I need the best GPS available for road travel. Experienced folks please help.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I need the best GPS available for road travel. Experienced folks please help.

Posted: 3/21/2006 7:56:20 PM EDT

I don't need a GPS for finding my favorite fishing hole. I've got that covered.

My job takes me all over Georgia and the southeast, and I have to go into the boondocks daily. I also go into large population centers daily that have new subdivisions every where. My job takes me to five to seven new addresses every day...which I have never been to.

I need the best device to get me there. Units that plug into my computer won't work. Other guys in my office have them and say they will tell you to turn on _____ Rd....5 miles after you have passed it. The map programs won't work because some the areas I work are growing so fast that those programs will not keep up.

So....I need the best. In my profession...time really is money.

If any of you have experience in the area, I'd appreciate some advice.

Posted: 3/21/2006 8:06:39 PM EDT

[#1]

My favorite: www.garmin.com/products/iQueM5/

The main issue is the new subdivisions. GPS's are only as good as the latest database update. Garmin uses Mapsource CitySelect. I ran into a few problems with new roads not listed. It's always a good idea to waypoint your destinations before leaving the office. If the GPS can't find it, I try Microsoft Mappoint, and then make a waypoint on the GPS' map accordingly.

My coworkers have had bad surprises with hard-disk based GPS units. The RAM based systems are more durable in a car environment.

A bad GPS is like a cheap parachute!

Posted: 3/21/2006 8:09:32 PM EDT

[#2]

Of the five engineers at work all five of us use Garmins ranging from four and five year old dash units, to the latest dash unit, to my iQue 3600 PDA. The three guys with the older models are out doing research on new units and at least one thinks he's following the first guy who jumped on the new model. That said there are a bunch of new guys on the market like Tom-Tom and Cobra making them now. We fly here and there and have to have something that fits the majority of rental cars - if you're looking for one that's going to sit in your personal car you could find one that's a better fit if you wanted.

I spent last week in Washington DC on business and went out every night armed with my iQue. It's handheld so even after coming out of the Metro I could walk around and find things better than a local with the tiny PDA. I did notice that the weather and buildings there caused the initial boot-up to take longer than out here in the sunny suburban desert.

ETA - the link zzxx99 put in is this years model of my iQue 3600 running Microsoft Pocket PC vice mine which runs Palm software. Here's mine : www.garmin.com/products/iQue3600/.

Have a look at www.gpsnow.com for some really aggressive pricing.

Posted: 3/22/2006 5:01:03 AM EDT

[#3]

Thank you gents. I appreciate your time.

Anyone else?

Posted: 3/22/2006 5:02:56 AM EDT

[#4]

Magellan Roadmate 300 - $300 refurbed & warranteed off ebay.

FREE $50 SD car preloaded with regional detailed maps, your choice of locations

GREAT unit.

Posted: 3/22/2006 5:09:57 AM EDT

[#5]

I have a Magellan and the main problem is what is going to be the biggest problem for you.

Because of how new the subs are, they may not be in the map data base.

You will just see an empty white field.

Thats quite common.

My condo which is 2-3 years old is not on the most recent map data base.

Posted: 3/22/2006 5:11:11 AM EDT

[#6]

+1 on the Garmin iQue M5.

Mine has never let me down.

Posted: 3/22/2006 5:16:07 AM EDT

[#7]

I had a Magellan for quite some time, and then bought a Garmin.

I don't even know where the Mag is anymore.

Try BestPriceGps.com for a deal.

Posted: 3/22/2006 5:16:44 AM EDT

[#8]

just dont buy the "tomtom"

Posted: 3/22/2006 5:19:16 AM EDT

[#9]

I love my Mircrosoft streets and trips with GPS. Its cheap, and has a bigger screen (your laptop) than other GPS units

Posted: 3/22/2006 5:25:31 AM EDT

[#10]

I have been happy with my Garmin.

Posted: 3/22/2006 6:32:03 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
just dont buy the "tomtom"

Why is that? A friend actually said I should look at the tom tom.

