Advice for a Car GPS

[cointoss]

Wife and I are looking to buy a new GPS for a multi state trip. Can any of you offer any advice, thanks. I hate to say it but she is a terrible map reader and has led to more arguments of "Turn Left no Turn Right" that I ever care to admit.

 

[kenmac]

I've owned several. In my opinion,, They are all about the same. Just be sure to ask if all the states you need are loaded

 

[grsthegreat]

i have a newer Garmin Nuvi 3590 LMT from Costco...very easy to use, lifetime map updates.

heck....even my wife can use it.

wasnt cheap, but i use it daily in my business, and it has never let me down

 

[KennyG]

Just got a Garmin 2555. I've had good luck with a previous model. This one has wide angle screen and lifetime updates. It has Canada maps which you may want. It's only $120 on Amazon.

 

[sseelhoff]

I use the GPS/Navigation App on my Android phone. Works very well.

 

[Travelover]

I've got a Garmin (255W), a few years old and like it a lot. You don't need to spend over $100 for a GPS. Free map updates is worth it, as if you have to buy them, they are expensive. Any new GPS will have all states and Canada included. Spoken street names and a wider screen is worthwhile


Mine is a lot like this one: Amazon.com: Garmin nüvi 40LM 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Maps (US): GPS & Navigation

 

[George2615]

I have a Garmin 1490LMT. Lifetime map updates, 5" screen, and built in blue tooth for hands free phone. When I bought mine I needed the blue tooth as the vehicles I had didn't have it and it's illegal here to talk on your cell while driving but now I only use it as a GPS since my current vehicles have blue tooth built in. I've had mine maybe 3 years or so without any problems.

 

[Chilly807]

We have a Garmin Nuvi 40 with lifetime map updates. Works great, really takes the stress out of road trips.

Sean

 

[Code54]

I have a Garmin for work and it is decent but find the GPSDRIVE App for my iPhone is often more accurate. If you have an iPhone it costs about $10 a year but works really well.

 

[Gunny]

I've had Garmin, Tom Tom and Magellan GPS units over the years - now I stay strictly Garmin. Make sure you get one with lifetime map updates, when I first started using them, that wasn't available and I was doing a lot of out of state driving, back then it cost around $70 a year to get the maps updated.

Make sure you get a model with the lane change display - that tells you which lane you need to be in in order to make your next turn, a good feature if you're driving on a multi-lane interstate like Atlanta, Chicago or LA. They give you enough warning that you don't have to make any last minute lane changes.

 

[forgeblast]

I bought one in june. Its the garmin nuvie 50. Its a larger screen then the 40 and was a LM lifetime maps. That the important part LM (with the garmin's anyway). It worked like a charm the first time I had to use it and it was not even updated. Once you get the unit home it needs to update its basemaps and that is easier done over night.
I have found it to be so much easier.

 

[ronjhall]

I use Garmin exclusively. There are so many Garmin models for sale that it's hard to recommend any one model. But just make sure that you get one with LMT as part of the model number. LMT= lifetime maps and traffic. One model to consider is Garmin 2555LMT. I recently purchased a Trucking/RV remanufactured model that has been flawless.

 

[dodge man]

My wifes car came with it built in, a Chrysler product. I'm not sure who makes the software for it, but I think its someone like Garmin. I also like the Google Map app from my cell phone. I think it works just as well and is free. The only disadvantage to the cell phone app is my wifes car will play the turn by turn through the radios speaker and it can be a little hard to hear the cell phone in the car.

 

[Daver1963]

My first GPS was a Garmin 2610. Been addicted to them ever since. Currently I have a nüvi® 2595LMT. I wish I had one that was a combo of all I've owned as all had different qualities. None of them will click the street numbers anymore like my 2610 did, but the screen on the 2610 seems so small now. I had the one that had a MSN account and I could load favorites on it directly from the interweb. Drawback of the last several it seems has been the ability to load routes into them from the Mapsource program. You can put favorites and all that stuff, but they won't load routes. Sucks if you want to go somewhere inbetween point a and b.
Now to a recommendation - other than it being a Garmin I don't have one. Most of the people I've known that tried a Magellan or Tom-Tom wished they had a Garmin.

 

[cointoss]

Well we bought a Garmin 2555LMT today off the internet and thank you all for the excellent advice. We didn't have an Iphone so couldn't go that route and will have a little time to play with it before are trip.

 

[bigtiller]

Garmin Nuvi is the way to go. Be sure to get the optional beanbag dash mount, it's well worth the extra money.

 

[techman]

I too have been a Garmin user for many years. I recently bought a Nuvi 3590, factory refurb, and it is the best I have had. You can get a factory refurb with lifetime maps for $ 179, Garmin Nuvi3590LMT I travel a few times a year out west, and there are quite a few areas with little to no cell coverage, which makes the phone-gps solution worthless. As stated, simple enough for anyone to use and speaks all of the info to you. I have used GPSs to find auto repair in a close town after a breakdown and often to find shopping/food/gas along the route of travel.

paul