Who has a GPS recommendation?

jcm

jcm

Cathlete
I want to get a GPS for DH - his bday is Sunday. Due to job circumstances (difficulty!) he lives in Cincinnati, I'm in MI. Anyway, that city is a bit difficult to navigate when you're unfamiliar. I've been trying to do some research online, but it's just TOO MUCH INFORMATION!! So I'm hoping you ladies can help? I need something pretty basic - $200 or less. I'm so overwelmed by all the info on charging, downloading software, mounting the unit ... my 3 kids are enough for me to keep on top of! Any input would be so great. And obviously - I'm a bit short on time. I love leaving things to the last minute! Thanks a TON in advance!
 
I just bought myself a Garmin Nuvi (800 series, I believe) and love it. I need something that will do the work for me and simply TELL me where to go and when. With 2 kids in the car and no other adult, watching for street/highway signs was one thing I needed taken off my shoulders (and we drive to our travel locations...just did a 9+ hour drive to and from N Carolina). Anyway, I love the Garmin and I bought it at Amazon with free and fast shipping. Hope that helps.

Gayle

Oh, and the Nuvi can also be used when WALKING just by changing the settings, so when I take my kids on a day trip to NYC NEXT WEEK I just have to switch it and it will tell me how to get from the Statue to the Brooklyn Bridge.
 
DItto for the Nuvi. I don't have one, but a friend did when we took a trip to Tennessee and hit what turned out to be a 10 mile backup that was at a dead stop.

We hit "detour" and it took us all the way around it and got ahead of it. That bugger was worth its weight in gold!!
 
I happened to overhear a conversation about this the other day at work and both parties recommended Garmin, too! Just make sure it's one that "talks" to you while you're driving!

I have a GPS, not a Garmin (can't think what it is offhand) and I hate it and very rarely use it! I'm eyeing up a Garmin myself now!
 
I have a Magellen Roadmate. I think it is the 1212 or something. It has voice, et. My DH bought the same one after using mine.
I got mine real cheap at Best Buy black Friday. I'd search out online for the best price.
Good Luck!
 
Govtgirl said:
DItto for the Nuvi. I don't have one, but a friend did when we took a trip to Tennessee and hit what turned out to be a 10 mile backup that was at a dead stop.

We hit "detour" and it took us all the way around it and got ahead of it. That bugger was worth its weight in gold!!
Click to expand...

Dang, we had the same thing going to Tennessee, only I used a map and got around it!
 
thanks for all the input! i'm so not into technology. i'm probaby going to go w/ the garmin nuvi 255w. it's $170 at amazon. won't have it for his birthday sunday but it's cheaper than at best buy. my dad is afraid it's going to be too distracting and will make my DH get in an accident. but maybe that's just a father's duty - concern :)
 
I have a Garmin, and I love it, with a few exceptions.

It definitely has cut travel time vs. using Yahoo maps.

The exceptions are 1) navigating downtown Chicago--the building are so tall that the signal isn't clear, and the Garmin is about 2 blocks behind where I really was, making it recalculate all the time. I finally had to stop using the Garmin and rely on a map or a phone call to a hotel (this has happened twice).

This may not be a problem unless you are in one of the three largest US cities.

2) walking in Washington D.C. On two occasions, it sent me off on a wild goose chase, and seemed to not know the directions. I talked to someone who had problems with using one in his car in DC (I wonder if somehow signals are scrambled to make it impossible for terrorists to program a missle using GPS to blow up the White House? Just a theory).

3) the voice is fine, except when the Garmin has to recalculate, then the intonation is like 'reCALculating' with a snotty, snarky intonation that sounds like she's rolling her eyes and telling me "I TOLD you to turn right! Why didn't you listen?"

Before I got my Garmin, I tried a TomTom and a Magellen, and I didn't like either one.
 
I'm not a huge fan of GPS systems as I find they can be tempermental in their accuracy depending on whether their satellite has a hissy fit (for lack of a more technical term.)

A year or so ago, we were using the Navistar navigation system (I think it's made by Magellen??) and driving across the Bay Bridge in San Francisco. The navigation system arrow showed that we were about 20 off the bridge, in the water! and it kept telling us to return to the recommended route!!

Here in CT we have lots of little winding roads and heavy tree cover. On various occasions, my friend's TomTom sent her down long driveways it mistook for roads and into state parks that were closed for the winter.

My DH was convinced I needed one so he bought me a Magellen which would not accept my typical route to my DD's karate class. It would NOT recalculate the route and kept telling me to turn around and go some backassed way. I made him return it.

He recently bought himself a tomtom that constantly falls off the vent as it's too heavy for the clips, making driving an adventure.

Call me a dinosaur but I prefer maps. :p
 
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