Posted: 3/22/2006 7:14:41 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Quoted:
just dont buy the "tomtom"

Why is that? A friend actually said I should look at the tom tom.

While the '3D' display is cool, and less cluttered than the Garmin '2D' map display, the TomTom interface for finding a specific address sucks.

Garmin's address and Point of Interest [POI] finder is very effective. Bring some real addresses with you to the store to test-drive your work day using the device.

Again, the Garmin interface is more for planning your day while stationary, then fast-picking the waypoints from your 'My Locations' POI list. The TomTom is a touchscreen with finger-sized buttons. I think the Garmin is more suited to business use, YMMV.

Posted: 3/22/2006 7:24:28 AM EDT

[#13]

that and its rated as 1 of the WORST displays to be able to see in your car.

Posted: 3/22/2006 7:34:28 AM EDT

[#14]

I use the Garmin StreetPilot 2610 (the CompactFlash version, not the 2620 mini-hard drive version) in my truck to get me to new addresses every day. I run a DirecTV installation company. It works perfectly for me, and saves me a lot of time, especially if I have to go to an unexpected destination in the middle of the day. I second the recommendation to go with a flash-memory model over a "pre-loaded" model that uses a mini hard drive. My GPS unit takes a beating in my truck and keeps right on going, but if it had a hard drive, I'm sure it would be dead already.

All GPS map data comes from the same source (NAVTEQ), so you'll find that many newer streets aren't in the system yet, and you also won't find them on Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, or Mapquest either, because again, the info all comes from the same source. Hopefully, since most of the US has now been mapped, updates will start coming in faster, but so far, things are typically 2-3 years behind.

-Troy

Posted: 3/22/2006 8:12:27 AM EDT

[#15]

I gotta give my definite vote for TomTom for road travel. I've used Garmin & Magellan trail units, and the TomTom is awesome.

I can't speak for Garmin's TomTom copy however, it may be just as good.

I've used my TomTom to go from Memphis to Orlando, FL, to Gulfport, To Gatlinburg, TN and everywhere in between. It has saved me many a time and is so easy to use.

Not to mention the map is on an SD card so you can just download new ones to it, plug it in, and you're good to go.

No complaints about the TomTom for me and I've used it for probably... errr... 10K miles of actual use. I travel quite a bit.

Posted: 3/24/2006 5:28:09 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
I gotta give my definite vote for TomTom for road travel. I've used Garmin & Magellan trail units, and the TomTom is awesome.

I can't speak for Garmin's TomTom copy however, it may be just as good.

I've used my TomTom to go from Memphis to Orlando, FL, to Gulfport, To Gatlinburg, TN and everywhere in between. It has saved me many a time and is so easy to use.

Not to mention the map is on an SD card so you can just download new ones to it, plug it in, and you're good to go.

No complaints about the TomTom for me and I've used it for probably... errr... 10K miles of actual use. I travel quite a bit.

I take it you use it with your pda/phone since you download to an SD card, right?

I have a Treo 650 and have been thinking strongly about getting a tom tom. It seems so handy

to be able to put that blueberry gps in my pocket and have it available just about all the time.

I need a gps unit in my hands by next Wed so I need to make a choice very soon.

Posted: 3/24/2006 5:54:27 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Magellan Roadmate 300 - $300 refurbed & warranteed off ebay.

FREE $50 SD car preloaded with regional detailed maps, your choice of locations

GREAT unit.

www.magellangps.com/en/products/getProdImage.asp?PRODID=1038&ATTR=ProductImageLarge

+1...just picked one up for $299.97 at Walmart the other day...using it in my patrol car...it kicks ass!!! I guess you could buy a more expensive unit but I really don't see the need. It's packed with a ton of features...

Posted: 3/24/2006 6:04:10 PM EDT

[#18]

I have a delorme that plugs into the USB port on my laptop. I need a huge screen that even I can see with my piss poor vision.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I need the best GPS available for road travel. Experienced folks please help.

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