GPS FOR MOTORHOMES

[PAPA BARE]

I have out for a while i need information on a good gps system the one i was using is out dated.

 

[Skookum]

I'd recommend the Garmin RV or DEZL series meant for commercial trucks, RV's and large vehicles.

 

[uchu]

I recently changed from a no name one (decent enough but lacking) for a Garmin RV890. What a difference! They are not even in the same league.

 

[DonTom]

I have out for a while i need information on a good gps system the one i was using is out dated.

Take a look at these three. I own the RV890.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[CityGuy]

I'm on my third RV 770, the second and third on warranty. They're fragile. They cannot be left on a dashboard on a hot summer day. Garmin's Base Camp is very user-unintuitive (Map Source was a dream but they phased it out) and the process for downloading from a computer to the device is difficult to learn and remember. Still I think Garmin's the best way to go. But get a good number for tech support.

 

[phil-t]

My Garmin has been sitting on my dash for 3 years straight - no problems. Yes, Basecamp has a learning curve; but once you get it, it's great. (Lots of Basecamp Tutorials on the Internet). The newer Garmin units have WiFi built in and you can transfer routes from your PC to the unit fairly easily, I think. I really like the ability to do custom routes and planning on the laptop. Garmin bought up "Ultimate Campgrounds" and have integrated their campground database.

 

[CityGuy]

My Garmin has been sitting on my dash for 3 years straight - no problems. Yes, Basecamp has a learning curve; but once you get it, it's great. (Lots of Basecamp Tutorials on the Internet). The newer Garmin units have WiFi built in and you can transfer routes from your PC to the unit fairly easily, I think. I really like the ability to do custom routes and planning on the laptop. Garmin bought up "Ultimate Campgrounds" and have integrated their campground database.

I'm in Pensacola. Sun fried one for sure, possibility readily admitted by tech support, and may have contributed to the failure of the other. Probably successors to my 770 are better.

 

[Isaac-1]

I have owned Garmin Dezl 770 since 2017, the only issue I've had with it is the battery pack going dead, which I have replaced twice, most recently in September, the battery replacement requires a couple of specialty tools (small torx bit, case splitter tool, etc.) but is not all that hard to do. When it does finally die, I will be replacing it with whatever the current Garmin RV model is.

 

[Ray-IN]

Well, my Rand McNally RVND 7 timed-out of lifetime updates, (RM defines lifetime as 3 years). So, I bought a OHREX cheap china knock-off for $80 off Amazon. It is a trucker GPS and so far has performed very good, and is accurate. One must register it with the company, as all lifetime updates will come on an SD card they say.
It is somewhat cumbersome and clunky to use compared to my old RM, but what would one expect for $80?

 

[Larry N.]

I have a dezl 560, which I still use in my pickup, and I have an RV-770 in my RV, which I love. And I still get the "lifetime" map updates, too, even on the dezl which is over 10 years old. It's even been less than 5 (or maybe 6) years since they discontinued updates for my StreetPilot 730, which still works fine but the maps are out of date a bit. Even my GPS III works fine, but I don't even keep batteries in it now, since the map is very rudimentary.

I still even have a Trimble from 1993, but its aviation database is waaaay out of date, it's clumsy to use, and there's no map.

 

[Fyrflie]

This is what I use.
Garmin Glo GPS Bluetooth receiver connected to my iPad.
Then use any navigation app you want.
And when your not traveling, you can use your iPad for other things.

 

[Dan_Frisbie]

I use a Garmin 1090 and love it.
I've used them on motorcycles and have learned how to work them pretty well. Basecamp is horrible. I spent a few hours trying to use basecamp with a tech manual to assist me and still got nowhere. However, it is easy to build a route and export into your Garmin.
I've never had one burn up (even in Pensacola) in 9 years.

 

[Kirk]

Well, my Rand McNally RVND 7 timed-out of lifetime updates,

Back about 15 years or so ago, Rand McNally approached the Escapees for assistance in getting some beta testers for their new RV product. I, along with Mark Nemeth and several other well known Escapee folks were part of that beta program and while I can't say for sure about most of those involved in the testing, Mark & I both had a bad enough experience to send us back to Garmin for our GPS needs. It wasn't as much problems with the product being tested as it was the response we got when reporting issues.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I had a magellan in the RV for a while. Compared to a garmin it was pretty poor. Even as just a live map without using routing it was clunky. My trip this year where google sent me on numerous off road excursions and neighborhood tours was all it took to make me a happy garmin 1090 customer.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Ray-IN]

Kirk, Since the last buyout, Rand McNally is out of the RV GPS market completely, today their focus is the commercial trucking market and boating market.

 

[Robert K]

I still liked the RM over the current Garmin 785 I now use.The Garmin does routing OK.

Just don't trust it to bring you to the actual entrance to your park. It was wrong twice on latest trip. It seems to do this about every long multi stop trip.

 

[phil-t]

That's where BaseCamp is good. You can find the spot you want as a destination on Google Maps then "move" your destination for the Garmin. I always review my Garmin routes with Google Maps (satelite view) to ensure my route is good.

 

[Ray-IN]

That's where BaseCamp is good. You can find the spot you want as a destination on Google Maps then "move" your destination for the Garmin. I always review my Garmin routes with Google Maps (satelite view) to ensure my route is good.

Yes, I really like the Google maps coordinates feature, I can pinpoint the exact location of every turn or intersection then compare to street names, and many other uses.

 

[LarsMac]

I really like the Garmin 770 RV for road mapping, but we usually also have Google Maps on the phone active at the same time, because Google keeps track of road conditions, traffic and such.
The Garmin will quickly recalculate if we change route on the fly, due to a re-route caused by a google alert.
Usually we can manage reroutes ok.

Though once Google tried to re-route us because of a road closure, but Garmin alerted us to a a low clearance on google's re-route. We had to find a good route "on the fly" with one or the other whining the whole time.

 

[phil-t]

Though once Google tried to re-route us because of a road closure, but Garmin alerted us to a a low clearance on google's re-route. We had to find a good route "on the fly" with one or the other whining the whole time.

Been there done that! Came right up to a 8'6" overpass, was alert and able to make a u-turn in the road with adjoining parking area. Not a fun experience but sure educational.