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Shopping for a GPS
Today | Me

Posted on 06/19/2008 2:14:53 PM PDT by killermosquito

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I'm always amazed by the knowledge and experience of freepers. I'm sure many of you own and GPS and have strong opinions about them. What would you suggest I buy my wife? Probably in the $400 to $500 range. Thanks.
1 posted on 06/19/2008 2:14:53 PM PDT by killermosquito
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To: killermosquito

I have a Tom Tom..paid about that price. Love it.


2 posted on 06/19/2008 2:15:53 PM PDT by y6162
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To: killermosquito

Garmin Nuvi looks good.
They’ve been selling well and I’ve used several on long trips.

Sony’s also just come out with a $399 model, but I haven’t seen any specs or reports on it.


3 posted on 06/19/2008 2:16:21 PM PDT by SJSAMPLE
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To: y6162
I call my trucker friend and ask him where I am ... he's such a smart ass ... always answers, "How the f should I know?" ..
What a kidder.
4 posted on 06/19/2008 2:17:54 PM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true.)
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To: killermosquito

ive got the garmin nuvi - love it - online updates etc....very user friendly - whatever you get - get a big screen


5 posted on 06/19/2008 2:18:20 PM PDT by Revelation 911
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To: killermosquito

We bought a tom tom One 3rd edition for $149 from thecamerashoppe.com. Works great!
Pocket the other $250-$350 for road trips.


6 posted on 06/19/2008 2:18:54 PM PDT by DannyTN
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To: All

I know very little about these units, but have a question. Do you subscribe to a service to use these gadgets and to get updates?


7 posted on 06/19/2008 2:22:38 PM PDT by OB1kNOb (ISLAM IS THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST, DIRECTED BY SATAN AND HIS FALLEN MINIONS.)
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To: killermosquito

First decide what you are going to use it for. Hiking, camping, fishing, or just driving. I like Garmin best.


8 posted on 06/19/2008 2:22:44 PM PDT by driftdiver
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To: OB1kNOb

“Do you subscribe to a service to use these gadgets and to get updates?”

Generally you don’t pay for a service to use them but you do pay for updates.

Also, Tom Tom has shipped their product with a virus. That steered me away from them.


9 posted on 06/19/2008 2:24:57 PM PDT by driftdiver
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To: killermosquito
I've heard that the ranking is:
  1. Garmin
  2. Magellan
  3. Tom-Tom
I have a Tom-Tom (about $200 new), and it works OK.

Mrs. F uses the Tom-Tom in connection with a Treo and its performance is flaky at best.

10 posted on 06/19/2008 2:26:09 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Revelation 911
I see the Gamin nuvi we paid $800 years ago now costs $250 or so.

jeeze...

11 posted on 06/19/2008 2:26:53 PM PDT by Clint N. Suhks ( Greetings are for WAL*MART Greeters! ©®™)
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To: driftdiver
I've got a simple old Garmin. It never fails me.

We did some playing against a $50,000 Leica setup. Using the same monument, we were within 20 feet theoretically.

12 posted on 06/19/2008 2:29:37 PM PDT by Sacajaweau (I'm planting corn...Have to feed my car...)
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To: driftdiver

Thanks for the info.


13 posted on 06/19/2008 2:30:25 PM PDT by OB1kNOb (ISLAM IS THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST, DIRECTED BY SATAN AND HIS FALLEN MINIONS.)
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To: killermosquito

A friend just bought the Garmin Nuvi 260 and loves it.

In the $ 250.00 - $ 275.00 range at WalMart.

Garmin is a long time maker of GPS instruments. Consumer Reports rated it highly also.


14 posted on 06/19/2008 2:31:27 PM PDT by exit82 (tagline temporarily out of order--awaiting parts.)
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To: killermosquito

The question is what purpose is the GPS to be used.

I have a $70 Garmin, forerunner that is perfect for what I do with it. It locates geocashes and tracks my milage.

I know where I am traveling, so a navigator is useless to me.

They make GPS units for golfing, sailing and tracking kids.

The Apple iphone 3g has a GPS in it with step by step directions. My son used his last night to avoid a major traffic jam in Salt Lake City.

Buy it by the features you need, not by the price.

My Garmin Forerunner came in 3 models, costing $70, $170, and $270. The $70 model uses ordinary batteries, the $170 charges the batteries, and the $270 one downloads workouts to the computer. I got the $70 one and bought a set of rechargeable batteries.

....Bob


15 posted on 06/19/2008 2:35:00 PM PDT by Lokibob (Some people are like slinkys. Useless, but if you throw them down the stairs, you smile.)
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To: killermosquito

I had a Garmin Nuvi 350. I liked it alot, one issue I had with it was routes. I couldn’t interject waypoint, it just plotted shortest.

It got stolen so, I got a Garmin Nuvi 750 and it does do routing and there’s pretty much nothing else I could want in a GPS and I’ve been using them since 2003(Etrex Legend).

If you want Bluetooth get the 760. If you want the Traffic features, I think you need the 780 or something.

When I bought my 750 in November it was 500 bucks...they’re probably down mid 300s now.

Oh and get the beanbag friction mount, I have it now, it’s great. The suction mount leaves rings on the window and probably helped encourage said thief that my GPS was inside.


16 posted on 06/19/2008 2:39:42 PM PDT by Malsua
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To: killermosquito

Make sure you get “text to speech” so that it tells you the street name, instead of merely saying “turn right.”

BTW - My Garmin is great!


17 posted on 06/19/2008 2:47:23 PM PDT by scan59 (Markets regulate better than government can.)
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To: Malsua
It got stolen

That is my concern. Do you leave a GPS out in plain sight or do you have to hide it every time you leave your car?

18 posted on 06/19/2008 2:49:24 PM PDT by iowamark
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To: killermosquito

I have a tomtom. Something about the name drew me.


19 posted on 06/19/2008 2:49:44 PM PDT by ThomasThomas ( Tagline: (optional, printed after your name on post):)
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To: Malsua

the 760 has traffic too, as well as bluetooth. We have one and love it


20 posted on 06/19/2008 2:51:06 PM PDT by whatexit
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