:51:29 AM EDT

[#2]

The wifes TomTom is pretty reliable. Have never been sent in the wrong direction with it.

Posted: 10/20/2012 5:54:40 AM EDT

[#3]

I had a TomTom but I haven't used it in probably two years, as I now use my phone.

Posted: 10/20/2012 5:56:55 AM EDT

[#4]

I have a 3 year old tom tom that has had no map updates and loves to send me in the wrong direction sometimes (ie: country dirt roads that are locked up or do not exist). Use my phone now (Samsung GS3) mostly. If I was going to get a GPS unit, I would make sure it has free unlimited map updates.

Posted: 10/20/2012 5:59:17 AM EDT

[#5]

Wife's seems to work pretty good getting you close.

The gas station feature iffy. Thought we were going to get jacked or killed on our trip to Cali.

San Bernardino finaly found a gas station. I was driving a rented 12 SS Camaro, had just lit a smoke found a station, had wife pump the gas. Engine running, ready to bolt , fuck that place.

Wife was a bit pissed , but I asked her " If anything bad happened, you gonna run over the rats?"

Posted: 10/20/2012 6:03:27 AM EDT

[#6]

Maybe for kicks and giggles I'll get her the Top Gear GPS unit] GPS unit.

Have anyone heard good things about Magellan GPS units?

Posted: 10/20/2012 6:03:30 AM EDT

[#7]

i have a tomtom xl340m that i have had for 2 years its great. make sure you get an M model thats life time map updates.

Posted: 10/20/2012 6:07:40 AM EDT

[#8]

my only experience is with Garmin.

my Nuvi 255w is still going strong with maps over 5 years old! I've never been lost with it. it got me to North Dakota and back

it never decent battery life so when its used its plugged into the cigarette adapter

Posted: 10/20/2012 6:11:22 AM EDT

[#9]

I have two Garmins that get used daily, no complaints at all.

Posted: 10/20/2012 6:13:19 AM EDT

[#10]

I don't think I would buy another because most cars have them now . I do have one and I use it almost every time I go out.The Tom Tom is what I have and it works well and for your mother once you set your home in if you are out and want to go home you just hit the button.

Posted: 10/20/2012 6:20:04 AM EDT

[#11]

I use a GPS all the time, here is my outlook on them:

TomTom = Soccer mom GPS unit, it's cute and has funny bubbly features that a 13 year old girl would like.

Magellan = I had one of these, and it just up and quit on me one day for no reason. Could never get it restarted which sucked because I was in the middle of West Virginia. I called the Tech line for help, they said I needed to send it in to get it repaired. End story it was tossed at a rest area.

Garmin = I've been using them almost daily for 4 years, great units, easy to use and even the cheap units at Walmart tend to work very well. The one I have has live traffic on it which tells me if traffic is going to be bad before I get to it.

If your mom is just going to use it for casual use and doesn't need a lot of technical detail, the TomTom should be fine for what she needs. I personally will never buy another Magellan for a variety of reasons, and I really like the Garmin units.

Posted: 10/20/2012 6:26:44 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

If your mom is just going to use it for casual use and doesn't need a lot of technical detail, the TomTom should be fine for what she needs. I personally will never buy another Magellan for a variety of reasons, and I really like the Garmin units.

It's gonna be for casual use(ie, need to find some whacky in and out subdivision street for a garage sale or to find unfamiliar areas, or for our trip to Savannah next year, or for the times she doesn't Yahoo map something and she wants to know where something is close to where she is.

Posted: 10/20/2012 8:46:39 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
I had a TomTom but I haven't used it in probably two years, as I now use my phone.

I used a Garmin prior to my phone. Now that I have an HTX OneX, I sold the Garmin and use Google navigation which is free (250kb of data per trip mapped on average) and always up to date.

Posted: 10/20/2012 8:48:59 AM EDT

[#14]

Garmin with lifetime traffic and maps.

Amazon usually has the best prices.

Posted: 10/20/2012 8:52:36 AM EDT

[#15]

Have been using a tomtom car gps on my motorcycle and it's survived so far. It's bern doused in gasine, rain etc.. And hasn't skipped a beat.

Posted: 10/20/2012 8:53:26 AM EDT

[#16]

Comes free with every iPhone 5.

Posted: 10/20/2012 8:55:14 AM EDT

[#17]

I'd look at the Garmin 1450LMT it's the unit that I have and love it, it also comes with free lifetime map updates AND traffic updates. About 140 bucks on amazon and the 5 inch screen is nice and big.

Posted: 10/20/2012 9:00:15 AM EDT

[#18]

I've had Tom Toms and garmins. IMO, tom toms are garbage and not even in the same league as garmin. My tom tom was very slow to acquire satellite signal. Sometimes it would take up to five minutes or longer to acquire signal. And the user interface isn't very user friendly. I wouldn't exactly call it easy to navigate through the menus.

