Posted by Julie/MI on 4/15/09 2:44pm
Msg #285162

GPS recommendations, please

My Garmin Nuvi 350 was stolen from my van. It was 1.5 years old and was driving me crazy as the touch screen would beep that I entered a number or letter but the letter or number was not registering....rather glad it was stolen. It worked okay for about a year.

What are ya'll using that you would buy again?

Reply by Michael Edmonds on 4/15/09 2:50pm
Msg #285166

Blackberry storm..lol this phone does it all.

Reply by Pete/MD on 4/15/09 2:53pm
Msg #285167

Garmin Nuvi 755t

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 4/15/09 2:56pm
Msg #285168

I use my Blackberry Curve... as mentioned before, it does everything!

Reply by Shoshana Roller on 4/15/09 2:57pm
Msg #285169

I just use the VZ Navigator on my regular cell phone. It updates automatically. I don't have to worry about losing satellites. It's great!

Reply by BEEJ on 4/15/09 9:08pm
Msg #285241

I agree VZ Navigator on cell phone for $9.99 per month is the way to go. My daughter talked me into a TOMTOM and I'm not liking it. It's not as precise as the VZ. Wish I hadn't of switched.

Reply by HrdwrkrVA on 4/16/09 11:32am
Msg #285296

I have VZ & I'm thinking of adding the Navigator. When you receive a call, I'm sure it disrupts the mapping - have you found this to be a huge minus? Thanks for your time!

Reply by Gary_CA on 4/15/09 3:02pm
Msg #285171

You'd do well with another Garmin

I've got a couple older Garmin IQue's you can't get those anymore. They were combo GPS/PDA. They both still work but one has software issues.

Since then I've got an Eclipse stereo with a Tom-Tom built in. The Tom-Tom is good enough, but not as good as the Garmins. I really like it built into the stereo. Easier to read not up in the light of the windshield and easier to hear instructions through the stereo.

The Eclipse is the cheapest stereo/gps and it ain't cheap. $800 but you'll get them on sale often for $500. You can spend a couple grand for a stereo with DVD and navigation...and a couple more for woofers and whatever if you've got more money than brains.

If I wanted another portable Garmin would be my first choice, Tom-tom second and I'd take whatever model I found on sale that week.

Reply by Barbara___IL on 4/15/09 3:12pm
Msg #285174

I'm feeling left out...

I don't use a GPS. I just print a map on mapquest. Am I missing out?

Reply by jba/fl on 4/15/09 3:23pm
Msg #285179

Re: I'm feeling left out...

Same here - MapQuest does fine by me plus it is my mileage record for IRS. In the blank box I add date and time of signing, Bo's name, hiring company, etc. so that all relates. Add up once a week, again monthly, then 12 EOY for taxes. I don't feel I'm missing a thing.

Reply by Linda Juenger on 4/15/09 3:49pm
Msg #285183

Barbara & Jules, its one of those things where you don't

miss what you don't have, but once you have it, you can't live without it. I, too used mapquest and was doing just fine (I thought) until I got a Garmin for Chrismas. Now I can't go anywhere without it. It literally takes me to their door. No more straining and looking everywhere for the house number (that isn't there most of the time). These things are truly amazing. Wonder how I did without it. Borrow one sometime and try it out. You'll be amazed.

Reply by jba/fl on 4/15/09 4:46pm
Msg #285191

Well, Linda - overnite yours to me and I'll have it back to

you this time next week...well, unless I fall in love with it. LOL

Reply by Linda Juenger on 4/15/09 5:06pm
Msg #285192

lol I'll never get it back and would have to come get it

That wouldn't be bad. I would love a vacation.

Reply by jba/fl on 4/15/09 6:10pm
Msg #285205

Well, there ya go! n/m

Reply by RickG/CA on 4/15/09 3:44pm
Msg #285180

Re: I'm feeling left out...

As they (who exactly ???) say "Once you go satellite you won' go back...." I held out for a couple of years, now I rarely leave home without it. For the original poster, of all the additional features Text to Speech is my one and only highly recommended. The others are nice (bluetooth, live traffic updates, weather, MP3 Player, etc) but hearing what street to turn on is priceless. I would lean toward the big names (Garmin, Magellan, TomTom) not because they're necessarily leaps and bound better, but because of the mapping software is tried and true. It's not worth any amount of savings if you don't trust the directions (and in most cases your own common sense).

