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BernieD

BernieD

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If you are looking for a new GPS or just some comparisons, the March issue of PCWorld has a review and ranking of 10 new GPS models. The top 3 spots went to TomTom products, the XXL 550 TM ($230/5" screen), the XL 350TM ($170/4.3" screen/Best Buy) and the GO 2505 TM ($320/loaded). All TomToms come with free lifetime navigation and map updates. The next 2 were Garmin Nuvis which appeared to test out well but were more expensive and did not include lifetime map updates. See the full reviews and test results here.
 
Smoky,

There are two Garmins, now, that are trucker friendly, the Nuvi 465 and the dezl 560. The latter is larger, with a larger screen, but the same resolution, and has a few other features beyond the 465, per Garmin's site. Both units linked to above have lifetime maps and traffic, but come in a slightly less expensive version without. I just discovered the 560 the other day, and find it very tempting, even though my Street Pilot 2730 is doing quite well for me (not a trucker unit, of course).
 
Smoky said:
Was the Garmin gps that computes truck routes included in the review?

Smoky,
Click to expand...

Smoky,
Any Garmin Nuvi can have height data added. You have to avoid, it doesn't plan a route for you. This data is available here: http://www.lowclearances.com/.
 
Interesting that PC world rated Tom-Tom over Garmin.. A few years back GPS magazine put Garmin, Magellen and Tom-Tom up against each other.. They choose top end models from all 3

They gave them 3 routes (They all got the same 3 point A and point B routes)

In each case the driver using the Garmin got there first, and turned RIGHT into the parking lot.. Magellen came in 2nd, and it was a left turn, Tom-Tom last and again a left turn.

Left turns are more dangerous.. Garmin won

My recommendation is a bit different.. I recommend computer based maping software and either use a tethered GPS as I do (Low end Garmin) or the bundled usb GPS that's optional with the software.

WHY: How big is the screen on your Garmin or Tom-Tom.. How big is the Laptop's screen?  Way easier to see where you are with a glance.. With the hand held or even a dash mount GPS.. I need a navigator who can read the thing.. With this laptop. a glance, like at the speedometer and other guages, and I know if I'm no route or not.  That fast.  If I'm off route find a wide spot. pull over and re-route quickly.
 
I bought the Navigon SW for the ipad and am anxious to try it out next week when I get the new ipad with a GPS. Comes with I GB of maps downloaded to the ipad. Hoping that means it will continue to work when out of cell tower range.
 
I just ordered  the TomTom 550M from Amazon - only $119 and free maps forever and free shipping. I've been wanting to give TomTom a realistic tryout, and the 5" display and free maps has convinced me to do it. This one will go in the car.

Garmin wants $69 to update the maps on my Nuvi 250W in the car and another $69 for my GVN53 in the coach - they might as well be robbing me at gunpoint!
 
Voice Nav with map updates for $20/year and a 10" display - iPad.
 
I just had a to touchscreen go bad and decided I wanted to replace our 4.3" Nuvi 680 with an inexpensive 5" GPS with lifetime maps and traffic. i wanted to have truck routing but wasn't willing to spend over $500 for one.

I bought a Nuvi 1490LMT for $219 from Amazon. I also sent the 680 to Sharc-Net for a repair of the screen for $55  as a backup for the car.
 
We have the Tom Tom XXL 540 with free map updates and traffic info included. The 5" display is easy on these old eyes.

One of the handy features I've found is you can enter Latitude & Longitude instead of address into faveriots. I get he coordinates from the Google Maps and away we go. So often the street address are wrong this really helps me pinpoint the destination.

When we were looking we found the XXL 550 had a simplified user interface compared to the XXL 540, what this really meant to us was reduced functionally, so look at features closely, were glad we did the 540 was about $120 from Amazon with the TM options.
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
I just ordered  the TomTom 550M from Amazon - only $119 and free maps forever and free shipping. I've been wanting to give TomTom a realistic tryout, and the 5" display and free maps has convinced me to do it. This one will go in the car.

Garmin wants $69 to update the maps on my Nuvi 250W in the car and another $69 for my GVN53 in the coach - they might as well be robbing me at gunpoint!
Click to expand...

Like the cell phone battery retailers......... they want $40 for a cell phone battery so we go buy a new cell phone and take the battery out or switch our number to the new phone for $10.
 
There use to be an important advantage for Garmin because about 10+ of us, here in NM, used the same files and file format for moto rides off-road.  That way we could email a planned route or track to everyone else for review or loading into their GPS and everyone  was on the same map/track/route/waypoints/etc.  Now I don't know, the autorouting features change everything all the time or after a few turns on a dead end trail, who knows.

All improvements and innovations may not be either improvement or innovative.  Another example, is it absurd to hope that the light switch in a car be in the same place for most vehicles... like the brake pedal; and the windshield wipers...?  JMHO of course.
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
I just ordered  the TomTom 550M from Amazon - only $119 and free maps forever and free shipping. I've been wanting to give TomTom a realistic tryout, and the 5" display and free maps has convinced me to do it. This one will go in the car.
Click to expand...

I have a personally-owned Garmin, built-in Chrysler GPS in our Pacifica, and a TomTom One in my work vehicle.  The TomTom One is by far the best unit overall, extremely compact and free online updates as mentioned.  I don't see a reason to ever buy a new unit as long as the TomTom keeps turning on.

I was a big proponent of Garmins originally, but their prices are getting crazy these days.  GPS is not new technology, and I don't see any features in new units that justify the $300+ prices.  Except that consumers continue to buy them.

P.S. While it's nice to have the built-in GPS module in our daily driver, the Chrysler GPS software and mapping is horrible compared to the portable units I use.  ::)
 
I've had my first TomTom (XXL 550 w/5" inch display) for a couple days now, after several years of Garmins (I currently have two Garmins as well). I have to say I am very impressed & pleased with the TomTom 550, though it has a few quirks that I thought were handled better on Garmins.  The price, which included free maps for life, was much better than a similar Garmin nuvi.
 
Last I heard, Tom-Tom is compatible with Apple Products while Garmin is not.  If that's a factor.
 
I first touted the virtues of TomTom here several years ago. I've owned (and still own) several brands of GPS, including at least one not mentioned by RVers. The TomTom is certainly easy to use, although I'll occasionally run across a feature that is not as intuitive as the remainder of its features.
 
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