Get as much garmin as you can afford or are willing to spend. You won't be sorry.

Posted: 10/20/2012 9:06:42 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Comes free with every iPhone 5.

If you want to come over and teach my mom how to use an iiPhone 5, you can be my guest.

I was trying to tell her how to use the volume rocker and it wasn't working out ofr her.

Posted: 10/20/2012 9:07:53 AM EDT

[#20]

I use a TomTom in the Jeep sometimes, works great except for the annoying beeping when you go over the posted speed limit.

Posted: 10/20/2012 9:08:21 AM EDT

[#21]

My wife is a home nurse and uses her Garmin Nuvi every day. Its 5 years old and runs like a top.

Posted: 10/20/2012 9:10:12 AM EDT

[#22]

Had a Garmin, got old.

Got a good deal on a TomTom.

Used it for a month and bought another Garmin.

Posted: 10/20/2012 9:12:50 AM EDT

[#23]

I've never had any trouble with Garmin. Can't comment on the others, because I've never used them.

Oh, and my phone works extremely well.

Posted: 10/20/2012 9:15:30 AM EDT

[#24]

Both my Garmins are decent units . I've had TomToms in rentals that I just didnt like , very annoying .

One of my Garmins is about 4 years old , the other almost 5 .......a few things that sort of make me want to update , but I tolerate the goofiness in rural areas . Probably will get a new one next year with free lifetime maps , jus cuz.

Posted: 10/20/2012 9:16:52 AM EDT

[#25]

I use Garmin, since I already know how to use them, they are what I get.

Posted: 10/20/2012 9:16:58 AM EDT

[#26]

Garmin Nuvi.......

Tom Tom seems to me to be less user friendly.

Posted: 10/20/2012 9:33:08 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
I'd look at the Garmin 1450LMT it's the unit that I have and love it, it also comes with free lifetime map updates AND traffic updates. About 140 bucks on amazon and the 5 inch screen is nice and big.

This. I have the same unit and love it. It took us to Florida and back without a hitch. Lifetime maps are great. I was a former TomTom user and in my opinion they are decent but the Garmin is better. On the go updating and recalculation are faster and more precise, the maps are also a lot more clear and easier to use. I got mine on Craigslist for 40 bucks so I can't complain too much....

Posted: 10/20/2012 9:39:42 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
I'd look at the Garmin 1450LMT it's the unit that I have and love it, it also comes with free lifetime map updates AND traffic updates. About 140 bucks on amazon and the 5 inch screen is nice and big.

This the model I have. Works great. I had an older Garmin and it did just fine, but to upgrade the maps, the newer 1450 with lifetime maps and traffic was a much better deal.

Posted: 10/20/2012 9:43:24 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I'd look at the Garmin 1450LMT it's the unit that I have and love it, it also comes with free lifetime map updates AND traffic updates. About 140 bucks on amazon and the 5 inch screen is nice and big.

This. I have the same unit and love it. It took us to Florida and back without a hitch. Lifetime maps are great. I was a former TomTom user and in my opinion they are decent but the Garmin is better. On the go updating and recalculation are faster and more precise, the maps are also a lot more clear and easier to use. I got mine on Craigslist for 40 bucks so I can't complain too much....

plus mine sounds like Yoda and the car is an X-wing

Posted: 10/20/2012 10:03:25 AM EDT

[#30]

I love tom toms! And cymbals, and snares, and kick drums, and...

Posted: 11/22/2012 5:49:45 PM EDT

[#31]

Gonna pick up a Garmin nuvi 50 at Radio Shack tomorrow for $99

Posted: 11/22/2012 6:06:53 PM EDT

[#32]

For all intents and purposes when you're talking GPS units if Garmin makes one Garmin is your best bet.

Better market saturation, better user community, better support.

Posted: 11/22/2012 6:08:28 PM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:

Gonna pick up a Garmin nuvi 50 at Radio Shack tomorrow for $99

Tell me more about this...

Posted: 11/22/2012 6:10:51 PM EDT

[#34]

It's what Apple "updated" it's maps with instead of keeping google maps.

. I'll never use a Tom Tom with that disaster.

Posted: 11/22/2012 6:13:06 PM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Gonna pick up a Garmin nuvi 50 at Radio Shack tomorrow for $99

Tell me more about this...

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12252540

Posted: 11/22/2012 6:13:26 PM EDT

[#36]

I had a Magellen GPS and was very dissapointed with the tech support. Garmin on the other hand is excellent, anytime I send htem a email they promptly respond.

Posted: 11/22/2012 6:14:23 PM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:
For all intents and purposes when you're talking GPS units if Garmin makes one Garmin is your best bet.

Better market saturation, better user community, better support.

Tomtom told my sister to drive into a mountain.