Reply by Gary_CA on 4/15/09 3:47pm
Msg #285182

Yep you're missing a lot.

I wouldn't want to be without my GPS... I take pictures of houses, so it's critical for that (with the GPS I can do a dozen or more in a day, couldn't do it with mapquest).

But even for a signing, just punch in the address and do what it tells you... much easier, relaxing even.

You can get 'em pretty cheap now.

Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 4/15/09 9:56pm
Msg #285252

Speaking of Missing a Lot...

...the Cards didn't miss much today in the rubber game of their 3 game set with the Rattlers. 12-7 was the final, pushing their record to 7-3. I see the Codgers are tied 1-1 in the 3rd inning with the Giants...we'll see if they can keep pace with our Red Birds.

Reply by NCLisa on 4/15/09 3:13pm
Msg #285175

Garmin Nuvi 765

I LOVE mine! It came with the MSN online cable thingy, so it checks traffic and tells me the prices at all the gas stations around me. It also lets me download books from Audible and insert a SD card with MP3's and plays them through my radio. I don't want to fool with my phone and drive, so I don't use it as a GPS at all.

Reply by HB/CA on 4/15/09 3:16pm
Msg #285177

My Tomtom Go 710 is going on 5 years of faithful service. However, if I had to buy a new one I would look into the particulars of updating maps. Each time I had to update my Tomtom it was a major hassle because of all the security hoops I had to pass through. The company has it so that the registered owner must be verified, then the computer must be verified with the unit. I don't know if it still works that way, but since my last update (2 years ago) I no longer update. As long as I'm going to places that have been around a few years I figure I don't need to update, I just use mapquest or google as a backup.

Reply by Barbara___IL on 4/15/09 4:02pm
Msg #285185

I'm looking for one on eBay right now...

Everything that was said makes a lot of sense. I'm going to buy one right now on eBay, and can't wait until it arrives.

Reply by RickG/CA on 4/15/09 4:07pm
Msg #285186

Re: come to the dark side n/m

Reply by Barbara___IL on 4/15/09 4:14pm
Msg #285187

funny!! n/m

Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 4/15/09 4:45pm
Msg #285190

Julie, I'm Using a BlackBerry Curve...

...with Google Maps as my primary GPS system. It works great. I've still got my TomTom but it remains in the gloveboxglovebox.

Reply by Julie/MI on 4/15/09 8:35pm
Msg #285232

Re: Julie, I'm Using a BlackBerry Curve...

hehehehehe Dennis

Reply by Bob_Chicago on 4/15/09 5:14pm
Msg #285195

Suggest that you look into a "smart " phone. My Blackberry

Curve is a phone. e-mail , and GPS in one unit.
Stops the problem of being stolen from your car and
have it with you in someone else's car or when you are out of town .
Have a flat rate for phone, data, and GPS.
Works fine, without some of the bells and whistles that
nobody over 12 can figure out anyway.

Reply by JanetLA on 4/15/09 8:00pm
Msg #285227

My new car came with a builit in navigation/gps system that

is great. However, I really liked my tom-tom. It not only told you turn by turn but it announced the street name that I was going to turn onto next. My built in GPS only says to turn right onto the next road and I have to look down at the screen to see what the name of the street is. Further, my tom-tom said the address and the side of the street that address was on for the house that I was looking for once I was on the appropriate street. The built in does not do that, so I have to go back to looking for the address, and trying to see what side of the street it's on. Still great to have, but the tom-tom beats it in many ways. Check for the appropriate features for you before deciding... Some of the small things they can do are really wonderful.

Reply by MW/VA on 4/15/09 9:00pm
Msg #285239

I personally like Magellan for simplicity. They just came out with a 5 in. widescreen.
Costco has it for $199 (reg. $299 w/$100 off). I recently got a Blackberry Storm, but don't use it for navigation. I still prefer a separate GPS device. In this business I wouldn't be without it.

Reply by SharonMN on 4/16/09 10:48am
Msg #285284

I have the Garmin nuvi 260. I really like that if I miss a turn or need to add a new stop, it just changes the directions. Can't do that with Mapquest. It's decreased my stress while driving tremendously. I also like it when the directions are "drive 11 miles down a pitch black country road and then turn - instead of having peer into the dark to look for the turn or the house, you can just zip along and the GPS will warn you when it's coming up.

I only wish I could look for UPS and FedEx boxes using it!